DIY Marineland Penguin Filter Cartridge s

[coach_z]

Marineland Penguin Rite size Filter cartridges are great but they have one major problem associated with them. They are extremely expensive!!!!

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1445&pictureid=12250

Fortunately these cartridges can be modified to become re-usable and extremely cost effective.

Required Materials:


(2) Marineland Penguine pre-made cartridges
blue bonded filter pad (or other appropriate filter material)
rubber bands

Required Tools:


Box cutter (or equivalent)
Scissors

Time Required for Modification


10 Minutes or so

Procedure:
1) Using the box cutter (or equivalent) and/or scissors carefully remove the Blue filter material from a new or used filter cartridge frame.
NOTE: This might be tricky, require a bit of trimming, pulling cutting. It is best to remove it all, but i have found that leaving some material where it is glued to the plastic cartridge has no ill effects
2) Using the box cutter (or equivalent) cut 4 notches in the sides of the filter cartridge frame. Refer to the first attachement below for visual guidance.

CAUTION: Do not cut yourself.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1445&pictureid=12251
3) Using the scissors, cut the Blue Bonded Filter pad (or, appropriate filter material) so that it is 1/4" to 1/2" wider and taller than the Filter Cartridge frame.

4) Using two rubber bands secure Blue bonded filter pad to the top and the bottom of the filter cartridge. The rubber bands will fit snugly within the notches made in Step 2.

5) Replace Blue Bonded Filter pad when appropriate (aproximately once a month) and make sure to replace rubber bands at the same time as they tend to disintegrate over time.

6) Repeat procedure for other filter cartridge (optional). I use two of these in my filter because they fit, or you can use the other one for a backup
Using Carbon or other media within your cartridge:
If the time comes where you need to use carbon (or other filter matieral) in your cartridge you are still able to use these cartridges. The notches have been placed so that the majority of the Filter Cartridge can be filled with carbon (or other) without it all falling out.
NOTE: It wont fall out as long as you do not shake it violently.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1445&pictureid=12252

Enjoy and good luck!
-Chris

[CWO4GUNNER]

Very useful DIY especially since it required no sewing and is quite fast to make. Im just wondering if there is a preferred type rubber band that will last longer in water then others.
Bravo Zulu!

[Somervell]

This is terrific! Your plan can be modified to work for the Eclipse filter, too! Excellent post, and exactly what I had been looking for on the internet, but couldn't find.

[coach_z]

This is terrific! Your plan can be modified to work for the Eclipse filter, too! Excellent post, and exactly what I had been looking for on the internet, but couldn't find.
I use staples brand rubber bands....2-3 dollars for a pack of 300 or so....throw them out often because they are so cheap.


Very useful DIY especially since it required no sewing and is quite fast to make. Im just wondering if there is a preferred type rubber band that will last longer in water then others.
Bravo Zulu!

i can do a quick writeup for this filter (or diagram) if i were to know how these filters install in the hood.

thanks for the props folks! this write up was done by request.

[RodInCALIFORNIA]

been doing this for years on eclipse hood filters , emperor 400's and penguins. rubber bands are so cheap i just replace every month. same thing can be done with whisper filter pads as well.

[Somervell]

Do you have to sew a pocket for the whisper filter, Rod? I know the clips are reusable.

[Aptos]

Thanks a ton for this write up! I hate, hate, hate buying new filters all the time for these!

[RodInCALIFORNIA]

all i use to do to whisper pads was measure out enough length of pad material a little wider then the plastic frame and then measure from the top of the frame all the way down it and back up the other side and remove the plastic clip on top of frame and insert new pad so it wraps around the frame and the clip holds both sides snug then i put 1 rubber band around the middle and put back in filter and your done. i didnt use carbon in my pads so no need to sew the sides of the filter pad. i no longer use whisper filters but my friends do and still use this method to replace there pads. i buy the 100% king size roll of polyester fiber material in the sewing department at walmart for 10.99 and that will last a good 2-3 months and i now use it in my canister filters and wet/dry filters. walmart sells a flame retardent version of this poly roll also make sure you get the UNTREATED bag. only difference i never cut notches in the sides of the frame since i used thin rubber bands and they slid down in the frame holer in the filter with no problem. if you cut notches in the frame i wouldnt cut so deep as the frames can be flimsy and cutting to deep a notch can snap your frame i found that out a few times trial and error so i stopped doing notches when i found out they werent need for my use.

