How Do I Check if My Canister Filter is Powerfull Enough?
First clue that a filtration setup is sufficient is that the tank won’t get dirty fast. If it is, then it goes to show that the your external filter system finds it a handful and is working too hard in the brink of ineffectiveness and inefficiency.
Depending on the amount of load you have on the tank, you might want to consider having two filters so you get agitation and collection for both ends and zero stagnant dead spots. That way, you’ll have a cleaner aquarium and less debris with every water change, and of course, healthy, happy fishes. You can also get a bigger canister and it won’t hurt to run a medium size HOB as well.
Be conscious with the load you put on the tank though. No matter how great and straight of the art your filtration is, a well-balanced load is still the key to a successful aquarium. Refrain from overcrowding and always put compatible fishes in the same tank.
Can a Filter Save This Overcrowded Aquarium?
Is it possible to keep a nearly overcrowded aquarium for a long time? Will filtration solve the problems? Or are other problems bound to arise.
The limits of aquarium filters, or don't make the mistake of seeing your canister filter as a magic cure against all tank problems.
Consider a 90 gallon tank with these fishes and their corresponding sizes:
- 12 Fire eels
- 9 Jack Dempsey
- 5 Convict's
- 6 Firemouth
- 6 Severum
- 7 Rainbow Eartheater
- 10 Gold Nugget Pleco
- 9 Tiger barbs and
- 12 Rainbow Cichlids
I plan a daily 10 Gallon water change, a FilStar P4 external canister filter a Hagen Fluval FX5 and a Eheim 2203 canister. Which means I should have no filtration problems.
No problems so far for the last two and a half years, no signs of aggression from the Jack so far and the little community is getting enough food and looks great with its diverse colors.
However, the tank might be to some degree insufficient for this many a stock. Convicts come breeding time are downright nasty fishes and can be quite a challenge to the Jack once it starts to show telltale aggression. Other fishes might not have enough space to flee from.
A tank this size can expose too many targets to the Jack Dempsey and might cause panic and even free bingeing – largely by the Jack.
The Acara would be most likely to go first, next is the Severum, and then the Firemouth. The Loaches will hardly be targeted because of their being bottom feeders. Pose less danger to the Jack and will greatly be ignored.
Bottom line is, before the Jack realizes it’s a Jack and start preying on the other fishes, either get a much larger tank twice the current size or put the South American fishes in another tank so they can continue to live in peace.
Tags: fx5 for overcrowed tankWhat To Do When Your Canister Filter Stops Working
It's frustrating to wake up one day to find your canister filter not working. More frustrating when it stopped working right after you did its regular clean up. After cleaning up, installing back and turning on your canister filter and the motor just pings and the filter doesn’t suck water in, you know something is quite amiss.
Presuming you’ve already checked all hose connections and made no other changes such as changing the filter’s position, first thing to do is check the impeller compartment if something is stuck in there. If nothing, then try to take the impeller out and clean it again. Double check and make sure the impeller can turn okay. It can also be caused by too much air trapped in the filter so empty out any water and try again.
You may also try these steps: Start by turning on both taps, then pull down the handle to start priming. Slowly push the handle up at once when water starts to rush in. Lastly, turn the power on as soon as the handle fully locks up. If the filter is working, it should be flawless and very quiet.
Last resort is to remove everything – the hoses, the impeller, everything. Run a hose from the tap and blast out the internal areas of the filter body where water flows. You will be surprised at the gunk that flies out.
Replacement Parts For External Aquarium Filter:
Tags: external filter stopsShould I opt for an Internal, Hang on the Back or Canister Filter?
Question
I like to replace the filter of my 25 gallon tank, but I’m not sure which filter to choose. My options are:
- Aquaclear 50 Hang on the Back
- Eheim 2100 internal filter
- Aquaone Aquis 500/700 canister filter
Personally I would like to go for a canister filter but I’m not sure if its my best choice. I’ve been looking at the internal filter but am a bit worried because I’ve been told the filtration capabilities are limited. Hang on the back filters are probably a bit better then internal ones although I’m not really sure why.
What are my options ?
Answer:
This question has no one fits all answer because it greatly depends on what you intent to keep in the tank. The canister will probably increase the flowrate in your tank and that can be a disturbance for some fish.
Still I would rate them in the same order as you do:
- Canister
- Hang on the Back
- Internal
When you look at the convenience of use:
Easy is the HOB, the Canister can be rated medium; a little more troublesome is the internal filter. Cleaning is always a hassle with an internal filter besides this type is known to heat up the water in the tank. So if a high water temperature can be an issue that would speak against an internal.
