Canister Filter Set Up ??? - Newbie Needs Help -

[ChiefBigFish]

Before yesterday I had never had an Aquarium. I bought a 90 gallon tank and stand an am now trying to get it set up.

My question is regarding the filter. The directions are only a couple of poorly translated sentences. I'm sure the store that sold it to me would be glad to help but they'll of couse be closed until the 2nd. So any help here would really be appreciated.

It is a Catalina Aquarium external canister filter, Ultra - 1000. My first question is how to hook up the plumbing. It came with two sections of hose and some hard plastice tubing and fittings.

1) Is it correct that the intake would be into the U-tubing hung over the rear of the tank, with the cage type fixture on the end of it?

1.1) The U-tubing is longer one way then the other, how deep into the tank should the intake tubing/cage go?

1.2) Where should the intake tube/cage be located?

2) Included is a foot long section of hard tubing plugged at one end with holes down one side of it. Can I assume that this is the discharge of filtered water back into the tank?

2.2) Where should this tube be located? Where in the tank and where in relationship to the intake tube/cage? It came with some plastic C clips on suction cups I assume to mount this tube to the side of the tank.

The tank is 90 gallons and I believe it's dimesions are 4'X2'X2'.

My next questions are related to the filter media.

3) I'm cutting my own media from bulk for the four trays. But I'm supposed to put carbon in it also. In which tray should I put the carbon, the top one?

3.3) I was sold a mesh bag to contain the carbon. However this bag is nowhere near large enough to cover the entire tray. Is this important, or does it not have to cover the entire tray?

Again any help you may provide would really be appreciated. Thanks! cls

 

[tropicalfish]

1. Yes, the cage thing (strainer), goes on the U thing, with the long side and strainer on the inside of the tank. The strainer should attach to the tube.

2. The foot long tube with holes is called the spraybar. This is the return area...filtered water is forced through the holes. the suction clips go on the spray bar.. and the spraybar can be mounted vertically or horizontally, with the holes facing in a direction that you please..

3. What do you have in the other trays?
I would not make the carbon cover the whole tray. If you have any "rocks" or small rough things, that would probably be the biological stuff. If that can fit in one whole tray, put that on the top. Put the carbon on the one below it.. but you might not need to put anything else there. On the bottom two, you can out foam or floss.

 

[ChiefBigFish]

Thanks a bunch, I'm good with the intake and return plumbing now. Although in the store they had one tube for both. I believe the bottom was the return and mid way up this pipe was and intake port. Is something like this available for my filter?

Regarding the filter media, now I'm more confused than I was. The thing has four trays. They said that they new filter does not include any media. They had pre-cut stuff but it was 4 times the price of bulk, so I bought bulk and now have to cut it to fit.

This stuff is sort of like a soft Scotch-Brite pad maybe an inch think. The guy said to put some in each of the four trays and this activated carbon in the top tray. I wasn't certain but I do believe he said the top tray. Perhaps my understanding of how the carbon is used is the problem. I assumed that all water was to filter through it. But if it's not supposed to cover the entire tray I guess I was wrong.

Any and all additional help appreciated... cls

 

[tropicalfish]

can you take a picture of it?

 

[ChiefBigFish]

Of the media? I could, but really it's just an inch maybe inch and a half thick piece of light green fiber mesh. They had these pre-cut but the bulk stuff was sold mainly for the small pond supplies they sold. He said it's the same as the pre-cut packaged stuff only way less money.

You'd really think a filter like this would come with SOME information. All there is is what is printed on the outside of the box. cls

 

[tropicalfish]

hmm I suppose that green stuff goes on the bottom, but I don't know if water goes from the bottom to top or top to bottom.
Is the green sort of like a foam? what else came with it?/what else did you get in bulk?

 

[ChiefBigFish]

Yes, foam, although it's rather corse for foam. From the looks of things the intake drops the unfiltered water on the top tray and it filters down through all four, then is pumped back to the tank from the bottom of the canister through a hole in all four trays.

The tubing that came with it is all green. I just put a blue background on this tank and this green stuff looks like heck. I'll be looking into a replacement. cls

 

[piranha]

My Jebo 828 came with media included in all 4 trays. This cannister works by sending unfiltered water through the top and returning from the bottom. The top tray has a fine pad beneath a coarse pad. The next tray had large ceramic bio noodles atop a coarse pad. The third tray small ceramic bio noodles atop a coarse pad. The fourth tray from the top has fine pad beneath a coarse pad. Hope this helps.

 

[ChiefBigFish]

Forgiving me for asking the most basic of questions, but just what do ceramic bio noodles do? And are they necessary?

The guy that sold it to me said that all I would need are these four trays fitted with these pad filters. And a mesh bag of activated carbon in the top tray.

The filter is rated for as much as a 250 gallon tank so it's way over kill for this 90 gallon tank.

Thanks again, cls

 

[tropicalfish]

bio noodles go on top/bottom of everything. In most canister filters, water flows from bottom to top, so it will go on top.
I don't know about which direction your canister filter has the water flowing.

 

[ChiefBigFish]

The water is pumped from the bottom of the canister, it filters down there from the top.

But what purpose do bio noodles serve?

The salesman told me that with my 90 gallon tank, with a few ciclids and may a bottom sucker, with this filter rated for as much as a 250 gallon tank. All I would need are the 4 foam filters and a bag of activated carbon at the top. Does this sound reasonable? As somebody with zero experience I have no idea.

I've started reading on the topic but find that most of the text I've found is way more technical than I care to learn. I want to do it properly of course, but I don't believe studying volumns of books on the topic is necessary. Especially with a site like this one being available. I stumbled across this site by way of a Yahoo serch, GREAT site. cls

 

[tropicalfish]

the bio noodles are for bacteria to grow on.I would put the bottom two as foam, and the top two as carbon and bio noodles

 

[piranha]

I would eliminate the carbon and use the bio noodles. Generally, a cannister filter does not need the cleaning that an HOB filter requires. Carbon lasts a short period of time, shorter than the cannister filter cleaning requirement. Therefore the carbon will have no use for a length of time until the next cleaning. Secondly, carbon is not good to use if you maintain live plants. The foam beneath the bio noodles promotes the growth of good bacteria to grow on the noodles. As I stated earlier, that was the manufacturers order of the media placement in the cannister.

 

[Sicklid]

A little late here, but shouldn't the first thing the water hits be a filter pad, not carbon directly? I mean, I would imagine you want to strain out as many big particles as you can or your carbon will get plugged up fast.

 

[roka64]

In my fluvial, the carbon is the last thing the water hits. I believe the sponges (assuming they are in that particular filter) would filter out the big stuff. I have, since, removed both the sponges and carbon.