Juwel Rio 240 "Modding"

[YnotFish]

Hi all!

I am quite happy with my 6 month old Juwel Rio 240, but there are a couple of "annoyances" that I would like some advice on...
1. the floppy, tricky to remove and re-install lid flap thingies - does anybody know of any better versions, or ways to make them friendlier?
2. the internal filter is fine, but I would like to add a bit more. To this end I was thinking of trying to add something like this https://www.aquael.com/products/aquaris ... /versamax/ but I am not sure if it can be hooked over the edge or not?
3. any other ideas/experience people have had with improving the Juwel Rio?

Let the brainstorming begin!

[fr499y]

upgrade the pump to the 1000 and don't put carbon pads in it.

I made a mesh box with derice mesh half the height of the juwel plastic handled bit and filled it with ceramic media ( Eheim Substrat Pro ) topped with a couple of sponges and floss on that. I had that setup running for ages!

[YnotFish]

upgrade the pump to the 1000 and don't put carbon pads in it.

Good idea

I made a mesh box with derice mesh half the height of the juwel plastic handled bit and filled it with ceramic media ( Eheim Substrat Pro ) topped with a couple of sponges and floss on that. I had that setup running for ages!

I have the following set-up:
Top half of the filter: mix of "normal" coarse and fine filter pads, plus a frothy topping of floss.
Bottom half of the filter: mesh bag of something similar (small ceramic tubes) which I brought over from my old tank to seed the cycle and one of the Juwel fine "normal" filter pads.

One mistake I made at the beginning was to mix up the top and bottom filter frames! Unfortunately the filter is designed to use the top half for particle filtration and the bottom for bacterial filtration - almost all of the water flow goes through the top half and then out again, with only a small flow through the bottom half. This resulted in my water taking ages to clear, as I had all of the particle filtration pads on the bottom

P.S. I see that they now do a 1500l/hour version of the filter pump. Is that too much? I don't want to blow my fish/plants out of the water!

[fr499y]

I'm not sure if the 1500 fits or not. @plankton might be a better one for that.

Personally I'd do a 50/50 split with the bottom half completely full of ceramics with the top full of course sponges topped with a thicker floss, but others might have a better way! It's been a fair few years (over 10) since I owned a juwel aquarium

[Martinspuddle]

I'm not sure if the 1500 fits or not. @plankton might be a better one for that.

No it doesn't fit the Rio 240's Bioflow filter, the 1000 is the largest you can use. With my Rio 180, I ran a Eccoflow 1000 pump, 2 x Juwel Cirax baskets, the rest was sponge.



Link to Juwel Eccoflow pumps

Pump compatibility:

Eccoflow 300
Primo 70 LED, Primo 60 LED, Rio 125 LED, Lido 120 LED, Lido 200 LED, Rio 180 LED, Trigon 190 LED, Vision 180 LED

Eccoflow 500
Rio 125 LED, Primo 110 LED, Lido 120 LED, Lido 200 LED, Rio 180 LED, Rio 240, Rio 350 LED, Rio 450 LED, Trigon 190 LED, Trigon 350 LED, Vision 180 LED, Vision 260 LED, Rio 350 LED, Rio 450 LED

Eccoflow 600
Rio 180 LED, Lido 200 LED, Rio 240, Trigon 190 LED, Vision 180 LED, Vision 450 LED, Rio 125 LED, Primo 110 LED, Lido 120 LED, Rio 350 LED, Rio 450 LED, Trigon 350 LED, Vision 260 LED, Rio 350 LED, Rio 450 LED

Eccoflow 1000
Rio 350 LED, Rio 450 LED, Vision 260 LED, Vision 450 LED, Trigon 350 LED, Rio 125 LED, Lido 120 LED, Lido 200 LED, Rio 180 LED, Rio 240, Trigon 190 LED, Vision 180 LED, Rio 350 LED, Rio 450 LED

Eccoflow 1500
Rio 350 LED, Rio 450 LED, Trigon 350 LED, Vision 260 LED, Vision 450 LED, Rio 350 LED, Rio 450 LED

[Martinspuddle]

I will say @YnotFish although the Juwel Bioflow filter might be unsightly, it is extremely efficient, especially with the pump upgrade.

the floppy, tricky to remove and re-install lid flap thingies

Don't remember them being like that, mine just slotted into the T5 light bar. Must of changed the design with the LED version.

My Rio 240 I used open top with an Arcadia Series 4 T5 Pendant, TetraTec 1200 external canister filter. Later I added a Hydor 300 watt inline heater.

[plankton]

As @Martinspuddle says, the 1000 is the biggest that fits - that's what I have.
I don't have ceramics, just fine sponges at the bottom and coarse sponges on top with the "polypad" on the top which I rinse out every week during the water change and only change when it's too disintegrated....my water's usually clear, even an hour after a water change when all the gunk comes out when I replace the basket(s).

[YnotFish]

Thanks for all of the advice chaps
Looks like my plan is going to be:
1. get a 1000 l/hr filter pump.
2. if that is not enough, consider external filter options (although I was wondering about a hang-on (rucksack?) filter, which would probably mean removing or "adapting" one of the flaps)
3. if i win the lottery, replace the old style leds with newer, app-controlled full spectrum ones.

btw: this is what I mean with the flaps:

I have to slot both ends into the holes and the flaps are fairly flexible, which sometimes makes it tricky. Maybe it is just my, ahem, "advancing years" that is causing the coordination problems here. This morning it was no trouble.

[fr499y]

they are a little flimsy so can easily be pulled out.

[Martinspuddle]

if that is not enough, consider external filter options (although I was wondering about a hang-on (rucksack?) filter, which would probably mean removing or "adapting" one of the flaps)

Just 'Hang on' filter in his Britannic Majesties Kingdom. 'Rucksack' filter is for those in the new world colonies.

Upgraded pump in the filter should be sufficient. You may find a second circulation pump useful for flow. If heavily planted, you need a circulation ten times the total water volume of the aquarium.

btw: this is what I mean with the flaps:

Don't remember them being like that but it was nearly ten years ago and I've slept since then.

Maybe it is just my, ahem, "advancing years" that is causing the coordination problems here. This morning it was no trouble.

Could be.