Stupid Questions.... I am planning to clean the canister filter tomorrow, and it's a Eheim 2028 model. How do i clean the media? Do i clean it like you would with the aqua-clear media? Do, i just rinse the media in the tap? or shake it (in the rack) a bit in the tank water, when i do the water change?
And the sponge filter do i change it everytime i clean the media? Or do i rinse it also in the tank water? When is it a normal time to change all the media in the canister? Once a month? Or should i change one media at one time?
This is from a 30 gallon tank. Any advise would be great and appreciated.


Kamster

I open the cannister and set the pump top, right side up on a towel. Do not turn it upside down for you may get water in parts that should not be wet.

I then take each layer and set them in a large bucket. The white filter pad needs to be rinsed as well as possible or replaced if it does not come clean enough. This pad holds very little beneficial bacteria compared to the rest of the filter, so feel free to blast it clean from the tap if you wish.

The tray with the sintered glass is your main bacteria colony. Care must be taken to not disturb this. It does, however, need a bit of cleaning. Once the trays are in the big bucket, I syphon used fish water from the tank down into that bucket. I pump each tray up and down in the used fish water. The blue sponge that is on top of the bottom tray needs to be squeezed out in fish water. If the water gets too yucky, dump it, and syphon some more over the trays. When those are generally clean - it really takes just a pump or two up and down for my trays, and a good squeeze and swish for the blue pad - I take the rest of the canniter body and dump it into the sink. There will be a ton of very nasty waste in the bottom - that is where it is supposed to gather.

I then stack the trays and sponge and pads back together into the cannister body - making sure the holes liine up. Fill up the cannister to the top and latch the pump top back on. Then hook it back up to your lines.

When you plug it in, the primer pump will start it with one or two pushes. If you do not fill the cannister body, you will not get it primed. When I start mine up, some algae films that were stuck on the inside of the output tubes will blast out of there and float around in the tank. The goldies eat these and/or they are filtered out.

Since my Eheim 2028 is one of 3 filters on my tank, I only clean it once every 4th tank cleaning or so. I clean the other filters every cleaning. If yours is your only filter, you may have to clean it a bit more often. It is really easy to do so, though. Very quick and easy.

Edit: the only media I have ever changed in my Eheim is the white filter pad - I buy a bulk sized one and cut it myself. The rest of the media does not break down and does not wear out.

Daryl, what size is your tank that you have 3 filters on it? I was going to buy an Eheim to add to my tank and my lfs told me I had enough filtration for my goldies. I didn't think you could ever have enough filtration for goldies......

I have an odd shaped 56 galon - a curved frony corner. I have two Emperor 270's and the Eheim 2028. That is 280+280+268 gph, but in reality it is no where near that gph.

I found that I did not have the crystal clear water I wanted without the filters. I use the Eheim as the main source of biological filtration, and the Emperors do the lion's share of the mechanical. (I have the baskets full of media, though as backup)

With this filtration - and careful mnagement of the flow from the spray bar - when it combines with the one Emperor there is too much current so I turn the Ehiem down a mite - I have crystal clear water and perfect parameters with little trouble. I have 3 fish in that tank.
(BIg ones!)

so then possibly adding an Eheim 2028 I could better manage my param's.

I have a 55g corner bow tank with 2-Emperor 280; since the 280's are the only ones that will fit my tank's opening with the glass cover.

Right now it doesn't take much for my param's to go hay-wire and I am concerned that when go on vac this summer (I know it's a bit away) I will lose my tank.

Hi, well i am running 3 filters on my 30 gallon. 2 Aqua-Clear 70'S and one Eheim 2028. So, it's 300+300+277 GPH. at maximum. So, i guess i can clean the Canister later? Maybe i will wait another 2 weeks? So, there is a shut off valve right? So, that i can take off the top and lean the canister? The manuals a little confusing.

Kamster

lcwinne - that is exactly the tank I have. THe 280s are there because there is no room for a wider filter. I added another 280 on the other side to finally get the water under control. It is now, exactly correct. I turn down the Eheim slightly, because the spray bar is right underneath the outflow of a 280 and that makes too much current. I have also stuffed the tubes for a UV on either side, too!

It makes for a full back, but a clear tank!

Sorry to have monopolized your thread Kamster...

Thanks Daryl. I think I am going to go get that Eheim the first chance I get. I didn't think about the UV though. You said you "stuffed the tubes"....How? I'm thinking the UV's are like a light tube. Is it more of a media then?

I have a UV with a separate pump that hangs underneath the tank's stand - hidden. The intake and output tubeing goes up and over the back. I ran one on each side beside a 280 - tight squeeze, but you can do it. Between the airhoses, filters, Eheim intake and spray bar and the UV needs, it makes for a rather tight fit!

I'll have to try that daryl.....will look into the UV as well. I'm for anything that will make the water better for my goldies.

My water is clear if I leave it alone..but then I take param's and something is off. When I do water changes, I get a bit of cloudiness. That was the reason I thought about adding a Eheim canister but like I originally said the lfs talked me out of it. She said that with my present 2 filters I should have enough if I kept up with my water changes, once a week; at about 15g each water change. But I find that isn't enough to keep my param's in check.

Thanks for your help Daryl.... I noticed that my lfs's website show's their Eheim's on sale.

Okay daryl..... how did you fit everything on your tank?

You have the uv hanging underneath the stand, correct? So then you must have added extra pvc piping from a hardware store otherwise the original tubbing for the 25watt uv unit from goldfish connection would be too wide to just hang on the back and the glass tank cover get's in the way.

Yes there is Hun, if you look at the filter from the top, look alittle top right of the big plunger button to prime you will see a little indented red button, this you push in and the Grey lever can now be pushed down wards this will stop the water from coming out of the hoses, then you can detach the hoses and they can dangle from the tank with no worries.