Preparing
for cleaning
Make sure you have any replacement or additional media you will need
ready in order to cut down on the amount of time your filter needs
to be disconnected.
STEP 1
Disconnecting the filter
A. Unplug the power cord from
the electrical outlet.
B. Lift up on the Quick Disconnect
Valve lever trapping the water in the hoses to prevent
water from leaking.
C. Gently disengage the Quick Disconnect
Valve from the top of the blue motor housing.
STEP 2
Cleaning the Canister
A. Carry the filter to the sink
using the handles molded into the motor housing.
NOTE: Never remove the motor housing and attempt to carry the canister
by the canister clips. This could crack the canister rendering the
filter useless.
B. Once you have the filter in the sink, release
the 4 clips that secure the Blue Motor Housing to the canister
base and remove it.
C. Remove the media baskets from
the canister and empty out the water.
D. Rinse out the canister and
set it aside.
E. Remove the filter pads from
the baskets and rinse thoroughly or replace. The
white Micro-Filtration Pad (#735A) collects very
fine particles and is difficult to rinse clean.
It is recommended to replace this pad at every
cleaning.
F. NOTE: If you are using a bio-media
such as Bio-Chem Stars or Ceramic Rings do not
rinse these in chlorinated water. Rinse them lightly
with water from the aquarium.
G. Consumable Media Pouches (Carbon,
Phos-Zorb, etc) – This should be replaced
as noted on the directions for the product.
H. Rinse the media baskets and
dividers and refill them with clean media

I. Stack the media
baskets back in the empty canister. Make sure they are stacked straight
and that the top BASKET LID (#33) has the raised circle facing up.
Note- Failure to do this will result in the filter NOT operating
properly and damage to the filter may result. DO NOT fill the canister
with water at this time.
STEP 3
Cleaning the Impeller.
A. Flip the Blue Motor Housing
over.
B. Remove the Impeller Cover by turning
it counter clockwise.
C. Remove the impeller and shaft
and inspect them. Clean these parts and set them
aside.
D. Inspect the opening that the
impeller sits in for a build of sludge or debris
that may prevent it from turning properly. If it
is dirty, clean it out before replacing the impeller.
E. Carefully put the shaft and
impeller back in place and replace the impeller
cover.
F. Make sure that the gasket,
which sits in the circular groove on the bottom
of the motor housing is in place. NOTE: This gasket
is not a continuous circle and may have a small
gap. This is OK.
G. Inspect the Gasket that sits
in the grove at the outer edge of the motor housing.
Make sure that this O-Ring is not twisted or damaged.
If it is the motor housing will not properly seal
to the canister.
H. Place the blue motor housing
back on the canister and secure it in place with
the 4 clips. There should NOT be any water in the
filter at this time. Do NOT fill the canister with
water-
Step 4
Restarting the Filter.
A. Return the filter to its position
under the aquarium and press the quick release block back into the
Blue Motor Housing.
B. Push the Quick-Disconnect Lever
down and water should begin to fill the canister automatically.
(As long as you didn’t drain the Flexible Tubing.
If you did, to re-start the filter, refer to the Priming
the Filter Section in the set-up directions
C. Allow 2 minutes for the canister
to fill completely with water. You can use this
time to inspect the tubing for kinks and make sure
the strainer on the filter intake tube is not clogged.
D. Plug the power cord in, remember
the “Drip-Loop” to prevent electric
shock.
If you have any difficulty at this time, refer to the troubleshooting
section.
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