How to clean canister filter

**krabbie** · 16th Jul 2006, 23:34

I have some questions regarding the cleaning of canister filter ...

1. How often should the canister be cleaned? Monthly, Quarterly or Yearly?

2. Do I need to change the material inside the cansiter? I have Bio rings and carbon inside.

3. When I was cleaning the canister, should I pour away all the blackish water in the canister? All those peats? I usually wash the canister very clean, including the bio rings ... am I doing the right thing?

**|squee|** · 17th Jul 2006, 01:07

I clean it yearly. It's a matter of feeling.

I'd change the carbon, or remove it totally since it only serves purpose during new tank setups. If left in the filter for too long it starts releasing back its absorbed toxins into the water. Leave the biorings alone... only mechanical media like sponge should be changed.

The biorings should be just rinsed... since they contain vital beneficial bacteria. The filter itself shouldn't be too clean. All the "blackish" water can be thrown away.

**DudUser** · 17th Jul 2006, 06:37

For canisters I clean the filter when I notice a decrease in the flow. Mechanical media gets washed in the sink if it's worth the work. Cheap filter wool mostly gets changed. It there's a mechanical media sponge I clean in a bucket of tank water. Squeezing gets the most out. Biological gets quickly rinsed in a bucket of tank water (just to get the gunk off). Biological media never gets changed (It's usualy so expensive it's worth the hazzle of cleaning it). The dirty water i throw away or water my potted plants/garden with.

**krabbie** · 17th Jul 2006, 09:36

So which part is peat? Or is there any peat in the filter in the first place?

**moss_guy** · 17th Jul 2006, 10:40

It will depend as mention is by feeling. Once u realise the flow rate going slow. Then is time to do maintenance.

**taz_boy** · 17th Jul 2006, 10:56

i clean it every month

**|squee|** · 17th Jul 2006, 11:46

Originally Posted by krabbie

So which part is peat? Or is there any peat in the filter in the first place?

Um, why need peat?

**kemp** · 17th Jul 2006, 11:47

Very hardworking!

Originally Posted by taz_boy

i clean it every month

**joe** · 17th Jul 2006, 13:03

Originally Posted by kemp

Very hardworking!

*nods* *nods* ... i can't remember the last time i cleaned my filters

**juggler** · 17th Jul 2006, 13:17

I got a copy of the Eheim catalog. Last page showed the Maintenance Chart.

They recommend rinsing (in aquarium water) the filter pads and ceramic rings every 3 months and replacing them yearly.

I roughly followed the above except I did not replace the filter pads nor the ceramic rings.

Works well for my tanks. And I notice better growth each time I cleaned the filter of the excess dirt.

**krabbie** · 17th Jul 2006, 13:19

Originally Posted by |squee|

Um, why need peat?

Not that i need peat ... I just want to know what is peat, that's all.

**zenscape** · 17th Jul 2006, 15:32

An owner of a LFS told me he had not cleaned his shop's canister filters for 2 years. I can tell from the spider web on the filter but his display tank water is cystal clear.

CT · 17th Jul 2006, 16:28

I normally clean the cannister filter ard twice a year.. Just change the filter pads and clean the bio ring with tank water can already....

**kemp** · 17th Jul 2006, 16:57

I'm shocked!

Originally Posted by zenscape

An owner of a LFS told me he had not cleaned his shop's canister filters for 2 years. I can tell from the spider web on the filter but his display tank water is cystal clear.

**digital_ric** · 17th Jul 2006, 17:18

i am surprised at you guys frequency on cleaning the filter... cos i cleaned the filter every fortnight

seems like i am wrong or what?

**valice** · 17th Jul 2006, 17:23

Depends on what filter you use and the bioload of the tank.
I clean my canister filter about every three months, as leaves like to enter my surface skimmer. And I clean my HOF twice a month as it has a pleco in it...

**zenscape** · 17th Jul 2006, 18:04

Originally Posted by kemp

I'm shocked!

LOL

If things are getting fine, no algae issue, and plants and fish are healthy, it appears there is sound reason for not cleaning the filter so often. My guess is that the bio filter is working better the longer it is left untouched. My filter is going for a year now without cleaning.

**juggler** · 17th Jul 2006, 18:21

Originally Posted by zenscape

An owner of a LFS told me he had not cleaned his shop's canister filters for 2 years. I can tell from the spider web on the filter but his display tank water is cystal clear.

Planted tank?
Or maybe there's no media in the filter -- just serving as a powerhead?