MaddieLynn

I recently swithced my 5-15 gallon filter to the 5 gallon betta tank and tried to put the filter that my grandmother got in the 10 gallon tank. But... the filter has decided to take the day off! I can't figure out where the problem is coming from. The filter box is transparent, so I can see what's going on when I plug it in. Here's what I've noticed:

When there's no water in the filter, the fan spins just fine, but when I fill up the filter box, the fan spins slowly and irregularly and the filter does not suck water through the intake tube. I can spin the fan with my finger, and there doesn't seem to be any sort of blockage. What could be wrong with it? The filter says "Tetra 40" on the front, and it's the kind where the box hangs on the back of the tank while the tube sticks into the water.

It probably is too powerful for a 10 gallon, but I can adjust the filter intake.

Regal

If the impeller comes out I would suggest soaking it in white vinigar for 30 min or so then scrub and rinse it well. If it doesn't come out you can pour some vinigar in enought to cover the impeller and let it sit.
When my magnum was running sluggish and slowing down after a while I emailed Marineland and that is what they had me do. It worked well and now I do it to my penguin hang-on-the-back type filters.
I know its a different brand from what you have but thought it might work for you too because it sounds like it may just have some stuff in the impeller that's slowing it down.

reefplayground

What is the water level in the 10g?

is the u-tube fully pressed down into the filter?

are there any cracks/loos e parts anywhere along the u-tube?

if you are running the filter dry(which you should never do), you are destroying the motor assembly and the impeller. Are there thick groves on the impeller?

Sounds to me like the impeller and the u-yube is not sitting fully down in the filter housing.

can you take a pic or a vid?