My canister is here!!!

[Ellen4God]

w00t w00t I just got my canister filter from the UPS man who just stopped by. :19: :19:

I'm going to set it up right now probably. I'm sure I'll have questions at some point. lol Just thought I would share my excitement!

[fins_n_fur]

w00t w00t! Have fun setting it up...exciting stuff :18: Which one did you wind up getting?

[Ellen4God]

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That one.

I think I'm going to get confused - but I'm going to try to refrain from asking hundreds of questions until I know for sure that I'm confused. lol The directions are just so tiny that it's hard to really tell what they mean.

[Ellen4God]

Okay, first question of the evening - do I rinse my biomax things or just stick them straight from the bag into the canister?

[fins_n_fur]

By the biomax things, do you mean the ceramic or stone like things? If so, yes, dump into a colander and rinse well...not a hard job like washing sand. Don't you hate super tiny printed directions? LOL Good luck!

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Yup, quick rinse will do it. Just to be safe I'd use dechlorinated water for that.

[Ellen4God]

I used some tank water to rinse the Biomax.

I just cut the carbon bag thing open and poured the carbon out, replacing it with the gravel I had in my filter. I sewed it back together.

I also used some of the carbon bag (what I cut off) to cover my intake tube thing. I figured it should allow for enough flow into the filter.

[Ellen4God]

Okay, another question -

My hood won't allow me to put my spray bar on the side of my aquarium, so I'm not sure where to put it. If I put it on the back on one side, it will just be flowing only on that one side. Is that okay?

[Drumachine09]

If you want it on the side, depending on the hood, you could modify it fairly easily.

[Ellen4God]

Well, my hood is pretty set. It is full in the front with a hole in the back, but there are two "arms" that go all the way to the back at each corner to "snap" it into place. Does that make sense?

Is it okay to have it on the back of the tank at one side?

[Ellen4God]

Well, I reckon I'll just set it up so that it's across the back for now. I can change it later. :)

[Ellen4God]

I know, I know - too many questions. Buuut, here's another for ya!

Should I keep my other filter running, although I've moved a majority of the media to my canister, and my old one isn't really working that well anyways? What ya think?

[Halelorf]

Even though you moved a majority of the media to the new one I would let the old one run for maybe a few more days or a week. Just to be on the safe side.

[Ellen4God]

Even though you moved a majority of the media to the new one I would let the old one run for maybe a few more days or a week. Just to be on the safe side.

Alrighty. Thanks!

[Ellen4God]

Uuuugh - I feel like an idiot because I'm having so many problems. lol I plugged it in about five minutes ago, and it hasn't done anything at all. I did what the directions said to do - filled the canister with water first, waited about 5 minutes, topped it off again, and then I plugged it in. Nothing. Am I doing something wrong?

[Halelorf]

Can you hear the motor running? My canister can be tricky to get the siphon started sometimes. I would read over the starting part of the directions and follow it EXACTLY how it says again. I sometimes have to do this before mine will start moving water correctly.

[Ellen4God]

Yeah. The motor is running. I can hear it and also feel it when I put my hand on it. Not sure what the problem is.

[Halelorf]

I think the siphon isn't primed correctly. On mine for the inflow tube there is a plastic piece that hangs into the tank that I have to open and fill with water with a funnel if the siphon is broken. They can be tricky sometimes but once they get going they rock don't be frustrated!

[Ellen4God]

Well, I can pour more water into the little hole thing, and it'll "work," but once I run out of water, it stops working. I think the problem is that it isn't pulling any water into the filter yet. I can't find anyway to put water into that long tube though to help it pull water in.

[Halelorf]

It is definately a problem getting the siphon going. I've never had that kind of canister so i'm not sure how it wants you to get the siphon to work but here's what I would do from looking at the stock photo. Take the intake hose and connect it to the filter and the black U shaped tube. Keep the output tube elevated higher than your intake so your siphon won't break. Start pouring water into the U tube until water starts to pour out of either the intake or output. Then lower the intake into the water and connect the U tube to the intake piece of plastic that looks clear in the photo. That should make a siphon and you should try starting the filter and see if any water is coming out of the outtake.

[Ellen4God]

It's working now!! I poured some water into the intake tube like you said and then connected it back to the thing. Then, I just sat down and waited - several minutes later and it's working perfectly. Thanks!!!

:19: :19: :19:

[Ryuu]

lol glad to hear your tank is up and running again

[Halelorf]

Glad to hear it's working now, enjoy the new filter! :19:

[Ellen4God]

Took long enough. lol

[jbeining75]

Nice deal. I think you will like it for your 10 gallon....

[Ellen4God]

Thanks! I hope so. My danios seem to like it so far - swimming in the current it creates. lol