[Star_Rider]

I did this for awhile works great.. then bought these on sale at Dr fosters and smith

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+20024+13370&pcatid=13370

the frames are clam shell and reusable

;)

[fwiffo]

when i had my penguin 200, i just washed out the cartridge with the garden hose and re-used it till it literally came apart. then i bought 1 more and continued. they ususally lasted about 6 months.

[barbarossa4122]

Did this and according to my calculations it will only cost me about $0.60/cartridge. Thanks.

[northwindtucker]

I buy a $10 box of 6 aqua-tec filters at wal-mart for my penguin 350. They are the same exact cartridge as the marineland cartridge. I rinse and reuse them as long as I can, at least 9 months. It takes two years to go through a box of six. That works out to 40 cents a month. For my emperor I use a bioforever supercartridge. It takes up both slots and has biofins in front and back. I buy the same exact waste trap material in bulk size and cut my own. It is cheaper yet.

[barbarossa4122]

For my emperor I use a bioforever supercartridge. It takes up both slots and has biofins in front and back. I buy the same exact waste trap material in bulk size and cut my own. It is cheaper yet.

I been looking at this for a while now. Maybe I should get a couple.
http://pet-supplies.drsfostersmith.com/search?p=Q&lbc=drsfostersmith&w=supercartridge&af=cat1:fish%20type:product&isort=score&method=and&ts=results&rt=template_switch_search

My front slots of the Emperor have 2 clam shelles frames(the original ones) full with biomax(96 pieces of ceramic rings) and the back slots have the diy cartridges with blue bonded pads and poly floss.
My Aqueon 55 has 2 diy cartridges, about 1 cup of crash coral and about 20 biomax ceramic rings.
I don't use carbon anymore but I do have some around the house just in case. Btw, I bought the original replacement cartridges for both filters only once and it came out to $4.30/ cartridge.:jaw-dropping:

[DrgRcr]

In my Penguin, I removed the cartridge and in its place I cut a piece of pond sponge to fit snugly where the cartridge would normally be. Then I fill the area behind the sponge with poly fill. They've been in there for 9 months now, get rinsed during WC's with only some of the poly fill needing to be changed out once in a while.

[echoofformless]

I support the use of the Foster and Smith clamshell style replacements more than any DIY. Rather than waste a lot of time monkeying around to get mediocre results you can just invest a few bucks and get those, which will allow you to do all kinds of cool stuff.

Not that the DIY wouldn't yield good results if you know what you're doing, but the ones from F and S are a lot more useful in my opinion. And inexpensive.

[foolishfish]

Not sure where I saw it but there's a mod that someone built on the Emperor 280/400 that used the clam shell as a base and added an air supply and bubbler to the bottom, then filled it w/ ceramic media I believe.

I have some of those that I haven't really played with much yet and some of what I think are older media inserts. They are very solid black plastic frames with herring bone looking perforated faces and the interiors are divided as though for the disposable sheet / pad type medias. They're substantial enough and easy enough to insert and remove I'm sure something creative can be done with them.

They say the legs are one of the 1st two things to go...and I can't remember what the second thing was...?

[Aptos]

I was just reading this post and came up with an idea for those who have already bought the penguin filters and like that clamshell design posted about earlier. Couldn't you just take two old filters, remove the carbon and sponge/floss, then staple/attach them somehow on the bottom, facing each other. That way you can just make your own clamshell that will fit, using old parts, that you can stuff with any filter material you want? Just a random idea I just had.