Cleaning and maintenance: Fluval 106, 206, 306, 406 canister filter

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• published: 31 Dec 2013
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Cleaning and maintenance: Fluval 106, 206, 306, 406 canister filter https://www.facebook.com/EverydayAquaristBlog Fluval 106, 206, 306, 406 external canisters are excellent filters but take longer to maintain than smaller internal filters. Cleaning a canister filter Canister filters are more daunting to clean than their smaller internal kin, but in fact they are not much more difficult if you follow a proper procedure. All filters should be cleaned at intervals of around one month. Turn off Unplug your filter and disconnect the tubing from the aquarium. If your filter has special valves to trap the water in the tubing, such as Fluval aquastop, then remember to use them. Without taking the filter top off, pour away any water that remains within the filter. Clean media To thourally clean an external filter I recommend that you will need a bucket of de-chlorinated water, a bottle brush, an uncontaminated sponge and possibly a towel. To clean the filter media: To clean sponges place them in the bucket of water and gently squeeze out any excess dirt. It is important to note that you are not trying to get them spotlessly clean but only remove excess dirt so that water can pass through. A lot of good filter bacteria live within the sponges and killing them off would be bad for your aquarium. For any media such as biomax or bioballs, cleaning them is simply rinsing them in the de-chlorinated water to removed excess dirt. Media such as carbon or compound removing medias, should be replaced as necessary at this point. Clean intake strainer/outlet/impeller The most forgotten parts when cleaning filters are where the water comes out, the intake strainer and the impeller. Although these parts must stay clean to function properly. Use a bottle brush to clean your outlet and intake strainer. If these are clogged it will reduce the flow going through your filter. Impellers are what drive the whole filter. When these get dirty they work less efficiently and will eventually stop. This is caused by a layer of bacteria and dirt building up around it and in the area it rotates. To clean simply remove the impeller and give it a light scrub. Use a bottle brush to clean the gap it rotates in. TOP TIP: When cleaning your canister filter give all surfaces within the filter a light clean with a sponge to remove any build up of dirt. Reassemble and prime Once everything has been cleaned the filter can be once again reassembled and primed. Priming can be difficult with external filters. Watch this video to learn how to do it simply and quickly. ================================================ If you enjoy my videos please like / favorite them and SUBSCRIBE to my channel. There are more to come full of useful tips and tricks for new and experienced fishkeepers. ================================================ http://youtu.be/IRgjTFU5gHY