How to Clean Canister Filters | Penn Plax Cascade 1500

This is a complete guide to cleaning your Penn Plax Cascade 1500 canister filter. Cleaning this filter can be a bit tricky, especially if its your first time or if your trying to not make a mess, so hopefully this video is helpful.
Penn Plax Cascade filter: amzn.to/31wOxLZ
We have multiple Penn Plax canisters across our aquariums and setups, and we've had success with these over the years. This guide should be transferable across any size Penn Plax canister.
If you're interested in any of the products used in our aquariums today, feel free to check out the affiliate links below.
Food
Xtreme Krill Flakes - geni.us/iTAWsN
Xtreme Big Fella Pellets - geni.us/9Cra
Xtreme Nice Pellets - geni.us/6ADcc
Equipment
Aquarium Co-Op LED Light: geni.us/D896w
Sicce Syncra SDC 6.0 - amzn.to/35yJ0MD
Sicce XStream SDC - amzn.to/3fRZWk1
Seachem Tidal 110: amzn.to/3yRUHdq
Sicce Ultra Zero Pump: amzn.to/3PO5ko4
Python Water Changer: amzn.to/3a17dbb
Plants
Anubias Barteri - geni.us/CxmAnz
Java Fern - geni.us/SyEYJBS
Windelov Java Fern - geni.us/rkYNsBM
Plant Weights - geni.us/4iWZZZ
Chemicals
Easy Green Fertilizer - geni.us/NAl6lK
Fritz Glass/Acrylic Cleaner: geni.us/uvmwK8
Thanks again for watching!

[@meganjoyce3164]

Thank you so much! I have a 1000 but your video worked perfectly for me to clean my filter for the first time!

[@CichlidBros]

Great to hear!

[@terrilynn1771]

I just bought 2 small red ear slider turtles. I bought the same set up filter units as you. Thank you so much for your video, this is my first time owning a canister, ive always had over hangs For my tropical fish, but turtles are a bit messy😅😅… yes i was very intimidated bout cleaning the canister 1500, thank you for showing the ways of cleaning, so for my turtles i have 2 sponge filters and 1 aqua clear 110 filter and the penn plex 1500, ive tried the pre filter canister for turtles with the 1500, but i returned the pre filter canister for turtles cause it was more of a hassle than having it. The pre filter keep getting loads of air in it before going to the canister 1500 causing problems, so without the pre filter the tank is crystal clear and the turtles look like they love it more. Plus the turtles love the spray effect for the canister 1500 output… thank you so much for your videos. :)

[@CichlidBros]

Awesome, glad it was helpful!

[@pjlawson216]

Thank you for the video. I just hooked my 1200 Elite on a 55 gallon aquarium . So far I love it and was curious about cleaning it. Your video answered all my questions. Thanks again.

[@CichlidBros]

Awesome, glad we could help! Thanks for watching 👍🏻

[@wendyscott-penson4480]

Great instructions. Easy to follow. Made the whole process efficient , easy and even pleasant. Thank you!

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you! Glad it was helpful!

[@FoolyLiving]

I have a bunch of ceramic rings and a bunch of different sponges. Should I add the ceramic rings to the very top of this filter box?

[@DeFreeseAquariums]

Pretty much how I clean mine. Great video. One more tip, make sure you rock the filter to release any trapped air in the canister.

[@CichlidBros]

DeFreese Aquariums thanks! And great tip 👍🏻

[@naztlanvillanueva2033]

@@CichlidBros utility yyyy

[@jackanddan]

Never had a canister and probably never will....good luck with em though dude....we are massive UG fans and also HOB.....we just find them way easier and lower maintenance but we know some people love them for other reasons....good video.....happy holidays....

[@CichlidBros]

Jack and Dan thanks! Definitely pros and cons of each filter type, so that’s understandable. Appreciate the comment

[@evanwile2455]

You guys put this filter on my radar here a week back with the arrival of your second one. Timely since I’m just setting up my own 125. I’ve ordered one to go with the AC 110 HOB. Can’t wait to get it cycled so I can get fish in the tank! Thanks for all the great content.

[@CichlidBros]

Awesome, glad it was helpful!

[@a4fishsingapore305]

Great video. Have you tried adding bcb baskets for anoxic filtration?

[@mitchl2122]

BCB baskets and anoxic filtration are fairy tales promoted by Dr Alzhaimer aka Dr Novak . Ofc the things can be tried out of curiosity, spoiler: no meaningful results

[@carolinafreshaquatics5382]

Love the content bro’s

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks man!!

[@galealwill4860]

Can you please tell me what should go in each tray. I have 3 trays in my Cascade 1000. Also I am new to this so please describe like charcoal bag, or ceramic rings… Thanks

[@robertbolivarr8363]

Nice video. Very informative. I just bought the Cascade 1000 few days ago. What do u have inside your extra HOB filter?

