Eheim Media Configuration

[daizeUK]

I bought an Eheim classic 2213, bargain but it didn't come with much media.  Apparently I have to buy that seperately ^^
For reference, the instruction manual recommends 5x coarse sponge, 1x fine sponge and a carbon sponge.
 
I'd like to include a bit more biomedia - my internal filter uses ceramic rings so I'm happy to get more of those.
Then perhaps some more fine filtration, is filter floss good for this?
How about this (from bottom to top):
 
3x Eheim coarse sponge
1x Eheim fine sponge
a layer of filter floss
2x sponges from my smaller internal filters to keep cycled
1L ceramic bio rings
 

 

[TwoTankAmin]

This filter is now called the Classic 250. Ir comes with two different media loads.
 
B1 Model with filter pads:Rinse all filter pads under running water and insert them into the filter media container according to the
drawing: 5 coarse filter pads blue (order no. 2616131 / 3 pcs.), 1 fine filter pad white (order no. 2616135 / 3 pcs.), and 1 car-bon filter pad black (order no. 2628130 / 3 pcs.) as a top layer. The carbon filter pad adsorbs possible dissolved harmful substances
after newly installing the filter. After a working time of approx. two weeks, the carbon filter pad should be removed.

B2 Model with filter media: Fill the filter media container in the following order: approx. 3 - 5 cm EHEIM MECH, 1 coarse filter pad blue (order no. 2616131 / 2 pcs.), EHEIM SUBSTRATpro or SUBSTRAT, 1 fine filter pad white (order no. 2616135 / 3 pcs.),
1 carbon filter pad black (order no. 2628130 / 3 pcs.). After-wards rinse filter media container under running water to remove
residues.
 
Full manual can be found here http/www.eheim.com/resources/product//219/downloads/11/EHEIM_classic_250_manual.pdf

 

[DrRob]

I filled one up with a piece of offcut sponge and a load of random ceramic media recently. Seems to be working fine. No major reason that you have to stick to eheims stuff unless you don't want to have to cut any round pieces of sponge.

 

[daizeUK]

Thanks.  Any thoughts about filter floss?  I hear people saying that filter floss gets messy and doesn't last long.  Is it good for fine filtration or would I be better off sticking to the Eheim's fine sponges? 
 
Is there really any need to have more than one fine filter sponge or would lots just slow down the flow?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I run a pair one Eheim Pro IIs. I have always added at least one layer of floss as well as using both the coarse blue and fine white pads. I clean my canisters about every 5 months. The floss is nasty when removed but the flow seems to mostly hang on.
The two filters use two different loads. I should note I bought both filters with media included.
 
In one I removed the noodles and replaced them with AquaClear sponges I cut to fit the basket. As DrRob noted, one can pack a canister filter with any media they want. There is no reason to buy Eheim's over anything else. However, that does not mean one 
should not do so if that is what works for you.
 
Most filters should be custom loaded with media to suit the specific tank and its needs.

 

[goldfinger]

I run cheap quality cut myself floss and its so cheap I chuck them out after a month, not worth saving TBF at NON Eheim prices.
Quality of water is very clear!
I run noodles bottom, then blue corse sponge next, K1 bio in a net bag, then another blue sponge and one inch layer of floss for polishing and it works a treat,
Mines a 2217 so you might need less than 1".

 

[snazy]

I don't use floss anymore. I use coarse and fine sponges for mechanical filtration and it's better this way.
The floss will just get clogged too quickly, and then spread the stuff around the tank instead of "polishing" the water. There's no need for it. Sponges do a better job at keeping the water clear.
 
Apart from that, it really doesn't matter. The rule is to use the coarse media as first layer, then bio, then fine filtration and chemical media.
Some ceramic bio rings are actually supposed to be first layer, as they work mostly as coarse media. They catch the big particles due to the water turbulence and their shape playing part. They of course work as bio media too.

 

[goldfinger]

Thing is when I clean the filter the amount of brown and green stuff stuck to the floss is quite a bit I have two blue sponges already bottom and top,  so for this finer particles of waste to get caught on the floss seems to make the polishing worth while? I especially notice the floss helps with Algae cleaning right after a scrub down the floss removes a hell of allot of floating algae from the tank and re growth is minimal.
 
I pay £10.00 for 1square metre and 1" thick floss, works out cheaper than finer sponges from Eheim in comparision.
Trick is change it out once a month I can get 18 months of floss if not more as I cut my own pads and use the off cuts in a net bag.

