Mechanical filtration question

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DLeung10

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Jan 13, 2003
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Why do people say power filters are better than canisters for mechanical
filtration ?

A Filstar XP2 replaced one of my two Penguin 330 power filters. With the use of filter floss in the XP2, it traps A LOT more junk then my 2 Penguin 330's combined.

I also have an Aquaclear filter on another tank, I add a 1 1/2 inch of floss on top on the sponge and then Bio Max. The floss traps A LOT of junk that
the sponge doesn't. The floss get really brown and dirty after 2 weeks.
 
I like non-canisters for mech filtration because they tend to be easier to clean than canisters. A mechanical filter that only gets cleaned every month (because it's a pain in the neck to do so) is not a good option. If you are diligent and willing to break down a canister every week (or more frequently) it would be a great filter. I like to use easy-to-clean filters with quickly swappable media for mech filters.

Jim
 
It has, as JSchmidt impled without spelling out fully, everything to do with convenience, and really very little to with filter format. I use a number of internal canisters for mechanical filtration, as they are quite esy to maintain, more more so than my external canisters. External canisters IME are not quite as simple and fast to maintain.
 
I definitely agree power filters are easier to perform maintenance compared
to a canister. The Filstar is very easy to clean as it has stackable pullout
baskets. The one lever disconnect disconnects both the inlet and outlet, much faster and easier than my Eheim Classic.

I have found with the much larger media capacity, the Filstar is so much
better in trapping junk than the thin media cartridges of a power filter. I
change the white floss every 2 weeks. When I rinse the white floss in a
bucket, I get brown soup. I do not get brown soup when rinsing FOUR
Penguin cartridges in the same amount of water after 2 weeks.
 
I have a little theory on the subject. I don't know if it's true, so somebody correct me if I'm wrong. Power filters actually have motors to 'suck' in the water, while (as I understand it from fluvals manual) canisters rely more on gravity. While there is a motor in the canister, it mainly pumps water out, thus creating a current and helping the water get 'sucked' in. (if any of this made sense great if not let me know and I'll try to re-explain)

Therefore, the 'sucking' power of the canister may not be as powerful as the power filters.

I have a Emperor 400 on the way which I plan on testing in the same tank as my fluvals (404). As far as I can tell so far, (in comparison with my current power filters) my power filters have and can trap more debri then my canisters.
 
bayoupr said:
Power filters may be easier to clean but when you have to clean them 4-5 times as compared to once for a cannister over a period of time, cannister for me.
Click to expand...

That's actually an advantage of the power filter; you're exporting junk BEFORE it starts to be broken down and contributes the dissolved pollutants. The stuff that sits in your canister over a longer period isn't just trapped there. It serves as food for all sorts of microorganism, which produce waste that pollute the water. If you clean a filter more frequently, you're keeping the water cleaner by removing the crud before it gets broken down. For me, that's the whole point of mechanical filtration...

HTH,
Jim
 
Lazersniper said:
I have a little theory on the subject. I don't know if it's true, so somebody correct me if I'm wrong. Power filters actually have motors to 'suck' in the water, while (as I understand it from fluvals manual) canisters rely more on gravity. While there is a motor in the canister, it mainly pumps water out, thus creating a current and helping the water get 'sucked' in. (if any of this made sense great if not let me know and I'll try to re-explain)

Therefore, the 'sucking' power of the canister may not be as powerful as the power filters.

I have a Emperor 400 on the way which I plan on testing in the same tank as my fluvals (404). As far as I can tell so far, (in comparison with my current power filters) my power filters have and can trap more debri then my canisters.
Click to expand...

I don't know whether the fact that the filter motor is pushing the water back up to the tank (canisters) or pulling it up into the filter (HOB) makes much of a difference. I think the key factor is the type of media and whether there is any bypass of the media by water. For mech filtration, I like sponge filters better than bonded fiber pads because the sponge seems to collect crud more evenly.

Jim
 
I find sponge filters too porous.

I added a 1 1/2 inch layer of filter floss to my Aquaclear 500, on top of the sponge.

The floss traps A LOT of crud the sponge doesn't.
 
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