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks! In the aquaclear 110, I have a mix of mechanical and bio, with sponges and ceramic rings

[@Holger-ki2cc]

Interesting video😃Happy new year 👌

[@CichlidBros]

Holger1106 thank you! Happy new year!

[@ChadAmI80]

Thank you so much for this video and your unboxing video for this. I just purchased a 2nd hand 75 gallon tank which came with the Penn-Plax Cascade Canister 1200 Elite. I knew I wanted to get all new filter media for it and give it all a thorough cleaning before I setup the new aquarium. Your steps were easy to follow and thanks for the amazon link. I was able to find all of the new filter medium on there. Any recommendations on how often to "rinse" the black sponge, ceramic cylinders and replace the floss? I noticed in your unboxing video that you opted to use the CerMedia MarinePure 1.5-Inch Sphere Bio-Filter Media in lieu of the charcoal medium that it came with, however in this video I didn't see those spheres. Did you find them not to be reliable?

[@KingsAquariumsAndReptileRoom]

Happy New year to you and your family love Arnold and family in UK

[@vegaf2011]

Nice video. Quick question I just bought one and love it, but I've been worrying because made an oppsie and turned the motor on without having water. So.my question is since it was a about 30 seconds to 1 minute long without water will the motor be permanently damaged or am I fine just don't do it again please help!!!! 😫😫😫😫

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks! You could try adding some tank water to the canister before trying again to give it a head start. Overall, I think it should be fine and worth another try!

[@jamesdempsey2652]

You ever pop off the top area where the impeller is? Mine is filled with sludge everytime I clean it.

[@joshuabrown847]

Just got this 65 gallon tank and this filter from a quick sale on offer up I followed these instructions but for some reason the filter stalls and then shoots air out again think it might be the trays or something else?

[@CichlidBros]

Yeah I would make sure the trays are firmly stacked. Sometimes too much media can prevent the tight fit. And also try to fill the canister to the brim before priming might help

[@jonathancasy607]

I just bought the same one got it today for my 125 I also have a 110 fluval HOB and two 70 gallon Sponge filters and a wave maker

[@danielwcheng6381]

Great Video - question is it advisable to add a filter pack w/charcoal&zeolite to the top basket as a short term measure to remove high concentrations of nitrates?

[@rstampa2u]

yes

[@devgamz]

My 1500 didn’t come with extra filter floss. Is there any place I can order them? Must ship to canada

[@nyfan78]

Can you use treated (dechlorinated) tap water to clean the media?

[@CichlidBros]

Yep

[@Tropicalfishcrazechannel]

Good info brother

[@CichlidBros]

Tropical fish craze channel thank you!

[@Snailboosted]

How often should i do this? I have the same one on a 80 gallons fresh water tank. Thank you!

[@CichlidBros]

It depends on the stocking and bioload of the tank. I clean my canister about once every two months, but I also have a big HOB filter as well. I would guess a thorough cleaning every 1-2 months would work in most cases

[@robertbolivarr8363]

@@CichlidBros I just bought the cascade1000. What do you have Inside your HOB filter?

[@gr1mm70wx]

@@robertbolivarr8363 I just have pink Polly fill in mine

[@Beastykato]

Hey, I just got one of these Cascade 1200's. Man this thing is noisy! I assume you've used multiple filter brands. My Eheim Classic is dead silent, my fluval 206 has a slight hum, but man this Cascade can be heard throughout the room. I've put lube on the impeller and let it run for over 24 hours moving it around to get trapped air out. I just assume this is how these things are? I at least expect to be able to watch TV in the living room while this is running without an annoyance in the background, but that hasn't been my experience.

[@CichlidBros]

Sorry to hear - thats super annoying. I would definitely try to get as much air out as possible, by gently rocking it back and forth. Another thing you could look into is the media and trays, making sure nothing is rattling in there, and that all trays stack seamlessly. I also put extra loose ceramic rings in the very bottom of the canister below the first basket, which slows the water flow just a bit and might help with the noise. Best of luck!

[@redsev4484]

My 1500 I have to touch to check if it is running! And man is it powerful!

[@randomtube8226]

Was setting up a new 55gallon. The guy at the pet store said that the cascade 700 would be enough. Since it can filter up to 65 gallon tanks. But it only comes with two trays. Not many options on layout. With only two small trays. I can only use 1 white filter and 1 black filter. Theres no room for bio rings/balls. What should I do? The water flows in the canister from bottom to top right?

[@Nagarjunapathuri]

Hi Can we clean the pump as well? How should be clean the inbuilt pump as i have some flakes kind of waste coming into the tank?

[@maniklude]

I run water into the head directly through the input and swoosh the water around and dump it out through the spout on the bottom. There’s always gunk trapped in the motor head. Also invest in a long pipe cleaner brush and take off the hoses every now and then to clean them out.

[@ConcreteJungle-tw4qj]

Yes,lmy O.C.D. wouldn't allow me to not clean the pump.

