Urgent! Dirty tank and filter broken

My hang on back filter is running, I can see the bubbles coming out of the motor. But no water is getting sucked up the intake tube. This darn thing was working last week, I took it out and all I did was clean it and now it’s not working. My tank’s LEDs also stopped working. I am beyond frustrated and due to setting up a new tank with an old whisper filter, which ALWAYS spit all the waste into the tank when you turn them off then start them up again for some strange reason, the water is ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING and cloudy! So I pulled out my strongest filter, the hang on back, to put in there along with the other one until it clears up. But now it’s broken too. Please help me fix it. It’s not the Motor, the water level is the same as before, absolutely nothing is different so why the heck is it not working

 

My hang on back filter is running, I can see the bubbles coming out of the motor. But no water is getting sucked up the intake tube. This goddamn thing was working last week, I took it out and all I did was clean it and now it’s not working. My tank’s LEDs also stopped working. I am beyond frustrated and due to setting up a new tank with an old whisper filter, which ALWAYS spit all the waste into the tank when you turn them off then start them up again for some strange reason, the water is ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING and cloudy! So I pulled out my strongest filter, the hang on back, to put in there along with the other one until it clears up. But now it’s broken too. Please help me fix it. It’s not the Motor, the water level is the same as before, absolutely nothing is different so why the heck is it not working

Try pouring water directly into the filter. Sometimes HOBs need water already in the filter itself to start pulling water in.

 

Try pouring water directly into the filter. Sometimes HOBs need water already in the filter itself to start pulling water in.

Yes! This! Hopefully you can get it working

 

I can't really help but one time something similar happened with one of my canister filters. I don't usually turn it off when doing water changes, but on that occasion I wanted to clean it. when I turned it back on the pump was running but it was not sucking anything. Tried stopping and starting a few times with no luck, then my husband took it to the workshop and tried to take it apart, but that was impossible as the pump is inside a sealed unit. He swore at it a few times, we tried again and it worked. I have not turned it off again since then...

 

I find filling the filter with water using a cup or something helps get the filter going with older ones

 

As long as you are sure the impeller is seated correctly pouring water in the filter until it starts picking it up usually works well. Pouring water in there helps pull the trapped air out of the tube. I just automatically do this with all my HOB filters when I've had them off for whatever reason. Although mine self prime, occasionally air gets trapped and has to work its way out. They make a grinding kinda sound until all the air is out.

 

Also make sure the intake tube is seated properly