How do I fix this without replacing the filter cartridge?

So recently my penguin bio wheel 200 filter cartridge has become clogged. I don't know what it's clogged WITH, but I've rinsed (and actually scrubbed it with my fingers) it in tank water three times now and it still doesn't let water flow through it properly. I don't really know what to do at this point besides replace the cartridge, but I'm almost through my cycle and don't want to lose it. I do have a piece of t which I moved from my penguin 150 to seed the cycle of my 40 gallon in the filter, so I wouldn't lose ALL of my bacteria, or the bacteria that's in the tank, but it would have to colonize the new cartridge and I feel like that would set me back a few weeks.

I am going to be getting a second filter for the tank, and it's probably going to be a canister filter so I don't put too much weight on the back of the aquarium. I just have to learn about how to set those up, since I've never used one before.

Is there anything I can do besides replace the cartridge?

 

Can't help you with your bio wheel. I detest hobs. For when you get your can though...

 

You may have already washed away the majority of the bacteria from all the rinsing and scrubbing you did (unless you poured the rinsings back into the tank). Hopefully this didn't happen, but to solve your problem, you could replace the cartridge, cut out the old filter floss (and figure out what was blocking the flow) and put the filter floss in with the new cartridge.

When you remove the cartridge, does the water flow normally?

 

Pull your intake tube out and check that nothing is wrapped around the impeller, you can remove the impeller pretty easy to check. Takes like 30 seconds


ECatch

 

Put the filter in the tank, put a new cartridge in the filter. If here is any BB left, it will still be in the tank.

 

You may have already washed away the majority of the bacteria from all the rinsing and scrubbing you did (unless you poured the rinsings back into the tank). Hopefully this didn't happen, but to solve your problem, you could replace the cartridge, cut out the old filter floss (and figure out what was blocking the flow) and put the filter floss in with the new cartridge.

When you remove the cartridge, does the water flow normally?

I was afraid that might have happened, but I don't think I disturbed the cycle much, since I'm still getting readings for both nitrite and nitrate (still mid-cycle)

The water does flow normally when I remove the cartridge, so it's definitely a clogged cartridge.

Pull your intake tube out and check that nothing is wrapped around the impeller, you can remove the impeller pretty easy to check. Takes like 30 seconds


ECatch

It's definitely not a stuck or clogged impeller! thanks though

Put the filter in the tank, put a new cartridge in the filter. If here is any BB left, it will still be in the tank.

I would do this, but I;m fairly certain the filter is clogged with sand. (oops. Somehow it didn't damage the impeller at all though.) and I don't want to put it back in the tank.

The idea Geoffrey had about removing the floss from the cartridge and placing it in with a new cartridge could work though! I may try that. Thanks!

 

That is basically the same thing I am advising to do. Take the clogged cartridge out of the filter place it in the tank, install new cartridge in the filter. No need to take it apart.

 

That is basically the same thing I am advising to do. Take the clogged cartridge out of the filter place it in the tank, install new cartridge in the filter. No need to take it apart.

Well yes, but if I remove the floss and place it IN the filter with the new cartridge, new water is flowing through it constantly, and it's also more directly seeding the new cartridge.

Plus if I had the cartridge just sitting in the tank, it would make the tank water kind of gross. lol. At least with how clogged it was it would have. I did what Geoffrey suggested, and my filter is running perfectly now!

 

Did you figure out what was clogging everything?

 

Did you figure out what was clogging everything?

The best I can describe that is "Sand and goop"

And maybe the carbon in the cartridge got moved around in a way that was restricting the flow of the water, too. It's hard to say.