New member here

[Pez]

Hello very new to this sport I just set up a 20 gal. tank with a HOT mag filter and a bio wheel pro 30 it seems to be doing a great job very clear water I have several barbs a loach and a albino shark. Does anyone have this same filter if so is there anything special I need to know about the cleaning or maintence of it. Also it came with the gravel cleaner. I look forward to all the help and info on this site. Thanks PEZ

[Fishguy2727]

I would not use the vacuum hooked up to the filter, then you just have to clean the fitler.

The Biowheel is the best form of biological media, but the magnum is not that great. I would not use carbon.

What kind of barbs?
What kind of loach?

[Pez]

What would the best method of vacuming be, do you mean the carbon they supplied with the filter or carbon period what should I use instead. I have some Banana Barbs and it is a yoyo loach . thanks

[Drumachine09]

The magnum filters are usually used as a "polishing" filter to clean up your water after a waterchange, after stirring up your gravel, or when it is not up to your standards.

[Fishguy2727]

Do not use carbon at all. You can fill the space for carbon with either foam pad (mechanical) or Biomax which is made for Fluvals(biological). The magnum is definitely a full time use filter, it's just that because of its effectiveness and the micron cartridge available many find it better used as no more than a polisher. But they usually already have one and have multiple tanks.

[jeffs99dime]

welcome to a.c.