Removing Biocube's pesky filter holder & false floor?

[Karen]

It looks like a few members have modified Biocubes. Can anyone provide pointers for getting the rear filter cartridge holder and false floor out of a running tank? Is this crazy talk? Those things are really glued down.

 

[dr.schlegs]

What are you hoping to achieve by removing the filter holder?

 

[lsaint]

They are glued. I took a hanger and twisted it around the false floor and pulled it out

 

[Karen]

dr.schlegs,

Although this decision may make a great story, we're looking for space for the heater later this year, and perhaps a skimmer.

 

[lsaint]

I had my heater and skimmer back there

 

[Karen]

lsaint, did you pull up the floor after prying off the filter holder?

 

[FishTV]

Its been a while since I did my biocube mod, but I believe the floor does lift up. you may need to use some kind of hook, but I don't remember it being that hard once you get a hold of it.

 

[Highway66]

Kinda pricey but this place will have nice setups for your tank, and perhaps some videos on removal of stock components.

http://www.mediabaskets.com/

 

[FishTV]

If you ever decide to take out the floor in chaber 1, I'm pretty sure that that floor pushes down to come out.

 

[Shinchan]

I just used a long screwdriver and punched it down hard on one corner, popping up the opposite corner. Then I reached in with a pair of pliers and pulled it out.

I don't know about the newer ones, but mine had the false floor calked in, so a coat hanger would have just bent...

 

[lsaint]

I pulled up on it I just took the curved part of the hanger and hooked it on the thing and pulled up hard a few times and and came up.

 

[Karen]

Thanks, Shinchan - our false floor is firmly caulked in with black silicone. Sounds like we should give it a solid whack with the screwdriver. I'm probably just being a chicken about it with all that glass and fish.

 

[Shinchan]

I would try the coat hanger first just in case it works.

yeah, just make sure you are very careful with that screwdriver. Not responsible if you punch through the bottom glass :tongue-new:

 

[Aaron]

Pushing down on a corner with a screw driver and pull up with a set of pliers worked for me.

 

[Karen]

Thanks, everyone! We gave this another go during last night's water change and finally found the right combination of determination and "proper leverage." We had stirred up a huge cloud of detritus from beneath the false floor, so it's good to have it out of there. I imagine that was a big contributor to the nitrates we've been seeing.

Next stop: skimmer modification!