Shrimp Proof Juwel Rio

I had a Juwel Rio, though I removed the filter within a few weeks. If I remember correctly, there was a gap around the outflow pipe and another on the other side next to the glass. These are favourite entrances for small fish and probably shrimps too. Use a bit of filter wool to stuff into the hole (from the inside) and around the outflow tube to block them. Using filter wool still allows water to enter but not live creatures. And the same for any holes on the top. As I remember it, the grills were too narrow for an adult shrimp to get through though they would be big enough for baby shrimps. The usual advice of tying a sponge round the filter won't work here as you can't get round the back with the filter being siliconed in place. Do the sponges block the lower grills sufficiently? If they do, then it's a question of blocking the upper ones. A sponge or filter wool positioned carefully on the inside should do it.

I took the Juwel filter out because it was very noisy. No matter what I did, including buying a new pump, made it any quieter. The tank was in the lounge and the noise was so bad my husband threatened to turn it off when he wanted to listen to his music. This is not a problem I've heard anyone else mention.
I did change it for an aquaball, then when Eheim introduced the biopower range, I replaced the aquaball with a biopower. Both were so much quieter.

That is a good point about both Eheims. The biopower has one section with slits, the aquaball has slits in all segments - these segments have a sponge inside which fits tight against the casing. I have an aquaball in the tank with cherry shrimps and never found even a baby inside the filter. The adults and juveniles walk all over the filter picking bits out of the slits.


I don't have shares in Eheim, honest 

I introduced 6 Amano Shrimps to my Juwel Rio 180 and a couple of days later found 4 of them dead in the filter, wedged between the sponges and the filter wall

I had a similar amano shrimp escapee but thankfully it just lived happily on top of the filter media and I was able to recover it an re-introduce it to the tank (and its been fine ever since). The filter media should be pretty snug with the filter housing though (I usually have to apply a bit of force to push it all down) - just wondering whether yours may not have the right size sponges?

The usual advice of tying a sponge round the filter won't work here as you can't get round the back with the filter being siliconed in place.

I bought my juwel tank second hand and separated the filter from the glass for this very reason - always seemed like an obvious design flaw. I had considered attaching some suction cups in place of the silicone but instead just decided to push the filter housing down into the gravel which actually works quite well (but not too low that the lower vents are covered).

The biopower filters are easy to maintain - I cleaned mine during a water change this morning.

The filter is a cylinder; there is a flat hook on the back which slots into the bracket, which attaches to the tank with three suckers. The water flows in through the bottom segment which contains a cylindrical sponge, up through baskets containing substrat pro, and finally through another sponge. The only different between the models is the number of substrat pro baskets. Mine came with a sponge in the top segment but you can also buy carbon sponges to go there if you really want to use carbon. These segments just clip together, the pics always show red clips but mine came with an extra set of grey clips which I prefer.
To clean the filter, just lift it off the bracket and into a bucket. I hold a bucket right next to the top of the tank or the water runs out onto the floor (like most internals). I also remove the filter at the start of a water change so I can hoover any bits that come out of the filter before it gets to the bucket.

Mine came with a few options for the outflow including a mini spray bar and a venturi (which is what is usually shown in the pics). The flow speed can also be altered. The pump can swivel round to any angle; because of the construction of my tank I have the filter attached to the side of the tank with the outflow pointing towards the front of the tank, with the spraybar attached so the water flows from one side to the other.

And Eheim actually provide enough media with the filter.