Windchaser

Searched, but could not find an answer.

I need to clean out our 75g tank canister filter since it's been a few months since I have last done it, but...

Last time I cleaned it I got water all over the carpet and floor and it was a mess. What is the best way to clean these filters without making such a huge mess?

Last time I did it I turned everything off and took the hoses out of the tank thinking that would be sufficient enough, but apparently I was gravely mistaken. Big time.

Shawnie

Whenever we rinse ours in old tank water, which should only be done when they are really full so not to start a mini cycle, we always have water spilled...so I use the old garbage bag under the newspaper trick LOL ...we dont take the hoses out, just shut off the flow and let it drain into the tank for the most part...I dont think theres a way to get no water spilled..but I could be wrong

steveangela1

I use one of those big hospital pans they work great for holding the canister filter under your tank, and if any leaks it will go in there. I will disconect my stuff and set the tubing faced down in the bucket, and while my tank is being syphoned for cleaning I have a bucket just for the filters. I just use the water from that.

I have a little brush set to clean the impellers, etc in my eheim. Then the tricky part is that green tubing that needs to be took a part for all the build up in it, so I actually did a diy cleaner for it, I use a ramrod that you would use to clean a muzzleloader which fits perfect and I tore up old shirts to rap around it to clean the gunck.

I rinse my media out w/ old tank water and then its ready to go and working like a new filter.

Tavel

i guess it depends on your set up. my eheim comes with "quick disconnect" joints that are basically two ball valves on either side of a threaded union. (basically this, though you could find cheaper ones, or even make it yourself.)

I don't lose any water, except the quarter ounce that gets stuck between the ball valves. shut the ball valves, disconnect the unions, lift the filter and hold it over the aquarium, open the bottom ball valve (to release pressure), then the top valve (to break the vacuum) and drain the canister.

Then you can do all your maintenance with barely a drop spilled. I like to pour the filter media into a bucket of tank water to clean it.

eric_m

yup.. have the classic and came with those quick connect.. only a drop or two.. i usually have a paper towel before i disconnect it.. even then the paper towel is pretty dry.. then take the whole thing to the tub to dismantle..

ThisGuy

I have an eheim classic with the quick disconnects and I found (after getting wet floors many a times) the easiest way to do it is turn it off, turn all the valves to the shut position, but it in a bucket and then disconnect it now if it splashes it will splash in the bucket. Starting it back up is another story.....stupid gravity.... yea well they are awesome filters

Tavel

it should self prime without a problem if you don't break the vacuum on the intake side. the outlet will bubble and splash like crazy, but that's just the water pressure from the inlet pushing the air out.

eric_m

I recently changed one of the filters (the white fine one was all sludgy).. I had the canister and hoses empty when I placed it back.. with the unit on.. I then opened the intake valve then the output.. it had started on its own without priming? maybe I got lucky that time.. but I agree very good filter.. but its my first one so I wouldnt know any better.. ignorance is bliss...