# Help! How to prime a Fluval 306 filter with an inline CO2 reactor



## mistahoo (Apr 25, 2012)

I'm pretty sure it's not the reactor. The priming pump is a POS. I normally have to spend half an hour to get the canister to start running again using the pump. I found the easiest way to prime it is to stick a powerhead or pump on the end of the intake that way water is forced into the intake and the only way for the water to go is through the return.


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## jfritz (Nov 2, 2012)

Oh, that's an interesting idea. Thanks!


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## mistahoo (Apr 25, 2012)

No problem. There's other ways to go about priming the canister and I would try every single one of them before I use the priming pump that's on there...


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

Do you have a bleeder valve on the reactor? You should make sure the reactor is full of water also, if the hoses, can and reactor have water in them it should start right up.


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## jbrady33 (Jun 7, 2012)

If it is like my 406 - do you still have the ball valve thing on the intake?


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## jfritz (Nov 2, 2012)

mott said:


> Do you have a bleeder valve on the reactor? You should make sure the reactor is full of water also, if the hoses, can and reactor have water in them it should start right up.


No, I don't have a bleeder valve, but that's an interesting idea too. Maybe I could open the valve and let air out through the reactor? Then maybe the normal priming pump on the filter would work, since it's just siphoning water from the intake.

I eventually got the filter started through some miracle. One problem I had was that the intake hose would not continue siphoning (!). I could start a siphon (yes, mouthful of fish water :flick but it would stop flowing almost immediately. I blamd this on the ribbed hosing that comes with the Fluval.

Anyway, I think I had too much air in the intake hose. Once I managed to get the intake hose full and also manually filled the canister, it finally worked. BUT this was a major hassle and I don't want to have to repeat it the next time I clean the filter!!!

Can anybody else share how they prime their filters in this situation?


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## jfritz (Nov 2, 2012)

jbrady33 said:


> If it is like my 406 - do you still have the ball valve thing on the intake?


Yeah, I do. I suspected that was causing my problems with siphoning from the intake hose (see other post), so I took off the whole bottom strainer from the intake so it was just an unprotected pipe. Of course I replaced it after finally getting it to start... don't want to suck up any fish :fish:


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

I just got this used fluval 203. I primed it by filing it and turning upside down a couple of times


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## jfritz (Nov 2, 2012)

Hilde said:


> I just got this used fluval 203. I primed it by filing it and turning upside down a couple of times


How did you fill it? With the lid off? And with tank water or tap? And what good does it do to turn it upside down a couple of times?


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I have primed a lot of canisters in either of 2 ways:
Use a reasonably strong pump and pump the water in through the intake. When it is flowing really well through the outlet, THEN plug in the filter, but keep the pump running until you know the pump in the filter is taking charge. 
Suction on the outlet. 

Watch for places where air can enter the inlet tubing and break the siphon. If you have any attachments on this side of the system make sure they are all air tight.


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## blink (Feb 22, 2012)

I wonder if the priming pump on the 306 is poorer quality than the one on the 206 because I clean my filter every 2 weeks and never have any trouble getting it running, even from dry hoses.
Guess I can't help you op, cause I'm not in the same situation but when I had my eheim I had the use a pump firing into the intake to prime it.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

It's the reactors fault, I have the same problem with my 2026. That's why I have to fill the can and make sure all lines are full of water.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

jfritz said:


> How did you fill it? With the lid off? And with tank water or tap? And what good does it do to turn it upside down a couple of times?


Filled it with tap water treated with ammonialock by API. Then closed it. Turning it upside down filled the hoses with water.


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## jfritz (Nov 2, 2012)

Thanks, everyone for your replies! The next time I clean my filter, I'm going to try sticking a powerhead into the filter intake and see if I can prime it that way (forcing water into the intake).


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