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Thread: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

  1. #16
    Registered Member Swedgin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

    Quote Originally Posted by wsdiscus View Post
    Hi Tobi,

    so you have all the intake and outtake tubes inside the tank?
    i can add an additional filter and have 3 running ...how would you secure the water flow outtake nozzles in the tank?
    Hi Morgan,

    Yes I do. All of my filters have flow valves, so I can adjust the flow as needed. Some just drop the water vertically into the tank to avoid too much current. I hide all my pipes etc behind backgrounds or weirs (black on black background), as I don’t like to see any equipment in the tank. Takes the natural feel away in my personal opinion.

    My new tank will run 7 external filters, from as small as an fx6 to a 100 liter volume pond filter with a 3000 gph pump. As mentioned not worried about flow as I can adjust gph and direction at will.

    Not sure which fluvals you have, but I’m assuming they have a similar feature?

    Tobi
    Regards,
    Tobi

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  2. #17
    Homesteader Filip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

    Patty and Frank , my DIY filter floss is pretty unsightly but it does its job , keeping the smallest of the nasties away from my canister . I always hide it behind some plant , which I do have plenty , so the white unsightly colour of the polishing pad in the tank doesn't get in to my eyes .

    Here are some photos of my Intakes , filter floss and floss wrapped around my intake , secured with a rubber band :

    IMG-867cdb86b106af56b9c57b1b3d9fdf5e-V.jpg

    This is the brand of polishing floss that I use . Sera is well known German aqua brand here in Europe :

    IMG-ec15e72408d0ab14c711cafd2e531cd8-V.jpg

    Here is a photo of the 2 intakes that I change / swich 2 times a week . You can notice how dirty the polishing floss gets in just a few days :

    IMG-50cd14df17582438d0a2fa8ce908fb83-V.jpg

    The green thing is a flex PVC tube that I use to connect the intake to the plastic canister pipe :

    IMG-f7645ef13f8dd64da844a66b8035a7af-V.jpg


    This is the 20 pound bucked that I use to clean the polishing pads .Notice how dirty it gets after cleaning the pad that was in my tank for just 3 days and just imagine all that gunk pile up with months in your canister trays :

    Before :

    IMG-25f9243161ebc1845f18374c7e51fd51-V.jpg

    After rising the polishing pad :

    IMG-209822cf73653de6d4928146f55f9164-V.jpg


    And finally , you can just throw away the used wrap and cut a new piece since floss is fairly cheap , but I always clean them in my bucket because my petunias appreciate and enjoy this muddy fish poop water , as you can notice from this photo :

    IMG-6e4f06166846910392ff5e3690963ac7-V.jpg
    Last edited by Filip; 07-30-2018 at 08:29 AM.

  3. #18
    Homesteader Paul Sabucchi's Avatar
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    Default Re: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

    Wow, compliments for your petunias!

  4. #19
    Homesteader Filip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul Sabucchi View Post
    Wow, compliments for your petunias!
    Thanks Paul . Aquarium water and filter dirt along with regular fertilizer dosing does wonders for plants and flowers

  5. #20
    Platinum Member fljones3's Avatar
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    Default Re: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

    Filip, very helpful. Thanks for taking the time to assist!

    Frank

  6. #21
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    Default Re: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

    Quote Originally Posted by Swedgin View Post
    Hi Morgan,

    Yes I do. All of my filters have flow valves, so I can adjust the flow as needed. Some just drop the water vertically into the tank to avoid too much current. I hide all my pipes etc behind backgrounds or weirs (black on black background), as I don’t like to see any equipment in the tank. Takes the natural feel away in my personal opinion.

    My new tank will run 7 external filters, from as small as an fx6 to a 100 liter volume pond filter with a 3000 gph pump. As mentioned not worried about flow as I can adjust gph and direction at will.

    Not sure which fluvals you have, but I’m assuming they have a similar feature?

    Tobi
    Tobi, i have Fluval 406 filters but i don't like the sight of all the hardware in the back of the tank
    the tank has a black background on it now...i don't know how to hide the hardware unless i go to some kind of sump
    Last edited by wsdiscus; 08-01-2018 at 09:51 PM.

  7. #22
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    Default Re: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

    Quote Originally Posted by Filip View Post
    Patty and Frank , my DIY filter floss is pretty unsightly but it does its job , keeping the smallest of the nasties away from my canister . I always hide it behind some plant , which I do have plenty , so the white unsightly colour of the polishing pad in the tank doesn't get in to my eyes .

