# Eheim 2026 Pro II - media baskets



## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

Old canister. but works like a charm. 
When the water if fed to the bottom of the filter, it raised up, passes through two media buckets and then gets sucked out, back into the tank.
All straight forward.

My question is this. The bottom bucket rests on a brace to keep it approx 1.5" off of the bottom. 
Should I leave this space empty, or put something like filter floss in it?

Also, im my baskets, i have this
Bottom basket 
- filter floss
- Some sort of round, brown, spherical media.

top basket 
- Filter floss
- ceramic rings. 
Sound good? bad?


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

leave the space empty - that is how the filter is designed to work.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I would want that space open as it alows the water to spread out across the bottom of the media. After that I want a course spong to catch larger debris before it goes to the round brown (Coco Puffs?) that hold lots of bacteria. I don't want the tiny holes filled with heavy gunk. After that i put in any water polishing mechanical filtering. Do you have some small ceramic "tubes" that look like short macaroni? I think those are intended to disperse the water so that it spreads more uniformly across the media. I use that just after the course spong and before the round. It fits the picture that Eheim has in instructions.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

PfunMo said:


> Do you have some small ceramic "tubes" that look like short macaroni?


No sir, they are Filstar ceramic rings. I was given two litres of it for free. 
And yes, they are like coco puffs.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

May be two different items with different names?? I got what I called the coco puffs as well as the macoroni with a new Eheim 2075. Other Eheim filters had the macaroni with what I called small gravle looking like limestone for the bio-media. Both the gravel and the coco puffs have lots of tiny spaces for bacteria. Some of course with the barrel shaped macaroni, too.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

Possible. i got all my media for free. it was a"bonus" with the canisters when i bought them off CL.
The people were just getting rid of old stuff. and this media was still in the original boxes. i didnt pay much attention to the box, so i cant remember the name of the media.

But thats not important.
I'm just making sure that the setup i have for the baskets is okay. this will be my first canister. need all the advise i can get


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

can you take pictures of what you have, and let us help you?


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

How about a link to instruction manuals? If it is Eheim, this is one site but there are many more.

http://www.shop.trilbytropicals.com/Eheim-Part-Numbers_c36.htm

I like to get it straight from the folks who design things as a pro rather than relie on well meaning hearsay!


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Sorry. This is a better link.

Direct to the 2026 manual.

http://www.trilbytropicals.com/Ehei...icals/professionel_II_2026_2126_2028_2128.pdf


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

filter









screen









top media basket. consists of filter floss, and ceramic rings









bottom media basket. consists of filter floss and some sort of media









empty filter









and the unknown media! sized vary. [/url]


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

That's standard issue Eheim media. Coco puffs and macaroni!!! I go from bottom to top with the grid to hold it off the bottom, course spong next to catch the big hunks of grung, then the macaroni and then the coco puffs. After that if I feel the need for finer filtering I might add a filter floss of some type. Right now I use a DIY cut to fit blue /whaite bonded pad as the final and add the last grid on top with legs pointed up so that it all stays down away from the motor unit. Works good, lasts a long time.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Sorry PfunMo but the 'grid' is actually the lattice screen and it has to go in last.

Dsouthworth, the media basket with the hollow cylinders (possibly Ehfi Mech) inserts in the filter housing First. It has the Eheim blue, coarse filter pad installed UNDER the handle.

The other media basket is using Ehfi Substrat Pro (bio media) and should be installed Second. The white, fine pad installs on TOP of the handle of this media tray. You could also use a different fine pad if you want but the lattice screen MUST install on top of any pad you decide to use.

If in doubt, just follow the instructions in the link that PfunMo posted.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

Thanks for the help every. It was more helpful than what I had initially expected. 
I've bought a cu-to fit 60ppi sponge. and a very fine sponge that was also cut to fit.

Thanks again!


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I was going from the 2217 which is what I'm more used to using. Not a grid at top and bottom of these? I admit I did not look carefully at the manual.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Only the Classic filters have the lattice screens at top and bottom, as far as I know.


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