Cleaning External Filter

[MermaidMel]

How do you all clean yours? Because if like me your tubes are barely long enough to fit the filter in your undertank cupboard, let alone long to pull the unit out of the cupboard to clean it, it's a flaming nightmare! You take the lid off, only to find it drips all over the plugs and cupboard floor and down the sides of the filter, the thing is so bloody heavy you break your back trying to lift it out, you have to somehow quickly shove a bowl under the lid whilst somehow try to wriggle the canister out of the cupboard, the carpet gets dirty, you break a sweat, get the hump and then wonder why the hell you keep fish!

Or is this just me

 

[JenCliBee]

LOL nope hun thats about the size of it put a towel under a bowl put the filter in the bowl before taking lid off that way u take bowl out with thye filter in then the excess drips from pipe goes onto towl left down ...... still dont work lol but at least i try

 

[markandhisfish]

im lucky i can just unplug mine take the hoses off and leave the lid on then i take it through to the bathroom and hold it upside down so it "backwashes" then i rinse out media trays in a bucket of tank water

 

[jimmyringo]

Unplug it ,shut off the hoses(inlet & outlet),disconnect the hoses,carry it to the garage and clean it out there.My filter always sits inside a bucket anyhow,in case of leaks etc.I can afford to replace the carpet,but not the wife

 

[scoloujo]

I hve valves on my pipes I just turn them off, detach, unplug and carry to the sink which is where i take the lid off. Normally I don't spill A drop. My mess is made when refilling the tank!

 

[SharonCC]

I do the same as the above post...no fuss, no muss!

 

[MermaidMel]

So there are valves on the actual pipes? My pipes have valves to stop water going in/out of the canister, but not valves that allow me to remove the pipes themselves from the canister, what filters do you have?

 

[JustKia]

I've a fluval 405 and there are two levers. The first seals off the inlet/outlet and the second releases the pipes.
Also if your pipes aren't long enough, with the fluval, you can buy more piping to cut ot the required length.

 

[stubedoo]

So there are valves on the actual pipes? My pipes have valves to stop water going in/out of the canister, but not valves that allow me to remove the pipes themselves from the canister, what filters do you have?

I have the Aqua One Advance 1250 with my new tank, and that has taps/valves on the pipes (not the canister), so you can shut these off when you want to move it. The problem I have is that the electrical lead goes through the back of the cabinet as does the pipes, and I can't thread the lead and plug back through the hole with the pipes in there too.

Fortunately I left a bit of excess on the pipes so I can lift the thing out of the cupboard, place it in a bowl of some sort, and then take the top off and wander off with the rest of it for a good clean. At least that's the plan... I haven't done it yet.

 

[scoloujo]

I've got the Eheim classic 2213 but I'm sure that you can get hose connecters and can do a bit of DIY. 2 valves on each hose switch them to off and seperate. My cable goes through the cupboard but luckily I can reach around unplug it and pass it through.

 

[flash22]

ah the wonder of quick release conectors on the pipes

What i tend todo is move the filter foward disconect the pipes pull it foward a bit more pop the head off then move out to clean it. allways have a towel down and a bucket handy (Pro 2 2028 is a heavy beastie tho)

Every so often i clean the head, take the impellor out and give it a clean also clean the hole it come from (motor) then clean and re-lube the rubber seal. Ever 6 months or so I take the pipe work off and stick the cleaning brush down them (surprising how much thay gunk up) pipe brush is well worth the money (brush on a stiff nylon cord/wire)

 

[markandhisfish]

i have the same filter eheim pro2 2028 its quitre easy to clean

 

[jimmyringo]

Eheim 2213

 

[MermaidMel]

And the reason I bought a Tetratec EX is............[answers on a postcard please]

 

[jimmyringo]

And the reason I bought a Tetratec EX is............[answers on a postcard please]

I thought the hoses did come off these models.See point 5 in the link below:

tetratec Ex