# Set up an Eheim 2213 today...now what?



## christy_lee (Jun 25, 2013)

Well, my trip back to college today was cancelled due to this crazy snow storm we're having in New York right now, so this morning I ran out to my LFS and purchased an Eheim 2215 for my tank. A nice upgrade from my current HOB.

It took me a while to get it all set up thanks to the not so helpful instruction booklet, but alas it has been running perfectly and super quietly for the last couple hours 

And then it dawned on me, what do I do when I go to clean the filter?! And how often do I clean this filter? How often should I replace out the sponges and carbon pad? do I ever replace the Eheim chem stuff?

My current HOB goes something like, sponge every 2 months, carbon every month and biomax stuff every 3 months. Now I'm all sorts of lost haha!

Any info would be greatly appreciated!!


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

Yeah this snow stinks!

Firstly, I would leave your old HOB running until your new filter has time to establish itself. Probably 3 weeks or so. Or if you plan to run both, then nothing to do. Since the filter is brand new, you can go probably 3 months or so before you really need to clean it. After that, I clean my filters once every 1-2 months. As with any filter, when rinsing, use tank water as tap water can kill off the good bacteria you have growing in there. The course sponges can be rinsed and reused. There should be no need to replace eheim bio media and/or the bio max. If it gets real gunked up over time, you can rinse it off but with tank water only. I would also leave the carbon pad out. Carbons effectiveness is only a couple of weeks and is really only used for helping to absorb any medications that you may have administered in the future. It's expensive and doesn't really have an overwhelming benefit to run one constantly.

I haven't owned this filter but if it comes with the fine white colored "polishing" pad that may need to be cleaned/replaced more that every 1-2 months as they clog up quick. For that reason, I leave them out of my canisters. Hope this helped. Enjoy shoveling!


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

Sounds like your HOB is an Aquaclear? Just curious-- why are you replacing the foam/sponge and the biomax? Those last a decade in many cases before they fall apart. You should never have to replace them. If you do it's because you've had your filter running for 10-12 years and the foam is starting to disintegrate.

The only thing you replace about every 2-4 weeks is carbon, which is unnecessary 99% of the time in an aquarium anyways. Carbon is good for removing tanins and medication from the water, and removing odors, although the only odor from a well established tank is a "black earth" type smell and is rather pleasant IMO.

With the Eheim, once 2-4 weeks go by, open it, take the carbon pad out, and never put a new one in. Don't bother. You're going to find that the fine filter pad (if you used it) will get clogged pretty quickly. I'd suggest replacing it with looser packed filter floss or white floss pad, that'll not clog as fast. Or you can just not use anything. The Ehfimech (ceramic tubes) and Ehfisubstrat (ceramic balls) never need to be replaced. The blue pads, like the aquaclear sponge, will last a great number of years before they, too, fall apart and need replacing. Just rinse them off to clean them when you service the filter.

To service a 2213/15/17, unplug the filter, close the valves on the intake and output tubes, and remove the filter from its location under the tank. Then, place the filter's output (ie, spraybar) above the water line in the tank.

Next, place a bucket under the output line, and open the valve to drain the line into the bucket. Do not drain the intake like.

Take the filter over to the sink or bathtub. Bring 2 buckets or large bags. Open the valves on the in/out lines and tip the canister over to drain the water out of it. Then, open it, place the first blue pad in one bucket/bag and pour all the biomedia (the balls) into the bag. Place the second blue pad in the first or second bucket/bag and pour the ceramic rings into the second bucket or bag. Don't mix media types together. you'll take years to seperate them again. Major PITA.

If using filter floss/filter pad examine it to determine whether to replace it, or just rinse it thoroughly.

Rinse the blue filter pads (and the floss, if reusing) thoroughly in aquarium water in a bucket. Do not use tap water. These items house bacteria just like the biomedia and we don't want to kill it.

Rinse the ceramic rings in tank water thouroughly. A lot of gunk builds up on them.

Examine the biomedia (ceramic balls) to see if it is dirty (gunky). If it is, VERY gently give some of it a rinse in tank water.

Reassemble the components back into the filter in the correct order and put the filter back under the aquarium.

With the filter output (spraybar) still above the water line, reconnect the tubing to the filter. Open the valves to allow the water to flow back into the filter. Once the filter is completely filled with water, plug it in. Once it is outputting water, place the output (spraybar) back under water.


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

^I would urge anybody setting up a canister to watch that video. It makes a lot more sense to set the foams up the way this guy does it, than it does to use the manufacturer's specification. You'll get cleaner biomedia that goes longer without needing rinsing, and thus, houses a more robust colony of bacteria.

Plus, he's British. So he must know what he's talking about.


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