Swapping Juwel internal filter to Fluval 307 Cannister

[Dascud]

Hope this is in the right place rather than cycling as it’s both cycling and filter questions.... Where to start.....

So I have a Juwel Rio 240 LED tank and have used the internal filter for some time but I want to switch to the Fluval 307 Cannister filter. I have no option of moving the fish while the Cannister cycles and heard that running both together isn’t good for the Fluval cycling as it will take forever - so was keen on finding out the following from someone who knows better:

1) Can the bio pads from the Juwel filter tower be put into the Fluval Cannister somehow in order to transfer the good bacteria on them to the Cannister for immediate use? I’m aware that the pads are different sizes etc. but may be able to put them in with the ceramic stones section? If so which pads would you transfer from the Juwel to which section of the Fluval?

2) Once the Juwel pads are removed from the tank, can the intake arm be put down inside the Juwel filter tower? (as that is where one notch is cut from the glass under the hood on the right hand side for the pipes). Will it fit down there?

3) Finally, I have the Juwel 3D background glued to the glass. It’s about an inch thick. Will that impact the fitting of the Fluval curved bracket that the pipes sit in? (I assume the Fluval outlet hose goes down the opposite end of the tank on the left hand side?)

Heck of a bunch of questions I know and the project makes me nervous. But wanted to seek advice from likeminded people and hopefully know better than me. Maybe someone here has already done this?

Want to be sure it will all work before I pull the trigger on a £130 Fluval that may not be right, but more importantly the health and well being of my fish are paramount. I can’t risk this not working.

Tank is freshwater! Fish are Angels, Black Ghost Knife, Clown Loaches, Bleeding Heart Trtras, Corys and Bristle Nose Pleco. Plants are live and doing well.

If you made it this far down the post then thanks. Any input greatly appreciated..

PJ

 

[DylanTropical]

I’m thinking of removing the filter box and replacing with a canister filter, waiting to hear if people have had issues removing the box.

 

[Dascud]

I’m thinking of removing the filter box and replacing with a canister filter, waiting to hear if people have had issues removing the box.

Interesting. I’m keen on keeping the box in place as I like the heater hidden. It’s also all housed in the Juwel 3D background so removing it would leave a gap

 

[AquaBarb]

Im going to remover mine and replace it with a cainster (if i can make my mind up on which one that is)

Internals take up too much room for me and they are an eye sore in the Rio's

They seem to be easy enough to take out with a flexible stanley knife or a long bread knife

 

[raylove]

I recently changed the other way round when I replaced an old Fluvial tank with a new Jewel, so firstly, yes you can seed a new filter with media from an old one. Fill the Fluvial with half new media and half with sponges from the Juwel, doesn't matter which, and gradually remove the old sponges over a period of weeks. Bacteria divide every 20 minutes or so if there is enough food and oxygen, so the new filter will be up to speed in no time!
But why change? You don't need to stick with the Juwel sponges. The bottom part of mine is packed with biological media in bags with sponges in the top part in the opposite order recommended by Juwel.
Have a look at this video - I didn't use the exact media shown, but mine is set up basically like this, originally seeded with my Fluvial sponges. The tank is heavily stocked but I had no issues at all when I did this 6 months ago.

 

[Dascud]

I recently changed the other way round when I replaced an old Fluvial tank with a new Jewel, so firstly, yes you can seed a new filter with media from an old one. Fill the Fluvial with half new media and half with sponges from the Juwel, doesn't matter which, and gradually remove the old sponges over a period of weeks. Bacteria divide every 20 minutes or so if there is enough food and oxygen, so the new filter will be up to speed in no time!
But why change? You don't need to stick with the Juwel sponges. The bottom part of mine is packed with biological media in bags with sponges in the top part in the opposite order recommended by Juwel.
Have a look at this video - I didn't use the exact media shown, but mine is set up basically like this, originally seeded with my Fluvial sponges. The tank is heavily stocked but I had no issues at all when I did this 6 months ago.

