How to clean my canister filter without it exploding.. Help!

[Gatito]

How do i open up and clean my Aqua One CF-1000, without getting water and crap everywhere? Instructions are lost and so am I...

Obviously will need to turn it off, but do I need to take the intake pipe out of the water, or, umm, I don't know...

And once it's open, what's the best way to clean it? I was guessing along the lines of rinsing the media in tank water taken out for a water change, so it doesn't kill the bacteria... am I right?

Anything I should know right about now?

Help ASAP would be much appreciated - am both wanting to clean the thing, and check to make sure my AWOL baby pleco isn't actually crushed/hiding in the filter itself.

xxxx!!!!

[Adrienne]

This is how I do mine - turn off the outlet tap, turn off the inlet tap and quickly turn off the power. Leave your hoses in the water. Open up the little airhole thing at the top, undo the clips on the side and lift the lid off. If you don't open up the airhole its still airtight and you can't get the lid off. Take the baskets out and rinse them out in a bucket of water that you have already removed from the tank. Rinse out your sponges and filter wool in the same water and if you have to replace don't replace too many at once. If theres a lot of crap in the main part of the filter you might want to chuck it. Put baskets back in and refill with more water from your tank. Put lid back on and top up with water. Close airhole.

Switch on, quickly turn on your inlet hose and then your outlet hose and it should run as sweet as, otherwise you can always give your outlet hose a good suck on to pull the water through.

Others might disagree with the fact that I turn the power on and off when I do, and the order I turn off the taps but this makes sure that there is water in the hoses at all times.

However if you have to clean your hoses you will have to dismantle and refill them before you turn everything back on like when you first started it up. Good luck

[Gatito]

Oooh, thank you adodge... am going to give it a go

[GZ_Loach]

thats how i do it also, when i 1st tryed to clean it i lost lots of water lol. iv switched to int filters now tho, much easier to clean.

[Gatito]

Mine sits in a cat litter tray (without the litter), in case of leaks - it's coming in handy now.

It worked!!! Thank you!!!

[GZ_Loach]

mine was in a big 40-50litre container

[smidey]

I also have a CF1000. I simply turn it off, turn hose taps off & unscrew the pipes still left in the tank. Take the canister to the sink & rinse everything under the tap. most may say thats not the way to do it but I've been doing it that way for almost a year with no problems at all.

I have made a cleaner for the pipes to, 15kg fishing line with an old bottle brush tied to the end. feed the line through the pipe (line has two large swivels to weight it) & pull the bottle brush through. only takes me bout half an hour for the whole lot.

[Lady-Lene]

If mine gets air in it I never suck on the hose. I simply tip the filter over toward the corner with the pipe that goes down inside of it (not sure what its called). It does a little splutter and hey presto. Then tip it back up slowly. No more sucking water :bounce:

[Adrienne]

Thanks Lady Lene, I'll try that one - might stop the suck and spit into a bucket that sometimes goes on, no not really, I've only had to do my cannisters once since I got them.

[smidey]

i fill my canister after washing with tap water then fill through the small hole in the top after i clip the top on. I dont get air locks.