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christian1971
04-28-2011, 03:30 AM
How often should I clean a canister filter? Would it be beneficial to also add a power filter (emperor 400)? Or is that overkill? Not sure on size of tank yet, perhaps 55 to start, with 4 discus.

Eddie
04-28-2011, 04:21 AM
Get 6 minimum, depends on how you feed.


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ericatdallas
04-28-2011, 02:43 PM
IMO, go with 75G ... I bought a 55G when I got back to fishkeeping but within two weeks bought a 75G.

How often you clean your canister depends on
1) What you feed
2) Do you have a pre-filter
3) Your bioload

I hear people clean theirs out as often as once a week to as seldom as almost never... I'm in the every 2-3 week category for my tank but I have a pre-filter on it. I also put a HOB for mechanical filtration which I clean the media once a day (at least every other day if I'm being lazy).

If you don't have a pre-filter and feed beefheart, it can get pretty bad fast... I actually had the flow on mine reduce to almost nothing after a week. Then it's just a nitrate generating machine...

Hsunami
04-28-2011, 03:24 PM
havn't clean out mine for 2 months now. Everything still good. Prefilter is the key.

i bought these

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4182

They are great, wish my FX5 had one. . . for my other tank. I made a DIY for my FX5 out of

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4231&rel=1

Just cut to size then i silicone the side and the bottom and boom. Instant pre filter. LOL

atitagain
04-28-2011, 03:30 PM
These work real well to and last. They come with fittings to mount onto just about any filter.

http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=789

And I clean my filter every other week using water from the tank to rinse everything off. Mine doesn't get to bad because of the prefilter which I rinse daily during the WC. I feed BW, flake and FBS.

ericatdallas
04-28-2011, 03:32 PM
I use the Hydro IV Pond Sponge, it also comes with the adapter that snaps right on to the Fluval 405.

I have the filter max III that atitagain linked too as well... it actually is made by the same company I think and comes with the exact same hardware to connect to your filter.

I prefer the Hydro pond spone since it has greater surface area but it's harder to conceal in a display tank.

Eddie
04-28-2011, 06:10 PM
When I ran canisters, I had to clean them weekly and it still wasn't enough. To much mulm collects in them and ultimately kills the water quality. ;

It all depends on it's application. I had them on some growout tanks and will never again.

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ericatdallas
04-28-2011, 06:32 PM
I think the pre-filter solves the mulm problem.. but if I had my choice, I would still put two HOBs in a growout tank rather than one canister filter and one HOB... much easier to clean.

By choice, I mean, if I had the money to buy all the supplies I want for my moneypit of a hobby :) I have to prioritize on what to buy and I already have way more filters than I do tanks :P

Eddie
04-28-2011, 09:22 PM
I think the pre-filter solves the mulm problem.. but if I had my choice, I would still put two HOBs in a growout tank rather than one canister filter and one HOB... much easier to clean.

By choice, I mean, if I had the money to buy all the supplies I want for my moneypit of a hobby :) I have to prioritize on what to buy and I already have way more filters than I do tanks :P

No Eric, I have always used prefilters, doesn't solve the mulm problem. No matter what, canisters always hold too much junk, regardless of the prefilters.

calihawker
04-28-2011, 09:25 PM
No Eric, I have always used prefilters, doesn't solve the mulm problem. No matter what, canisters always hold too much junk, regardless of the prefilters.

I use canisters with prefilters and I have to go with Eddie on this one. To keep the water pristine, they have to be cleaned constantly.

ericatdallas
04-28-2011, 09:40 PM
Maybe I'm just not feeding enough :)

Or my HOB is doing most of the work...

Eddie
04-28-2011, 09:44 PM
Maybe I'm just not feeding enough :)

Or my HOB is doing most of the work...


