Equipment Review and Discussion :: My filter has claimed a life! Help needed!

[Cayte923]

Hey there,
I hope this is the right section...
I currently have a 30 gallon 'half tank', the kind that has half glass on the side for a filter, I forget what their called. Anyway I have an AquaClear 200 filter. Here where it gets sort of gross...

I got a small Golden Mystery snail a few days ago and this morning I realized that the snail minus shell got sucked up into the filter tube. It was dead obviously.

I would like to put some kind of mesh or chicken wire sort of stuff in a cone around the filter tube. Could anyone suggest any materials? I like the look of this stuff since it seems to be plastic coated (won't rust).

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7719

Thanks in advance guys and I'm sure future snails will thanks you too!

[scripta_elegans]

UM, I hate to say it, but it could have been your turtle that ate the snail. If he had pulled it out of the shell, the shell would float. I had a few empty shells from my kids not long ago..

[Cayte923]

No, the snail was stuck in the tube with the shell still attached. When I added the snail, Boris chewed on the shell a little but then seemed a little freaked out when the snail started moving around.

Thanks for the consideration though!

[N4784N R4613]

I use 1/2" hardware cloth. It is steel inside, so even though it is coated in vinyl, when you cut it to size the cut end's will rust. It is best to look for something like a plastic strainer.

[missibsu]

They make covers for some of thr filters. I don't know if they are based on brand name, or if you just choose a generic name that is a one size fits most.

[SpotsMama]

Some people use nylon from a stocking as a "pre filter". I think you'd have to clean it pretty often.

[DaddySkittles]

It is best to look for something like a plastic strainer.

Yup, a plastic strainer or something like it would work perfectly.

[Cayte923]

Thanks for all of your help everyone! I actually found garden netting. The plastic stuff people put around the bottom of trees. I'm going to construct something tonight!

woo hoo!

[DaddySkittles]

hm.. I totally don't get what you're using. Could you elaborate a little more please?

[Cayte923]

It came in a roll, 15ft long. Yes I know, much more than what I needed! It's black plastic with small holes in it, almost like a screen. The holes are about a 1/4 inch.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1989676&cp=&pg=2&sr=1&origkw=netting&kw=netting&parentPage=search&searchId=20594791422

Not the exact same stuff I got but close enough. Then I used small plastic zip ties to make a cone around the tube of the filter.

Hope that helps!