Canister filters are not always easy to clean. They need to be switched off, you need to make sure you’ve got the hoses out of the tank because otherwise they will act as a siphon; a hang on the back is certainly the most convenient choice.
One other point of consideration can be that flow and flow are not equal; it’s the filtration media that do the job not the water replacement. All things considering I think you would be best off with a good hang on the Back filter.
What is the Best Canister Filter For My 25 Gallon Aquarium
I bought a smaller tank which I'm going to set up. I'm still looking for a good external canister filter that can do a a good filtration job at a reasonable price.
Personally I was thinking about purchasing a Fluval or Eheim aquarium filter. My tank is not really big, just 15 gallons and I'm planning the purchase of a 30 gallon one within a year.
Because I will be housing an Oranda, I don't want to set the water in motion. As you know these fish hate current. I've been using a sponge filter for the quarantine.
What capacity Canister Filter would you suggest for this tank that can also be used for the 30 gallon one I'm planning.
Thanks.
Answer
In this case I don't think a canister is what you need. With a thank the size you are talking about a canister will inevitably produce a fairly strong water flow, and that's what you say you don't want. And a tank your size, doesn't really need a canister either.
You're better off going with a clip on filter, and I highly reccomend the Aqua Clear lines. I'd get an Aqua Clear 50 for a 30 gallon tank, and an Aqua Clear 20 for a 15 gallon set up. These filters will cycle through the tank capacity in excess of 4 times an hour, and not create such a strong flow your fish have to fight to swim. In addition to giving you the needed surface area for your beneficial bacteria to grow.
If however you insist on a canister I should go for the smallest Fluval Filter.
All the best
Tags: 30 gallon tank, gallon aquarium, sponge filter, 25 gallon fish tank filter, water flow, canister filter 25 gallon, size doesn, 25 gallon aquarium filterHow to Stop a Canister Filter From Leaking
Question
A few weeks ago I bought a used 130 gallon aquarium with a Eheim Pro II External Canister Filter. I decided to open the canister to clean the filter and see if all looked okay. I undid the clamps, got all the media out and put fresh filter media back in and attached to hoses.
Wauw, it started leaking like crazy. The problem is really bad when I switch the filter off, and less (but still leaking) when I switch it back on.
Where did I go wrong?
Answer
It sounds like a problem with an old o-ring the needs replacement. You will need to replace it, but when the damage isn't to bad , you may be able to make a temporary fix, by putting some silicone lube on the leaking seal. This is a temporary solution because you don't want to have a damaged o-ring in your filter and run the risk of pumping 130 gallons of water on your carpet.
If the o-rings are really old, I wouldn’t try to remove them until I had replacements in hand.
Tags: canister filter is leaking, aquarium filter leaking, fish tank filters leakingMake a DIY Canister Filter Advice Anyone?
I have a 125 gallon aquarium with an Eheim 2217 external filter. The 2217 is not really sufficient for what I need and I should use a higher capacity filter. Those Canister filters are too expensive for me at the moment so I'm looking at other options. The most viable solution seems to be to build my own canister, thus I'm looking for a step by step guide for a diy canister filter.
Does anyone know of such guides and are they any good? Did you use those guides? Are there people who build their own filter around? Any advice is highly appreciated.
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A protein skimmer Plus a Canister Filter Needed?
We bought a 95 gallon thank that we are setting up as marine aquarium. Where filtration is concerned think about buying Eheim Pro II 2028 an and a Remora Pro Skimmer. Should we buy both or will either one of the be enough. We are planning a reef environment with a medium population density.
Can anyone advise us on this, is it a good choice, do we need more or less?
My Eheim Filter Started Making Strange Noises
I have an external Eheim filter that always has been running smoothly and silently, until a few days ago. I switched it off and a few hours later got it back on. The sound it makes changed, their are blurbs and it's definitely louder
Does anyone else experienced this problem? How did you solve it and any ideas what caused it?
Tags: fluval filter making funny noises, strange aquarium filters, fish filter funny noiseHow to Clean the Hose of my Eheim Cannister Filter
If have an Eheim 2128 external filter and I'm very happy with it. Lately though the intake and out-flow hoses start to look as if strange slime is building up inside.
What's the cause of this phenomenon, and does anyone know how to clean and correct the problem?
Thanks