How do you clean a fluval?

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anark

AC Members
Oct 21, 2004
44
0
0
Toronto Ontario
I got a fluval 204 for christmas and it's a pain to clean!

this is how i did it. please advise me on easier ways...

-unclip hoses
-unplug unit
-take fluval (complete) to bath tub
-take sponge sleeve out
-rinse sponge in bucket of tank water
-take baskets of media out
-rinse media in bucket of tank water
-dump all water from canister out into tub/toilet
-refill with clean, aged, declor water
-replug everything in.

i have a surface skimmer attachment so i get alot of leaves in my filter

....or? a better way? ...and how often? i clean my media baskets in my aquaclears every week when i do water changes, but those don't take any time at all... the fluval takes a long time to clean =T

thanks!
Allan!
 

ryknier

just tryin to make it fun
Nov 10, 2004
278
0
0
La Crosse, Wisconsin
I have a fluval 404, same set up kinda I think, but the way I do it, is I use tank water and squeeze what ever is on the sponges off, usually sludge on mine, and then i take the "white cylindrical" things, and I just dip them in the tank water and move it vigoursly to get the sludge and stuff off there, from what I read, the bacteria is pretty yough and won't just fall off. And then I fill the tank back up with de-chlo. and then hook it back up, and because there should be water still in the tubes, the water force will just siphon the tank water into the canister, so i don't fill my canister up before I re-install it
 

illiswiller

Prevention - the best medicine!
Jan 11, 2005
99
0
0
I got a 304 and was told that too. Every other month and dont' change the sponges or ceramic rings until they disintigrate! Only change the carbon & peat or whatever else you have. Don't know if its true either.....maybe an expert can tell us! :)
 

acefred

AC Members
Dec 26, 2004
168
0
0
I just cleaned my 304 which I have had for over a year now here is how I do it (every month)

1. Remove the filter but leave the hoses (these need to be cleaned every 3-4 months)
2. Rinse the sponges and ceramic rings in a bucket of tank water (I replace the sponges on a rotation of 2 every 4-6 months the rings only need replacing if they are completely clogged)
3. Replace/recharge or clean any other media in the other baskets.
So I run carbon amrid and Nitra Zorb and do this:
Carbon new every time (could leave it longer, but it is good to clean up
fine things smells etc)
Amrid new every time (never had problems with Ammonia, but I don't want
any either)
Nitra Zorb recharged every time and replaced every 6-8 months (helps
control my Nitrates).
 

Karnaaj

AC Members
Jan 7, 2005
640
0
0
Cincinnati, Oh
If you got your filter for Christmas there is no way you should be cleaning it already. It is just getting to the point where it is doing some good. Canister filters are not designed to be cleaned frequently as you are finding out. I have a 404 and it only gets cleaned when I notice a decline in output flow. Rings should not be replaced when they clog, just rinsed out. Same with the sponges. Only replace the sponges when they start to fall apart. Any sooner is a waste of money.
 

Dub-Dub

AC Members
Sep 27, 2004
55
0
0
Agree with above (directly above) - don't bother with cleaning until you notice a reason to... or thumbrule like 3-4 months. Always stay on top of your water changes though.
 
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