Filter Set Up

[Clammie]

This might sound a little bit stupid, but I want to get everything right on my new tank before I start to do my fishless cycle.

I'm running an Eheim 2217 on the tank, but the intake strainer doesn't reach to the bottom, it's about 6 inches too short. Will this be a problem? Is there any way to make it reach to the bottom?
I've seen so many tanks where the inlet and outlet pipes are at opposite ends of the tank, but in Eheim's guide it shows the outlet pipe with the spray bar only a few inches from the inlet pipe, does this make much of a difference? Should I purchase some extra tubing? It's quite cheap on ebay anyway.

The main thing is the filter media.
I'm going to use EhfiMech on the bottom,
then a coarse blue sponge,
then instead of EhfiSubstrat Pro I'll use Alfagrog (I have a full, unused bag in the garden.)
Then the EhfiSynth. Can you use any old cotton wool by the way? Or are their benefits of using EhfiSynth?

Would Alfagrog be okay to use in the filter? It's very porous, but after reading on the internet, it seems that EhfiSubtrat Pro is more beneficial and had a bigger surface area than Alfagrog.
It's a 110 US gallon tank if that helps with your answers.

 

[Mr Spoon]

This might sound a little bit stupid, but I want to get everything right on my new tank before I start to do my fishless cycle.

I'm running an Eheim 2217 on the tank, but the intake strainer doesn't reach to the bottom, it's about 6 inches too short. Will this be a problem? Is there any way to make it reach to the bottom?
I've seen so many tanks where the inlet and outlet pipes are at opposite ends of the tank, but in Eheim's guide it shows the outlet pipe with the spray bar only a few inches from the inlet pipe, does this make much of a difference? Should I purchase some extra tubing? It's quite cheap on ebay anyway.

The main thing is the filter media.
I'm going to use EhfiMech on the bottom,
then a coarse blue sponge,
then instead of EhfiSubstrat Pro I'll use Alfagrog (I have a full, unused bag in the garden.)
Then the EhfiSynth. Can you use any old cotton wool by the way? Or are their benefits of using EhfiSynth?

Would Alfagrog be okay to use in the filter? It's very porous, but after reading on the internet, it seems that EhfiSubtrat Pro is more beneficial and had a bigger surface area than Alfagrog.
It's a 110 US gallon tank if that helps with your answers.

s
The intake on all my tanks running externals are 6 inches from the bottom, i believe this is the correct way to fit the intake strainers. The spray bar and intake together is fine because the spray bar sprays water away from the intake which gives good water circulation. I'm not familiar with Alfagrog but ehfisubstrat pro is good but pricey. Look on ebay for filter wool, i buy big rolls of it and cut to each filter size.

 

[Clammie]

Thanks for the reply, I've had a little look on ebay for filter wool and it's very cheap

 

[ellena]

If you have sand, you want your intake to be above the substrate to avoid sucking the sand in. Filter wool is very different to cotton wool, it's synthetic. I imagine cotton wool would just turn into a soggy mess! Filter wool is the only bit of your filter that you change regularly too. It just filters out the tiniest particles from the water and holds very little bacteria.
As regards which specific media to use, I don't think it really matters. Sponge, bioballs and ceramics all provide very good homes for bacteria.