Help- I keep breaking my filters

[mursey]

.. . and I don't know why but it's obviously me since it's been 3 different brands of filters.

1.) Azoo Mignon
2.) whatever filter came with the Petco Bookcase aquarium kit
and now
3.)an Aquaclear 20 for a 10 gallon tank split 3 ways for 3 bettas and lots of plant

I have 2 theories but I really would appreciate some filter maintenance advice since I only started keeping cycled tanks a few months ago.

a.) I seem to have a lot of plant matter collecting when I have plants and also home made betta spa (Indian Almond leaf water)

b.) could it be that when I cleaned the tank just now I let the motor run for a few seconds before unplugging it when the water level was too low and it burned out?

The other filters - one was broken one day and I never realized when it stopped.

I can't remember the situation for the other one.

Each filter has only last a couple of months. (I have 3 other tanks where the filters are still working at the moment.)

I don't want to break any more .. . advice?

(All my tanks are cycled, are between 78 degrees or 80, and have zero ammonia levels. Water is very hard here in Tucson.)

[asukabetta]

Originally Posted by mursey

.. . and I don't know why but it's obviously me since it's been 3 different brands of filters.

1.) Azoo Mignon
2.) whatever filter came with the Petco Bookcase aquarium kit
and now
3.)an Aquaclear 20 for a 10 gallon tank split 3 ways for 3 bettas and lots of plant

I have 2 theories but I really would appreciate some filter maintenance advice since I only started keeping cycled tanks a few months ago.

a.) I seem to have a lot of plant matter collecting when I have plants and also home made betta spa (Indian Almond leaf water)

b.) could it be that when I cleaned the tank just now I let the motor run for a few seconds before unplugging it when the water level was too low and it burned out?

The other filters - one was broken one day and I never realized when it stopped.

I can't remember the situation for the other one.

Each filter has only last a couple of months. (I have 3 other tanks where the filters are still working at the moment.)

I don't want to break any more .. . advice?

(All my tanks are cycled, are between 78 degrees or 80, and have zero ammonia levels. Water is very hard here in Tucson.)

it could be junk getting stuck in there. Sounds the most logical option. Try ordering a brand that people recommend

[LittleBettaFish]

Do you check the impeller area regularly to make sure it hasn't blocked up or that debris etc. isn't caught up in there and impeding flow?

My goldfish tank gets a lot of debris and mulm build-up in the filters. I can tell when they need cleaning because the flow drops right off. Every 3-4 weeks I will gently swish my filter media around in water taken from my tank, and will take the impeller out and make sure everything is running as it should.

What substrate are you using? It is not uncommon for sand to cause problems with filters when they get stuck up in the impeller.