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Filter cleaning help

2K views 19 replies 7 participants last post by  jeaninel 
#1 ·
i have a eheim 2213 filter and i was wondering how often you should wash it out and replace the stones inside
 
#5 ·
Also, every now and then open the round thing in the lid of the canister, pull out the impeller and scrub it some with a small brush in your tank water bucket, I use an old toothbrush. You can also do the same thing inside the hole where the impeller goes and around the round thing that holds it in there. Just be careful with the white ceramic pin "stick" they are pretty fragile (learned that the hard way)
 
#8 ·
thanks for the heads up about the ceramic pic, i probably would have man handled it if you didnt warn me.

I run two Eheim 2217"s on 80 gal and once a month, I take them to the sink,open the valves and let water drain from the filter into 3 gal bucket or larger.
I then remove the pad's and rinse them out in the bucket of water,and place them on the counter or other side of sink.
I then pour the water from bucket back into filter and let it run out the hose, down the drain.
I then replace the pad's,,clean the impeller assembly,and put the lid back on after greasing the O ring with vaseline(not too much).
I then take the filter back to the tank and hook hoses back up.open valves,and plug filter back in.
have had same biological media in these two filter's for almost two year's.
does the o ring have to be greased? i have never greased at all
 
#6 ·
I run two Eheim 2217"s on 80 gal and once a month, I take them to the sink,open the valves and let water drain from the filter into 3 gal bucket or larger.
I then remove the pad's and rinse them out in the bucket of water,and place them on the counter or other side of sink.
I then pour the water from bucket back into filter and let it run out the hose, down the drain.
I then replace the pad's,,clean the impeller assembly,and put the lid back on after greasing the O ring with vaseline(not too much).
I then take the filter back to the tank and hook hoses back up.open valves,and plug filter back in.
have had same biological media in these two filter's for almost two year's.
 
#14 ·
I would be nervous about using well water, or any other tap water with chlorine, etc. for cleaning canisters and canister filter materials. I only use water that has been removed from the fish tank for cleaning that way I don't have to worry about killing off the beneficial bacterial that has built up. Some people will only clean one tray at a time, or just part of the media in the canister, for the same reason. And only vacuum one section of the substrate at a time. We have 2 canisters running so when I clean one (with tank water) I do not worry so much about this and go ahead and clean the entire canister and vacuum all of the substrate. But, we have large filter systems, large tanks and big fish. With smaller tank systems, a person may want to err on the side of caution and alternate a portion of cleaning at a time.
 
#15 · (Edited)
I concur with all that has been posted to date. I would only mention that you needn't fuss over using tank water to clean filter media, except in fairly new systems, or in "special" tanks such as a QT that lacks any substrate. There is more bacteria in the substrate and elsewhere in the tank than in the filter, assuming an established tank (running a few months). It doesn't hurt to be overly-cautious, but it isn't necessary, just so you know.

You haven't mention live plants either, and as someone noted if these are present even in newer tanks you won't (or shouldn't under normal conditions) have any issues.

While I have always washed filters under the tap, and everything else for that matter (and my water is heavily chlorinated) I'm not relying on just my own experience here; many sources will offer this approach. And I suspect it may actually be helpful; any undesirable bacteria in the filter would be just as well getting killed off.:)

To add another interesting tidbit, the most recent studies suggest that nitrification in the aquarium is not carried out by bacteria at all, but by another form of life known as archaea. A significant study from 2011 can be found here
PLOS ONE: Aquarium Nitrification Revisited: Thaumarchaeota Are the Dominant Ammonia Oxidizers in Freshwater Aquarium Biofilters
though I warn you it is highly scientific. But just so you know I'm not dreaming this up...;-)

I haven't gone into this in any detail, an article in PFK a couple months back brought this to my attention, so I can't say if this archaea is killed by chlorine or not, though I would suspect it might be, but that is just supposition. Archaea used to be considered as a bacterium, but is now separated as a domain of single-celled organisms, of which there are three: bacteria, archaea and eukaryota. The singular form of the name is archaeon, plural being archaea.

Byron.
 
#16 ·
Just an example of why i am leaving this forum - read before deleted by mods

i concur with all that has been posted to date. I would only mention that you needn't fuss over using tank water to clean filter media, except in fairly new systems, or in "special" tanks such as a qt that lacks any substrate. There is more bacteria in the substrate and elsewhere in the tank than in the filter, assuming an established tank (running a few months). It doesn't hurt to be overly-cautious, but it isn't necessary, just so you know.

You haven't mention live plants either, and as someone noted if these are present even in newer tanks you won't (or shouldn't under normal conditions) have any issues.

While i have always washed filters under the tap, and everything else for that matter (and my water is heavily chlorinated) i'm not relying on just my own experience here; many sources will offer this approach. And i suspect it may actually be helpful; any undesirable bacteria in the filter would be just as well getting killed off.:)

to add another interesting tidbit, the most recent studies suggest that nitrification in the aquarium is not carried out by bacteria at all, but by another form of life known as archaea. A significant study from 2011 can be found here
plos one: Aquarium nitrification revisited: Thaumarchaeota are the dominant ammonia oxidizers in freshwater aquarium biofilters
though i warn you it is highly scientific. But just so you know i'm not dreaming this up...;-)

i haven't gone into this in any detail, an article in pfk a couple months back brought this to my attention, so i can't say if this archaea is killed by chlorine or not, though i would suspect it might be, but that is just supposition. Archaea used to be considered as a bacterium, but is now separated as a domain of single-celled organisms, of which there are three: Bacteria, archaea and eukaryota. The singular form of the name is archaeon, plural being archaea.

Byron.
honestly, is all of this really necessary?? You have even contradicted yourself in this posting.

Folks use tank water unless you have a planted tank and you want to do things byron's way.

I am out of here, folks enjoy your fish and i highly suggest you do your own research
 
#18 ·
Well, I thought this forum was a place to exchange information, opinions, knowledge... whatever. A place to learn [I'm still learning, sometimes from here, sometimes elsewhere online]. A place to assist others by explaining the "why" behind this and that. I like to know the whole picture, and the reason for each; I had thought most others do as well. Obvious some don't.
 
#19 ·
I agree that rinsing the filter material under tapwater in mature tank (month's) is prolly not gonna be to detrimental but,,, many who post here are new, with newly established tank's and as such ,,I choose to present the least harmful advice I can with this in mind.
Other'perhap's can get too aggressive with gravel vaccum,and other's remove everything from their tank's and clean rock's, wood, and I suspect they would clean the fish too if they could get the fish to hold still.(this all destroy's portion of biological filter)
I simply posted my method as asked, and am dissapointed with the climate here as of late with pissing matches over trivial crap such as rinsing filter pad's,adding extra dechlorinator.

Life is too short, and I prefer to spend what time I have left in more interesting way's.
Keep your water clean,,and fishes will respond favorably.
 
#20 ·
Other'perhap's can get too aggressive with gravel vaccum,and other's remove everything from their tank's and clean rock's, wood, and I suspect they would clean the fish too if they could get the fish to hold still.
LOL Too funny 1077! :rofl:
 
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