Cleaning filter cartridge

[Viperboy]

Well i believe after about a month my cycle is finally coming to an end which brings up the issue of doing some matience on my filter. My tank is 29 gal and im running a Emperor 280 on it. My question is how do I clean the filter cartridge that is in the filter? do i just dip it in and out of a bucket of tank water till all the loose stuff and gunk is off of it?

Also do i need to clean the intake tube and impeller or can that go longer without need matience?

Then there is the bio wheel .... should i even bother cleaning it right now or can i wait on it? if so should i just dip it in and out of tank water too?

Lastly I have a question about my python .... I did a water change about 4 days ago thinking my cycle was done and it turned out not to be luckly i have lots of patience and am just waiting it out while i keep adding ammonia every day as it goes to 0 and my nitrites just started going to 0 everyday too ..... well i figured out through test that the kitchen sink in my house did not have enough preasure to gravel vac the tank .... but found out that the bathroom it can reach does. Here is the deal even though it is enough the preasure still is not to what I think it should be ... my tank is stored in basement and I run the python up the stairs to the bathroom .... am i loseing preasure just because it is going up the stairs or should that matter?
TIA

Ray

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Well i believe after about a month my cycle is finally coming to an end which brings up the issue of doing some matience on my filter. My tank is 29 gal and im running a Emperor 280 on it. My question is how do I clean the filter cartridge that is in the filter? do i just dip it in and out of a bucket of tank water till all the loose stuff and gunk is off of it?

Also do i need to clean the intake tube and impeller or can that go longer without need matience?

Then there is the bio wheel .... should i even bother cleaning it right now or can i wait on it? if so should i just dip it in and out of tank water too?

Lastly I have a question about my python .... I did a water change about 4 days ago thinking my cycle was done and it turned out not to be luckly i have lots of patience and am just waiting it out while i keep adding ammonia every day as it goes to 0 and my nitrites just started going to 0 everyday too ..... well i figured out through test that the kitchen sink in my house did not have enough preasure to gravel vac the tank .... but found out that the bathroom it can reach does. Here is the deal even though it is enough the preasure still is not to what I think it should be ... my tank is stored in basement and I run the python up the stairs to the bathroom .... am i loseing preasure just because it is going up the stairs or should that matter?
TIA

Ray

Maintenance is pretty easy. Just take the cartrige and rinse it off in tank water like you mentioned. If you think there's buildup in the filter itself, you can put the biowheel in the bucket of tank water, and remove the filter and rinse out in the sink, and clean off the impeller, and put back on the tank, put biowheel back on and cartrige in, and fill with water and plug in. Occasionally I have to do that, as I have a major snail problem. Maybe once every 3 months or so. Other than that, it's just rinsing the cartrige off, and checking the media basket if using media, just to make sure nothing is plugged up. And if the spraybar is plugged some, no need to unplug the unit. I just pull it out while running, run the brush in it, and put it back on. The water will just run on the biowheel til you get it put back on. Not a high enough pressure to blow water out of the filter itself. Plus it clears out the line going to the spraybar, so it doesn't get plugged quickly again.

 

[Viperboy]

Thanks wolf ill be sure to clean em and check out the filter before i add my fish .... anyone know about the preasure in the python if it is reduced because i have it going up stairs?

Ray

 

[sith j]

gravel vacs work as a siphon, and the longer you pull the water up before it travels back down will slow the flow. but im not sure if the python works the same as mine. but the laws of physics are the same. if you have any windows in the basement you may be able to put the hose out the window to vacuum and them take the hose upstairs to connect to the faucet to fill your tank back up. oh ya i grew up in pittsburg ks straight south of you, dont see to many people from the flat land on here.

 

[TwoHobbies]

Viperboy

The python doesn't need to hook to the sink to vacuum, only to refill. Try draining into a bucket to get an idea of what to expect, and then go from there. The window idea should work much better than going upstairs.

 

[Viperboy]

I DID NOT EVEN THINK OF THAT ... thanks guys thats what i will do if i need to but just seems like a lot of moving of the python considering i use all 50 feet of it ... also question .... how do i clean my spray bar on my emperor 280 cause i noticed one spray on it is kind of shooting to the side.

Also when doing a PWC is it ok to stop the filter ... put water in it .... do the change .... add stress coat (dechlor) ... then turn it back on ...
TIA

Ray

 

[TwoHobbies]

Try a toothpick, or drill bit of the same size or smaller....turn it with your fingers

 

[SCFatz]

Also when doing a PWC is it ok to stop the filter ... put water in it .... do the change .... add stress coat (dechlor) ... then turn it back on ...

I do this only if I take the water level below the intake so the pump won't run dry,other wise I leave it running.Never had a problem with it priming back up.

Fatz

 

[Viperboy]

what i was concerned about as to why i turn it off is it not going below the intake level ... but the chlorine in the water going into the filter and killing bacteria before i add the stress coat .... and i would rather just dose it once im done changing it and not worry about doing it while i fill it.. TIA

Ray