Cleaning a Emperor 280 - Aquarium Advice

Viperboy · 05-16-2006, 04:03 AM

Just like it says ... i think my emperor is getting dirty kind of in the section where water is pumped so i think i need to clean it i guess. Water seems to be flowing into the filter good but just a little bit is flowing back out over the intake .... is this bad? .... also my main question is are there any like sites that show how to clean this filter or does anyone know how to take it apart or whatever and clean it.
Also will it be ok for my tank to be without a filter while i clean it ... say like 10 to 15 mins or however long it takes to clean it ... TIA

Ray

severum mama · 05-16-2006, 09:02 AM

The same way you put it together is the same way you take it apart. Use the included brush to clean the intake tube and the plastic cap on the bottom of the tube. Take the spray bar out and use the brush on the inside of it, although I can't imagine your filter is old enough to need the spray bar cleaned. Pull the impeller housing out and brush it off. Check the impeller to make sure there's no gunk built up on it, or eventually the filter will start to run really loud. Float the Biowheel in the tank while you're cleaning the filter. If your cartridge is dirty, rinse it in a bucket of tankwater. That's how I clean mine anyway. Your tank will be fine without a filter running on it in the time it takes you to clean it.

Lonewolfblue · 05-16-2006, 12:13 PM

Just keep your media wet and the biowheel wet. Put them in a bucket of tank water. Then take the filter apart and clean it out. Is the water flowing over the top of the filter pad? If it is, then just change the filter pad or rinse it out well. It does go over the intake if the pad is getting clogged. Do you see water in the window to the right of the biowheel? If so, the pad is just getting clogged. You may not even need to clean out the filter itself.

Viperboy · 05-16-2006, 02:49 PM

Its not flowing over the filter pad but yes there is water in the window to the right of the biowheel thats where it is flowing back out sort of next to the intake tube ..... glad to hear it is just my pad being clogged and not something like the impeller .... i have not cleaned anything on the filter since i set up my tank about 2 months ago so i hope that is just it and ill clean the filter pad out in some tank water and see what happens.

When i clean the filter pad out in some tank water i dont really need to turn my filter off to do that do I?

Thanks guys

Ray

05-16-2006, 04:03 AM	#1
Viperboy Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 383 Images: 11	Cleaning a Emperor 280 Just like it says ... i think my emperor is getting dirty kind of in the section where water is pumped so i think i need to clean it i guess. Water seems to be flowing into the filter good but just a little bit is flowing back out over the intake .... is this bad? .... also my main question is are there any like sites that show how to clean this filter or does anyone know how to take it apart or whatever and clean it. Also will it be ok for my tank to be without a filter while i clean it ... say like 10 to 15 mins or however long it takes to clean it ... TIA Ray

05-16-2006, 09:02 AM	#2
severum mama Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 2,771 Images: 22	The same way you put it together is the same way you take it apart. Use the included brush to clean the intake tube and the plastic cap on the bottom of the tube. Take the spray bar out and use the brush on the inside of it, although I can't imagine your filter is old enough to need the spray bar cleaned. Pull the impeller housing out and brush it off. Check the impeller to make sure there's no gunk built up on it, or eventually the filter will start to run really loud. Float the Biowheel in the tank while you're cleaning the filter. If your cartridge is dirty, rinse it in a bucket of tankwater. That's how I clean mine anyway. Your tank will be fine without a filter running on it in the time it takes you to clean it. __________________ WE CAN STAGE A RUNAWAY GOLF CART MARATHON 5 gallon, 45 gallon, and 55 gallon planted 75 gallon SA/CA cichlids 8 gallon Oceanic BioCube nano reef

05-16-2006, 12:13 PM	#3
Lonewolfblue Planted Geek Community Mentor Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Wenatchee, WA Posts: 7,871 Images: 7	Just keep your media wet and the biowheel wet. Put them in a bucket of tank water. Then take the filter apart and clean it out. Is the water flowing over the top of the filter pad? If it is, then just change the filter pad or rinse it out well. It does go over the intake if the pad is getting clogged. Do you see water in the window to the right of the biowheel? If so, the pad is just getting clogged. You may not even need to clean out the filter itself. __________________ 26G Medium Planted Community - 65W CF Lighting - Emperor 280 Bio-Wheel - Established Feb 2004 55G Aggressive Community - Filstar XP3 - Established Dec 2005 75G Heavily Planted - Pressurized CO2, 520W Lighting, Filstar XP3 with spraybar - Established Feb 2006 29G Planted - 130W Lighting, Filstar XP2 with spraybar - Established May 2006 5 10G Tanks - Various setups - Tanks Established May-Sep 2006. 3 currently empty. 5.5G Crypt/Java Fern Tank - Established Oct 2006 My 29G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=78469 My 75G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=70764 My 75G Makeover Thread: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=87691

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05-16-2006, 02:49 PM	#4
Viperboy Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 383 Images: 11	Its not flowing over the filter pad but yes there is water in the window to the right of the biowheel thats where it is flowing back out sort of next to the intake tube ..... glad to hear it is just my pad being clogged and not something like the impeller .... i have not cleaned anything on the filter since i set up my tank about 2 months ago so i hope that is just it and ill clean the filter pad out in some tank water and see what happens. When i clean the filter pad out in some tank water i dont really need to turn my filter off to do that do I? Thanks guys Ray