[@diegoalvarado1351]

Should I get two penn plax for my 125 or should I just get a fluval fx4

[@CichlidBros]

We’ve had a lot of success over the years with our penn plax canisters. I like the idea of two Penn Plax’s for redundancy and media options. If you’re interested in seeing more, we have a link in the video description 👍🏻

[@diegoalvarado1351]

I will probably go try out penn plax thanks and I was thinking about it but now this gave me the little pushing I needed thanks

[@diegoalvarado1351]

Is that the elite version?

[@CichlidBros]

@@diegoalvarado1351 This is the regular Cascade 1500

[@diegoalvarado1351]

should I go with the elite variant?

[@fishnerds3983]

Very helpful video

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks!

[@brahyanvalle2513]

Penn Plax is a good mark?

[@anthonydeandre84]

I need serious help. I cleaned out my filter but now it won't operate. It's making a clicking sound. Suggestions?

[@CichlidBros]

Make sure it’s full with water and completely sealed

[@rstampa2u]

@@CichlidBros This unit is hard to prime sometimes. Just keep pumping the primer. It will eventually prime. Try turning the power off and on may help.

[@VinylUnboxings]

I just got one used. Is it supposed to be decently hard to click the fourth clip? I'm afraid to force it

[@CichlidBros]

It shouldn’t be. I would make sure the trays are perfectly stacked and the o ring isn’t misaligned

[@diegoalvarado1351]

Hey bro are those any good ?

[@thorbradshaw2637]

do you turn off the filter when you feed? does it have issues priming the filter ever time you just turn it off for a min?

[@rstampa2u]

No, you don't need to prime every time you turn your filter off. I never turn it off except for cleaning it.

[@fairlessdave1834]

I noticed that there was no carbon added to the filter and that seemed unusual to me. Was there a specific reason for leaving that out? Thank you.

[@alexiscondit898]

I never use carbon in my filters, my tanks are all heavily planted and chemical filtration isn't necessary. It can take away beneficial aspects that plants and botanicals provide.

[@johnathansawyer8736]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@beanimc]

Can i use carbon and bio balls in my Penn cascade canister filter?

[@CichlidBros]

yep, that should work fine. I would recommend bio balls in middle baskets and carbon in top basket

[@RoachXV]

If you do put the carbon on the very top and I’d recommend replacing bio balls (since they’re plastic and can actually harm bacteria) with biohome ultimate which also holds anerobic bacteria for nitrate breakdown

[@autumnrussell9696]

Why do you use tank water, you will then have to replace the water you took out of the tank??

[@CichlidBros]

The point is not using non-dechlorinated tap water to clean the filter which in theory could kill bacteria in your media. It might be okay to use tap if it’s for a short duration

[@RoachXV]

The tank water has the beneficial bacteria in it already instead of the heavy harmful bacteria that tap has

[@rstampa2u]

@@CichlidBros You could use a few drops of dechlorinater in your rinse water first.

[@nuckie_miamii]

H0w often do I need to change my filter ?

[@suddhashilmukhuty8836]

Lot of water bypass, I'm having the same filter, pls see the bottom coarse sponge - no debris

[@dhiyaesmail1297]

Any leaks?

[@CichlidBros]

Haven’t had any

[@dhiyaesmail1297]

Anyway to make sure it doesn’t occur? Kind of paranoid of canisters lol

[@CichlidBros]

Just make sure the trays are aligned properly and the clamps are sealed and should be all good

[@dhiyaesmail1297]

Thank you sir. Would 2 on a 75 be overkill?

[@MLASELU]

I have had some leaking along the seal of the plastic L-connector for the water output.

[@juanmaz3]

how to clean the motor or head?

[@nguyenhieu6625]

You should put some quality biological filter media like seachem matrix in one of those tray to make it even better overall

[@mckricks1]

Mine is making a brutal amount of noise. Tried all solutions. Disappointed. Will likely get a Fluval next.

[@Tot7336]

I just won’t use my kitchen sink (gross) but great video

[@CichlidBros]

Fair enough

[@nat-kingreef3955]

👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿

[@JamesCleaver-v6y]

Careful with that fake driftwood, lost a bichir and a clawed frog in one of those

[@The_Cholo]

That filter has good sized trays, a little too much stupid bullshit with each hose having to be turned off and disconnected, why not follow the standard and have intake/output run to one detachable handle mechanism so you simply unplug the unit, lift one handle and you're disconnected to go optimize that unit the way it should be. Fyi-check out marineland bio balls on Amazon, the ones in your filter look like caca with very little surface area, there are much better quality biological products available to you my good man. I think the polar aurora is right about the same price and a much better unit. Plus it's 'sleek' and 'modern' as a filter can be

[@RoachXV]

I’ve noticed with the “single hose” type bs they often break off and spew water everywhere, the single hose stuff has absolutely 0 chance of malfunctioning and dripping water. Idk bout polar aura tbh, pretty sure it’s just SunSun with a re branded name.

[@naztlanvillanueva2033]

55u I i