Cleaning used Canister Filter

[pancake]

I have a second hand (used) canister filter. I was wondering what a good way to clean it would be? I don't really want to remove its hoses. The system is 6 years old. Could I just run it with water and 30% hydrogen peroxide for 24 hours to kill whatever bacteria, fungus, and gunk? Or would that harm the hose and media?

The canister is dry but the hose is still damp inside with algae from being drained a month ago.

(My spouse surprised me with a tank and stand with stuff from a lovely person who seemed to really take care of her stuff! Yay!)

[Galabar]

Maybe don't bother cleaning it?  Just run it for a while.

[Guppysnail]

I think you will be fine using the hydrogen peroxide method. I clean hoses with peroxide. I’ve cleaned media with peroxide. It never hurt them. 
 

Get some food grade silicone lubricant to lube the seals.  Make sure to do this each time you clean it. 
 

Congratulations on the tank. 

[TOtrees]

I'd replace all the media with new, and how I clean the rest would depend on where it's from and how long it's been unused.

If known to come from a healthy tank, or to have been dry for a year or more, you're probably safe to use it without disinfecting. Clean with soap and water if necessary, rinse well, and get it going.

If history/infection status etc not known, treat it like it comes from a contaminated/infected tank. Set up a 3 or 5 gallon pail with 5% bleach in cold water, and run that through the filter for an hour or more. I like bleach bc it's easy, cheap, and certain. When done, rinse under running water, then replace the water in the bucket (and filter) with hot tap water with a 10x dose of dechlorinator. If going with peroxide, I think that would lose it's action long before 24hrs, so no benefit to doing it that long (I think - I'm no chemist). 

[pancake]

 

On 11/22/2023 at 9:39 AM, Pepere said:

If I personally received a 6 year old canister filter, I know I would open it up and clean it all out and evaluate the sponges and likely replace them if they looked at all degraded.  They are cheap enough…

 

I would replace and ceramic or pumice type biomedia with nylon pot scrubbies as I think they have superior functional surface area for bacteria.

I would put in a new impeller kit and replacement gaskets and I would go with new hoses…. All of these items are cheap enough.  It replaces any moving parts subject to wear.  It replaces gaskets subject to compression set over time and hoses that lose their suppleness over time and harden…

the fact is I replace gaskets and impeller on a new unit yearly and will likely replace hoses every other year.

Gaskets and hoses are what is likely going to cause a leakage…

 

On 11/22/2023 at 10:14 AM, TOtrees said:

I'd replace all the media with new, and how I clean the rest would depend on where it's from and how long it's been unused.

If known to come from a healthy tank, or to have been dry for a year or more, you're probably safe to use it without disinfecting. Clean with soap and water if necessary, rinse well, and get it going.

If history/infection status etc not known, treat it like it comes from a contaminated/infected tank. Set up a 3 or 5 gallon pail with 5% bleach in cold water, and run that through the filter for an hour or more. I like bleach bc it's easy, cheap, and certain. When done, rinse under running water, then replace the water in the bucket (and filter) with hot tap water with a 10x dose of dechlorinator. If going with peroxide, I think that would lose it's action long before 24hrs, so no benefit to doing it that long (I think - I'm no chemist). 

I thought the impeller looked good. She cleaned it every two weeks along with sponges and replaced floss. Balls and rings was every month I believe.

I did look for an impeller replacement but they are discontinued. (PRIM220 marineland TS2) I asked about it having o rings but she said it didnt have o rings. I am not sure if that is what you are calling gaskets.

Her fish seemed healthy I thought. She showed me the fish that were moved out of it and they were about 5 years old. She did say that her whole life (she always had fish) she couldn't keep catfish alive and assumed it was her water as she was on well water.

Are canister hoses universal? I guess a concern I have is that if I take if off to clean it I may not be able to get it back on. So I was kind of hoping just to run some water and hydrogen peroxide through the whole unit without disassembly. I heard it breaks down safely in water after 24 hours and it can dissolve organic matter like algae.Then run new water through.

