Eheim Canister Filter Question

[tylerv9]

This may seem like a very stupid question, but I am new to the world of external canister filters. I just set up my Eheim Ecco Pro canister filter, after switching from a HOB that was dying out (yes, I transferred media, don't worry ).

My question: Is the output valve submerged under the water, or does it have to be at least partially above? I'm confused because one diagram showed it submerged, but then how would it be aerated?

Thanks for clearing the air for me!

 

[Amerce]

Personally I have a spray bar on mine to move the surface area of the tank, but I know some people have them below the water level.

 

[rabbut]

Well, I'd personally put the pipe on the skip with the rest of the Ecco set-up, they are an Eheim labled Lemon that isn't actually made by Eheim... Ecco's are the only externals I rate worse than Fluval externals, and regular posters will all know my disslike of them... They are very un-reliable. In the 8 months I owned one, it worked for mebe 2 months. The rest of the time it was waiting for replacement parts under warrenty. It seemed to do about a week between failures For a cheap Eheim, you should have looked at the Classic range, they are bomb-proof, if slightly harder to work on...

Anyhow, getting onto the part of the answer you wanted to hear...

For a heavily stocked tank, or a tank in a room that is not too iffy for noisy stuff, I'd have the outlet splashing onto the waters surface to maximise agetation and hence oxygen/carbon dioxide transfer. For a lightly stocked tank in an area where it has to be quiet, I'd have the outlet submerged, and pointing towards the surface to get some agetation and gaseous transfer without as much noise.

All the best
Rabbut

 

[tylerv9]

Thanks, but now I'll be paranoid my filter will break

 

[Rooster]

Thanks, but now I'll be paranoid my filter will break

Dont be !!!! Ive had an Ecco running 24/7 for 5 years or so... with zero problems.

 

[wilsonian]

I have my spray bar just slightly below the water line

 

[clivealive]

I have my spray bar just slightly below the water line

i have my spray bar about an inch above the water line and it provides excellent airiation.

 

[waterdrop]

Surface movement is a tradeoff between adding extra oxygen (great for fish all the time, fine for plants especially at night, great for bacteria all the time) and loss of CO2 (bad for plants especially in the day, doesn't matter for fish and bacteria as far as I know.) Oxygen and CO2 levels are independent of each other in water I believe.

So for each aquarist their may be different goals as far as surface movement is concerned. In my own case I consider it a balance between the fish and the plants and noise is an added factor because my son's tank is in his bedroom. One thing I like about my Eheim spraybar is that I can easily put my thumbs on the two suction cups and adjust the position of the bar up or down to trade off agitation vs. noise and I do that almost on a daily basis when I'm feeding or doing other things with the tank. I usually go for the exit streams being right at the surface, giving as much movement as possible but without much water noise.

~~waterdrop~~