External Filters....need Some Questions Answered.

[Lazerus]

Yes, my new tank is an 84L (22gal). Not very big at all really.

We have Rubbermaid & Tupperware over here too. I'm sure I'll get one that fits. Good tip...I'll definitely do that.

I have a photo of my tank here...to give you an idea...its standard Aquarium cabinet and the shelf is movable so it can go up a bit to accommodate the external filter.

 

[raptorrex]

Hi again....

I have read through this thread again without interruption and having read other threads from other sites also based on everything that has been said, think I have made my decision.

I am going to go for the Eheim External Filter Professional Complete Special Edition Model 2222...(or I may get the 2224 one) but either way this is the external filter for me.

Thank you so much everyone!

Its very hard for someone like myself who has never even held one of these in my hands or seen one running, to know about the pros & cons of using it on a day to day basis.....so I have been given invaluable advice as always based on personal expeirences.

Its been a real education!!!

I'll be dreaming about inlet pipes, and outlet pipe, blocks, tube, buckets & priming sticks etc

can i recommend the 2224, as opposed to the 2222. the 2222 has 350lph the 2224 makes 500lph. there is not much difference in the cost, and the extra flow will help.

 

[waterdrop]

Hi again....

I have read through this thread again without interruption and having read other threads from other sites also based on everything that has been said, think I have made my decision.

I am going to go for the Eheim External Filter Professional Complete Special Edition Model 2222...(or I may get the 2224 one) but either way this is the external filter for me.

Thank you so much everyone!

Its very hard for someone like myself who has never even held one of these in my hands or seen one running, to know about the pros & cons of using it on a day to day basis.....so I have been given invaluable advice as always based on personal expeirences.

Its been a real education!!!

I'll be dreaming about inlet pipes, and outlet pipe, blocks, tube, buckets & priming sticks etc

can i recommend the 2224, as opposed to the 2222. the 2222 has 350lph the 2224 makes 500lph. there is not much difference in the cost, and the extra flow will help.

or even the smallest of the Pro II series (I forget the model number) as the II series is usually more "findable" than the Pro series (huge difference in "findability" here in the states, but seems I've heard the Pro series is more in evidence in EU...) -wd-

 

[onebto]

That was a good one

 

[Lazerus]

Oh! We've been moved...fair enough! I suppose this is the correct place for the discussion.

Now...

I can buy all of those models you are talking about...however....there is a massive difference in the price. For example

Eheim Pro 2 Includes all accessories and filter media.:
2026 €165
2028 €210


Eheim Pro 3
2080 incl. Media Set €465!!!

So that is why the Eheim External Filter Professionel Complete Special Edition which includes all accessories & filter media is more in my range:
2222 €97
2224 €109

 

[Lazerus]

Just a question about the 'heated' versions of these filters....

Are these just the very same filters only with a heater attachment that can be integrated while in use? i.e can the heater be detached if you didn't want to use it?


Also...had anyone had experience of the Eheim Ecco Pro 200 - 2034 model?

Also, something I know nothing about is 'priming'....

I've seen the term 'self prime' mentioned a number of times, so can someone tell me if the Eheim 2224 or 2026 models self primes?

 

[raptorrex]

Just a question about the 'heated' versions of these filters....

Are these just the very same filters only with a heater attachment that can be integrated while in use? i.e can the heater be detached if you didn't want to use it?


Also...had anyone had experience of the Eheim Ecco Pro 200 - 2034 model?

Also, something I know nothing about is 'priming'....

I've seen the term 'self prime' mentioned a number of times, so can someone tell me if the Eheim 2224 or 2026 models self primes?

cant say much about the heated Eheims, except they get a bad press, like the wet and drys do. they are basically the same filter, but i believe the body casing is altered. my advice? give em a miss.

ahh priming, one of the delights of the external. they all, seem to, have different systems. the only thing that, seems, to connect them is, most dont work.

one way that will, tastes rough though, set the filter up. fill the filter itself up with tank water, place the inlet under the tank water level. suck like , err "heck"(on the outlet) till you have water in your mouth, shut the taps off. then switch on the filter and switch on the taps. should do the trick. works with my Eheim. but if you get the installation set in the deal. after you fill the filter with tank water, top the tubes off through the provided inlet, and your off.

