filter debate

[mrgolfball]

I have an Eheim 2226 filter, that seems to get plugged up really quickly, i was wondering if I am doing something wrong or if this is maybe a flaw the the ehiem product. Would a fluval 404 be better. I have a 90 gallon tank with 9 platies, 5 gouramis, 3 corys, 1 red tip black shark, 1 african butterfly and a few chinease algae eaters...it is the top layer of foam that alwas gets plugs, the guy at the lfs said that I should be changing that filter every 3-4 months and I am having to clean it every week and change it every 3-4 weeks. Heellllppppp????? Can anyone tellme what is better the Fluval or the Eheim name, I know that the Ehiem is harder to get here in Calgary as I have only found 2 stores that cary the product, but I can find the Fluval almost any where.

 

[Jchillin]

Though I don't have the ehiem personally, I have always heard that it is a step above the fluval (maybe even two). I haven't heard of any eheim user's having a problem like you described. Hopefully one of them will chime in.

As far as the advice given by the lfs, changing filter media, unless absolutely necessary, is never a good idea and I would suggest monthly cleaning (rinsing the filter pads and other media in old tank water).

 

[rich311k]

I rinse my pads off once a month, they are fairly dirty but not that bad. I have never replaced them in almost two years. Mine has never gotten that gunky or stopped working because of gunk in the pads. The hoses are another story. I have to clean those out every month or so. I have a 2215.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Another thing to remember, heavier bioload and/or overfeeding can cause the filter to plug up quicker also. Could be due to over feeding and excess waste. My Emperor 280 was like that because I just had too many fish for the 26G. Now that I moved the fish to my cycled 55G, and did a thorough gravel vac on the 26G, hopefully I won't have that problem anymore.

 

[Zagz]

I have 2 fluvals and no eheim at all and I have a larger bioload and have to rinse off my sponges and filter media at least once a month. Sometimes twice a month depending. I run 3 cannisters so I am sure it is better than if I had one only. I always planned on overstocking so I prepared for that.

 

[SerLunchbox]

I personally use just about every filter on the market and hands down my Three favorite filters are Rena Filstars, AquaClears and Ehiem leads the pack by a LOT

Just give a rinse to the filter pads every now and then ... my filter pads go for a couple months without a rinse so it could be just that .... out of curiosity, just what filter media are you using?

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

I'm curious since I didn't see it posted, do you have plants and other things that could put off organics that will get clogged? (leaves etc.) or is it the brown paste (fish waste)?

 

[QTOFFER]

I have the Eheim 2026, which is almost identical to the 2226. When you say plugged up, do you notice a significant drop in filter output? Unfortunetely, the 2226 doesn't have the 2026's flow gauge.

What media are you using, and is it made by Eheim? I have Eheim Ehfimech ceramic noodles in the lower media basket under the blue coarse pad - most of the heavy debris gets trapped there. Every six months or so, I rinse the sludge out of the cannister and rinse off the coarse pad and the fine white pad. That's pretty much the extent of my maintenance with this filter. I finally replaced the white pad for the first time after two years of continuous operation.

Perhaps your intake is too close to the substrate, or you need a sponge over it to catch debris.. Do you have sand or a muddy substrate like fluorite that may be getting sucked into the filter? Are you running peat in the filter?

The other possibility is that you need to step up gravel vacs and/or cut back feeding. I've noticed that corys poop like there's no tomorrow. Their sinking pellets make a mess too. I gravel vac thoroughly once a week, and am always amazed at sheer amount of crap that I pull up.

 

[mrgolfball]

I am using the ehiem media, and the noodles under the course pad, I also have some other type of media in the top bucket. The pick up tube is about 2-3 inches off the bottom, and I am runnign sand. I am going to switch to rocks after x-mas. I just did a filter maintenance this past weekend and found that there was quite a bit of sludge in the bottom. However the white foam has been cleaned at least once a week and replaced at elast once a month. No I don;t have any plants in the tank just a few dirty fish.