Fluval Canister Manual - Part 1
Rolf C.Hagen Inc.

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Fluval Canister filters are one of the most advanced filter on the market. Its many user features allow for greater control over the purity and water characteristics in the aquarium. They provide a greater amount of media area than any comparable filter. Aquarists are able to utilize that spacious area in many ways, depending on the needs of the individual tank. Many use a canister filter as the only filter for their system. Others are content to filter just one type of problem such as softening water. Many find it an excellent addition to existing filtration. The canister design allows the greatest flexibility for any aquarist.

Water must pass through all media before it returns to the tank. Most filters cannot support the same mass of media. Because of this, the life of filter materials is much longer, so maintenance requirements are lessened. while general water purity remains constant. Other filters fill the media with debris much more rapidly and flow becomes clogged sooner. In addition, media design forces the water into many channels and pathways to thoroughly purify all the water. Other filter styles must increase flow rates to compensate for smaller amount of media they contain.

The canister filter is designed to be placed to the side or below an aquarium. They can be kept out of sight so nothing can detract from the beauty of the fish and their surroundings. There are instances where the tank has been built into a wall or bar and more conventional power filters do not attach easily. Other specially constructed tanks often have overlooked the needs of a filtration system. The canister style is the best solution to many of these filtration problems.

Features

The nature of the canister filter allows it to be hidden in the local surrounding of a tank. Fluval accepts very adverse conditions and still operates with no difficulty. The hermetically sealed motor is epoxy filled and requires no maintenance. Fluval can be operated in closed spaces.

Fluval Valves have been developed to allow precise control of water flow. When closed completely they aid in removal and replacement of the canister. When completely open, the valves allow unimpeded water flow, the advanced design has no blockage in the hose when fully open.

Hose locks are provided for each hose connection. These ensure that hoses and valves stay exactly where they are put, reducing potential leakage while the filter operates. There are no tools required for removal or replacement, while at the same time providing positive water control.

Fluval provides excellent surface agitation and oxygenation of the water when the return is placed near the top of the aquarium. Output can be securely positioned with strong suction cups anywhere in the tank. If placed near the surface, a spray is produced that thoroughly agitates the water. This provides adequate carbon dioxide removal, and oxygen replacement. Wherever the outputs may be placed, the strong flow rate produces currents strong enough to keep all water in constant motion.

There is no motor maintenance with Fluval filters. The motor has no moving parts. The only moving part in the unit is the impeller, which should be rinsed during media maintenance. A self cleaning feature keeps debris from collecting in the impeller well. A clear impeller cover allows easy visual checks on the impeller.

Fluval provides many alternatives to ordinary "wool"/carbon filtration. Three snap together filter modules allow an aquarist to pick the most effective media for his case. All the water must flow through each filter chamber before it is expelled. All water comes in contact with every type of media as it travels to the output hose. The triple chamber design makes the whole cleaning process less of a messy chore, while providing the opportunity to change only a portion of the media at one time. This preserves the bacterial action so important to a tank's well-being.

The Filter in Action

Water flows down the outside of the interlocked modules until it reaches the bottom of the filter case. It then enters the grid of the lowest module. The pump unit draws all water with its debris upwards through all three filter modules. Filter media removes particles and liquid impurities and can be used to change the chemical characteristics of the water, depending on the aquarist's needs. The water brings oxygen into the filter, feeding the needs of the beneficial bacteria, which make up a biological filter.

Purified water enters the impeller well to be pumped back to the aquarium. The return spray bar forces the water into numerous small streams of water. These agitate the surface as they enter the water. The spray produces currents to ensure no stagnant or "dead" spots are found in the tank.

1. Motor Unit Strong, Silent, hermetically sealed epoxy filled motor for safe, cool and reliable operation in damp and wet areas. No motor maintenance is required. Energy saving low wattage.

2. Rigid Elbows Provide maximum flexibility for installation without producing unnecessary water resistance. They allow easy exhaust stem installation to desired position in aquarium.

3. Exhaust Stem Provides water surface agitation and partial aeration if positioned above water level. Exhaust stem can be submerged in any desired location to encourage water movement throughout the entire aquarium.

4. Hose Valves Specially designed to provide unimpeded water flow when completely open. Valve allows total control of water flow rate in and out of aquarium. O-Ring construction produces positive closure to eliminate leakage during removal of filter for media changes.

5. Filter Case Clips Plastic, non-corrosive clips which lock motor onto filter case, prevents seepage.

6. Safety connectors to ensure tight, leak-proof seal and avoid accidental loosening or removal of hoses.

Flow Rates

Fluval filters have four sizes to handle all tank requirements from smallest to the largest commercial tanks available. Flow rates vary from 103 to 317 gallons per hour output depending on the model. An important factor in the choice of any filter is actual flow rate. Flow rates, when filters are installed are influenced by exhaust stems, valves, pipes, elbows and filter media as well as the height above the aquarium they must push water.

Fluval return consists of flexible and rigid tubes to allow the return to be placed anywhere in an aquarium. Strong suction cups are provided to assure output tubes remain in position. The rigid spray bar can be used to spray water rather than a single stream. It is usually desirable to translate return flow into surface agitation with the spray bar. It is very important for oxygen to enter the water, and excess carbon dioxide be released to the atmosphere. This exchange can only occur at the surface. The more agitation, the more water molecules are brought to the surface to release carbon dioxide and accept oxygen.

The criteria for selection of the proper size filter are:

1. FLOW RATE.
2. FILTER AREA. More filter area means greater biological activity with purer output.
3. ORGANIC LOAD. Heavy Populations require much greater filter capacity than tanks with few occupants.
4. SPECIALIZED APPLICATIONS. Some specially shaped tanks require greater filter capacities than standard shapes. This is especially true for tall tanks with little surface area.

Types of Filtration

"Mechanical Filtration" refers to passing dirty water through some form of sieve to remove impurities. Fluval filters use foam and pre-filter media to do this job. Both materials force water into many channels where it goes up, down and through complicated pathways before passing out of the filter. This complex path actually increases actual filtering area many times the measurable volume. Carbon or charcoal also remove liquid impurities from water by trapping them in the carbbon matrix.

"Biological Filtration" is extrememly important. It reduces organic poisons created in the aquatic chain of life. Urination, defecation and respiration by fish produce ammonia as a by-product. Excessive feeding, dead or decaying plant and animal matter also produce ammonia as it is degraded by bacteria. Ammonia is deadly to fish even in minute quantities. Fortunately, there are "helpful" bacteria that use ammonia as an energy source. Nitrosomonas bacteria reduce ammonia to nitrite.

Nitrite is also extremely toxic to fish. In new tanks, levels of both nitrite and ammonia can build to toxic levels rather rapidly if there are too many fish and not enough beneficial bacteria. A second strain of bacteria (nitrobacter) reduces nitrite to less harmful nitrate. This can only be removed by regular water changes.

These important bacteria require a place to attach and multiply to become effective for biological filtration. Fluval filters provide a suitable substrate to promote a healthy population of bacteria with standard Fluval media. Foam Inserts and Pre-Filter provide a generous surface area for biological filtration to develop. Other media in the filter case also provide some attachment nodes.

"Chemical Filtration" refers to active change of water conditions by chemical means. Ammonia and a number of other toxins can be reduced chemically. Peat is used to soften and acidify water naturally for specialized breeding purposes. There are numerous ion exchangers and water conditioning media available for many specific jobs. Crushed coral or coral sand is often used to buffer water. Canister filters allow a number of chemically oriented jobs to be combined with other filtering activities.

Move to Fluval Manual - PART 2