Might be, besides the HOBS get just as much but its such a breeze to clean out a HOB. I literally, MUST clean all my filters out weekly, almost twice a week, when growing out discus. Its just the way I roll. ;)

ericatdallas
04-28-2011, 10:13 PM
Might be, besides the HOBS get just as much but its such a breeze to clean out a HOB. I literally, MUST clean all my filters out weekly, almost twice a week, when growing out discus. Its just the way I roll. ;)

I clean my HOB daily and pre-filter every other day... that could also explain why I don't see as much mulm. I do agree that HOBs are better though for cleaning.

The only thing I really like about them is that they're a lot more quiet although AC110s aren't too bad.

strawberryblonde
04-29-2011, 02:53 PM
Ok, so I came up with a DIY solution for a pre-filter on my canister while I was waiting for my online order to arrive.

My canister is supposed to be strictly for bio on this tank, but was clogging with beefheart in a BIG way, necessitating constant cleaning. I grabbed a pair of unused pantyhose from my drawer, cut off a portion from the leg, pulled it tightly around the intake tube and used a rubberband to hold it in place. I yank the tube off with each water change and rinse it well. The nice part is that the trapped food bits don't fall off the pantyhose material when I shut off the canister, which means that I'm not chasing that stuff all around the tank to siphon it up.

I waited a week before cleaning the canister yesterday since water parameters remained stable for the ENTIRE week (first time in 3 week...woot!) and was shocked at how clean the media was. Just a wee bit of micro fine sludge in the bottom tray.

So now my pre-filters that I ordered are due to arrive today and I'm not so sure I want to use them after reading this thread. LOL

I guess I could try them for a week and compare the results before I make my final decision on which one to use.

Ohhhh, for the OP, I found that if I was feeding beefheart and not using a pre-filter, I needed to shut off the canister during feedings and then clean the canister every other day to get the collected crap out of it. If I didn't shut off the filter I could actually watch the floating bits of food being sucked directly into the intake tube...yuk!!!

SB

Jhhnn
04-30-2011, 03:31 PM
I used the ATI prefilters from Kensfish, found the sponge too coarse to keep the canisters clean, so I experimented. The standard ATI fine sponges are too soft, collapse easily, and required daily attention. What seems to work well are the guts from the ATI kits along with these sponges-

http://www.amazon.com/AG-CORNER-OVERFLOW-SPONGE-2PK/dp/B0017JBK02

They were formerly sold under AGA's Oceanic label- it is only recently that I found 'em again under the AGA label.

They need to be cut to length with a serrated bread knife, and they very effectively keep the canisters clean. I still clean the canisters every few months, but it's mostly precautionary, because there's not much in them. The sponges also hold up well- one of mine is nearly 2 years old, has been wrung out many times, and is still in top condition.

jarret8x
05-02-2011, 11:02 AM
I used the ATI prefilters from Kensfish, found the sponge too coarse to keep the canisters clean, so I experimented. The standard ATI fine sponges are too soft, collapse easily, and required daily attention. What seems to work well are the guts from the ATI kits along with these sponges-

http://www.amazon.com/AG-CORNER-OVERFLOW-SPONGE-2PK/dp/B0017JBK02

They were formerly sold under AGA's Oceanic label- it is only recently that I found 'em again under the AGA label.

They need to be cut to length with a serrated bread knife, and they very effectively keep the canisters clean. I still clean the canisters every few months, but it's mostly precautionary, because there's not much in them. The sponges also hold up well- one of mine is nearly 2 years old, has been wrung out many times, and is still in top condition.

I'm going to try these out

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zchauvin
05-02-2011, 11:25 AM
Might be, besides the HOBS get just as much but its such a breeze to clean out a HOB. I literally, MUST clean all my filters out weekly, almost twice a week, when growing out discus. Its just the way I roll. ;)

So Eddie quick question, on my growout should I out two HOB and take the eheim 2213 and put with eheim pro on 75g.

Jhhnn
05-02-2011, 06:31 PM
I'm going to try these out

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I need to apologize for that post, because I spoke too soon. I thought they'd be the same as the Oceanic sponges, but when they arrived today, they turned out to be shorter, and won't completely cover the internals for the ATI prefilter kits. Meh. My mistake.