Aqua One AR980 adding canister.

[cartandpeg]

Hi All,

Just joined up here and hoping some one may be able to help me.

I found this site as the info I have been seeking brought me to some pages on FNZAS but did not answer what my dilemma is,or at least I could not find the answer.

If it has been answered the my apologies.

I want to add a canister filter to my AR980 and preferably keep the existing system in place,only because I have no other tank to put my fish in and rather than create a tank cycle with the new canister,I will have the existing one continuing to do that while the canister get its biological working.

Could anyone please tell me,preferably with pics or in easy terms on how/where to locate pipe work etc.

There seems to be posts on the net of those that have done it,but no direction in how.

Thank you if anyone can help.

Andy

[NoFishing]

If you take all the media (noodles) from your trickle filter and put it into your canister you won't have to keep two filters running and you won't have to cycle again. As long as you do it fairly quickly and don't let the media dry out.

[Adrienne]

You will have to drill your 980 in order to make the holes for your tubing to go into the tank. If your tank is under warranty the warranty will end the moment you do this.

You would be able to get the intake and outlet piping through the holes where the power head and filter outlets currently sit but the plastic of the current filter area will need holes in it to get the rest of the fittings in.

Why do you want to put a canister filter on? I have the 980 and the filter is more than adequate for a standard tropical tank.

[cartandpeg]

Thank you NoFishing and Adrienne for your replies.

Adrienne,the main reason on why I want to go to a canister filter is that,I have trouble keeping water clarity.

I have always seemed to have white little bits floating around in it,my ideal water would be crystal clear,yet I can not seem to obtain that.

How ever on saying that,there is the possibility that I have had too much filter media in my trays.

This is how I have had them in each tray bottom up,ceramic noodles,two or three layers of micro pad,the coarse black sponge and a layer of filter wool under the spray bar. I think this may be causing by pass of any muck collected.

This is how today I have changed it,bottom up,ceramic noodles,one layer of micro pad,black coarse sponge and a thin layer of like a fine wool mat under the spray bar.How ever in the last tray(out let end) I have noodles,then two bags on Macropore (about 700ml total) then the coarse sponge with the fine wool mat on top.

I have noticed a difference by changing it that way,I have swimming pool filter sand as the substrate.I also have a flat black back ground,which at times I think high lights any light colored particles in the water.

I will admit I am probably overstocked a bit,11 Rummy Nose Tetras,4 Neon Tetras,5 bronze Corydoras,3 Pepper Corydroas,2 Bristle Nose and 16 very small Rosy Barbs,the Barbs are in there as the previous owner was going to dispose of them,so I took them off him.I do intend to pass at least 10 of these barbs off to another person.

The tank has rocks and plant wise,java moss,java fern and anubias,so it is not overly planted.

When I have taken the actual complete filter body off to clean,I have noticed like fine granules in the bottom. I thought that it could be the noodles breaking down or just sand picked up by the intake tube.

As I said since reducing the amount of media the water does look better,maybe I am striving to much to get that crystal clear look.

Sorry about the long winded post,I would be very interested to hear what you think and any advice you could give.

However, prior to barbs I was still having the particles in the water.

If I could avoid putting in a canister that would beneficial to me. I thought maybe adding one would help.

Foot note: I have the 980T,water capacity 240ltrs.

Thank you.

Andy

[Adrienne]

Your tank is pretty well stocked - mine has 8 young angels in it, 6 young cory and 2 young bn. I suspect the fine particles you are finding in the bottom of your filter tray is sand being picked up however if the fine filter wool is fully covering your filter trays then I would have expected it not to get through but as we know sand can get through the smallest gaps. I only run the carbon cartridges and noodles in mine.

The stacking should be from the top fine down to coarse with the fine being rinsed out weekly under tank water as it should be blocking waste from getting through to the noodles allowing them to do their job.

Possibly you have had the filter packed too tightly preventing the water from actually passing through the media.

However black backgrounds do show every particle that is loose in the tank. You could try adding carbon and removing more of your sponges. Carbon is a 'polisher' which should help clear up your tank. Be aware that once the carbon is full it will absorb no more and will need replacing.

What are you feeding and how much? How often do you water change and how much?

I wanted the 980T but the difference in price was just too much for 35 litres more

[cartandpeg]

Thank you Adrienne,

When you say remove more of my sponges.which would you suggest to remove,allowing I have removed a lot,compared to what I had.I will fit some carbon in,I had an Aqua One corner unit many years ago and ran carbon all the time and found the water to be very clear,I just purchased a bulk amount and placed it in filter bags.

Feeding wise,I feed them nightly,flakes for my top,mid water fish and then pellets for my bottom feeders.

The pellets(wardley shrimp pellets granulos) tend to basically explode after a short period in the water,then it is a free for all,with the water very dirty from them.

I attempt to change the water weekly,stretching it to a fortnight,the amount would be between 60 to 70 ltrs,previous I was tending to be a bit lazy and only doing about 40ltrs.

I did have a bad habit of rinsing all my filter media at the same,each water change in tank water.

I went for 980T as I got it at a good price,how ever it is like taking a bath reaching down to the bottom.

Many thanks again Adrienne.

[Adrienne]

Happy to help. If you can fit carbon in with the sponges you still have then all good Post a pic when you can. We love pics!

[Guest ywtsmwfhm]

I had a ar980 running a fluval 403, I cut the back away for hoses on back of original filter tray at power head end, put the inlet tube where the original power head went and attached the outlet to original spray bar, this allowed the standard filters to be used also giving me a lot more room for both mechanical and biological media

[cartandpeg]

Thanks ywtsmwfhm, I thought about running it through that area. As I have decided to keep the original filter system running,I am going to fit it in from the outlet end. If I get what I am hoping to get out of a canister,then I may take the original one right and and fit a smaller canister the other end.