 

[rabbut]

Priming is probibly best done with the canister empty IMO, less chance of air-locks, of which there were plenty when priming my Fluval... I follow Boboboy's method, only starting the pump with the taps open, and the canister empty when I suck.

The Tetratec primer thus far has worked every time for me, bar the time I connected the hoses up the wrong way arround The Rena primer is also good.

The Eheim Ecco was my first filter. I can't describe it accurately realy, while being polite and not invoking Eheim's law suit. Lets just say you don't want to get one, rather stick to the Classics and Pro's if you're going Eheim

All the best
Rabbut

 

[petertr]

Priming is probibly best done with the canister empty IMO, less chance of air-locks, of which there were plenty when priming my Fluval... I follow Boboboy's method, only starting the pump with the taps open, and the canister empty when I suck.

The Tetratec primer thus far has worked every time for me, bar the time I connected the hoses up the wrong way arround The Rena primer is also good.

The Eheim Ecco was my first filter. I can't describe it accurately realy, while being polite and not invoking Eheim's law suit. Lets just say you don't want to get one, rather stick to the Classics and Pro's if you're going Eheim

All the best
Rabbut

Don't worry, I did that with my FX5 the first time I set it up. Sat for about 30 minutes panicking that it was broken as I primed and re-primed about 5 times.

 

[kcharley]

I just installed a Marineland C-220 and had a dickens of a time priming it. I'm guessing I was getting air locks. After 15 minutes of messing with it, I disconnected the intake hose at the aquarium and filled the hose. Worked great then. Now I should probably go watch the dvd that came with it.

 

[waterdrop]

Hi Laz,

When starting siphons for water changes I just suck on the hoses but for priming my eheim 2222, the flex section before the spraybar is at the back of my tank and a bit awkward to reach, so I use a small suction bulb device I bought from eheim at the time I was buying some initial supplies from them. Here's a picture I found:

Suction Bulb

Its Part#4003540 hidden in the misc. accessories at eheimparts.com, described as a Suction device, fits all hose sizes. Its typical eheim, expensive but well-made and it was handy for my situation. It has a one-way valve inside it so you can keep squeezing away on it and it will keep pulling both air and water up out of the output tube from the cannister filter, letting the air out and sqirting the excess water back into the tank through that little clear hose you see in the picture.

Priming first pulls tank water down the input hose, fills the cannister filter and then more or less fills the outlet hose back up to the tank water level, but what everyone's talking about are that air bubbles get trapped, often in the pump impeller area, because its not turned on yet while you're priming and also, bubbles get trapped in the media and gradually come loose during the first minutes after you start up. On an eheim 2222 or 2224, once you suction at the spraybar connection with this bulb and get it to mostly water, you plug in the power and see if it starts pumping water. If not, you try the priming again. If it does pump, you plug the spraybar back on and then move down to the cannister, where you gently lift it, tilt it in various directions 30 degrees and shake it gently to get all the media air bubbles up and through the pump. The air bubbles make a lot of noise when they are being cleared. That's normal. On the eheim Pro II models, a little manul pump is on top of the cannister for you to press rather than having the bulb I've shown. In my experience, my cannister being directly below the tank, the cannister often seems to exert some suction when I open the input tube and gravity then causes the water to fill the cannister with enough force that if I time it right, I usually just plug it in and it begins going with no manual suction priming whatsoever. But a few times I've had to give it a little help, and at least once it seemed quite stubborn with an air bubble.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Lazerus]

Fair enough...

I think I'll stick with the Eheim Pro so.

I'm sure I'll get the hang of it when I eventually get one.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[se0naid]

OK folks,

I came on here tonight looking for information that would be really useful for me being a newbie to this fish keeping malarkie. Do I get a internal or external filter? I have a eheim ball internal one just now, but don't think it is working right. But you have left me totally bewildered! It's not a big tank (20 gallons) with some mollies and platies in it just now.

Help!

Seonaid

P.S. It is quite funny reading them all though

 

[rabbut]

I personally don't bother with internals any more, all my tanks are above the 50g threshold where I find them effective, or are marine where you don't run a "filter" as such In your case though, an internal would suffice. Exturnals are way better than internals though if you can afford one, and I think that's a point we'll all agree on for a change in a filter thread If you can, get an exturnal, but if not, an internal will do the job

All the best
Rabbut