Filter Floss & Prefilters

When the manufacturer offers prefilters for the line, I have serious doubts if I am compromising the function of the filter by using such. Besides which, I tested the proceedure for 10 years before I wrote it up and it started becoming used by some other experienced aquarists - none of whom have reported anything but positive results from the technique.

Allowing canisters to build up heavy particulate loads internally impedes flow a heck of lot more than does a rinsed-weekly prefilter - that is easily measured by any hobbyist.
 
I guess Eheim could need a "pre-filter"....

Seems like a minor pain to have to reach in and get to the "pre-filter". What about the debris that builds up on it, and falls back into the tank when trying to remove it. Or - is the filter still running so the debris stays on the "pre-filter" while removing it? :confused:


Edit:
Pre-filters seem to "bottleneck" the whole filtration process.
I might give it a try on another, smaller tank at some point....
 
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Joe,
I don't know how it works with others, but essentially I shut my filter off and then pull the sponges, if they are visibly covered with debris, I sometimes vaccum them before diturbing them. I also tend to keep my siphon in close proximity when I pull the sponges. Some debris does escape, but by the time I do my full vaccum and water change, the litle bit that came off the filters is either suck out or inconsequential. For me pulling a sponge and swapping it wih a clean one is the easiest part of my weekly maintenance. As far as it disrupting filter function/flow, if the water is pulled through the dirt trap, it shouldn't matter where the dirt trap is located in line. Impellars are not positive displacement pump so flow restriction placement should have no effect on them, as long as there is enogh flow to keep them from overheating (pretty unlikely in small aquarium impellars anyhow).
The prefilters put the trapped waste in a very easy access position. much easier than in the main filter.
 
If my prefilters shed a lot of crud when I change them, I take that to mean I need to clean them more frequently.

I would much rather change and rinse a prefilter sponge weekly (or even more frequently) if it means I don't have to to disconnect and tear down my canisters as frequently. I run my canisters as bio-only filters a la RTR's method, so with a good, regularly-cleaned prefilter, I only open up my canisters once every six months or so. That makes the weekly 3-minute sponge rinsing seem like a pretty good deal! (Not to mention the benefits that accrue from exporting all that crud before it can break down and add to the dissolved pollutants in the water.)

Jim
 
What are you worried about Joe? Filtars have an anti-heating design! I am with you on the crud falling back into the tank when pulling the prefilter out though. However, now that I'm changing water every week (yes, I was trying to skimp on water changes while using a prefilter) and will have the syphon on hand, I think I'll re-try prefiltering.
Daveedka is right about the Penguin reverse flow kit sponges, nice and a lot slimmer than the filter max III sponge.
 
But the Penguin RFUG prefilter is coarser than the FilterMaxIII, much coarser than the FilterMaxI, so actually you have a range of choices of porosity. The FMI is too fine IME for the larger canisters unless you are doing more frequent than weekly rinsing.

We could all switch over to W/Ds and rinse the prefilters daily, as I did for SW - low nitrate heaven. But I am too lazy for that.
 
The Filter Max III work well for me. I do a quick vac before I disturb them, shut down the canister, rinse them out, put them back on and turn on the canister. Makes life a bit easier.
 
I've never tried the filtermax III, I do know that the penguins are coarser than I think they should be, but they are doing a fairly good job for me so I don't complain. I used some of Big Als bulk sponges to make prefilters for my Emp 400, and they really trap a lot of crud in a weeks time.
BTW, I keep enough sponges to do the swap out each week and then while my wife is at work, I run them through the maytag with no saop Spic and span, and almost dry no work on my part. If I get much lazier, I may not ever get out of the chair in front of my tank.
 
Originally posted by RTR
But the Penguin RFUG prefilter is coarser than the FilterMaxIII, much coarser than the FilterMaxI, so actually you have a range of choices of porosity.
Click to expand...

Exactly, which should ease some of the worry about restricting the flow too much.

If you guys get any lazier, can you honestly say you have a hobby? I mean, don't you have to do something to say you have a hobby?!?:)
 
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