Thanks for the info

I’m changing as I’ve never quite had that constant crystal clear water. And the sponges get mucky quickly. Thinking that 1100 litre per hour canister compared to the Juwel 600 litre per hour will make that extra bit of difference

Appreciate the input and glad that I was thinking along the right track of using the sponges in the canister

I did order the Fluval. It arrives this week so will be next weekends project

 

[P J]

Hi PJ, I have just added a Fluval 07 series to an existing aquarium, I left the existing internal filter in place, it has taken two months for the canister to get reasonably mature with its supplied media. But I took out the carbon bag, no need for it, and replaced with plastic pot scourer, I got five into the basket, hugely more effective than ceramics, about as efficient as K1 media. I left the internal filter in place, can’t have too much filtration in my opinion and added a UVC filter running 24/7 to kill off suspended bacteria which causes dull water, if you want crystal clear water (we all do!) it’ll take about 6 months. Clarity can be a touch subjective but if you can see clearly without misting along the length of the tank, you’ve got it. PJ

 

[Dascud]

Hi PJ, I have just added a Fluval 07 series to an existing aquarium, I left the existing internal filter in place, it has taken two months for the canister to get reasonably mature with its supplied media. But I took out the carbon bag, no need for it, and replaced with plastic pot scourer, I got five into the basket, hugely more effective than ceramics, about as efficient as K1 media. I left the internal filter in place, can’t have too much filtration in my opinion and added a UVC filter running 24/7 to kill off suspended bacteria which causes dull water, if you want crystal clear water (we all do!) it’ll take about 6 months. Clarity can be a touch subjective but if you can see clearly without misting along the length of the tank, you’ve got it. PJ

Appreciate the response

In fact operation canister took place this morning for a couple of hours. Used the old juwel bio sponges and added them to the ceramic media tray - squeezed them
in above new ceramic media. That way the bio pads are at least what the tank used to have. Also added some API quick start to help it along.

It’s absolutely motoring along and the angels aren’t too phased at full power. I’ll likely slow it down when clear

Biggest mission was cutting out the square of 3D polystyrene background for the pipe holder brackets to fit it. Also got the jigsaw out to cut the lid flap slightly for the pipes so the flaps closed.

3 hours now and it’s as clear as it was with the internal filtration and I’m convinced it will get clearer. I could usually see end to end so it’s good that you mentioned that (never though of that TBH).

I dropped the fluval intake pipe down into the juwel filter box. Didn’t want to remove that because that had the 3D background too.

Honestly I’m real happy with how it’s all gone

Water checks and parameters are key now. Just hope it all hangs in there and continues as previously. Quietly confident. Fingers crossed.

And you are quite right, clarity/beauty is in the eye of the beholder

But if it gets clearer than it is now (which is the same as before) and the bacteria stays good, then I’ll be super happy

Stay safe, and happy fish keeping

?

 

[P J]

Hi PJ, It all seems to have gone swimmingly - well done. The Fluval canisters are a great design, I’m tres pleased with mine.

PJ

 

[Dascud]

Hi PJ, It all seems to have gone swimmingly - well done. The Fluval canisters are a great design, I’m tres pleased with mine.

PJ

Thanks so much

I think so

Next couple of weeks we will know

Our 2 clown loach girls are our OG fish that we bough 5 years ago. We successfully treated them through white spot once when they were just a few months old. They mean so much to us. We thought they were done.... floating around and borderline near lifeless. We gave them one more night before putting them out of their misery. Now they are the 2 most amazing courgette munching fish I’ve ever seen...... and they did a house move in my car with no issues. We have a soft spot for these 2 tough old girls.

I want this filter change to work for them more than anything really

You probably understand

Here’s hoping ?

 

[KenFromBG]

Does the sound from the tank bother you? My Fluval 307 is doing a great job, but the output is so loud. I dont mind a little quiet splashing sound, but what I have now is really just kind of obnoxious. I find myself turning my TV volume up much higher than normal just to drown out the sound of spraying water.

 

[Dascud]

Good point. I have positioned the outlet just under the surface so there is some noise but not as much as if it were out the water

Luckily I have a large living room and a loud TV sound bar. We have come to enjoy the water sound. Very zen lol

We also tuned out from it/it blends in now

You could turn the flow down with the grey lever but that’s almost counter intuitive with a nice powerful fulter

I’m so pleased with this canister. Water has never been this clear. Best money I’ve spent fish keeping

 

[Dascud]

Does the sound from the tank bother you? My Fluval 307 is doing a great job, but the output is so loud. I dont mind a little quiet splashing sound, but what I have now is really just kind of obnoxious. I find myself turning my TV volume up much higher than normal just to drown out the sound of spraying water.

I replied to the wrong person lo

My reply to you above lol