setting up new Eheim 2222...need advice!

[ericbullock]

I want to set up my new tank soon and need some advice. I The filter
I bought (an Eheim 2222, super-discounted) did not come with any
filter media, so I will need to choose the appropriate Eheim media.

The water will flow from a wall mounted overflow box into a small
sump, and from there into the Eheim, and then back up into the tank
via the supplied spray bar (or some other return, haven't sorted that
out yet). I have been reading a few old posts about separating
mechanical and biological filtration, which makes a lot of sense to
me. So...what should I use and where?

Regards,
Eric Bullock

[RTRJR]

I never use canisters as lifters. Most of them are not really designed to operate at any significant head. What is the height difference between the display and sump on your setup? Eheim specifies maximum head, but from my trials years ago with the older Classic series, the max head pretty much was almost total extinguishing of the flow - not a good thing, too much work for the motor, a waste of the unit's filtration capacity.

I personally would use the canister only with intake and output both operating from the same water level. Then I would use a separate lift pump to circulate water from the sump back to the display.

I do use separate bio- and mechanical filtration routinely. Somewhat dated now, but the original write-up on that is still around at:

http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/cannister.shtml

I don't know if the Dupla products mentioned are still available at all, or specifically in the USA (I still have a lifetime supply). Prefilters these days for the bio-canisters are almost all now FilterMax III, which was not available back then (the model I is too fine, II is the same porosity and only half size, III is a bit coarser but still fine enough).

HTH

[ericbullock]

[QUOTE=RTRJR] What is the height difference between the
display and sump on your setup? Eheim specifies maximum
head, but from my trials years ago with the older Classic series,
the max head pretty much was almost total extinguishing of the
flow - not a good thing, too much work for the motor, a waste of
the unit's filtration capacity.

I personally would use the canister only with intake and output
both operating from the same water level. Then I would use a
separate lift pump to circulate water from the sump back to the
display.
HTH[/QUOTE]

Thanks for your response. The filter pump will be approx 30"
from the top of the tank. This is the Eheim 2222, which has a
delivery head of 1.3 m Ws (whatever that translates to) and
rated for tanks up to 150L (approx 40 Gal). The pump output is
500 l/h. This is a 32 Gallon tank, but by the time I've put in 3 or 4
inches of substrate the volume will be signifigantly less than 32
gallons.

So, based on these specs, do you think I really need a seperate
return pump? And anyways, the flow through the filter shouldn't
be too strong to avoid overly strong water movement...right?

Could you elaborate a little more on your pre-filter technique?

Regards,
-eb-

[RTRJR]

You can test your ouput at that head, but I would not use it as such. At times I run a lot of sumps & refugia, at times few. Right now only 5, and none uses a canister as a return pump, even when some of them are zero head setups. Recheck the specifications - pump output is 500 l/hr, but that is zero head, pump-only. Filter circulation is 350 l/hr (~90 gal/hr) also at zero head. Flow decay with head is going to reduce the turnover very significantly.

Three tank turnovers per hour is not much current to me, but I do admit to being a current nut.

On the prefilters, did you check the article referenced?<edited><editID>RTRJR</editID><editDate>38298.7645601852</editDate></edited>

[ericbullock]

On the prefilters, did you check the article referenced?RTRJR38298.7645601852

Where can I find this article?

-eb-

[RTRJR]

The site has moved, now at:

http://www.aquasource.org/CMS/modules.p ... =18&page=1

Most of my bio-only canister prefilters are FilterMaxIIIs now, BTW.

HTH

[ericbullock]

Thanks!


-eb-