Filter help please?

okiemavis

So I just got a new 85 gallon aquarium off of craigslist. It came with a Magnum 350- which I can't seem to get to work very well. I've never had canister filters before, and I couldn't seem to figure out where to put the filter media, the only kind of canisters I know are where you layer the different medias in different slots. Also, when I ran it without any media in it, just to see if it worked, the water was flowing very badly back into the tank. I think it's just dirty and clogged?

Also, I want more filtration for this tank, and I'm looking for another good canister, but I know that the pro Ehiems aren't in my range. Any suggestions? Would it be easier/better to just buy two new canister filters for my tank and to ditch the Magnum?

herefishy

I love those canisters. Since yours doesn't work, you can give it to me. Only joking.

The filter should have a micron filter and a carbon/media cartridge with it. They should be installed to maintain backpressure. Here is a site that sells them if you don't have them. http://www.petsolutions.com/Magnum-3...90038+C19.aspx You will also see what they look like.

The reason your filter is "backflushing" is because of insufficient prime. You may have to raise the filter a little and turn it upside down to get rid of all of the air in the canister and prime the filter.

okiemavis

Hehe, thanks. I was just so frustrated cuz this guy was running it, so I sorta figured I'd be able to just plug it in and go as well. Perhaps I will decide I love it so much once I get it working that I will buy another.

Meh, I don't know what I'm missing or not. I'm going to have to take a closer look at it. I also seem to have an older version than the one on this site, will these still fit?

okiemavis

Yay! It's all working- I sucked it up and went to the fish store today instead of finding cheap stuff online. Apparently I need a basket for holding media or a micron filter (this is according to the directions in the box with the basket replacement). I already had the basket, so I figured I'd go with that, since the micron clogs more often, and I got a filter sleeve to go around the basket and some ehiem biological ceramic balls to go in the basket.

The guy at the store was awesome- I asked one guy and he said he didn't know that much about the Magnum and found another guy who uses them at home and hooked me all up. I love this store cuz I actually heard a guy chastising some customers for thinking that their Goldfish is only supposed to live a couple years and putting 3 of them in a 10G. It gave me a lot of faith in my LFS :D

So, in conclusion, my gigantic tank is up and running! Now I just need to start decorating and cycling. I'll def. be starting a photo journal. Thanks!

icom

those Magnums are a pretty good filter for what they cost