Uprating a Juwel Internal filter

Owch · Post by **Owch** » 04 Oct 2005, 11:46

Has anyone ever considered uprating a smaller Juwel Internal filter with a pump and impeller set up from a larger Juwel filter?

I have a Rio 180 with the Compact H filter pump, P600 (600 litre/hour pump) and wanted to increase the flow in my tank, so thought of popping a Jumbo filter pump, P1000(1000l/h)in the filter, I think it will fit, but was wondering if the flow would be too much for the bio bed in the filter.

Also, where can I get a reasonably priced P1000 from?

Cheers

Tom

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 04 Oct 2005, 12:24

Tom,

I too think that the bigger pump would fit in the smaller filter. As to whether this does any good for the filtration or not, I can't really say. From what I've understood, it's not a bad idea if the water passes through the filter RELATIVELY slowly, from a "catching things in the filter" perspective. Of course, from a oxygenating the water perspecive, faster flow makes better oxygenation.

There's a company called "Pet-supermarket" that I found to have reasonable prices for Juwel spares when I was buying some kit for a small tank. Here is the pump you're looking for.

However, another alternative is to spend much less money on a Eheim "water pump". This is a lump that is about 2" x 2" x 3", which just pumps water. It's got a course grate on the intake to prevent big lumps from being sucked up, but it's not a filter as such. They come in varying sizes from 300 to 1000 l/h, and it's got adjustment to lower the flow-rate. I can't find that one at Pet Supermarket, but I wrote about them in a previous thread, which I wasn't able to find right now (search gave me an error message each time I tried). Mine is the 1000 l/h model, and I think it cost 19.99, so about half the price of the Juwel spare pump. And it has the advantage that you can put it anywhere you like and aim it at whatever point in the tank you want extra flow, without affecting the filtration. I put mine at the front/bottom of the tank in the opposite direction of the main filter, so to help the flow back towards the filter and make the lower level move a bit more, both of which supposedly benefits the pleco's. To make it a bit less noticable, I covered it with a piece of broken pot, so that I can easily get to it, but you can't see it...

--
Mats

Owch · Post by **Owch** » 04 Oct 2005, 20:51

Cheers Mats

Looking at it the idea of losing a little bit of bio filtration, its not that bad, as the external does most of the work. But then again, if I can get a dedicated flow pump to get things going then all the better. Ive seen the Eheim pumps you mean (I think), here. Ive had a look at other peoples river setups and seen where they have a pump or powerhead attached to a langth of PVC pipe buried under the sand/gravel, with the outlet pointing directly to the inlet at the other end of the tank, with just some course sponge on as a filter. I may go down this route.

Thanks again

Tom

Duncan · Post by **Duncan** » 04 Oct 2005, 21:21

Ypu should be warned, If upping the flow on a Wet/Dry filter, you should remove the prefilter or replace with a more porous pad. Otherwise, you'll flood the pre-filter causing a flooded filter.

-dunc

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 05 Oct 2005, 10:07

Duncan, that's good advice, but the Juwel filters are "all-wet" internal filters, so no worries about the flooding any part of the filter...

Tom, the Eheim pump your link points to isn't the one I meant, but sure, that will do to [is it submersible, or is to supposed to go on the outside of the tank?].

The pump I'm on about is submersible and has suckers to attach to the glass, and just sucks water in on the top and pushes the water out the front.

--
Mats

Durlänger · Post by **Durlänger** » 06 Oct 2005, 17:22

MatsP - You mean that http://www.eheim.de/eheim/inhalte/en/in ... 20860_ehen

The pump Tom (2 pic)linked can be under water as well as out of water

Jonno · Post by **Jonno** » 16 Oct 2005, 13:49

i have a juwel tank i took the compact filter out and added a fluval 240 and it works great,

Owch · Post by **Owch** » 17 Oct 2005, 08:41

Jonno wrote:i have a juwel tank i took the compact filter out and added a fluval 240 and it works great,

What I was after was increasing the flow rate, but keeping the Juwel filter, ie adding the next size up pump.

But after looking at the other threads on river tanks, I may be about to purchase a load of high flow power heads and some PVC pipework

Orinoco rapids here we come