• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Wild Aqua Zoo

Home Aquarium Experts

  • Home
  • Canister Filter
  • Turtle Canister Filter
  • Protein Skimmer
  • HOB Filter
  • Tips & Guides

How to Clean a Canister Filter?

Contents

  1. Things You May Need While Cleaning Canister Filter
  2. Step by Step Instructions of Cleaning Procedure of a Canister Filter
    1. Step 1. Unplugging the Unit from Power Outlet
    2. Step 2: Disassembling A Canister Filter
    3. Step 3: Keeping the Media Tray in a Safe Place
    4. Step 5: Cleaning the Media Tray
    5. Step 6: Cleaning The Impeller
    6. Step 7: REASSEMBLE The Unit Again
    7. Step 8. Plugin the Unit Back to Power Outlet
  3. Warning:
  4. Wrap It Up

The canister filter is one of the best aquarium filters in the aquarium world. You fell how fascinating it is when you use it in your favorite aquarium. It is a common question that how often you clean your canister filter. Actually, it depends on the situation. Honestly speaking you don’t need to clean your filter every day it is fairly good if you clean it thrice a week. But it is better if you clean your tank first than after two or three days later you clean your canister filter. There is a process to clean your canister filter. you should maintain it to keep safe your filter.

The cleaning process of a canister filter is nothing but easy. But if you want to keep your mind away from filter tension you should follow some cleaning action.

Things You May Need While Cleaning Canister Filter

Cleaning your favorite filter is always charming as well as enjoyable. To clean your canister filter you should arrange some important accessories. Such as

  • Sink with high pressure
  • Dry cloth
  • Bucket to hold aquarium water
  • Tray
  • Toothbrush
  • Q-tip

Step by Step Instructions of Cleaning Procedure of a Canister Filter

Step 1. Unplugging the Unit from Power Outlet

If u do not want to lose your favorite canister filter, first of all, you need to unplug your canister filter from electricity.

Step 2: Disassembling A Canister Filter

To prevent spilling water from your filter you have to do one more necessary task and that is you just simply turn off the valve horizontally to the off position. Now slowly squeeze the threaded pipe until it becomes loose. It helps you to move the pipe aside.

The next step is you need to find out the lock nut of your filter to open it up. When you got it, you need to untie the nut very slowly. At this time, the water inside the motor will come out. So, you need to be prepared with a dry cloth.

Now, you have detached the unit from the filter. Next, it is required to transport the canister filter to a safest area. It is better to choose a place that is near your sink or a high-pressure water source. The sink or bathroom will be the safest place on this occasion.

You can’t start cleaning your canister filter without removing the motor from the housing. Find out the locks, maybe you will find four locks in each corner of the housing. Unlock them properly without any force. Sorry to say some water may split but it will not create a big issue. Here you can use dry cloth which you arranged before start the cleaning process. It will absorb all water which is split.

Now you can move it to any suitable place where you want to clean it.

Step 3: Keeping the Media Tray in a Safe Place

In this step, you need to remove everything from the filter. Here you can use your tray to hold your biological media. You must keep your aquarium media tray in a bucket of aquarium water, otherwise, very vital bacteria will lose which are very important for your beloved fish 

Step 5: Cleaning the Media Tray

Now wash the media in the sink. Rinse them properly through the toothbrush. A toothbrush is very useful in cleaning the unit since you can move the toothbrush more flexibly and clean inside the filter better and remove all harmful slimy algae what was built inside the filter. A good cleaning is also essential for your filter pads. Now use high-pressure water flow to rinse properly as well as washed away every tiny dust. Few people live in a rumor that high-pressure water sink may spoil your beneficial bacteria, they are wrong because high-pressure water flow will not wash away your bacteria.

Step 6: Cleaning The Impeller

Cleaning both the impeller and impeller hole is very important. Since it is a very vital part of a canister filter. You need to remove it very consciously since most of the time it is made of fragile materials like ceramic shop. You must need to remove it from the motor housing before started cleaning it. Use a toothbrush to clean the shaft and plastic parts around the impeller. Using a toothbrush is very helpful because it reduces the chance of breaking soft plastic and while you clean by toothbrush you can properly clean it. On the other hand, using a scrub brush may break your impeller. After cleaning the impeller it’s time to clean the impeller hole. Honestly speaking cleaning the impeller hole is very easy and simple if you use Q-Tip.

Step 7: REASSEMBLE The Unit Again

Put back everything in the canister filter as early as possible and lock the motor housing. Now bring back your filter to the aquarium and screw the shut-off valves to the threaded pipe. Remember one thing if you screw the pipe tightly it could damage.

Here you have to do one more important task. There is trapped air inside, canister Won’t Fill up back on its own. The canister will fill up on its own if you lift the front locking bracket. Keep an eye on the water level if the level of water hits the motor housing locks the bracket back in place.

Step 8. Plugin the Unit Back to Power Outlet

Plug your canister and prime it by using a top prime button. If your canister is not working properly, please check everything’s in its place or not.

Warning:

  • While you connect your canister to the electric switch make sure that your hand and your plug both are dry.

Wrap It Up

To conclude I want to say a few words about the fish tank. Fish are always fascinating for people who love the aquarium. To keep them healthy always try to keep clean your aquarium. 

Reference:

https://www.tankarium.com/clean-canister-filter/

About Allen Solly

Hello there! This Allen Solly. I'm addicted to fish for 30+ years. My endless passion and love for aquaria have motivated me to create this wonderful blog so that people may get inspiration from me.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Selecting the Best Filter for your Koi Pond
  • Best Pond Filters That You Can Trust Indiscreetly
  • How To Clean Protein Skimmer [Everything You Need To Know]
  • How Does A Protein Skimmer Work [Everything You Need To Know]
  • How To Set Up A Canister Filter [A comprehensive Guide]

Categories

  • Blog
  • Filter
  • Skimmer

Footer

Amazon Affiliate Disclaimer

WildAquaZoo.org is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

February 2023
MTWTFSS
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728 
« Sep    

Copyright© 2023Wild Aqua Zoo·Disclaimer·Contact Us·About us