 

[pancake]

On 11/22/2023 at 12:23 PM, Pepere said:

Is it a Marineland C220 canister?

On marineland's website someone said that TS2 is PRIM220 for impeller replacement and TS2 are a 6 year old model. Googling PRIM220 impeller, the impeller package has c-220 on it and the impeller looks exactly like what I have. Looking at impellers it seems that the canister is a Magiflow.

These are the labels on the canister I have.

 

[pancake]

Well it came with the tank and stand so I was gonna try and use it until it stops since it still works. I was just going to go with a couple of air driven box filters for my tank as I'm not a fan of filters outside my tank and will probably purchase those when this canister dies. Plus I feel bad for throwing things away that still work.

[Lonkley]

On 11/22/2023 at 9:05 AM, pancake said:

 Are canister hoses universal? I guess a concern I have is that if I take if off to clean it I may not be able to get it back on.

 

If that's your concern, this is exactly the time to disconnect it.  You really don't want to find out once the tank is running, especially when you can pump your tank onto the floor if it comes off.

[Tlindsey]

Without definite information on the aquarium inhabitants health while filter was used I suggest cleaning inside filter and soaking hoses with a half bleach water in a bucket or tote overnight. I agree with replacing the media. 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Tlindsey
Missed information

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/21/2023 at 5:44 PM, Guppysnail said:

I think you will be fine using the hydrogen peroxide method. I clean hoses with peroxide. I’ve cleaned media with peroxide. It never hurt them.

Old post, but question: do you have to rinse after using the peroxide?

[Guppysnail]

On 12/18/2023 at 5:38 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Old post, but question: do you have to rinse after using the peroxide?

No. I rinse after only to remove whatever gunk the peroxide bubbles up. You can just let it dry or if it’s not an excess amount you don’t even need to allow it to dry. It breaks down to water.  

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 12/18/2023 at 5:40 PM, Guppysnail said:

No. I rinse after only to remove whatever gunk the peroxide bubbles up. You can just let it dry or if it’s not an excess amount you don’t even need to allow it to dry. It breaks down to water.  

Great. The bleach, triple rinse, and dechlorinate routine is getting old. Therefore I’m doing it less and less. I have a holding area (dish pan) for each tank that contains the stuff that I’ve used in that tank. When I have time, I do the bleach routine but I want something quicker so I can immediately use a tool on another tank if I want to. Plus, I always get a rash on my wrists after using bleach.  But I don’t use good quality, or long enough, gloves. ☹️

[Guppysnail]

On 12/18/2023 at 6:12 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Great. The bleach, triple rinse, and dechlorinate routine is getting old. Therefore I’m doing it less and less. I have a holding area (dish pan) for each tank that contains the stuff that I’ve used in that tank. When I have time, I do the bleach routine but I want something quicker so I can immediately use a tool on another tank if I want to. Plus, I always get a rash on my wrists after using bleach.  But I don’t use good quality, or long enough, gloves. ☹️

I don’t ever use bleach. Against any bacteria or parasite hydrogen peroxide is just as affective yet supremely safer to use. 
I actually read a few articles at one point on mycobacterium.  You need to use a high concentration bleach solution for I think 30 minutes before bleach starts to work on mycobacterium.  Hydrogen peroxide started to work almost immediately and killed it in I think 15 minutes. 
Those may not be exact time since it’s been years since I read those articles.  
Peroxide is cheap, available, pour it on straight, no rashes or reactions for me, immediate safe equipment use, no residue, no fear of not entirely dechlorinating all the concentrated chlorine AND…. For sloppy folks like ME does not leave bleach spots on clothes, carpets, towels and anything else I even look at while using bleach 🤣🤣🤣🤣

BONUS PEROXIDE DOES NOT STINK 😁