# Canister Filter!



## Shellectra (Aug 23, 2008)

Hello! I'm new to the forum and plan on sticking around - I was on another forum where there wasn't much action and people hardly ever responded, so I'm hoping I can make myself comfy here!

Anyways before I go introduce myself I have a quick question..

Just went to do a water change on my tank today, and decided to shorten my Eheim 2217 intake part a little so that in the event the filter floods water all over the carpet, the amount of water it can take out is reduced!! I had to turn my eheim off to do so, and when I went to turn it back on 15 minutes later, it started up normal, but then it got really really loud and the water flow reduced HEAPS, then it got quiet again and the flow was back to powerful, then loud again, then quiet.. did this for about 5 minutes before permanently going back to normal.

I FREAKED out! Is this normal?? Is it just settling itself? It's been a couple months since I've turned it off and on again. Now that the intake is shorter, I have to turn it off weekly for water changes because the water I take out is below the intake strainer. Is turning it off weekly bad?

Is the situation that happened bad or was it just the filter preparing itself again cos it was turned off? I know about air bubbles, but I figured cos the water was still in the filter and the tubes that it would be air..

Please reply to ease my worry! ! lol


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

It is 'normal' in the sense that because you allowed air into the suction/intake line when you shortened it, the filter was not completely primed with water before you started it back up. You will have this same problem every time you do your weekly water change if it falls below the intake strainer.

There are two solutions. 
You can either do 2 water changes weekly & NOT take it below the intake strainer.
OR 
If you have the Quick Disconnects installed on your hoses, you can turn the filter off, close both Q.D.'s on the pressure/output hose, separate the two halves & point the one closest to the filter into a pail and open the Q.D.. Do this after you have done your new water addition. This will purge all the air from your filter. Then just close the Q.D., reconnect the two halves, open them back up and plug your filter back in.

I personally do not turn my canister filters off during a water change. I just added hose clamps wherever my filter hoses make a transition to plastic pipe or in line heater. I do check my connections periodically, especially after doing filter maintenance.

Welcome to the forum!!! Everyone here is pretty good at answering questions though sometimes it may take a few days.


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## Shellectra (Aug 23, 2008)

thanks for your reply!!!!

Well I am going to try your second suggestion, because doing 2 water changes instead of the one would be a bit more annoying cos I have to get my big drinking hose out and attach everything up to put more water in.. and to b honest during the week it would be more daunting :lol:

OK I've had a look at the canister after what you said, and I'm slightly confused but will definately try it. How does spilling that tiny bit of water from the outtake hose smaller bit (that attaches to the filter head) purge it of air? I guess if I understand that bit a little more I'll be good :thumb:

Cos I understand that turning it off and taking the water below the intake tube would involve some air getting in on start up.. so yeah I guess I should just shut up and try it! :lol:

THANKS heaps!! I really thought it was breaking and I was about to try cos it wasn't a cheap filter!

OH another question.. is it BAD for the filter to have to go through that loud/weird starting up stage with the air issue? Is it bad for me to let it do that - ie. does it risk damaging the impeller or anything?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Do you have the grayish color valves for your filter? They look like this - http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp18651/si1382980/cl0/eheimconnectortap794. I do recommend buying them if you don't already have them.

It is not good for the filter to be 'sucking' air on a regular basis as it causes premature wear on the components.

I know you said you shortened your intake so that in the event "something goes wrong", it won't drain your tank as far. How far into the tank does your intake go? The only time I would see this happening is if it wasn't assembled & secured properly.


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## Shellectra (Aug 23, 2008)

Hello Deeda!

The intake goes a third of the way into the depth of my tank. Maybe I could get some sort of putty or something to plug up the intake hole when the filter is off, and before water drains below it, so not to let air in at all? then I can fill the water back up, take the putty out, and the filter should start without air issues because air was not allowed in at all?


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## Shellectra (Aug 23, 2008)

Hello Deeda!

