Advise needed on canister filter

[rickztahone]

Thanks guys for your advise! I ordered the eheim 2217 as recommended. One more question....once it arrives, and is set up (with the bb), will this eheim 2217 be enough filtration by itself? I'd like to get rid of my sponge filter, as well as my penguin 350.

As Paul said, yes you can. However, it is always good to have a seeded sponge filter floating around just in case...

[krislewis3]

Once established then yes, comfortably so too.

GREAT!! That's just what I wanted to hear!! Kris

[DonMD]

If you don't use a sponge filter in the tank, you should at least have an air stone going, unless you've got a heavily planted tank, imo.

[buddha1200]

I use a fx5 on my 75 gallon(just turn the flow down) and it still does an excellent job.

[krislewis3]

Yes....I have another question......should I follow the cleaning instructions that come with the eheim 2217, or follow a different cleaning regime because of the # of discus I have? (As in rinsing the media etc.) Kris

[krislewis3]

If you don't use a sponge filter in the tank, you should at least have an air stone going, unless you've got a heavily planted tank, imo.

Yes....right now I have a sponge filter that I plan to get rid of, but I plan to keep the air stone going. Is that acceptable with the new eheim 2217 canister filter?

[DonMD]

Sure. Just make sure that the air bubbles do not enter the filter intake, keep the stone away from the intake.

[krislewis3]

Sure. Just make sure that the air bubbles do not enter the filter intake, keep the stone away from the intake.

Thanks again....advise taken upon arrival of my new cannister! Kris

[Andrew157]

Ehiem makes very durable and long lasting filters... I just can't stand priming them! They are pricey but you get what you pay for. I also really like the Cascade canisters. They are very built and hold a lot of media.

[krislewis3]

O.K. guys, i received my new eheim cannister 2217, and set it up. I cant believe how quiet it is. Since this is my first cannister filter, I am totally ignorant on how to clean it, and how often to clean it.
1. how often should i clean it? I have a 65 gallon tank housing 3 adult, and 2 juvinile discus, 2 bn plecos, 2 bolivian rams, and two cory cats.
2. I used the filter media that came with the filter, but im not sure what media needs to be rinsed in tank water, and which can be rinsed in tap water.
3. Im not sure which of the media needs replacing, and which dosent, and how often (approx)
4. I put a sponge sleeve on the intake cage, as a pre-filter, and which needs daily rinsing. Does this need to be rinsed in tank water, or is tap water o.k.? (I still have a seperate large sponge filter)
5. If I decide to remove my sponge filter, how long whould I wait for the BB to get established in my new cannister?

[krislewis3]

Sure. Just make sure that the air bubbles do not enter the filter intake, keep the stone away from the intake.

What is the reason for this?

[DonMD]

What is the reason for this?

If the air bubbles from an air stone enter the intake to the filter, it's possible that the accumulating air will interfere with the proper pumping of water, and then you could get an airlock, in which case it would stop moving water. No moving water = no filtration. That's happened to me. Just make sure the air stone is a couple inches away from the intake.

[OC Discus]

Kris,

Separating the air stone from the filter can also improve circulation, de-gassing at the surface, and increase oxygen in the tank. I have 4 sources of movement in my 55g display tank: 2 HOB, 1 Canister, and 1 Air stone. I try to spread them evenly about 1 foot apart. That way the surface gets broken at 4 different points, putting more oxygen in and letting more gas out. It also helps move waste to the filters and eliminate dead spots.

What is the reason for this?

[krislewis3]

Thank you guys for the air stone near the intake question!!
Can you enlighten me on the rest.of my questions.....pretty please???? (This is my first cannister filter)

[OC Discus]

Chris, I don't have that particular model, but the instructions should let you know what the biological media is, if it has any. This will be the last chamber before the water leaves the canister and should be a sponge or rings or something. You don't clean that unless it gets clogged up, then you rinse it in tank water. The other filters probably need cleaning at least monthly or when you notice the flow is reduced or you hear the motor straining. I like to keep two sets of filters so I can clean the canister quickly. When it's time to clean it, put the bio media in a bowl of tank water so it doesn't die. Remove everything from the canister and rinse the inside under hot tap water. You can use a bottle brush to clean the surfaces. Clean all the parts under hot running water and reinstall them in the proper order. Put in your extra set of filter media at the proper time and start it back up. Then you can rinse your original media under hot water and soak it over night in a bleach solution if you are comfortable doing that. The next day rinse it under hot running water again. I like to let mine soak overnight in clean water or a prime solution. The next day rinse again and lay it out to dry. On e it's dry you can store it so it's ready for the next water change.

I usually do this after I've drained about 80% of the water and refilled the tank with clean dechlorinated water. I have two hob filters and an air stone I turn on while cleaning the canister. When I replace the floss in the hob it is not the same day as the canister just so too much beneficial bacteria is not removed at one time.

Hope that helps. If you have an extra chamber you might want to put some purigen pouches in there. They polish the water and help keep it healthy.


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