Removing An Internal Filter

[ShinySideUp]

My smaller tank is a Juwel Lido 120 litre and has had internal filter for many years. While not actively considering it at the moment because it works very well, I may in the future decide to remove it and use an external filter instead. But how would I get the old out? Since it's been there such a long time it is obviously well stuck to the glass, can it be removed without solvents as I wouldn't want to completely empty the tank and start from scratch.

 

[tomtomtom1230]

Is it not just stuck on with suction cups? In which case, all the glass would need is a good scrub where the internal filter was.

 

[fluttermoth]

You can get the internals out of Juwel tanks (or so I've been told) with a long, fairly flexible blade. It's held on with four blobs of silicone.

 

[tomtomtom1230]

Ah, and get any remaining silicone off with a razor blade or something?

 

[matt_storey]

I just pulled mine off my old tank (with care).

Then it's just a case of using a Stanley blade to remove the silicone

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Yep, it's not very difficult but in my opinion you would need to empty the tank to do it. I used a box cutter with the blade pushed a long way out. It's easier if you have someone to help you. One to slightly pull the box away from the glass while the other saws away at the silicon. There will be a little left on the glass but it scrubs off. There's "tutorials" for how to do it on the interwebs.

 

[Essjay]

It can be done with fish in the tank, but you do need to take some water out as you will cause a tidal wave with the sawing motion. I took my filter out during a water change.

And of course you have to make sure no fish get in the way!

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

I just think with the risk of getting all the muck that gets trapped behind the filter in the tank

But I did buy mine in quite neglected condition so maybe your's won't be as nasty lol

 

[tomtomtom1230]

The muck that gets trapped their won't be nice to clean off but it shouldn't be hard to clean it off, either.