Eheim canister filter setup

During the annual moving frenzy here in Montreal I picked up an Eheim filter from the curbside. It came complete with hoses etc. but of course without the media.

I want to set it up and fill it with media but don't know how to. The filter comes with some plastic plates which I assume are there to make layers of different media. I know that the biological media normally go in the middle, but where do I put the sponges?

Does the course sponge go in the bottom or on the top? Same question for the polishing pad or fine sponge.

Here are 2 pictures of the filter:

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Coarse sponge on bottom, fine on top and as much bio as you can fit in

Ok, thanks! The plastic 'dividers' that come with it are supposed to go where?

I guess one goes on the bottom below the coarse sponge, and the other one goes where? On top?

The dividers are to separate bio from mechanical media, should you chose to use both sponge and ceramics in the same chamber. I would put the coarse sponge on the bottom, then the divider. If there is room for a bit of ceramic on top of that divider, do that. Dividers always go on top of the compartments.

This filter doesn't have compartments, it only has the dividers that basically sit on top of the media. Since one of them has little legs, I thought this one should go on the bottom, so it leaves about 1 cm of space between the bottom and the sponge?

Oh, alright then, my error. You would be right then, with the legs on the bottom and dividers to separate media. In a smaller canister I would be inclined to not use the fine pad on top, may just restrict flow? And also be cause to open the canister more often than you should otherwise, as the fine sponge will clog easier. That is just a semi-educated guess on my part, I run big canisters and find this is the case with them.

This canister is rated for a 55 gallon and will be used on a 20. I know this doesn't mean anything though, but the tank will be understocked with only 6 cories plus it will have plants, which also helps with filtration.

I clean my filters every 3 months and plan on doing the same with this one.

Very nice find !

Free is my favorite price  

Steve

I use a similar filter, 2213's bigger brother the 2217. The 2213's I'm familiar with has double tap connectors for both input/output and a plastic sleeve to contain all the filter media. It'll still work without the plastic sleeve, the filter media will be layered similar to the 2215 and 2217 filters.

You can download the manual here:

http://www.trilbytropicals.com/EHEIMPARTSHEETS.HTM

This is a much more readable summary here:

http://www.rexgrigg.com/Eheim%20Classic%20Canister%20instructions.htm

Just had a closer look at your filter - it looks like the previous generation filter - 2013. I don't think there's manuals for that, but it should be very similar to the 2211, 2213, 2215 and 2217 classic line of eheim filters.

They run forever - yours was made in "W. Germany"!  

dahling wrote:Just had a closer look at your filter - it looks like the previous generation filter - 2013.  I don't think there's manuals for that, but it should be very similar to the 2211, 2213, 2215 and 2217 classic line of eheim filters.

They run forever - yours was made in "W. Germany"!     

Thanks Dahling! Yes, I was told that the 2213 was the model they made after the 2013.

I was actually very happy to see a filter that was made in Germany instead of China! And yes, they do run forever.... I am planning to get some of the quick valves for it. Apparently they should fit.

I have an Eheim 2262, the biggest of the classic line.  The old versions has "Made in W Germany" molded into the top lid, my current one has "Made in     Germany".  Those designs must be well over 25 years old and still manufactured in Germany.  I don't believe the new generations are though.  

Great find!

a little trick I use on those filters is to use net type bags ( like the common onion sacs ) to hold each layer of media, makes cleaning so much easier.

So, I have started to work on setting up this filter. According to the filter media set-up, I am supposed to put first the ceramic rings (biological filtration), then a course filter, then what they call 'ehfisubstrat' which they consider to be their biological filtration and then a fine filter.

So what is the difference between the function of the ceramic rings and the ehfisubstrat?

It mentions further that I could add 'ehfitorf', that means peat, in the space of the ehfisubstrat. However, as about half of the space is reserved for this ehfisubstrat, filling the filter with so much peat seems a bit overdone?

I would like to put another piece of coarse filter pad as the first layer, so basically sandwiching the ceramic rings between 2 pieces of coarse filter pad. Is there anything against this? Would it be a waste of space?

ehfisubstrat is much more porous , as such houses a lot more bacteria.
Peat is optional, if you need to soften your water.

I wouldnt use 2 coarse pads, a little redundant I think. If anything, a fine pad or floss on top. Seachem matrix and Fluval bio-max are also high quality ceramics.

I already have a fine pad on top. I was thinking about it as my Marineland canister came with 2 coarse pads and I actually like it. A lot of gunk seems to be able to get through the bottom coarse pad and then gets stuck in the second one.

Today I went to buy hose to install the filter. I filled the canister with tank water and tried to prime it by filling the inlet hose with water. This filter doesn't have a primer,so I thought this would be the best way.

However, I don't seem to be able to get any suction. First I adjusted the O ring and I held the canister upside down to check whether it was leaking or not. It didn't. So, I primed again, but nothing...

I have been trying to screw the hoses on as fast as I could and I can hear the motor running.

What worries me is that the inlet hose is not filling up by itself and I do not feel any suction from it.

Anybody any tips?

Did you check the impeller? the shaft are very easy to snap.
another trick I use to prime them is to use a Maxijet power head with a piece 12/16 tube to connect the power head to the output pipe of the filter & while the filter is un plugged , pump tank water through the filter , any air trapped in the filter will be purged & escape at the intake pipe in the tank.
Hope that makes sense LOL

Thanks Charlie! No, I did not check the impeller. Should I unscrew the cap for that?

I think I might have a minuscule leak at the inlet. Basically where the hard plastic inlet meets the canister.

I will check better tomorrow. If that is the case, it shouldn't be hard to put a little bit of aquarium silicone around that inlet.

You can also suck from the outlet to draw in water from the inlet. Once the siphon has started, the impeller at the top needs to be fully submerged in order to pump.

caoder wrote:You can also suck from the outlet to draw in water from the inlet. Once the siphon has started, the impeller at the top needs to be fully submerged in order to pump.

+1.

I've had to do that before. If there's air around the impeller, it wouldn't be able to create a vacuum to pump water out. It's not essential, but if you're able to get some eheim double tap connectors both for the inlet and outlet hoses, it will make maintenance and maintaining the prime easier. I believe petsandponds sells them.

I let it stand overnight and it is indeed a small leak where I thought it was. So I will empty the canister, dry it and put some silicone on the outside and inside around the inlet.