Cant Get This (Insert Your Own Swear Word) Filter Out!

[minxfishy]

Im trying to get the juwel internal filter out of my trigon, Ive never had problems before removing these filters, quick slip of sharp knife down thru the silicone and voila! However, this thing is stuck down with lord knows what and the knife is doing nothing. It doesnt help I cant even reach the back half of it.

Any ideas guys? Aside from draining the entire tank, removing the fish etc and using acid

I think Juwel have gotten word of us all ripping these filters out and made it impossible.

Plus Ive now broken two knives in the process, come clean off their handles!

 

[star4]

Hubby suggests some sort of plastic wedge between the glass and the filter to give you a bigger gap to get the knife in. My only concern would be if they have put the filter in while the silicon holding the glass together was still "wet" and the filter is stuck to that? I have never had the trouble with a filter as you were having with that **very naughty words** filter.

 

[Truck]

Try a heated knife, failing that, try cutting it with wire.

 

[fishyfeet]

I had the same problem with the trigon 190, they stick them in several lumps of silicone, we actually cut the filter up bit by bit and the end levered it off, put a fluval externa on the tank, they look so much nicer with those black filters in. di

 

[minxfishy]

Cant get anything down there Star, as you know, its a pig and if it wasnt for your dear hubby, that knife blade would still be stuck down it

Truck, the heated knife goes cold the minute it hits the water, how would I do it with wire? I cant get my hand behind the filter to pull on one end of the wire to get a cutting action?

Fishyfeet, that maybe the only course of action at this rate, it is running an eheim 2217 as well at the moment, I knew I should have taken it out before setting it up, but with not having problems before removing them, I just figured it was a 5 minute job.

 

[Truck]

do you have a wooden spatula? you could prize it off with that, that is what I did, failing that, a long sharp thin blade of some kind, could you drop the water level slightly in order to heat the top ones? once you've got the top ones off it's a doddle.

 

[fishyfeet]

Fishyfeet, that maybe the only course of action at this rate, it is running an eheim 2217 as well at the moment, I knew I should have taken it out before setting it up, but with not having problems before removing them, I just figured it was a 5 minute job.


It was what i resorted to, shame to ruin a good filter though, but like you i had to get the tank set up asap, i think we got a small hacksaw and just cut through the plastic, then you can lever the filter a bit away and get a knife between the filter and the tank.

 

[minxfishy]

Its OUT!! My hands are cut up, I snapped one of the long light tubes (yes, I know, should have taken the unit off!!) but its out. Now where do I find replacement light tubes

 

[Truck]

You're going to have to buy the Juwel ones arcadia do make them too at a slightly cheaper cost:

http/www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/catalog/lamps-plant-c-194_197_880.html

 

[minxfishy]

Quick question, is the reason the other light tube not working, because it needs both bulbs to work? Or have I broken the whole thing? The other tube is completely fine btw, I just snapped one bulbs.

I know I need the Juwel light, thats fine, just dont wanna order a new bulb, if I need a whole new unit.

 

[Truck]

Is it just the bulb that broke? if so it will still work.

 

[fishyfeet]

no, i think that if one tube isnt working the whole lot doesnt work, there is a cheap online place where they sell cheap tubes, but i think it may be quicker for you to pop to your nearest fish place. It will take several days to arrive, meanwhile nothing stopping you getting its set up and filter running though. di

 

[minxfishy]

Yup, just the one bulb, I lent the filter box on it as I was taking it out and it snapped. The other bulb is perfectly intact, as is the unit.

Fishyfeet, the tank is up and running, has been for two weeks now, full of fish with a mature eheim running on it. No local store stocks Juwel stuff, found a seller on fleabay doing them, so will get from there, it still has the back lighting unit running so that will suffice for a few days.

 

[Truck]

no, i think that if one tube isnt working the whole lot doesnt work, there is a cheap online place where they sell cheap tubes, but i think it may be quicker for you to pop to your nearest fish place. It will take several days to arrive, meanwhile nothing stopping you getting its set up and filter running though. di

No, I don't mean that, I mean that the unit will still work, like it wont have blown out or anything, that's thing with Juwel T5's only Juwel and arcadia make them due to their unique size.

 

[minxfishy]

Thanks Truck, will order a new bulb

And find something to hold the heater in with, its just hanging in the tank, cant find any sucker things to fit it