Advice on external filter

[Elephant nose 4]

Hi ive just recently started using my aquael external filter, I'm use to internals.
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but when doing normal pwc do I turn the filter of like unplugging it? Not sure what to do!
Thank you

 

[Ichthys]

I never switch filters off for water changes or feeding.
I always have the intake just below half-way up the tank. That way far less solids go into the filter to block it (a prefilter sponge also helps) and I can do a 50% without switching it off.

 

[GaryE]

@Ichthys Agreed. If I am going below the level of the intake, I simply lift the intake tube and let the filter run, then slip it back into place when the water change is done. It's pretty rare for me to need to remove that much water though.

 

[Uberhoust]

I wire both the filter and the heaters into the same power bar and turn both off during the water change. I typically pull the water down below the filter intake during a water change and this causes a reverse syphon that pulls the water out of the filter. When this occurs it often doesn't have enough water to restart the water flow the pump (Using an AC filter in this case). I do the same with my canister filter because if you don't it can often get air into the canister, and it can take some time to get it out.

 

[10 Tanks]

Hi ive just recently started using my aquael external filter, I'm use to internals.
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but when doing normal pwc do I turn the filter of like unplugging it? Not sure what to do!
Thank you

Hello. I unplug the filter and remove it from the tank. I take it apart and clean it every time I change out the tank water. I would think this would need to be done as often as I change the water, which is every four or five days. I change out a lot of water, so my filters are small and simple to remove, clean and put back.

10

 

[hamfistUK]

Hello. I unplug the filter and remove it from the tank. I take it apart and clean it every time I change out the tank water. I would think this would need to be done as often as I change the water, which is every four or five days. I change out a lot of water, so my filters are small and simple to remove, clean and put back.

10

Please ignore this awful, awful advice for a canister filter.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I would suggest one do the exact opposite of what 10 Tanks does. Filters rarely need to be cleaned, it is only the media, and occasionally the impeller well, that may need cleaning. The bio-media should only be rinsed when you notice the output flow has slowed. To quote Dr. Tanner of Swiss Tropicals

For aquarium biofiltration to be most effective, filters should be running undisturbed for as long as possible

from http://www.swisstropicals.com/library/aquarium-biofiltration/

I pre-filter all of my filter intakes and powerheads. It is very important to rinse these regularly as a build-up of gunk in these will cause the intake to slow or stop completely. This can have bad results which include a worst case of causing the filter to break.

I place my heaters horizontally close to the the bottom of the tank and never need to turn them off during maint. and water changes. It also makes them easier to hide. I also believe heaters work bes t in this configuration as opposed to being vertical. The coldest water is nearest the bottom and heating makes the water rise which creates flow upwards while also heating the colder water in the tank.

 

[10 Tanks]

Please ignore this awful, awful advice for a canister filter.

Apologies. Missed the canister name. My bad!

10

 

[Elephant nose 4]

Please ignore this awful, awful advice for a canister filter.

I know not to do this,
Thank you everyone for the advice, I'm just use to internal filters so this is different for me.

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello. Am apologizing again for my error on the subject of cleaning filters, specifically canisters. So, I'll try to take advantage of an error by learning something. I'm reading that these filters can go weeks, even months without a cleaning. How is this possible, with a tank of fish that are constantly adding to the waste load in the tank. Wouldn't a filter need to be cleaned a lot more often? I'm thinking at least a couple of times a month, no? Could really use some help here.

10

 

[Uberhoust]

I pre-filter all of my filter intakes and powerheads. It is very important to rinse these regularly as a build-up of gunk in these will cause the intake to slow or stop completely. This can have bad results which include a worst case of causing the filter to break.

Am apologizing again for my error on the subject of cleaning filters, specifically canisters. So, I'll try to take advantage of an error by learning something. I'm reading that these filters can go weeks, even months without a cleaning. How is this possible, with a tank of fish that are constantly adding to the waste load in the tank. Wouldn't a filter need to be cleaned a lot more often? I'm thinking at least a couple of times a month, no? Could really use some help here.

I used to feel that I need to clean my filters regularly but now I just make sure all my intakes have prefilters on them. I used to use sponge prefilters but I find net or screening better because they don't clog. The best part of prefilters is the biggest waste volume going into the filters is un-eaten food, with a prefilter the fish get a second opportunity to feed off of food that would just get stuck in the internals of the filter. Accumulating waste on the pre filter is an indicator of over feeding, no waste on the prefilter and you are likely not feeding quite enough. To be effective the prefilter needs to have a large surface area otherwise it can restrict the flow. For example, I use an 8" by 2" diameter prefilter (50" squared) for a fluval f407 on a 75 gallon tank.

I now use a canister filter and find I only rinse the internal sponge filter once every 6 months or so. I do not touch the trays with the biomedia, they are over a year without service.

How often you clean your filter really depends on how you use it. Without a prefilter I would clean my filters once a month, otherwise their output would decrease and they would end up with lots of waste particularly on the first foam component. With a prefilter this waste never makes it into the filter enclosure so all you are really doing is running the filtered water (prefilter) past whatever biomedia you have. I could visualize a situation when owning messy fish, Oscar?, it might be better to allow the filter to take in all the waste (no prefilter) and just maintain it more often, but for the fish I have the prefilter works very well.

My thought is the mechanical filtration should occur as soon as possible in the system and be easily accessible, whereas the important filtration is with the biological filtration and that should be left alone once established.

 

[Ichthys]

If a filter is flowing well it doesn't need to be cleaned. Whatever amount of mulm that collects within it is just the solid end product of nitrification, and gets colonised by the bacteria (it increases the surface area available to them).
I've kept mostly biggish fish in my time, and I've cleaned filters anywhere between, say, every 3 and 6 months. And that's very much just a ballpark figure. The amount of muck that comes out of them is incredible. I squeeze the foams out in that dark brown muddy water, swirl the ceramics etc round in the bottom of it, put it all back and off we go. (I usually get a bucket of clean water, but I've rinsed it all in the mud many times).

 

[gwand]

If a filter is flowing well it doesn't need to be cleaned. Whatever amount of mulm that collects within it is just the solid end product of nitrification, and gets colonised by the bacteria (it increases the surface area available to them).
I've kept mostly biggish fish in my time, and I've cleaned filters anywhere between every 3 and 6 months. And that's very much just a ballpark figure. The amount of muck that comes out of them is incredible. I squeeze the foams out in that muddy water, swirl the ceramics etc round in the bottom of it, put it all back and off we go.

How often should you remove the pump from the filter casing and clean out the debris?

 

[Ichthys]

How often should you remove the pump from the filter casing and clean out the debris?

I usually don't get much debris but I clean out the impeller almost every time, because they can usually do with a clean after a few months. I do that on kind of a 'why not, while I'm here' basis.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

The reason canisters tend to not need cleaning as often is due to the large amount of media they hold. I have one with only 20 ppi Poret foam which is almost due for it's second cleaning in over 5 or 6 years. But it not the sople filter on the 75 Gal. tank which is heavily planted. My other two canisters would be cleaned twice a year- in June and December.

I would guess I clean the impellers and wells on my Aquaclears ever few years. At the peak I had 28+ of them running. I have every size they make. Today I am down to only 13.