Clean Canister Filter

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Every month i rinse all the filter media, disassemble and wipe down any moving parts like the impeller, impeller shaft, impeller cap, and i replace polishing pads.

Every year to 18 months i replace the impeller, impeller shaft, impeller cap and o ring.

Every 3 or 4 months i clean the intake stem, intake nozzel + checkball and output nozzle. Every year i rinse out the hoses.
 
Similar to Aiken except I only replace impellors if they break. But the filter case, hoses, etc, get washed under tap water each month, and the filter media/ materials get cleaned in a bucket of tank water every month. I don't use polishing pads, just sponges, and the water is always clear.
 
Similar to Aiken except I only replace impellors if they break. But the filter case, hoses, etc, get washed under tap water each month, and the filter media/ materials get cleaned in a bucket of tank water every month. I don't use polishing pads, just sponges, and the water is always clear.
I try to be preventative rather than waiting for things to break. I tend to find the impellers start rattling after a year, a little longer if i keep up with periodic cleaning out, and thats when i start to shop around for a maintenance kit.

While i like my fluval stuff, i do think their cannisters need more frequent maintenance than other brands. Impellers in general nowadays, not just in aquarium equipment, are expected to be replaced with an annual service.
 
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Personally I used to clean canister filters only when the flow rate was visibly reduced. Less flow = less oxygen for the microbes which can be detrimental in a closed system container such as a canister filter.
 
It gives me a cleaning date, and I also did order an impeller replacement kit to change them yearly. Thanks for that information. To be honest, I thought that only the polishing pad and the prefilter needed to be cleaned monthly. My flow rate is lower at night so my fishy don't get blown around as they sleep :) Screenshot_20230517_224831_Chrome.jpgScreenshot_20230517_225203_eBay.jpgScreenshot_20230517_225154_eBay.jpg
 
Similar to Aiken except I only replace impellors if they break. But the filter case, hoses, etc, get washed under tap water each month, and the filter media/ materials get cleaned in a bucket of tank water every month. I don't use polishing pads, just sponges, and the water is always clear.
My filter is about 20 days old, and I see junk inside the tubing but no reduction inflow rate.
As you can see, I have 2 polishing pads on the Eheim Filter, one near the top and one at the bottom.View attachment 325438
 
It gives me a cleaning date, and I also did order an impeller replacement kit to change them yearly. Thanks for that information. To be honest, I thought that only the polishing pad and the prefilter needed to be cleaned monthly. My flow rate is lower at night so my fishy don't get blown around as they sleep :) View attachment 325435View attachment 325436View attachment 325437
Anything with moving parts is going to wear. If you throw detritus being drawn in the mechanism into the mix things will wear quicker. Polishing pads and sponges will intercept some detritus, but some will always get through.

Impeller blades will wear down, the impeller cap where the shaft connect will wear down so the shaft doesn't sit quite right. Once all this starts to happens everything starts to lose balance, the impeller will rattle against the housing, and then wear will just accelerate.

Periodically going into the mechanism to give things a bit of a clean will reduce the wear, make everything last longer and save you money in the long run. Same with servicing cars and boilers for instance.

Sponges get filled with gunk and will reduce flow, so periodically squeezing them out to maintain flow is a good idea. Hoses will get lined with gunk also, but this won't effect flow rate too much, so won't need cleaning out all that often.

How often you will need to do all this you will have to work out for yourself because everyones set up will be different and have different requirements. Monthly works for me as its something I can remember. I tend to try and do my monthly maintenance during the week after payday as being paid is a monthly reminder. If I miss a month its no biggie, but I just like to stay on top rather than wait for a problem. As for the less periodic routines, I do these when I feel or see the need. Or if I happen to have some spare time at a convenient interval I just do it.
 
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