Yes I have those adaptors 

I'll just try your plan B this weekend about draining the output tubey bit thats on the filter. When you say output.. do you mean the output thinner hose that takes water out of the filter and into the tank.. or output as in the thicker hose that takes water out of the aquarium?

lol :lol:


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## zazz (Apr 5, 2008)

i have two 2217s on my tank.

to shorten one of them i simply reversed the u tube so the short end was sticking in so that i would be taking in water at high and low depths. This way if you want to revert back to the original depth then its an easy change.

i am with you on the fear of some kind of malfunction with the tubes...if i have a failure on the deep one during the night then i will have the best part of 150g emptied onto my floor.

at least the fish would have a few inches to survive in until the problem is rectified.

i guess my chiller might burn out ...i shudder to think of the damage and cost.

i think the 2217 after a water change where your tubes are left high and dry will leak out even if you have the isolating valves. When you start them up again they make a sort of gritty rumble which sounds alarming ....

all you will need to do is grab the canister ....turn it upside down while shaking it cocktail shaker style.

low an behold the noise stops and the flow is back to normal....obviously its best to do this right away to reduce any long term wear to the impeller but its shouldnt be a problem if dealt with right away.

hope this helps.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Shellectra, the return hose (also called output or pressure hose) is the one from the top of the filter BACK to your tank. It is the smaller diameter hose (marked as 12/16mm).

One other thing you might want to try is this. If you saved some of the intake tube that you cut off, you can just reattach it to your intake strainer using a short piece of the 16/22mm hose before you do a water change. You can even do this while the filter is still running if you are comfortable with doing it that way. Just make sure you don't suck up any fish or plants when you try this.


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## zazz (Apr 5, 2008)

Deeda said:


> Shellectra, the return hose (also called output or pressure hose) is the one from the top of the filter BACK to your tank. It is the smaller diameter hose (marked as 12/16mm).
> 
> One other thing you might want to try is this. If you saved some of the intake tube that you cut off, you can just reattach it to your intake strainer using a short piece of the 16/22mm hose before you do a water change. You can even do this while the filter is still running if you are comfortable with doing it that way. Just make sure you don't suck up any fish or plants when you try this.


good idea!!


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## Shellectra (Aug 23, 2008)

Deeda! That idea is fantastic!! I'm SO doing that  My output hose actually has a bit of extra length than I need on it (I have to have the filter pushed further away so the hoses don't hang slack as such) so maybe I can just cut 4 inches of that hose, or maybe I'll just order one. An aquarium place I order my stuff off here in Australia sells Eheim spare parts (whohoo!) so I could just do that and get other spare stuff while I'm at it.

THANKS AGAIN! will let you know how it goes!

:fish:


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

You would probably only need about 2 inches of hose in order to accomplish my last suggestion. That would actually be the easiest & quickest solution.


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## Shellectra (Aug 23, 2008)

Well I took my whole filter apart to clean it today (it had been 3 months) and the bio balls and things were all super clean, the only dirty part was the white (or what USED to be white) sponge that sits on top of the eheim media. The sponge was dirty, and almost feels like it is falling apart after only 3 months?! Is this normal??

Anyway I did your idea Deeda, I cut off 2 inches of hosing, and it works perfectly during a water change, and I don't have to unplug the canister now, YAY!!! THankyou!!

On another note, after connecting the filter back up, and sucking on the outtake hose to start a siphon from the intake hose.. I got water coming up the one I was sucking on, so I assumed the canister was full of water (altho it was a quick process). Then I turned it on, and it seemed to have very minimal flow for about 5 minutes, but no very loud noise like last time, just a sort of slight whirring sound like it was preparing itself. Then after 5 minutes the usual strong pressure appeared and it's been fine since. So my question is.. I guess this little startup situation when you first turn a canister on must be normal? Maybe the canister was just filling itself up with water first? I assumed it was full because of how the water entered the outtake hose I was sucking on, but maybe not..anyway it wasn't the horrible loud noise like a few weeks ago, it just took a while to start up with the strong pressure.

