Eheim Externals

[tenohfive]

I've put a post in tropical discussion and it was suggested I post here as well. I recently rehomed a Rio 180 with 2 Eheim pro's (2222 or 2224's I suspect) running in the tank. They seemed fine (from what little I know) when I collected them, but I these are the first externals I've owned.

When I moved the tank across I added a Fluval 4+ as well so this isn't an urgent question, but I'm trying to work out why the output for both externals is so low - less than 1 litre per minute I'd estimate.

I've taken one apart and its not excessively clogged up and the O rings are aligned. Its got (top to bottom) what has been described as the normal eheim setup - filter wool, bio balls top tray, then 2 sizes of hoops (emech?) in the second tray - neither overly gunked up. The bottom of the cannister is open with a small amount of gunk floating in there.
Checked the impeller and theres nothing obstructing it, and I've checked the taps - both are fully in the 'on' position.

What I intend to do tomorrow is bring the filter I haven't checked already upstairs, clean it out in tank water then run the powerhead (if thats the correct term) with it out of water so I can check the impeller is working. Is there anything else I can do or check to work out whats going on?

Apologies about this, as I say externals are new to me.

 

[BigC]

Check the impellier ceramic shaft. There should be two little seating bushes one at either end check that these are fitted correctly and not worn. Also I had a problem if you dont use a sheperds crook fitting on the intake side see pic that the filter wont work properly. I tried using bends and it simply wouldn't produce a good rate of flow. Make sure there's no airlocked in the pipes.

Everything else looks fine
Regards
BigC

 

[tenohfive]

Will check that, thanks. Both have got the crook.

 

[rabbut]

OK, gut them both, and post pics of the innerds up here. (one photo for each component) While they are strewn in pieces across your floor, clean everything with hot water and a load of cotton ear buds. Re-assemble and try them again. Either there is a blockage somewhere, or a part is bust/warn. Considering it is affecting both filters, I'd guess it's a blockage of some form somwhere. Get right into every knook and cranny and you will likely find the bockage by yourself

All the best
Rabbut

 

[tenohfive]

Okay, gutted one - the other will have to wait for another time soon though. This one seemed alot messier than the first one I looked at.
I squeezed out the filter pads in tank water, gave the emech and bio balls a shake in the same water and cleaned everything else in warm water (with the aid of some cotton buds.)

Had some concerns about how well the impeller was mounted - it was rattling about alot, but some tweaking seemed to sort it. Flow rate is vastly improved - still nowhere near as much as the Fluval 4+, about half to a third of that output (box output on the fluval states 700L/h if iirc) but a massive improvement on the way it was before.

Heres the pics, as requested. Apologies - one or two are out of focus.

 

[T1KARMANN]

i would say you have a pipe traped

and that blue pad is not ment to be on top its ment to go on top of the polos efimech on the bottom tray

so polos 9 efimech bottom tray then the blue pad the the other filter media efisubstate then a white pad then the green plate not shown in your pictures

if you dont have the green plate then the pads are getting sucked up into the impeller

 

[flash22]

i would say you have a pipe traped

and that blue pad is not ment to be on top its ment to go on top of the polos efimech on the bottom tray

so polos 9 efimech bottom tray then the blue pad the the other filter media efisubstate then a white pad then the green plate not shown in your pictures

if you dont have the green plate then the pads are getting sucked up into the impeller

yep the trays are in the wrong order the newer pro filters dont have the green plate like the pro2's as the impeller is protected

Bottom tray............

ceramic with blue filter on top

Top tray

bio balls (brown pea size media) with the fine floss on top

Make sure the pipes are clear as thay do sludge up esp in planted tanks

Edit. just noticed in the pics that the media is mixed up when it should be a tray of each type this is whats causing the lack of flow imo

 

[rabbut]

Eheims are finicky filters if a media mix-up will loose it most of it's flow and itcrease its noise output... I doubt that the sponge on top would get into the impeller and still allow the thing to pump water personally, if it did jam the impeller, it would make the pump stop, or it wouldn't affect it at all IME with other exturnals....

There are no pictures of the bearings there, and those are one of the prime suspect parts when you loose flow and get a noise that is unusual. The bearings will be in the other side of the impeller cover, and inside the impeller well if this modle Eheim is like any other exturnal I have worked on

HTH
Rabbut

 

[BigC]

Check for the bushes at each end of the ceramic shaft, Should be black rubber affairs I dont see any.

 

[tenohfive]

Check for the bushes at each end of the ceramic shaft, Should be black rubber affairs I dont see any.

None to be seen. Would that be the same thing that rabbuts referring to?
Will do some digging in the morning and see if they're available aftermarket if so.

As for the media, I'll sort when I get the chance. I don't think thats the only issue though because the other filter (which I had a quick look at yesterday) had them in the eheim approved manner.

 

[rabbut]

They are one and the same If there are none, that is you problem. If they are missing, stop using the filters, as without them, the impeller and/or impeller well may become damaged beyond repair, leading to an expencive parts bill (in fact if the impeller well becomes damaged, it is a new motor head job, which ususaly = write off)

All the best
Rabbut

 

[BigC]

http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/bigpics/eheimparts_2224.htm
See parts list you can buy a new ceramic shaft and bushes for under three quid.
http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/bigpics/eheimparts_2224.htm
Regards
BigC

 

[tenohfive]

Brilliant, cheers.