Lots Of Questions About My External Filter!

[jungleistmassiv]

Hi all,

I have got an aqua one 1200 external filter which I have been running now for about 8 months. Starting from the top I have the filter media in the three trays in this order,

Large blue sponge
Carbon bag
Filter wool

Fine black sponge
Ceramic tube things (sorry for the non technical name)

Plastic balls

Is this correct? I have noticed that the ceramic tubes and the plastic balls are quite dirty. I rinse them through once ocvery week or two, but should they be replaced occasionally?

Also, the pipes are very dirty and green inside. I have tried removing them and blasting water through them with the hose pipe, but it doesnt work, and would like to get them properly clean. Is there a better way of doing this?

Thanks in advance
Rich

 

[rabbut]

Right, a few minor issues with cleaning, and a few surgested media arrangement improvements, but on the whole, things look ok

Washing any biological media under tap water (The plastic balls, ceramic rings, foam in this case) will kill the frindly filter bacteria. This can put you back into a cycle if they are the only forms of biomedia you have, so you would be best not using the hose on any of your media rincing in tank water is the only safe way to clean the media

The fact that you have a lot of dirt getting to the bio-media would surgest that the sponges and wool are not doing their job. Do they fit tightly into the filter tray? If not, water and dirt will not be being caught in them, and that is why the rest of your media is getting so dirty Dirt is not an issue in a filter unless it is clogging the water flow, in fact, a properly maintained filter will have most of it's media permananty discoloured with dirt, so don't get too obsessed with keeping things clean. A good exturnal (so Rena, Eheim, Tetratec, AquaOne e.t.c, but NOT Fluvals) will go for 6 months without needing a clean (I define this as when the flow drops off) for 6 months or more, provided they are suited to the tank they are running. Cleaning more often knocks your filter bacteria and can lead to mini-cycles, so cleaning should only be as and when required by a loss of flow

Carbon has little use in a well maintained tank, and needs weekly replacement if it's used correctly. This makes it a very expencive media choice. I'd look at replacing it with something more useful like ceramic rings or more plastic balls

For a low maintanance filter media set-up, consider the following;

lower basket: Corse foam, Either medium foam as a replacement for the carbon or then the Fine Foam and Filter Floss if you don't want more sponge.

middle basket: Floss if you are using medium foam instead of carbon, followed by the ceramic rings, or cram this with ceramic rings if you don't want more foam.

top basket: Plastic "Bio Balls"

HTH
Rabbut

 

[jungleistmassiv]

Thanks very much for your help mate, its much appreciated!

Next time i clean the filter i'll swap the media round as you suggested.

Thanks again

Rich

 

[hollanda88]

A good exturnal (so Rena, Eheim, Tetratec, AquaOne e.t.c, but NOT Fluvals) will go for 6 months without needing a clean (I define this as when the flow drops off) for 6 months or more, provided they are suited to the tank they are running.

Sorry im newish to fish keeping and a just wondering what is wrong with the fluval external filters, I have an internal fluval and its working fine

Cheers, Andrew

 

[rabbut]

Fluval internal filters are IMO the best on the market, so I'm not supprised that it hasn't given you and issues

Their exturnals IME leak, clog fast, are harder to prime than all the compertition that I have used (the 3 other major brands, Rena, Eheim and Tetratec) and are noisy. They just don't have the same level as quality IMO as their internal range There are many members on here that use and love Fluval exturnals, but currently they are in the minority if you ask arround

My Fluval 404 was retired after a few months when it started to give out electric shocks. it was also not coping biologically with a tank that is shoudl have ran comfortably and needed weekly attention. All other Exturnals, bar the Eheim Ecco, I've had go easily for 6 months

All the best
Rabbut