How often should I clean my eheim 2213?

A

Akabir47

Gambusia
MFK Member
May 1, 2009
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Home of the brave.
I have a 75g that houses my KML FH filtered by two emperor 400's and an ehiem 2213 canister filter. I clean the HOB's twice a month but I was wondering how often should I clean the canister which is stictly used for mechanical and bio filtration, there is no carbon inside. All suggestions will be greatly appreciated...

Oh yea and here's a pic of my boy...:D

 
HarleyK

HarleyK

Canister Man
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Aug 17, 2005
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Howdy,

You should clean canister filters when their flow rate decreases. In a perfect world you would never have to clean them because organic material gets mineralized. In a not-so-perfect world (i.e. my tanks) I clean mine about once a year.

:thumbsup:

HarleyK
 
A

Akabir47

Gambusia
MFK Member
May 1, 2009
791
1
16
Home of the brave.
M.Carfi;3492869; said:
once every 3 to 6 months depending directly on bioload.
Click to expand...
Well I do weekly 40-50% wc's and besides the FH theres only a pleco...Also tank is almost bare bottom...
 
M

M.Carfi

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 26, 2009
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N.Jersey
Akabir47;3493274; said:
Well I do weekly 40-50% wc's and besides the FH theres only a pleco...Also tank is almost bare bottom...
Click to expand...

If you are vacuuming the bottom when you change the water and there is no accumulation on the bottom afterward, your nitrates are prob pretty low considering the tank residents. I would say it should be very safe to do it 2 times a year if you clean your mechanical filtration every week to keep the water clear. Don't forget, you want the eheim to cultivate good bacteria to eliminate toxins and if you keep disturbing it by cleaning it that won't happen.
 
A

Akabir47

Gambusia
MFK Member
May 1, 2009
791
1
16
Home of the brave.
M.Carfi;3493371; said:
If you are vacuuming the bottom when you change the water and there is no accumulation on the bottom afterward, your nitrates are prob pretty low considering the tank residents. I would say it should be very safe to do it 2 times a year if you clean your mechanical filtration every week to keep the water clear. Don't forget, you want the eheim to cultivate good bacteria to eliminate toxins and if you keep disturbing it by cleaning it that won't happen.
Click to expand...
Due to the current produced by the 2 400's most of the waste gets sucked up by the filter heads and when I do vacumming. The current goes across the top towards the front, down the front and then back up again towards the back of the tank. Besides cleaning the hoses and impellor I havent touched the canister in a year. Since it is an ehiem and the canister is some what see through I took a flash light to it and it looked ok.
 
M

M.Carfi

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 26, 2009
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You got to do some maintenance on it......I wouldn't say well it will take care of it self......but again...you have good filtration, and you do seem to do enough maintenance. I would say after a year it's about that time....I wouldn't wait that long on the sheer fact that you might have had a problem and didn't know for a long time. You have to keep an eye on the operation. You should have no problems , just get to it as soon as it is convenient. I have a 2226 and a 2229 and I love those filters.
 
M

M.Carfi

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 26, 2009
239
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N.Jersey
If you haven't already.... you should get into testing your water. It may seem a little difficult at first... but in the long run that will tell you if your doing a good jog cleaning the tank and if your filtration is doing it's job.
 
P

phillydog1958

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jul 11, 2009
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Wichita, KS by way of Philly, PA (Originally from
M.Carfi;3493561; said:
You got to do some maintenance on it......I wouldn't say well it will take care of it self......but again...you have good filtration, and you do seem to do enough maintenance. I would say after a year it's about that time....I wouldn't wait that long on the sheer fact that you might have had a problem and didn't know for a long time. You have to keep an eye on the operation. You should have no problems , just get to it as soon as it is convenient. I have a 2226 and a 2229 and I love those filters.
Click to expand...
I agree. filter maintenance is also the only true way to give your filter a physical exam.
 
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