Eheim Set Up Advice Please

[michaelp]

I have just set up a new 40''x18''x 24'' tropical tank with a eheim 2126 thermofilter running through a vecton 400 uv unit. However I am not sure if I have installed the media baskets correctly, as they are not identical, the little upstand pipe on one being straight with an o ring on top, but the other upstand pipe has a small 'step' in it with a matching o ring and I not sure which basket goes on top or bottom to create the best seal with the pump assembly etc. The manual shows them both as being identical. The ammonia, nitrate and nitrite stat's are all acceptable but the water is full of small floating particles which I was not expecting given the reputation of Eheims filters. Any advice from fellow Eheim owners greatly appeciated.

 

[BigC]

[URL="http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/bigpics/eheimparts_2028.htm"]http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/bigpics/eheimparts_2028.htm[/URL]
According to the diagram both baskets have the same part number as have both the "O" rings
Regards
BigC

 

[michaelp]

Hello Big C, I've got that parts schematic in my manual showing identical filter baskets, but my 2 filter baskets and the inlet pipes are definitely different!

 

[rabbut]

Which Eheim is it? They are supposdly good quality filters, but some models lack "suck" and don't seem to clear the mechanical muck from a tank. Most exturnals will need an internal packed with floss to run along side to cover the mechanical filtration It would be useful to know what media you are running

Are yo getting By-pass? If so, try swapping the basket arround. If you are unsure, stick some fine feed into the inlet, and watch to see if any comes out again If you aren't getting by-pass, you need to get an internal with mechanical media packed into it to remove your floating particles, or to get a bigger filter. I belive Eheim rate the size of tank they will support against the ammount of ammonia they can process. The 2080 for example has plenty of bio-capasity to handle the recomended 1200l tank it can run, from an ammonia and nitrite point of view. It doesn't however have sufficient flow for a tank like that to pull in mechanical particles from the tank. It will run a 1200l tank fine biologicaly, but I bet it won't give the water a pollish

All the best
Rabbut

 

[T1KARMANN]

i think but in not 100% sure the step basket is to conect the 2 baskets together so it will be the bottom basket

or the rubber ring fits on the step nice which means its the top basket

the rubber ring goes on the top

 

[michaelp]

i think but in not 100% sure the step basket is to conect the 2 baskets together so it will be the bottom basket

or the rubber ring fits on the step nice which means its the top basket

the rubber ring goes on the top

 

[michaelp]

tnanks for your input everybody, things are becoming a little clearer unlike my water. So even though my eheim 2126 is rated to handle up to a 350 litre tank (my tank holds 280 litres theoretically, probably 260 minus bogwood, sand etc)
this may only a biological rating and to get the water gin clear, extra filtration may be needed. Do you think an internal would do the job or should I get second small external i.e tetratec 600/700 and be sure and if I do whats the best media to put in it to combat the tannin problem i'm getting from the bogwood and mopani i've got in the tank. All advice greatfully recieved.

 

[T1KARMANN]

if you have just set the tank up then it will be cludy for a week or 2

get a small internal filter they are great for polishing the water and just clean it out every 2-3 weeks

once the eheim is mature you wont need to clean it for 4-6 months

if you didnt wash the gravel properly then yes the tank will be milky

 

[waterdrop]

I agree. Lots of cloudy phases likely if you have just set up, perfectly normal. It might be gravel dust and often another thing is just lots of oxygenation, lots of really tiny bubbles reflecting the light.

Then as you do your fishless cycling (you've found our documents for that ok I presume?) there will usually be periods of bacterial bloom that give the water a milky look.

I have a very similar eheim external and it has made my water crystal clear. It just depends partly on your patience.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Bastables]

explinations by eheim of how their filters are ment to operate

Aqua filter information

Note that the substrate is supposed to operate as a surface for having particals "stick" to it. The issue is it takes time. But then with Eheim setups you don't need to clean it every couple of weeks and instead only have to do it maybe every 6 months.

I see Rabbut is still peddling misinformation. All filter manufactures with the execption of Hagen aim for real world (pipes media) water turn over of 1 to 1.5 of the rated tank.

for example his favorite Tetra 1200 turns over 600 l/h rated for 500 l tank.
eheim 2217 turns over 735l/h for a 600 l tank. (both with pipes and media).

