Maintenance on an internal filter.

[Fishmanic]

I have HOB filters on my three tanks. But I'm getting another tank that comes with an internal filter. I'm looking for pointers on removing media for cleaning and any other maintenance of this type of filter. How do you avoid debris coming off the cartridge as you remove it.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

There is pretty much no way to prevent this from happening. I usually never take the cartridges out, unless I'm cleaning the inside of the filter. (And I'm pretty sure you are getting the filter as I have, right?) It's just like when you gravel vacuum. There is no way to prevent debris from clouding up the water.

 

[Fishmanic]

you never take the cartridge out? You need pull it out to at least brush off debris in tank water and squeeze it out a few times to clean it.

I probably will replace the cartridge with a proper sized sponge as it is more durable than the cartridges and will preserve beneficial bacteria as you hardly ever have to replace it.

 

[Byron]

What type of internal filter is this? I have an Aqueon Quiet Flow in two tanks where I need more current for the fish, and I just lift the whole filter out, pull it apart and rinse everything. I am careful to keep the filter vertical as the organic sludge in the bottom can fall out, but so far it's worked.

My other tanks all have sponge filters, and I just take them out and rinse the sponges.

 

[Essjay]

I have internal filters in my main tank, Eheim biopowers. With these filters it is much easier to remove the entire filter from the tank rather than just the media. I just hold an empty bucket over the tank next to the filter, lift the filter off its bracket then straight up and into the bucket. Yes, debris does fall back into the water but I take the filter out before any water. By the time I've got the siphon tube into the tank most of the debris has sunk onto the sand so I just suck it up from there.





(Yes, I do have 2 filters. I used to have just one, and a smaller one in another tank but I no longer have the small tank so that filter was in the cupboard. Then the pump on the big one stopped working. I used the pump from the small one, bought a second small one and split the media between them)

 

[Fishmanic]

After setting up the tank, I noticed the filter is very quiet and the flow is not too strong for the betta. even though I have flow rate set to high. I have a thick sponge in the filter..about inch and a half thick and that probably slows the flow down a bit which is good for the betta.

 

[Fishmanic]

One other observation...there isn't much distance from the lip of the internal filter to the top of the water in the tank. Will this provide enough aeration or should I opt for an air pump. I think I have an adjustable one buried in my aquarium storage area. I guess it can't hurt and gives the tank a more interesting look. Hope I have empty outlet on my surge protector.

 

[Byron]

One other observation...there isn't much distance from the lip of the internal filter to the top of the water in the tank. Will this provide enough aeration or should I opt for an air pump. I think I have an adjustable one buried in my aquarium storage area. I guess it can't hurt and gives the tank a more interesting look. Hope I have empty outlet on my surge protector.

If this tank houses the Betta, you do not need to worry about gas exchange at the surface. Bettas like all anabantids breathe atmospheric air which is why they can live in oxygen-poor waters that are no more than stagnant ponds. You don't want that obviously, but your filter will be quite adequate.

 

[Fishmanic]

so if the filter doesn't provide much surface exchange, would that mean the betta will be coming to the surface more often? ...In my 10 gallon that has an air pump..I hardly ever see him near the surface..he mostly hides in the anubias. I believe Bettas also breathe via its gills. I am hoping with his own 5 gallon tank he will be out and about more often.

I did install my air pump which I had laying around the fish supply bin but probably will remove it after a few days after putting the betta into the tank. I will wait till tomorrow morning to put him in his new tank. It's pretty noisy and would be nice to have silence again.

 

[Byron]

so if the filter doesn't provide much surface exchange, would that mean the betta will be coming to the surface more often?

Not necessarily. It may be that the oxygen level in the water is fine as is, so far as the Betta is concerned. There is a continuous exchange of O and CO2 at the surface regardless; adding surface disturbance usually increases this, but the normal exchange is still going to occur with or without.