Gosh when will I stop being paranoid over this darn filter! lol


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## Shellectra (Aug 23, 2008)

Well I took my whole filter apart to clean it today (it had been 3 months) and the bio balls and things were all super clean, the only dirty part was the white (or what USED to be white) sponge that sits on top of the eheim media. The sponge was dirty, and almost feels like it is falling apart after only 3 months?! Is this normal??

Anyway I did your idea Deeda, I cut off 2 inches of hosing, and it works perfectly during a water change, and I don't have to unplug the canister now, YAY!!! THankyou!!

On another note, after connecting the filter back up, and sucking on the outtake hose to start a siphon from the intake hose.. I got water coming up the one I was sucking on, so I assumed the canister was full of water (altho it was a quick process). Then I turned it on, and it seemed to have very minimal flow for about 5 minutes, but no very loud noise like last time, just a sort of slight whirring sound like it was preparing itself. Then after 5 minutes the usual strong pressure appeared and it's been fine since. So my question is.. I guess this little startup situation when you first turn a canister on must be normal? Maybe the canister was just filling itself up with water first? I assumed it was full because of how the water entered the outtake hose I was sucking on, but maybe not..anyway it wasn't the horrible loud noise like a few weeks ago, it just took a while to start up with the strong pressure.

Gosh when will I stop being paranoid over this darn filter! lol


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## Shellectra (Aug 23, 2008)

Oh gosh I double posted and don't know how to delete the copy


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Shellectra, I'm glad that this worked for you. The white pad (fine filter) really should be replaced during filter maintenance. Again this depends on how many & what type of fish you have AND how often you do filter maintenance. I find that if I rinse out the pad & it is still dingy looking, I just replace it.

Also, since you do have the gray quick disconnects, you should not have to suck on the outtake hose as long as you closed the intake Q.D. and did not remove the intake hose from the tank. I also find it extremely helpful to NOT fill the filter with water after cleaning it. Once you put the filter back under your tank, reconnect the QD's on the intake & outtake and open the valves. This will re prime the filter with water & evacuate most of the air.

The first few times you do filter maintenance can be stressful. The most important thing to remember is to make sure the QD's are closed and the electric unplugged before disconnecting your filter.


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## zazz (Apr 5, 2008)

Shellectra said:


> Well I took my whole filter apart to clean it today (it had been 3 months) and the bio balls and things were all super clean, the only dirty part was the white (or what USED to be white) sponge that sits on top of the eheim media. The sponge was dirty, and almost feels like it is falling apart after only 3 months?! Is this normal??
> 
> Anyway I did your idea Deeda, I cut off 2 inches of hosing, and it works perfectly during a water change, and I don't have to unplug the canister now, YAY!!! THankyou!!
> 
> ...


like i said turn it upside down ..and it will start working much quicker since you have an air pocket in the canister.


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## Shellectra (Aug 23, 2008)

Thanks zazz - well at one stage I shook the canister back and forth a little and this actually made the flow rate disappear almost altogether!! So I turned it off and then on again and let it sort itself out cos it seemed I made the situation worse lol. What do u think?

On the topic of the white sponge part - I didn't have a new one to replace it with, it wasn't broken up or anything, just browny in color and very flippy floppy and the edges were a bit snagged.. but it was still in one piece. Will it be OK for another 3 months or so until I delve in there again to replace it?


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## zazz (Apr 5, 2008)

it only really works if you invert it.

and im with you on the eheim fine filter...it really seems to rapidly matt up and decay to the point where you would hardly consider putting it back and it probably would restrict flow.

i managed to buy some more of that eheim fine filter media but i think you could almost just use that common cheap filter wool and change regularly.

some guy in a shop told me that you shouldnt use that wool because it may come away and tangle up the impeller but maybe he is just trying to make a sale.

probably you could sandwich the wool below a final sponge so it stays together and change it more often.


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