# canister filtler question



## rotachoc (May 30, 2016)

Hi All,
I just bought an fx6 Filter to aid with mechanical filtration (I run a sump and wave maker)when doing water changes,
So my question is 
Can I run the filter on the tank for the day then remove it let the water sit in there NOT RUNNING for 1week-10days then hook it back and go again????
 
OR
 
would I have to clean it out and dry all of it and put it back in the box till next time???????
opcorn: 
opcorn: 
opcorn: 
Any advice appreciated =D> =D> =D>


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

I don't understand why you would want to do that.
I personally think the water would stink after sitting for 7-10 days.


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## SenorStrum (Aug 14, 2020)

If you ever let the filter cycle, as in grow bacteria in there on the sponges and media, then it will die if left unexposed to the air for more than a day or so. If the filter remains sealed, this will happen and it will stink as Noddy says.

It seems to me that it is way overkill for a temporary water polisher. Seems like a pain to hook up and take down, not to mention the risk of causing something to leak. The more you open a canister, the more likely it is to leak.

If I wanted a temporary water polisher, I would buy something that was made to do it. A water polisher usually uses higher pressures to force water through smaller holes, thus capturing smaller things. I used to run a diatom filter on my planted tank years ago. Got the water sparkling clean, and it was handy because I refused to deal with the nutrient imbalance that made my water green. Have you considered trying to just stick a retrofit 200 micron filter sock in the sump that you could put in and take out at your leisure? Seems like that would be way cheaper.


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## ken31cay (Oct 9, 2018)

rotachoc said:


> Hi All,
> I just bought an fx6 Filter to aid with mechanical filtration (I run a sump and wave maker)when doing water changes,
> So my question is
> Can I run the filter on the tank for the day then remove it let the water sit in there NOT RUNNING for 1week-10days then hook it back and go again????
> ...


I run an FX6 in the sump of my 450gal and an FX4 in the sump of my 180gal. They mainly serve to keep my sumps clean and I leave them running all the time. When I clean my sumps I stir everything up and the canisters suck everything in. I simply remove the canister, clean it, and put it back in place. No reason to ever shut it off.


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## rotachoc (May 30, 2016)

This is what I'm wanting to do, So you run the canisters full time on your sump I was hoping to run it every now and then. 
It will be setup for maximum mechanical filtration I think that i'll have to fully clean it between uses.


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## ken31cay (Oct 9, 2018)

If I had my canister shut off for more than a couple days then yes I would clean it before each use. The way I do things, I clean the canisters about every 8-10 weeks.


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

This is a waste of an FX6 canister filter. Yes you could set up one for pure mechanical filtration. But, they are just not designed to work like that.
For pure water polishing/mechanical filtration service, you need something that will easily outperform a standard, aquarium canister filter. 
This is what you need,









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These canister filters utilize a pleated filter internally, to provide a maximum level of mechanical filtration,









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The drawbacks to these kind of 'old-school' canister filters, is that the biological filtration capacity is compromised every time you blow out the pleated filter. Typically, a garden hose with a spray nozzle on it is used for this, so you can see how that would eliminate beneficial bacteria every time you clean the media.
But, these semi-industrial, in-line canister filters, are hard to beat in pure, mechanical filtration capability.

Here is a video with more info regarding how they are set up and utilized.


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Why not just pop a large aquaclear filled with filter floss/pillow batting on the tank for a couple of hours after the water change?


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