Penn Plax Smallworld Filter

[Ch4rlie]

Recently bought a Penn Plax Smallworld Filter, from a well known UK chain store for £6. 
 
Its a simple little filter that simply powered by an air pump.
 
At first thought it was fine, but small things about it began to niggle at me.
 
First is the fact you cannot open up the little cartridge to change or do simple maintenance on the media.
 
On the packaging, it says to replace the cartridge every so often and at £6 for 2 cartridges, waste of money imo!
 
Pic below is taken from website. But gives the idea what it is like. Very basic, has a fine sponge media at bottom, at top there is mostly carbon and a very small amount of ceramic media.
 

 
First thing I did was to cut the top off, emptied the media out.
Drilled little holes in, then tied some fishing line at back to act as a hinge so that the top works kinda like a door for easy access to the filter media inside.
 

 
Added a small plastic tie, usually used for sealing food bags, cut to size and bend it to make a L shape.
This acts like a lock to keep top from opening when filter is operating.
 

 

 
The airline that was on side of the filter is tucked under to join the connection to bottom of filter, the airline kinks at the corner, so that air cannot push through as easily.
 
So replaced the airline and added an elbow to ensure airline does not kink.
 
Much better!

 
Made a media bag out of spare kiddy fishing net, simply seed and tied with fishing line.
Not the neatest job done but does the job just fine. As can see has ceramic noodles, from my nano tank, should help cycle.
 

 
Added coarse sponge media at bottom, small bag of ceramic noodles in middle, finer sponge at top.
 

 
 
So much better and should be a better little filter in terms of filtration as well as for maintenance imho.
 
The complete unit.
 

 
Now in the small 3g tank for snails. 

 
Perfick ! 

 

[Ninjouzata]

I wish I could be this creative, brilliant job!

 

[Ch4rlie]

I wish I could be this creative, brilliant job!

 
Thanks Ninj, very very simple DIY modifications done, just helps to improve the filtration and usage of this cheap simple filter.
 
May help someone who has these filters to realise they don't have to replace these cartridges which you cannot get into! 

 

[Fishmanic]

you might consider putting the finer sponge under the noodles to help keep ceramics cleaner

 

[nortonmad213]

thats the filter i have on my betta tank, i'll defo have to upgrade. thanks ch4rlie

 

[Ch4rlie]

you might consider putting the finer sponge under the noodles to help keep ceramics cleaner

 
Really?
 
Whats the advantage of doing the finer sponge under the ceramic noodles compared to what the set up is like now?
 
Do you mean adding another piece of finer sponge media and putting that under the ceramic noodles or behind the ceramic?
Or even swapping places with the finer sponge with the ceramic noodle at the stop of the filter cartridge?
 
 

thats the filter i have on my betta tank, i'll defo have to upgrade. thanks ch4rlie

 
its certainly worth doing i think, it makes this mediocre filter into a decent filter that will last longer than what it was like previously.
 
I think will do a little more adjustments on this, making the bottom of the filter open up like the top part, therefore makes access to both pieces os pontes easier to access without having to take out the ceramic node bag every time to access bottom coarse sponge.
And possibly adding another finer sponge behind or under the ceramics as FM mentions if the is real advantage to doing that.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Decided to add another open trap door on bottom of the filter, to make it easier to access both ends of filter for each part of sponge media.
 

     

 

     

 
Job done