 

[daizeUK]

Snazy - why do you recommend bio media before fine filtration?

If floss is no better than a fine sponge then I'd go for the sponge as I can squeeze it out and reuse it. How often do you replace your fine sponge?

 

[snazy]

If floss is no better than a fine sponge then I'd go for the sponge as I can squeeze it out and reuse it. How often do you replace your fine sponge?       
 

  
Never. Well, not yet anyway. I've got 3 years old sponges that look like new when cleaned. My fine sponges are 35ppi and the coarse 15ppi. The only reason I say fine after the bio is because you don't want floss before bio filtration as it's too early in the filtration stage and your filter flow will be affected. Once the floss gets dirty, the flow will cause all that gunk to go into your bio filtration. But with sponges you can use coarse, then fine, then bio, then fine again, then chemical, which is the way I have it at the moment.  Also,  sponges have very large surface area as well, so they very well contribute to the bio filtration as well as mechanical, way better than floss which normally isn't the best place for bacs.
I clean the external about every 3 months(and longer) and I am yet to see anything clogged or the filters reducing the flow. The water is crystal clear. With floss, no matter how cheap it is, you'd need to replace it fairly often, more often than the filter would neeed cleaning because the floss becomes counterproductive. It cloggs with stuff eventually, breaks them to dust particles, which start floating around your tank when you haven't changed it for a while. I don't even know why people use something that needs replacing, when there's thousands of types of media that will do better job both bio/mechanical wise and need no replacing.
 
And another thing to keep in mind is that a healthy tank will have clear water. It isn't always the debris that causes clouding, it could be unhealthy plants, algae issues, wrong flow pattern setup, underfiltered and overstocked tank. For the most part, you don't need too fine mechanical filtration to have crystal clear water.

 

[goldfinger]

If you are lazy then go for convenience I change out every month and don't get clogging or over build up and still get to pay less than 50P a pad Ehiem might sell you one for £10 

If you don't clean out finer sponges or coarse sponges you still get clogging and over build up without maintenance.
Agreed in part I have goldfish mechanical is important for me due to waste management.
TBF go and decide for yourself not every parameter in a habitat is identical in suitability so decide for yourself important thing is the fish are in clean water NO MATTER HOW YOU ACHIEVE THIS!  

 

[snazy]

 If you don't clean out finer sponges or coarse sponges you still get clogging and over build up without maintenance.
 

 
Maybe, every 6 months would be enough though without the slightest issue with water clarity.
How often do you change the floss?
 

important thing is the fish are in clean water NO MATTER HOW YOU ACHIEVE THIS! 
 

 
Whether you use floss or sponge or whatever else, it plays no part in the water being "Clean".
Clean water for a fish tank means no ammonia, no nitrItes, acceptable levels of nitrAtes and low dissolved organics and metals, also low minerals depending on the type of fish.
This you can only achieve by proper stocking and regular water changes.

 

[daizeUK]

Thanks I might try without floss initially and see how it goes.

 

[snazy]

I don't use any floss in all my 5 tanks at this moment. Floss is useless
 
If you ever have issue with water clarity, then you can get Seachem Purigen and you'll get that crystal clear water one dreams about. It lasts months and then it can be re-charged and re-used, so you invest just once.
 
But I don't use it anymore, besides in one tank that I just keep delaying opening the filter.  The reason is that I read it also removes the good properties of almond leaves and similar stuff, tannins of course as well and I don't want that removed as they have antibacterial properties and aid in heavy metal chelation, which is good for sensitive fish and shrimp.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I change out my floss weekly on all but my canisters. It is one of the most useful medias in the 30 plus filters in which I use it. The only thing I have that works better are my H.O.T. Magnums run with the micron carts. And if you want to go nuts, a diatomaceous earth, aka DE, filter is the best. But they clog fast. Using filter floss extends the life of the other filter media, reduces the work needed to keep the filter clean and keeps the water clearer than without it. There is rarely a reason not to use floss in fw systems.
 
The stuff that the floss catches is often stuff that will pass right through sponges, even fine pored ones. And if larger organic particles get trapped inside a sponge, they continue to degrade, eventually be able to return to the water column. Filter floss tends to capture smaller solids than sponges. By removing the used floss, one removes all the waste. No matter how well you rinse a sponge, you will never get it totally "clean".
 
daize- you can try it with or without to start and then change to the other way and decide for yourself which you feel is better. However, the younger a tank is, the less built up waste there will be. So it may take a while before you can make a fair comparison.
 
One more thing- when it comes to the quality of water, turbidity does count.