# Fluval 405 Leaking



## Fronti (May 13, 2013)

Well when I clean my filter and place it back together it begins to leak where the top and the canister case meet. The gasket is in place and it snaps into place just fine, but a little stream of water leaks out. Has onyone ever had this problem before?


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

I don't have that filter, but I know that you should lubricate the gasket every time that you perform maintenance. If that doesn't work, try replacing the gasket.


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## Brentt700 (Mar 14, 2013)

I have had this happen just recently on one of my three Fluval 205's. The right side one would NOT seal no matter what I did to it. Took the o-ring off and sealed it with some special grease I bought at Home Depot that won't deteriorate rubber and is waterproof then installed it with NO luck. Tried drying and cleaning it and then applying the grease while the o-ring was seated in the groove with NO luck. Tried this about ten different times with no luck what-so -ever. I even tried it a few times dry with no luck. Then, at my wits end, I decided to purchase some new o-rings and since they were somewhat "greased" inside the bag, I just installed them onto the filter head and then seated it onto the case. And guess what??? NO LEAKS! I have even taken it apart once since then to change the cruddy bio-media rings to Seachem Denitrate and putting it back together was worried I would have the same problem but NO......sealed up just great! The old o-ring must have been bad or "faulty" from the get-go and I must have been lucky all this time for it not leaking. The other two filters are just fine. Just this one has had the issue.

You might want to try a new o-ring and see what happens. I paid $4 for my o-rings at a LFS and bought two of them. One for an extra one just in case I needed one for the future.


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## Fronti (May 13, 2013)

Nice I appreciate the info man. I just ordered a tune up kit yesterday and should be here by Thursday. I think it is the o-ring too, although it may look fine there may be some small thing keeping it from doing the whole job. Will post up and tell you how it goes. For now I bought a Marineland Penguin 200, but only temporary and a good back up for later situations.


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## preston stamper (Jun 18, 2013)

My leaking 405 was making me nuts. All the advice centers around the main gasket. I lube them. I bought new ones. Still leaked. Ugh! /// Now, before you throw out the excellent and expensive filter, do the following. Spray off filter groove and lightly lube the gasket. I use Leslie's pool gasket lube. Only fill the canister 2/3 full of water!!! Push lid to media down all the way and then use the clamps evenly to seal the lid . Add water through top till full. Trickles may appear but go away. Attach hoses and run it. If leaks remain after short time, Redo the clamps AFTER removing !/3 of water again. This always works after a time or three.


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## Brentt700 (Mar 14, 2013)

I have found by using three Fluval 205's that their o-rings seem to be made of crappy quality rubber or are not sized exactly right for the groove versus the sealing surface on the body of the canister. I had this problem again last night! I just threw on a new o-ring and problem solved. No leaks and for $5......well worth the hassle of taking the thing apart repeatedly and greasing and regreasing to try and make the stupid thing seal. I am planning on just stocking o-rings for every half a year to a year when they seem to have issues. It must be the quality control in how these filters are being made these days because I hear of people using the same o-rings for years and I can attest that after greasing lightly...heavily....no grease.....every time cleaning before I did this each time.....nothing seemed to work, and I am not someone who isn't mechanically inclined. I used to build aircooled VW engines, did all the machining and porting myself, and made anything from stock 1600cc's to 2500cc's producing 325HP N/A. It's not like I don't know what I am doing. It's just they DO NOT WORK! The o-rings seem to be too large almost for the groove after many times of taking it apart for maintenance. I believe it is a design flaw. JMO, though.


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## ozman (Sep 7, 2012)

inmo no gasket is designed to last for ever its just not going to happen. firstly the manufacturers want to keep making money :roll: 
but that aside there are so many variables in their use, because we own the same filter does not mean that we treat them the same hey. :thumb:


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