How Often Do You Clean Your External Canister Filter?

[Dutchie]

Just interested how often you clean your filter and if the size of the tank is an important factor?

 

[cane76]

tank size means nothing just clean it when the flow from the outlet is weak
other than that disturbing it could do more harm than good

 

[QuotheRaven]

Every three months rinsing the filter pads in old tank water taken out should suffice...also cleaning the pipes and motor part's with a cleaning utensil safe for usage with fish tanks. I cleaned mine today and it was quite bad after about 1-3 months now it's running quieter and better

Some say replace the filter pads one by one over a period of time after over 6 months of running however Im not really sure about the 6 month time frame...

 

[Miss Wiggle]

same as any other filter, clean it when it tells you too.

check the flow rate when you do your weekly water changes, if it's dropped at all it's time for a clean out.

 

[Dutchie]

My clear PVC hoses for both inlet and outlet to/from my canister is approx 1 .5 meters each.

Do you clean these and if so, how??

 

[Miss Wiggle]

My clear PVC hoses for both inlet and outlet to/from my canister is approx 1 .5 meters each.

Do you clean these and if so, how??

I never have, unless after you've cleaned the filter you find flow is still restricted then you may have a blockage in the pipe or something. never happened to me though

 

[QuotheRaven]

you use a long wire pipe cleaner when you clean them as algae and muck gets in them and diminishes the water flow...of course pipe cleaner used only for fish tanks so buy a new one...

 

[Dutchie]

Good news...........

 

[vinylman]

I changed from a Fluval 4 Plus internal to a (fabulous) Tetratec 700 external six weeks ago. The flow hasn't dipped at all, but last week I gave in to curiosity and checked it. I needn't have bothered - there was barely any waste in there, I'm SO impressed with these filters. I won't look again until I see a change in the flow back into the tank. Wish I'd changed ages ago.

 

[raptorrex]

last time i cleaned my hydor prime 30, it was four months since the last clean. gona dump my hoses, when i feel they are too clogged, till then i will leave them alone. hagen make brushes for the job, but they cost not much less than new hose will!

 

[weston adam]

Just interested how often you clean your filter and if the size of the tank is an important factor?

There is no hard and fast rule but it will depend on what your tank is stocked with as to how much waste is produced, large oscars and some cats will produce large amounts of waste( I have both) but I still only have to clean mine every four to five weeks. keep an eye on the outlet mine somtimes starts to pulse when it is getting clogged.

 

[rdd1952]

My 75 gallon is lightly stocked (4 medium angels, 9 black phantom tetras, 4 corys, 3 SAEs and a 6" pleco and the corys and pleco have only been in there for 2 months - given to me) and I clean mine every 4 months. I run a clean bucket of dechlorinated water, pull all the baskets out and pour the ceramic rings and other media in the bucket and lightly knead them with my hands to clean them. After I put the media back in the baskets, I pour the dirty water out of the canister, rinse the sponges in the water that I cleaned the media in, refill the canister with clean, dechlorinated water and put it all back together. Never had any problems.

 

[esquirette2007]

My tank is heavily stocked, so I rinse out the sponge with tap water and rinse off the bags of carbon, ammonia cleaner, etc., with each water change - about once per week. I have an old AquaClear 150 that still works like a champ. Rinsing out the sponge/filter doesn't kill the beneficial bacteria, but unclogs & enables the sponge/foam to filter more gunk, get better water flow, etc.

Cheers,

KK

 

[DevUK]

I think my Fluval 204 instructions say clean the foam when you do a water change. Afterall, its the bio balls/ceramic stuff that provide the biological filtering so as long as you look after those you shouldn't have any cycling issues

 

[weston adam]

My tank is heavily stocked, so I rinse out the sponge with tap water and rinse off the bags of carbon, ammonia cleaner, etc., with each water change - about once per week. I have an old AquaClear 150 that still works like a champ. Rinsing out the sponge/filter doesn't kill the beneficial bacteria, but unclogs & enables the sponge/foam to filter more gunk, get better water flow, etc.

Cheers,

KK

so are you saying its ok to rinse the filter spounge under the tap and not worry about the chlorine but not the rest of the media