EHEIM 2076 - will I be able to use inline devices?

[tyrophagus]

Hi

My first post . I'm a week away from collecting my new tank and related gear most of which is bought and paid for. Having a few weeks to wait allowed me to trawl through the forum and I'm impressed with the information available here.

I have purchased an Eheim 2076. I chose it because its the maximum l/h from Eheim that I can fit under the tank. I want an Eheim as I like their quality. It will filter a 180l tank.

It's maximum output without filter media is 1700l/h. With filter media I think it drops to 1000l/h.

I have read that flow and over filtration are good things. I don't want to add gear to the tank itself so powerheads etc are not an option. The 2076 is the largest size I can fit into the cupboard below the tank.

I have aquired a Hydor 300 watt external heater and a Sera inline diffuser to install out of sight.

Having purchased the equipment I came across a post on the forum suggesting you could not use these external heaters and co2 diffusers with this filter. The manual suggests this is fact.

Does anyone have the 2076 with inline devices and manage to get a reasonable flow or suffer problems?

From what I have read the filter automatically adjusts flow and the added resistance of the devices inline causes it to recalibrate (reduce) its flow rate. The filter has a manual function which disables it's computer so this may be a way around the problem. I would like to use the bio function which allows alternation between two settable flowrates in a 12-hour rhythm. That way I'd give the fish a rest at night with a reduced flow but increase it to max when the lights are on.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Graeme

 

[ceg4048]

Hi,
Inline devices are not a problem and the flow reduction depends primarily on the inside diameter of the spud on the device. If your filter hose, for example has an I.D of 16mm then you'd want to purchase inline devices that are not smaller than this size. Each time you step the diameter down there is loss of flowrate.

The internal resistance of the devices will also cause some flow loss so you'd want to select a reactor that does it's job without too much cross sectional resistance. Some reactors come with media, so you'd want to remove or reduce the amount of media in the device to reduce the flow loss.

Definitely disable any electronic control of flow and ensure maximum output from the filter.

Cheers,

 

[tyrophagus]

Thanks Ceg.

 

[sanj]

I would have also thought there was little need to adjust flow, just a nice to have maybe, but change in stream/river flow does not tend to be naturally diurnal but often seasonal.