    Here are some photos of my Intakes , filter floss and floss wrapped around my intake , secured with a rubber band :

    IMG-867cdb86b106af56b9c57b1b3d9fdf5e-V.jpg

    This is the brand of polishing floss that I use . Sera is well known German aqua brand here in Europe :

    IMG-ec15e72408d0ab14c711cafd2e531cd8-V.jpg

    Here is a photo of the 2 intakes that I change / swich 2 times a week . You can notice how dirty the polishing floss gets in just a few days :

    IMG-50cd14df17582438d0a2fa8ce908fb83-V.jpg

    The green thing is a flex PVC tube that I use to connect the intake to the plastic canister pipe :

    IMG-f7645ef13f8dd64da844a66b8035a7af-V.jpg


    This is the 20 pound bucked that I use to clean the polishing pads .Notice how dirty it gets after cleaning the pad that was in my tank for just 3 days and just imagine all that gunk pile up with months in your canister trays :

    Before :

    IMG-25f9243161ebc1845f18374c7e51fd51-V.jpg

    After rising the polishing pad :

    IMG-209822cf73653de6d4928146f55f9164-V.jpg


    And finally , you can just throw away the used wrap and cut a new piece since floss is fairly cheap , but I always clean them in my bucket because my petunias appreciate and enjoy this muddy fish poop water , as you can notice from this photo :

    IMG-6e4f06166846910392ff5e3690963ac7-V.jpg
    wow, nice petunias!!

  8. #23
    Registered Member Swedgin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

    Quote Originally Posted by wsdiscus View Post
    Tobi, i have Fluval 406 filters but i don't like the sight of all the hardware in the back of the tank
    the tank has a black background on it now...i don't know how to hide the hardware unless i go to some kind of sump
    It’s quite easy, the black background will help tremendously.

    You can either get black plasic/acrylic sheets and make a cover for your pipes yourself or given the many equipment retailers you have in the US just buy a couple overflow weirs made for sumps and cut holes in to be covered with mesh.

    I’ll try to get some pics of what I have done later, it’s really easy and efficient.

    Tobi
    Regards,
    Tobi

    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

    Wild Blues/Browns/Reds
    Wild Heckels
    Wild Greens

  9. #24
    Homesteader Filip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

    Quote Originally Posted by wsdiscus View Post
    wow, nice petunias!!
    Thanks Morgan .

    And about hiding the canister tubes behind the tank . Have you considered to hide both of the tubes , along with other equipment behind the one side of the tank instead of behind the back of the tank ? That way they will sure be less visible than having them on the back of the tank . I have done it that way as you can see on the first picture in my post above.
    My tank is open view from three sides , and all the equipment is hidden behind that 4th side of the tank and its barely noticeable .

  10. #25
    Registered Member Pices's Avatar
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    Default Re: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

    Wow Filip,
    Thank you so much! Our polishing pads here in the US are very dense which my husband worried would interfere with flow. Now that I see this is actually polishing floss it makes perfect sense. I also have many plants in the tank (to hide it) and many patio plants that would love that dirty fish water. I can’t wait to do this.
    Thanks for all the pics and step by step instructions. Those petunias are gorgeous btw and your idea is genius! Also, I’ll be able to get these on and off much easier than the snap on fluval pre filters. Those sponges inside the pre filters are next to impossible to replace. Thanks for solving my problem so thoroughly.
    Patty
    If the discus are happy, I’m happy

  11. #26
    Homesteader Filip's Avatar
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    Default Re: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

    Quote Originally Posted by Pices View Post
    Wow Filip,
    Thank you so much! Our polishing pads here in the US are very dense which my husband worried would interfere with flow. Now that I see this is actually polishing floss it makes perfect sense. I also have many plants in the tank (to hide it) and many patio plants that would love that dirty fish water. I can’t wait to do this.
    Thanks for all the pics and step by step instructions. Those petunias are gorgeous btw and your idea is genius! Also, I’ll be able to get these on and off much easier than the snap on fluval pre filters. Those sponges inside the pre filters are next to impossible to replace. Thanks for solving my problem so thoroughly.
    Patty
    I'm glad if I helped Patty .
    Its pretty much the same as using sponge over the intake but only this way , you get much finer pre - filtration to the micron dirt particles and not much gets away in to the canister trays .

    By the way , I feel your husbands pain because to me too , cleaning the canister filter is by far the worst experience that this hobby requires from me . I hate when that time of the year comes
    That's why I came out with this combination , using the finest of prefiltration along with the most coarse filter media in the canister trays .

    BTW. Thanks for your compliments on my petunias . I'm amazed and pleased that I found so many "soulmates" about my passion for greenery and flowers .
    Last edited by Filip; 08-03-2018 at 09:44 AM.

  12. #27
    Registered Member Pices's Avatar
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    Default Re: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

    Filip,
    My husband was hating it every 6 weeks and it took 2 weeks of nagging before he did actually did it. I tried doing it myself, but it was harder for him to try and find out why they wouldn’t restart after my handiwork. Ha ha
    He is very grateful, my plants and angels will be too. Thanks again, you stand out as one of the people here who make this forum such a great place. Always great advice.
    Patty
    If the discus are happy, I’m happy

  13. #28
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    ROB COPELAND

    Default Re: Canister filters...frequency of cleaning, changing

    I use the filter max IV prefilters on all my filters, hang on the back and canisters. As a result I clean one cascade canister filter every two months. Even the, there is very little debris in the sponges in the canister. I clean the prefilters every two weeks in tank water. I really believe, If I wasn't using purigen I would wait longer. I run a cascade 1000 and cascade 1200 on our 75 gallon Discus tank.

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