# Eheim Intake Tube



## Awugod (Mar 10, 2006)

Picked up a new Eheim 2217 because my Fluval 404 became every aquarists nightmare and broke, leaking 20-30gals of water on the living room floor (will never by another Fluval because of this).

Hooked everything up yesterday, took maybe about 30-45mins (including time to clean the media).

My problem resides with the fact that I have it on a 90gal High tank and the intake tube/strainer is no where near the bottom of the tank.

My question is does Eheim sell a longer intake tube or, if not, can I modify the intake tube (add a length of pipe) so that it will reach close to the bottom?

Thanks in advance.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I've never looked for a longer tube. Suggest doing a search at the Ehiem site as they would be the most likely to list one. For how close to the bottom to go, It doesn't want to suck much sand so be aware of that. Extending the tube is a matter of fitting tubing to it. No loss of function that matters. For my use, I find it gives me good peace of mind to place the canister in a plastic tub with a water alarm . There is a small water alarm designed for near water heaters, etc. Waterdog if I remember correctly. About ten dollars, battery operated which lasts years if it does not go off. Only about the size of two cig packs or so, it can sit beside the canister and yell if water begins to leak. Only downside for me seems to be it takes a while to dry the contacts to stop the alarm.


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## kuhliLoachFan (May 30, 2010)

I just bought the tubing at about 70 cents a foot, at my local fish store. You do have to realize that there is a maximum "head" height that the filter will push the water up, on the return side. You do not need to worry about it on the intake side, though because the pressure is the other way, and gravity helps you. So on the exit side you need to make every effort to minimize the output path's height. Even raising the filter 6" higher than it is right now (but still below your tank's bottom) is helpful.

It is the easiest thing imaginable to do. Go for it. EHEIM 2217s rule. Fluvals drool. The mid-section leakage is a horrible horrible part of the 30x/40x design.

W

P.S. Buy a new piece the exact length you need. Do NOT attempt to join two or more pieces or extend your current hose. Unless you want a repeat of that water-all-over-your-floor incident. I didn't think so.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Hmm. I may have misread what tube they were asking about. I thought they were wanting to extend the portion inside the tank so that the strainer would pick up closer to the bottom the tank. One can most likely fit a tube of some sort to the intake but since it is in the tank and prone to show, I might like a factory built better than a DIY that might not look as good.


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## Awugod (Mar 10, 2006)

Thx, I was talking about the tube on the intake strainer. Right now it rests just below half way down the tank. I've always thought it was best to have the intake strainer as close to the gravel as possible (I have gravel so not worried about sand ruining the impeller).

Buying some extra tubing with extra hose was my first thought.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Might want to take the tube with you when you go get the extention. Some of the tubes in aquariums are just a bit on the strange side for sizing.


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## aquariam (Feb 11, 2010)

I'd just like to point out than on standard media, Eheim 22XX are biological filters. The mechanical filtration is incidental and there to maximize the efficiency of the biological filtration. The whole point of having an intake at the bottom is to pick up more crudd. In this case, that's counter productive. IMO you should always run a HOB filter in conjunction with a biological canister (or any canister) to do the mechanical job- and have THAT intake strainer near the bottom. Not to mention how much cheaper and easier to find aquaclear extensions are.


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