Over the Back Filter

[squish fish]

With my cichlids who love to spit sand and such. My OTB filter inside where the water goes through the filters has lots of sand in it. What should I do?

 

[connorlindeman]

I guess you could rinse it out with dechlorinated water, or better yet, with tank water. You might also consider getting a pre-filter. Some sort of sponge to go on your filter intake.

 

[Magnum Man]

You could put one of those foam inlet tips on, but warning, with Cichlids they’ll plug up every week or two, and need squeezed out… or you could home make out of a material like pantyhose ( fine nylon…. Not the fish net stocking material ) I bought a pack of silicone rubber bands just for such use

 

[sharkweek178]

You could put one of those foam inlet tips on, but warning, with Cichlids they’ll plug up every week or two, and need squeezed out… or you could home make out of a material like pantyhose ( fine nylon…. Not the fish net stocking material ) I bought a pack of silicone rubber bands just for such use

I use one of those and always make it a habit to rinse it out in used tank water during water changes.

 

[GuppyBreeder180604]

if the sand is taken in by the inlet then you could use an inlet sponge, and maybe some filter floss on the media compartment to filter out the finest particles.

 

[Fishmanic]

Perhaps raise the intake tube farther away from the substrate.

 

[GuppyBreeder180604]

Perhaps raise the intake tube farther away from the substrate.

that would also be a good solution, when i first got my bristlenose pleco, he raised a lot of sand and it clogged up the filter, and after raising the intake the problem was solved

 

[squish fish]

Thanks all.