some filtration questions.

[zchauvin]

Well now that my tank has fully cycled and I won't be home for 7 days I put my second canister back on my tank. I figured the more surface area the better right?? I have both canisters set up on one side of the tank each with a spray bar. I have one spray bar pointing upwards towards water surface as it is around two inches below water surface and the other I have at eater surface going straight ahead... Ok now for the question lol. I am worried its too much current, do you guys think so? The water is only moving quickly in the top maybe 4" of water but I can clearly see my discus struggling in current. The rest of water seems still enough for them, should I just keep as is or get rid of it once I'm back?

[jimg]

I use a 110 aquaclear on a 50 gal and a sponge filter the current don't bother them I think the bigger adults don't care for too much current but the small to mid size handle it fine. more surface area is fine for removing particles but as for bio with all the wc's we do, it's not needed.

[zchauvin]

Gotcha. Any way you know of to lower current? Or should I just take the 2213 off?

[jimg]

Any canisters I have I have valves on the hoses so I can adjust. If the filter you already use is rated big enough for your tank I would give it a light cleaning and a good wc's before you leave and turn the other off if you see the fish don't care for the current. i don't think of my filters as particulate/ debris removers when I select them I have bio on my mind and the mechanical part is just a helper.

[Darrell Ward]

Throttle it down with a ball valve, keep the outflows on the surface, or remove the pump and use it as a mechanical filter in a series. See my new thread on "recycling unused canisters" in the Technical and do it yourself forum.

[zchauvin]

Ok I just checked out the thread and this is what I get.. I should take the smaller 2213 and fill mostly with a foam and connect only the output to it. Then from its input to the outtake on my ecco pro then let the ecco pro pump water from tank-through both filters-and out the output on second canister. Is this correct? If so it is something I have never though of and think it sounds like a great idea.

[Darrell Ward]

Yeah, you hook the filters together, or "inline", using the more powerful filter (in your situation) as the main filter. It's output is connected to the second filter's input, and it's output returns water to the tank. You may be able to use the second filter unplugged, using water pressure from the first filter to do the work. You just have to experiment.

[jimg]

Be careful using 2 motorized canister filters with only one running. i did that one time using one with a bad motor as a canister before i got the 2 ocean clears and the pressure being pushed into it instead of being sucked through it made the seal leak.

[zchauvin]

Well the movement of water through them both will be exactly the same as if each were running on its own. It shouldn't create any back pressure in a perfect world.

[jimg]

Well the movement of water through them both will be exactly the same as if each were running on its own. It shouldn't create any back pressure in a perfect world.

Yes it should be fine with both running I was stating that if only one is running you may have a problem.
If you are running both then you can keep them separate. running both with motors serves not additional purpose by connecting them together unless your doing as i do using one filter to keep the bio media as clean as possible.

[zchauvin]

I understand what you are saying jimg.. but what I was stating is that I would have both connected inline as darrell mentioned with only one motor running. The water would still be running the exact same direction ect... If anything there will be 1/2 the amount of pressure sue to only running 1 pump. I am still confused as to how water leaked through the seal on your canister. To me it sounds as if dry rot of the ring on the old canister could have been the cause. Cutting back to only one pump but twice the area shouldn't increase the pressure.

[jimg]

I understand what you are saying jimg.. but what I was stating is that I would have both connected inline as darrell mentioned with only one motor running. The water would still be running the exact same direction ect... If anything there will be 1/2 the amount of pressure sue to only running 1 pump. I am still confused as to how water leaked through the seal on your canister. To me it sounds as if dry rot of the ring on the old canister could have been the cause. Cutting back to only one pump but twice the area shouldn't increase the pressure.

What I figured was the filters are designed to have suction through the media and pressure going to the oulet. if you put pressure into the canister it leaks. I thought the seal was in wrong at first so I took it out and double checked. That' why I gave up on that idea and bought 2 ocean clear canisters and an eheim pump. they are actually supposed to have water pulled through them too but the screw down lid holds pressure better, they do swell some though you can see the canister lid rise in the center with the pump on so I just cut back on pressure.
the motorized filter I used was a 2217 eheim. the one I used as a dummy canister was a 828 jebo which is not one of the best filters ever used so maybe it was it's design.
It may work fine with your filters. I just mentioned all this a precaution you should keep in mind based on what happened with me doing it before

[zchauvin]

Yeah I gotcha, I was just trying to figure out why it would have leaked as mine will be in a wood stand so I wouldn't want water evrrywheres

[Darrell Ward]

Anywhere you have a weak seal, water pressure will exploit it. It's always a good idea to have extra seals for filters, because they do wear out. Always check that outflows and hoses are not dirty or partially blocked with crud, that any threaded fittings have Teflon tape on them, seals are fresh and undamaged, and lubricated so they don't pinch during assembly, (vegetable oil, or a dab of petroleum jelly works great) and that lids fit tightly. Taking a few precautions is well worth it. Nothing is more frustrating than getting the whole thing up and running, only to find you have a leak, and having to start over again :)

[Apistomaster]

Discus enjoy having some currents in their tanks so long as they have areas of calmer water available to them.
I use an Eheim 2217 and a wet/dry filter on my Discus display tanks.
I run about 10 to 12 times the nominal volume of the tank per hour and my Discus thrive.
Discus do not have as much as an aversion to water currents as some think. In fact, it is common to see them frolic where the currents are strongest in much the same way as hamsters use their exercise wheels.

I never use the spray bars. Instead I replace them with an adjustable flared return to develop stronger currents.

[zchauvin]

Discus enjoy having some currents in their tanks so long as they have areas of calmer water available to them.
I use an Eheim 2217 and a wet/dry filter on my Discus display tanks.
I run about 10 to 12 times the nominal volume of the tank per hour and my Discus thrive.
Discus do not have as much as an aversion to water currents as some think. In fact, it is common to see them frolic where the currents are strongest in much the same way as hamsters use their exercise wheels.

I never use the spray bars. Instead I replace them with an adjustable flared return to develop stronger currents.

hmmm I love getting these mixed answers. Everyone says different things I suppose but now I dont know what to do lol.

[Darrell Ward]

In the end, you have to do what works best for you.

[zchauvin]

Lol I haven't been around long enough yet!