canister filter

[Lee Discus]

Hi all

just like to ask you guys on your opinion on what yous think is the best type of media to use in a external canister filter?


thanks

Lee

[TimS]

Lee, I use the small bio-balls and have a sponge prefilter on the intake. I clean the sponge prefilter every couple of days in old tank water.
Tim S.

[BlueTurquoise]

Prefilters can be cleaned with just plain tap water, no need to try to breed bacteria on the prefilter do you? it is probably a cleaner option not to imo as it is purely there to stop large debri from entering the filter.

Lee, cannister :thumbsdown: difficult to clean. I have a huge old ehiem sitting in the garage collecting dust. I use AC...

Chong

[sammosammo]

I've always wondered why many say that it's hard to clean canister filters. I have an XP3, and all i do is unhook the tubes on top of the filter, carry the filter to the tub, replace or clean the mechanical filters, refill with tank water, 10 minutes and all done. What's so hard about that? Well, the other day, i realize i should clean the tubes to the tank as well...uhm :o dayum!! did ya hear me - i said :o Can i just replace these things instead? The crap in there most likely had a part in freakin out my dicus. I see now what you all meant. Commence AC purchase.

sam

[Smokey]

IMO -- Canister Filters are ticking time bombs!!!
I had tried all 3 major brands; sure they work well, in the short term. However, the cleaning was a drag, messy , and seemed to be a huge hassel.
I switched over to mini- towers and use the AC's as backups on the hosipatal and quartine tanks. Nothing easer to maintain!!!.
NO FILTER IS ANY GOOD IF IT CAN NOT BE KEEP CLEAN.
Trust me .

Smokey

[DISCUS USA]

Yes the allmighty ac ,just remember that when you clean it,clean in same water from tank the ac was is.im a newbi ,just passing on what im learning on the way. ;D

[Smokey]

Excellant point Hector. No sense in killing all the good biological bacteria.

Smokey

[Richman]

Canisters are not only harder to clean, they also are less efficient for biological filtration. I use them for polishing, but other than that I have no use for them. Even if you add bioballs (which is a good idea), the bacteria growth is limited by the smaller oxygen content. It only receives oxygen that is contained in the water in the enclosed system. That is why wet/dry, and biowheel filters are so much better. More oxygen mixture - better bio filtration. For the cost, canisters are the least efficient of all filters, IMO and IME.

[Smokey]

Richman --- http://smilies.sofrayt.com/1/a/bye.gif
It is funny[ well not really] just how many tanks "" DIE "" from the result of such units...

Smokey

[sammosammo]

Smokey,

What's a mini-tower?

[Smokey]

Just been busy setting up tanks for my new baby discus I bought from Dary H. [ see member to member - a trip to remember] post.

MINI-TOWERS@ ; there are a filtering unit I designed a few years back. I have been building these units for individuals .

Similiar to a WET/DRY units; however these can be mounted above an aquarium. Manufactured to sit on top.

The MINI-TOWERS@ - can be used on a single tank or built for mulity setups. what ever the customer needs.
Small and compact.... very easy to maintain and to clean... no dismantling of the unit!
As a bonus they aireate the aquarium as the water is returned. No need for an air pump.

HTH.

Smokey

[jklnbrg]

Richman --- http://smilies.sofrayt.com/1/a/bye.gif
It is funny[ well not really] just how many tanks "" DIE "" from the result of such units...

Smokey

Smokey... I'm intersted in your comment above about tanks dying from canister filters. I have used canisters for probably 15+ years. Eheims mostly. I've never had one cause a tank or anything else that I know of to die. I've never had water qaulity problems. Never had any problems at all.
The Eheims were a pain to clean bit I have always pre-filtered wtih sponges. It amazed me always when I did clean how little 'mess' was in the cannister.

