Bye bye fish oil --- UPDATED with modification

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

For my pirayas, dinner means shredding fish fillet. No problem thanks to a clean-up crew and massive biofiltration. But the oil film is resilient. Especially catfish and salmon (favorite treat) leave droplets of fish oil on the surface. These droplets stay there for days, reducing gas exchange. Thus, I got a new toy:

Eheim Surface Extractor powered by a 2213. At first try, it works like a charm

Mini added to Monsters (2262 in the background)




from below


from above


HarleyK

 

[GhostShrimpMan]

Nice!

 

[longislandfish]

How much did that thing run you? I never really seen one in stores by me.

 

[hamfist]

Very useful info. I've had my eye on one of them for a very similar problem. I believe Fluval (Hagen) also do a similar one.

 

[aclockworkorange]

Are they designed primarily for salt water?

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

How much did that thing run you? I never really seen one in stores by me.

Check it out at Big Als Online, and never buy without coupon and/or promo code

Very useful info. I've had my eye on one of them for a very similar problem. I believe Fluval (Hagen) also do a similar one.

Yes, they do. Big Als also sells a generic brand. I am an Eheim guy Eheim gives you guidance on flow rate for optimal performance. It basically just sucks water from the surface and chases it thru the canister. If the surface inlets are clogged, a valve is activated that allows to draw water from a submerged strainer (shown in my pics). This way your pump won't burn out.

Are they designed primarily for salt water?

You might be thinking of a protein skimmer. This is somewhat different, as its function is not based on foaming.

HarleyK

 

[HarleyK]

Okay,

I've gotta be honest, that thing sucks. But not from the surface.

It might work in a tank without plants or stuff that can block these tiny intakes tubes. It's crazy. I had to clear them with a wooden pick almost daily.

Thus, I modded with stuff that I had lying around. Removed the top third of the large diameter tube (comes apart conveniently) with the floating double intakes. Then simply added the innards of a Hydro sponge filter and capped with an Eheim spray bar cap.







Seems to be much better now, I'll post an update after a while.

HarleyK

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

Nice. Would it work for a FX5? or 2262?

 

[Pharaoh]

From the looks of your modifications, this would be a very simple DIY for people that have other canister filters with different size intakes, such as the FX5.

 

[epond83]

Fluval makes one too that i use, works pretty well