How to Troubleshoot Penn Plax Canister Filters

Aquarium fish and invertebrate animals, such as crabs and starfish, eventually pollute the tank with their metabolic waste. The Penn Plax canister filter, which acts as a biological, mechanical and chemical filter, is designed to keep aquarium water clean and healthy. The Penn Plax canister is a heavy-duty external filter, which contains large capacity, stackable internal filter medium trays and comes with a three year warranty.

Things You'll Need

  • Penn Plax canister filter
  • 1 10-gallon plastic bucket
  • 1 2-gallon plastic bucket
  • 2 large towels
  • GenX -2400 volute submersible pump (optimal)
  • Nylon stocking
  • Charcoal, 2 lbs
  • Plastic cable tie
  • 1 large hand full filter wool
  • 1-gallon plastic jug
  • Wash basin
  • Running water
  • Aquarium flexible pipe cleaner, 12 inches long
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the two towels on the floor below the aquarium.

    • 2

      Unplug the Penn Plax canister filter from the wall power source. Place the canister filter on the towels to prevent any water from ruining the carpet or wooden floor.

    • 3

      Close the plastic in-line valves on the intake and exhaust ports and remove the intake and the exhaust tubes.

    • 4

      Take the intake and exhaust tubes to a wash basin. Push the flexible 12-inch long aquarium pipe cleaner through the intake tube four or five times. Flush the debris and algae has been loosened by the pipe cleaner, from the tube, by running tap water through the tube.

    • 5

      Repeat the process with the exhaust tube. Blocked tubes will prevent the canister filter from functioning correctly.

    • 6

      Remove the top of the canister.

    • 7

      Remove the internal, stackable medium trays and place them into the 10-gallon bucket.

    • 8

      Remove 1-gallon of water from the aquarium with the plastic jug and pour this into the 2-gallon bucket. Remove the bio sponge from the second tray and place it into the 2-gallon plastic bucket. Bacteria that filter the water biologically are growing on this bio sponge. Do not wash it under tap water or you will destroy the bacteria. Keep the sponge submerged in the aquarium water.

    • 9

      Remove the nylon bag containing charcoal from the top medium tray discard. Exhausted charcoal will prevent the filter from functioning as an effective chemical filter.

    • 10

      Place the new charcoal in a nylon bag and rinse thoroughly under running water. Ensure that all the dust has been washed away. Continue to run water over the charcoal until the water runs clear after passing through the charcoal. Secure the nylon bag with the cable tie.

    • 11

      Place the nylon bag into the top stackable tray.

    • 12

      Remove the soiled and clogged filter wool from the second tray and discard. Badly clogged filter wool will prevent the Penn Plax canister filter from functioning correctly.

    • 13

      Place a handful of new filter wool into the second stackable tray. The filter wool will act as a mechanical filter.

    • 14

      Remove the bio sponge from the bucket, with your hand and return to the second tray. Place them on top of the filter wool.

    • 15

      Place the internal stackable trays back into the Penn Plax canister filter. Place the top back onto the filter.

    • 16

      Connect the intake and exhaust tubes to the canister filter. The tubes are marked. Ensure that the tubes are connected to the correct ports. Place the ends of the tubes into the aquarium.

    • 17

      Push the priming button three or four times to draw aquarium water into the intake tube.

    • 18

      Plug the Penn Plax canister filter into a wall power source and turn it on.

    • 19

      Place the end of the intake tube in front of the exhaust of the GenX -2400 volute submersible pump, if the Penn Plax canister filter fails to start. The water flowing from the submersible pump will fill the canister intake tube with water and the canister will begin to function.