My first Fluval!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Racersk

Racersk

Piranha
MFK Member
Apr 22, 2010
1,153
42
81
Covington
Not to new, but worth the $10 I paid for it!
Gotta love Craigslist!
:D


It's a Fluval 403, it's old and it does flow water - The guy had it temp set up on a 45G GF tan- The tank was what I was after in the first place...

I was curious what this canister is rated at and or size tank it's goof for.

Are there any replacement parts I need to get now while I can? Is it worth a few more bucks in orings and an impeller or should I run it dead?

Anyone still using one?

Pics to follow.
Thanks !
 
I have one on my 125gal. It is one of my favorite filters. It is hard to start but do not give up. Mine has been running non stop for about 2 years now. Ebay is your place for parts. Bigals has some also.
 
Any idea on the output of this? I have it hooked up to a 5 gallon bucket and it flows the same or more than my Cascade 1500 did. But I haven't opened it up yet to see what media he used.

Thanks for the reply.
 
And seeing as that you only spent $10 bucks on it i would say its definitely worth a few more bucks to replace the o-rings and such.. These are great filters to have no matter how old they are.
 
I always try to have extra gaskets (orings) incase one fails. That would be the extra parts I would keep on hand if I were you
 
Well here's the thought after tearing down a 90G that failed epically-look in the 'lessons learned' a little later on that... :( I am going to install the 403 onto a 45G show tank (the tallest 3'x12" tank standard.) Should be plenty.

Next question. I am going to open this up soon, how should the media be packed? is this a bottom up filtration canister? is there foam in there? Is there any media sleves, like on the Eheim's?

I plan on reusing some ceramic rings from my 125's sump so my media should be ready without any serious cycling in the new tank...

As always, thanks for the reply's!
 
Packing the media all depends on the type that you will be using. For the 304 there are 3 seperate trays inside of the canister. I am currently using carbon on the bottom tray and half on the middle tray. the other half of the middle tray and the top tray i have filled with biomax. This works good for me but there are alot of other options that you have here. There are two sets of foam pads that you will have to buy for the other side of the canister that the water enters through first. As far as sleeves go the only ones i use are for the carbon.
 
I have my 405 packed full with biorings with a little filter floss on top for water polishing, I've never replaced the foam prefilters either I just rinse them out whenever I'm changing the filter floss which I do whenever I see a noticeable drop in output pressure.
 
Slickad85 said:
Packing the media all depends on the type that you will be using. For the 304 there are 3 seperate trays inside of the canister. I am currently using carbon on the bottom tray and half on the middle tray. the other half of the middle tray and the top tray i have filled with biomax. This works good for me but there are alot of other options that you have here. There are two sets of foam pads that you will have to buy for the other side of the canister that the water enters through first. As far as sleeves go the only ones i use are for the carbon.
Click to expand...

This is a different filter, this is a round 403, not the newer 304, same principal, just not 100% sure which way the water flows through it... Thanks though.
 
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