# Eheim pro3 2075 Ultra G160



## slb.76 (Jul 30, 2012)

I just purchased an eheim pro3 2075, I looked under the pump head and I noticed a plug type piece that can be removed, but nowhere in the instructions does it say what it's purpose is. I don't know if I'm supposed to take it out or leave it in or whatever else.

The part # is 7211568 and it's listed as a cap


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I don't own this model filter but I did look up the part online and it appears to be a necessary part to operate the filter. The website calls it an external locking device cap and says that it would need to be replaced if it becomes brittle. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.


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## slb.76 (Jul 30, 2012)

Yeah I know what it's called and when it needs to be replaced, I just need to know what it's function is and obviously it's removable so, why and when would I need to remove it. Thx


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## slb.76 (Jul 30, 2012)

Figured it out. Thx


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I'm glad you were able to figure out what the part is for. Any chance you can share its purpose?


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## slb.76 (Jul 30, 2012)

It's basically whenever you want to clean the output channel and float bracket, remove the cap and you've got access to it


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Thanks for the update. Sometimes it's difficult to follow the Eheim instructions when they leave out important parts of the filter that are actually not shown in the pictorials in the manual.


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## jcahow (Apr 25, 2010)

I own 20 Eheim canister filters (Eccos, Pro 2, Pro 3 models) spread across 8 different tanks supporting Oscars, Dempseys, Green Terrors, Red Parrots, Angels, SIlver Dollars, Plecos, etc... all doing fine.

Here is what I do as I am sure not going to ripe them all apart for regular weekly or monthly cleaning.

FIrst I use Eheim Replacement Foam Pre-Filters on all my intake tubes. They are about $8 a pair online.

These things fit right over the ends of the intake tubes and eliminate almost all debris from entering your canisters. I do 25-40% water changes once a week in all my tanks and when the water is down I look at the output flow running out of my individual spraybars. By the end of a week the water flow may be reduced anywhere from 20-80% depending on the individual tank as some tanks are producing more waste than others. I pull off the individual Foam Pre-Filters and rinse them good under straight tap water and wash them with the sink sprayer. When they are clean I squeeze 95% of the water out by hand and then swirl them around in the tank a few times and put them back on the Filter intake tube. When you removed the Pre-Filter to clean it I should see a noticable improvment in the canister flow output rate (which tells me that the Pre-Filter was limiting the flow). If the flow rate for a specific canister does not rebound well then it needs some internal cleaning as it is not going to improve with the Pre-Filter is mounted again. I probably go well over 6 months per canister before I notice any real degradation in flow rate and I change Pre-Filters once a year (sooner if my Cichlids decide to tear them apart). Some times after 4-5 days in some tanks a sI walk by I will see a Pre-Filter starting to compress in (like someone is gripping them) because it is getting dirty and having trouble moving water. In those cases I just pop it off, rinse, squeeze, swirl and pop it back on again.

When I do need to work on a Eheim canister the newer models have the coarse filters on the top and older models have it on the bottom. On a newer model like the Pro 3 G160 I pop the cover off and check the top tray for debris. I take my Python water changer and suck up as much as I can and then take that tray over to the sink and wash the tray good (top and bottom) and then rinse out the blue coarse filter real good. I squeeze out 95% of the water from the coarse filter place it back in the tray and swirl the entire thing (tray and filter) around a few times in the tank and leave it in the water until canister re-assembly.

I then pop the top off the next tray down which covers the fine white filter and bio substrate and either throw the white filter out if it is really dirty or rinse, squeeze, swirl like the other parts to reuse it. I use the Python to suck any loose water on top of the exposed substrate. I very rarely see any debris this far down in the filter so I just then clean off the bottom of the Pump Head, Impeller, and Impeller cavity. I then reassemble the entire thing, prime and start it up again (which can be a pain sometimes). It should be running at full flow again all ready for next weeks water change.

Depending on how energetic I am when I do have a canister out sometimes I will use a long cleaning brush and clean out the canister tubing as well because debris can limit flow volume. I flush the tubing out and reattach to the canister.

I like my fish but I also have a life as well. Since I have multiple canisters on each tank I do not worry about cleaning any specific one because the other(s) on the tank will pack up the slack if I kill some bacteria.

I clean the Eheim Foam Pre-Filters once or more a week on each canister, shut down and clean the actual canister no more than twice a year at best, always reuse the same coarse blue pads, sometimes even reuse the fine white pads, have never changed the internal substrate (use Eheim's and Seachems). I have grown all my fish out from babies to quite some size now and they are all seem fine and happy. I add some Seachem Prime with each water change and use Seachem Stability and other Seachem additives as well on a regular basis.

I have read about substrate loosing effectiveness over time but with multiple canisters going it is not really a worry although I may replace some in the future. Sometimes I think people make this hobby more complicated than need be.................


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