What filter is best?

Got the filter today Illusn. Do you have any tips on how to set it up? Like how to cut the hoses etc? Im going to use a couple of onion bags to seperate the media and fill it up later on this arvo. Is it absolutely essential for all the filter to be under the water level?

Thanks again.

Lucas.

Just set it up as per the diagram on the box, efhi mech on the bottom, then the blue pad, then the substrate then the white pad, i'd leave the carbon pad out.

cut the hoses with a good pair of scissors (the wife's dress making scissors work well), cut the ends square, i like to set ip up with the taps as close to the filter body as possible (makes re filling after a clean much easier), but it isn't vital. a few times when i've had some hose a bit too short i've used the taps to join them together, midlength and it all works ok.

the filter works better below the tank, or atleast below the water line, the filter is gravity fed for the intake, and the pump works beter if it just has to push water up hill (rather then push water out and pull water in).

Well I wish I was told that by somebody while I was considering the purchase. There really isn't any other option now, I have a designated spot so I will have to stick with it, its only ten cm or so above the water line but the rest is under it.

With the hoses and taps, does it matter which tap out of the two provided I use for either end? Also, how far away from the filter should I cut the hose and attach the tap for either end? Another question how do I use the little bits and pieces for the spray bar, like the right angled bend etc?

Thanks Illusn.

Lucas.

The classics will work fine at or slightly above water level, you'll just have to suck on the hose to get the water flowing through when you start up, discus water is better then tap water in any country, so it wont do you any harm if you swallow some.

I set up the taps so as the female end is on the tank side and the male end is on the filter side, this just makes priming easier (easier to suck on the male end of the tap then the female). I leave about an inch or 2 of hose between the filter and the tap, again just makes cleaning easier.

if your filter is above the water line, you wont need the angle bends, i only use them when the hose needs to make a 90 degree turn (around cabinets etc) to use the spray bar. just stick thge plug in 1 end and the other on the outlet hose from the filter.

When I was running a 2217 on my central american tank, I found the eheim prefilter invaluable. It kept a lot of the big bits of waste and food that they would always stir up from getting into the canister and made it much easier to keep a good flow going. Just pull the filter element from the prefilter every couple of days and give it a good wash. Well worth the price to keep from having to do a tear down every other week cause the filter was all backed up.

good luck
scott

All set up fellas. I have filled the filter with water using the sucking method and plugged it into the wall. I read in the instructions that for a while it will make a bit of a noise while it is emptying the filter of air. How long does this take, or how long will it tank in my situation? It's been a half an hour now.

Thanks.

Lucas.

if its half a hour its gone way too long and its got air stuck inside.

Ok, could it be the propeller, or anything like that, that needs adjusting?

And how can I get the air out, do I have to empty the filter?

Lucas.

shake the filter a bit

and dont adjust the propeller ór it may just fly away :P :lol: :lol: :lol: LOL

suck the air out of it, the fish water wont hurt you.

Ok cheers. Is the filter being a bit above the water line part of this problem?

Thanks.

Lucas.

It's up an running now. Can I use the taps to adjust the flow?

Cheers.

Lucas.

you can but on your tankid run it on full.

Ok. But my fish and plants are blowing about a bit when I have it on full.

Lucas

Turn the spray bar so as it faces the glass of the tank.

Ok rightio. Also, I left the carbon pad in the filter because I was told I may have a little bit of a nitrate issue fueling some algae. However I tested my tank for nitrates once I bought a test kit and it said they were less than 10 ppm. So I was thinking of removing it now, would you agree?

Lucas.

We'll I've removed it now. Filter is working well.

Illusn how does the tap adjustment effect filter operation? Does it reduce the workload of the filter?

Cheers.

Lucas.

adjusting the input tap reduces the water entering the filter, as a result you get less flow. reducing the output can increase the preassure in the filter, this can reduce impeller and moter life as well as (in extreme circumstances) cause the filter head to seperate from the body

Ok. None of this was outlined in the instruction booklet. When I do a water change I am planning on just turning of the filter, than turning it back on when I am finished.

Ta for the info.

Lucas.

G'day lads. Filter is running very well. However, my flow has reduced substaincially since I started it up even while the filter media is clean. I opened up the propellor area and cleaned the shaft etc, but no luck. I was wondering if I can get some advice on how to clean things and keep the flow as high as possible? Thanks.

Luke.

did you clean the hose?

