• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Eheim external - when to renew media?

AndrewH

AndrewH

Member
Joined
3 Jan 2013
Messages
169
Hi,

Over the last 2 years Ive run a Eheim 2126 and its been great.

However I have never once replaced the physical media within it (i.e. the substrate stuff that looks like Wheeto crisps!!) 🙂

Every 6 months I open the filter up and take everything out.
The fine white pad is binned, new one put in its place.
The 2 "tubs" within the filter are removed and I wash off about half the brown "gunk" that is on the filter media (washed in tank water)

And thats it.

Ive never understood the science behind replacing the actual media, because surely once my bacteria are happily living there, they go on doing so. The physical media wont deteriorate or erode over time.

Am I in need of a brain overhaul, or does this sound about right?

180L tank, fish stock is at max I think. Quite heavily planted with java fern and anubias (some crypts)
Thanks guys 🙂
 
I would have thought that you'd be ok to continue using it with out the need to replace the substrate pro. I know a few people who run the classics with this in and have never changed it although I'd imagine over time even with rinsing that the tiny pores on the media will be come blocked so maybe replace some of it a little at a time???


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hello,
The science behind the media changing is mostly illusory and has to do with the science of selling you more media. This is exactly the same science behind telling people to replace their light bulbs every year.

The only reason to change media is if the media becomes clogged with debris, which reduces the available surface area for bacteria to populate. If the media is washed regularly, and if there are pre-filters to prevent clogging then there shouldn't be any issues. Sometimes the media becomes discolored due to Iron precipitating out of solution and staining the media but this is just a visual problem.

Cheers,
 
Hi all,
ve never understood the science behind replacing the actual media, because surely once my bacteria are happily living there, they go on doing so. The physical media wont deteriorate or erode over time.
Click to expand...
Like Clive says it isn't diamonds, but Eheim Substrat Pro aka "coco pops" that is for ever. I wouldn't bother with the filter wool pad, but I like a sponge pre-filter on the intake, much easier to clean and lasts for ever .
forgot to say that I rub Vaseline all round the seals when I am doing a filter clean.
Click to expand...
Supposedly you shouldn't use vaseline, as it will "degrade the rubber" and you need silicone grease, Eheim sell it, but you can get much cheaper elsewhere. I've no idea whether this is true or not. I had a large supply of silicone grease (we use it for the microscopes) so I've never tried vaseline.

cheers Darrel
 
Thats awesome feedback guys, Im so thankful.

@Clive - I thought it was probably a marketing spin!
I'll keep my eyes on the pores at the next clean and see how we go from there.

@Darrel - cheers mate. NEver thought about the degradation of the rubber, fair point. Ive got some silicon based grease for some RC cars I race (how many hobbies!?!) so will use it next time.

Thanks guys 🙂
 
dw1305 said:
forgot to say that I rub Vaseline all round the seals when I am doing a filter clean. Supposedly you shouldn't use vaseline, as it will "degrade the rubber" and you need silicone grease, Eheim sell it, but you can get much cheaper elsewhere. I've no idea whether this is true or not. I had a large supply of silicone grease (we use it for the microscopes) so I've never tried vaseline. cheers Darrel
Click to expand...

I do know that jointing compounds that contain oil used in the plumbing industry cannot be used with plastic or rubbers as the oils they contain will slowly eat away at it.
The may or may not be true for vaseline.
As suggested above silicon grease will be safe, I would get it from a plumbing merchant if i were you a small tube would last years.
 
Thanks to forum help I hear good things about the Eheim classic filter.

My tank will contain shrimp but I don't think that alters what I put in (not planning g on chemical/copper inserts).

I'm going to use purigen to combat starter cloudiness and tannins for my low tech lightly planted tank.

My question is: if I use finely cut up foam from those wash ball things for bacteria. Do I also need a layer of differently dense foam (the sort with holes in) to capture debris and other layers?

Eheim sell hugely expensive starter kits but are the cheaper DIY solutions ok or do they require more replacement?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hi all,
criptic said:
Eheim sell hugely expensive starter kits but are the cheaper DIY solutions ok
Click to expand...
I love Eheim Classics. I just half fill the filter body with ceramic rings, alfagrog, floating cell media or hydroleca (hydroleca and floating cell media float, so you need to use the internal container), and put a big sponge on the intake. Eheim sell a pre-filter which is good, but for shrimps I'd like an open PPI10 sponge.

cheers Darrel
 
I run two of the 2217 eheim classic's on 80 U.S. gallon low tech.
I place about two or three cup's of the eheim substrat pro on the bottom and then four of the blue coarse pad's followed by fine filter material(found at craft store) cut to fit ,by tracing around one of the blue pad's with marker.
I bought some extra substrat pro and maybe once a year,,I remove half from the filter's and replace it with some that has been washed.
I then wash that which was removed and save it .
Have used vaseline on O ring's for a couple year's now or sometimes,,vegtable oil without any issues.
 
dw1305 said:
Hi all, I love Eheim Classics. ..... and put a big sponge on the intake. Eheim sell a pre-filter which is good, but for shrimps I'd like an open PPI10 sponge.

cheers Darrel
Click to expand...

Thanks Darrel - how do you secure your sponge over the intake pipe? Presumably in a way you can take it off as needed to rinse?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hi all,
criptic said:
how do you secure your sponge over the intake pipe? Presumably in a way you can take it off as needed to rinse?
Click to expand...
I either use a drilled sponge (Mainly the 12" x 4" x 4" blocks they sell for Koi ponds), or I sew them from foam sheets (PPI10 or PPI20), details here: <British Cichlid Association • The place to talk about the Cichlids in our Aquaria>. Only differences I've stopped siliconing the 4" sponges to the tiles, I just sit them on top now.

The "EHEIM PREFILTER for External Canister Filter" is EHEIM part no. 4004320.

cheers Darrel
 
hello,
can you please help with something? I dismantle my old aquarium rio180 and go to rio 240. I also buy an used eheim 2073 professionel 3 filter.
It is necessary to replace filter material? if no, if i will let the filter not used for about 4-5 months (untill i make the new one), can i reuse the media or buy new ones?
And if i replace all media with Sera Siporax it is ok?
thank you
 
ceg4048 said:
The science behind the media changing is mostly illusory and has to do with the science of selling you more media. This is exactly the same science behind telling people to replace their light bulbs every year.
Click to expand...
I have seen tests made by people on tubes and they really lose their brightness in time. I agree with you that you don't have to change bulbs every year but unlike media, bulbs can be changed every year.
sorin marius said:
hello,
can you please help with something? I dismantle my old aquarium rio180 and go to rio 240. I also buy an used eheim 2073 professionel 3 filter.
It is necessary to replace filter material? if no, if i will let the filter not used for about 4-5 months (untill i make the new one), can i reuse the media or buy new ones?
And if i replace all media with Sera Siporax it is ok?
thank you
Click to expand...
Bio media can be reused over and over again, you don't have to replace it, even if it gets dry and sits in your cabinet for a while, as soon as it is back inside a filter it start's housing once again beneficial bacteria.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top