 

[rabbut]

I see Rabbut is still peddling misinformation. All filter manufactures with the execption of Hagen aim for real world (pipes media) water turn over of 1 to 1.5 of the rated tank.

for example his favorite Tetra 1200 turns over 600 l/h rated for 500 l tank.
eheim 2217 turns over 735l/h for a 600 l tank. (both with pipes and media).

Your link, Bastables, made for very interesting reading

The EX 1200 is rated at 1200lph with media, no hoses.

The 2217 classic is rated at 1000lph with media, no hoses.

The classic has more torque, so with reasonable hose length of 4ft the inlet and outlet, they'd probibly push about the same

The Tetratec EX1200 holds 12l of media, taken from the website, the 2217 9l from Eheims website. The Tetratec has a wider surface area, so theoretically is more efficient, as contact time with the media in the tetratec is increased. The Clasics need their media layering, as I belive they ship without baskets? They aren't realy comparable in that respect, but I can see that mebe media choice is a little more limited in the clasics, as there is nothing to stop finer media mixing up with other medias in the classics, but the pro models come with media baskets. I suppose it depends on what you want from your filter, and the media you intend to use

In my application, the EX1200 is a better choice, as there is more media flexability and wider surface area, making for less cleaning. What the EX1200 lacks in torque, it gains in media volume and surface area, so they should both do a good job on resonable sized tanks. I aim for 3+ times an hour turn over through my filters, so 300l would be the biggest tank I'd put either on. As you know, I've had issues with Eheim before, so my choice of the EX1200 is more down to my faith in that brand. Both companies do good stuff, but the Tetratecs haven't yet been proven. Though Eheim are proven, they let me down when I needed them, hence why they aren't my preference

All the best
Rabbut

 

[T1KARMANN]

I see Rabbut is still peddling misinformation. All filter manufactures with the execption of Hagen aim for real world (pipes media) water turn over of 1 to 1.5 of the rated tank.

for example his favorite Tetra 1200 turns over 600 l/h rated for 500 l tank.
eheim 2217 turns over 735l/h for a 600 l tank. (both with pipes and media).

Your link, Bastables, made for very interesting reading

The EX 1200 is rated at 1200lph with media, no hoses.

The 2217 classic is rated at 1000lph with media, no hoses.

The classic has more torque, so with reasonable hose length of 4ft the inlet and outlet, they'd probibly push about the same

The Tetratec EX1200 holds 12l of media, taken from the website, the 2217 9l from Eheims website. The Tetratec has a wider surface area, so theoretically is more efficient, as contact time with the media in the tetratec is increased. The Clasics need their media layering, as I belive they ship without baskets? They aren't realy comparable in that respect, but I can see that mebe media choice is a little more limited in the clasics, as there is nothing to stop finer media mixing up with other medias in the classics, but the pro models come with media baskets. I suppose it depends on what you want from your filter, and the media you intend to use

In my application, the EX1200 is a better choice, as there is more media flexability and wider surface area, making for less cleaning. What the EX1200 lacks in torque, it gains in media volume and surface area, so they should both do a good job on resonable sized tanks. I aim for 3+ times an hour turn over through my filters, so 300l would be the biggest tank I'd put either on. As you know, I've had issues with Eheim before, so my choice of the EX1200 is more down to my faith in that brand. Both companies do good stuff, but the Tetratecs haven't yet been proven. Though Eheim are proven, they let me down when I needed them, hence why they aren't my preference

All the best
Rabbut

this thread has nothing to do with tetratec the thead says HOW TO SET UP A EHEIM

why do you push this cheap crappy filter do you work for them or are you trying to convince yourself you got a great filter for a bargin price come back in 5-10yrs until then you have nothing to base your findings on other than its cheap

 

[rabbut]

Fair point on the thread being about Eheim. Sorry OP for going off on one

The Tetratec quality point you make, T1KARMANN, has been answered in a more relivant thread

All the best
Rabbut

 

[T1KARMANN]

Fair point on the thread being about Eheim. Sorry OP for going off on one

The Tetratec quality point you make, T1KARMANN, has been answered in a more relivant thread

All the best
Rabbut

all we hear from you is tetratec this and tetratec that the only reason i say eheim is the best all the time is because you push the tetratec stuff so much

as stated in another thread its good for the hobby that their is a cheap filter on the market but their is no need to push it so much its a cheap budget filter thats all their is to it

 

[rabbut]

And I've said the filter the OP has is a good one that should do a fine job of filtering is tank Having read Bastables link I now understand why he says it may take time for the mechanical filtering to get going with the meida supplied

All the best
Rabbut