I haven't yet mate, what's the best way to do that? Just pull it apart and push a rag through the tubes?

Luke.

i like a hose cleaning brush ($10 aquaone brand), but before that and old car antenna (no i didn't steal it car wash knocked it off) and some paper towel worked well.

once the hose starts to build up algae, the flows drops exponentialy.

Ok I might look into a cleaner brush. Thanks Illusn. How long is the brush handle?

Luke.

Bout 1m, long mate, mine is a flexable braided steel line, just work it from each end, proably worth doing it once every 2 months or so.

Ok cheers I'll try and source one. Thanks for the tip. I'll reply back if I have any problems.

Cheers.

Luke.

G'day Illusn I cleaned out all the tubes two weekends ago and I noticed a considerable improvement in output. However, things are still very slow and after cleaning all the media and all the tubes, my thinking is it could be the impellor that is starting to clog. What's the best way to go about cleaning the impellor and those parts of the filter? This is my first cannister so I'm still learning how to maintain it.

Thanks.

Luke.

G'day mate.
LOL when you said you cleaned the filter i just assumed you did the impeller to LOL.

its nice and easy with the classics, just turn the head upside down and turn the locking unit till it clicks free, remove the locking piece and the shaft should come with it, pop thje impeller out, give it a quick wipe with a sponge and clean the chamber with your tube cleaning brush.

other then that replace your white fine filter wool each clean and dont cram too much of it in there.

if your still using it beside the aquarium make sure you get all the air out when you turn it back on.

Lol, cheers Illusn. I'll give the impellor and the chamber a good clean this weekend and see how things go and I'll make sure I let all the air out of the cannister. I'll post back and let you know.

Luke.

Cleaned the impellor area out Illusn and my filter wool but my filter is still only running about 1/4 speed. Could it be the motor?

Luke.

you must have air in it, is it making any sound? it should be silent, all the tubes are clen? turn it off 15 min then turn it on again, should give any air a chance to escape.

are the taps fully open?

It's making no sound at all, very quiet. All the taps are open and the tubes have been cleaned too. I'll try turning it off and see how things go. I cleaned it on the weekend and it was off for about half an hour and that didn't help either.

Luke.

Is there a possibility Illusn that the motor has gone?

Luke.

Not likely, mine are still running from 1986!!!!!.

the onlt thing that goes on these filters are the head sealing ring (3-5 years) and the impeller(2-5 years), other then that they just run and run.

theres one other thing you can try, remove the spray bar altogether and see if that restors the flow (you did clean the spray bar when you cleaned the hose right?)

I tried taking off the spray bar but that didn't result in any obvious improvements and yes I cleaned the spray bar. Im glad that there's a good chance my filter isn't broken. I'll open up the propellor area and have another look. What would be my next option Illusn?

Luke.

To be honest I'm running out of options, if you were in syd I'd just bring over one of my spare heads and bang that on your filter.

all i can think of is that, as the water gravity feeds into the canister and fills the chamber then the pump pushes the water through the spray bar.

if the impeller and hoses and spraybar are all clean then the restriction is coimg from the intake or the filter itself.

when you put the media in the filter did you put it in a mesh bag or stocking?

if not then remove the spray bar, turn off the filter and suck hard on the tube, the water should flow through easy, if it doesn't you have a blockage in your intake or in the filter itself.

Have you checked to see if you have any kinks in your hoses? or when it sits over the edge of the tank? I had this problem, so I shortened my hoses and that fixed it.

Did you also clean your double taps?

HIH's

Thanks for helping me out I appreciate it.

You do remember that my filter is at the same height as the tank rather than in the more suitable spot underneath don't you?

I put the media in onion bags mate so there is no restriction there and there is no kinks in the tubes as they are no longer than a 110cm from the filter to the tank. I blew on the the intake attachment when the filter was empty and there was nothing in there obstructing flow and I looked through all the double taps and they looked pretty good to me so I don't know

When I prime the filter after a cleaning or whatever I have to suck on the out take tube to get the filter to fill with water anyway and it always comes through the tube fairly easily with nothing seemingly stopping it.

When the filter was running alot better every now and then a burst of air would come from the filter and out the spray bar obviously releasing built up hair in the cannister. However this doesn't happen any more.

If it is the filter motor, can it be replaced or repaired?

I'm considering taking it to a LFS here and get them to look at it.

Luke.