I currently have only 2 tanks set up and both are running Rena Filstars. On my 150 planted tank (with 6 discus) the Filstar is the biggest they make. Water parameters are always very good. The Filstars are filled with a layer of ceramic noodles and then the rest is sponge slugs from Jehmco.
On my 75 gal growout tank I have 11 3 inch discus. I filter with a smaller Filstar and 2 large airdriven sponges. Water here is also great. (of coarse I do a daily 30% water change here)

The Filstars take less than 10 minutes each to disconnect (with no spillage), clean, and hookup again.

My experiences, your mileage my vary.

John

I've used most types of filters. I never had any problems with canisters other then the pain in cleaning them. But now I have Magnum 350's or HOT Magnums with micron inserts running on all tanks > 30g and have to clean them. They're at least easy to disconnect & restart and it takes little effort to remove & replace the micron insert. I don't see the need to use a canister for biological filtration, sponges are much easier to maintain. And while a prefilter will allow you to go longer between filter cleaning it just means you've got something else to clean daily. IME a wet/dry filter is the optimal form of filtration although they aren't cheap and take up a lot of room. I've seen other forms of wet/dry that pretend to be wet/dry but the key is the tower that water trickles through while being exposed to the air and the large amount of media. My second choice is sponge filters and a Magnum / micron setup. Now my tanks are clean right throughout the entire day, not just right after I finish changing water.

Dave

[sammosammo]

John,

I can't get into the jehmco web site. Are the sponge slugs like the filstar foam 20/30 pads, or the micro filters? I'm interested in your canister setup, because i question the effectiveness of mine. As asked earlier - do you use any of the filter medias like nitra-zorb or zeolite? I currently have foam20/30 pads on the bottom tray, noodles on the middle and lower half of top tray, and micro filters on top half of top tray. Should i change anything. The other concern i have is too much current in my tank. I have the xp3 set to slow on a 55g with two hydro III filters. Too much you think?

Do you have any good tips in cleaning the in/out tubes, besides water and a whole lotta shakin'

Are wet/dry systems easier to clean than canisters?

thanks,
sam

[jklnbrg]

Sammo,

The sponge slugs are just that, slugs. They look like the part that was punched out of a sponge filter when they made the hole for the lift tube. I don't know if the slugs are on Jehmco's website. I was talking to them and they were suggested to me.

I don't use ANY of the filter media provided my Rena except for the course filter pads. No zeo-lite, etc. I do have some ceramic noodles in one of the compartments.

HTH

John

[jklnbrg]

Sam,
I forgot your question about the tubing. I find that it is easier (and not very expensive) to go to Home Depot and replace the tubing than it is to clean it.

John

[Smokey]

Good evening; so very good points and personal expierences have been discussed.

wet/dry filters - perhaps the "ultimate filter" [yes/no]. These, I would say, are the simplest and most effective filter around. However - size - not ever w/d has to be huge. And the tank does not have to be drilled.
Ease of cleaning - you bet.
re: John - from personal, and customers/hobbiest, expierence... DO NOT TURN OFF A CANISTER FILTER AND LEAVE IT TO SUFFICATE... is what I was referring to. Yes, I agree canister filters can do a good job, however, some[many?] have "died", polluted the tank and caused serious harm[death] to the fish. Pre-filters help to keep them clean, avoiding cleaning the can more often.

Smokey

[sammosammo]

John,

Thanks for the help. I'm still not sure if i'll keep the filstar because of the strong flow, but my mind rests a little easier on it's setup - and an easier way to clean the tubes.

sam

[Gnome]

well I use eheim 2231 and it works just fine w/ me and good thought about the bacterial is dying because there is no oxygen exchange, but I don't know if they are, probably I don't even need it since my tank is heavily planted and I use the eheim for diffusing the DYI CO2. as for cleaning it is true that eheim is alittle bit a pain in the @$$ but I only clean them around 3 months since I have another filter running (whisper filter) I wouldn't worry much about it and as long as you don't stir the gravel. lol