EHEIM 1200 XL pro3 canister filter

[Tropical Joe]

I have always been a Eheim guy. I had a lot of success with the pro2 that they don't make anymore. Right now I am running two 1200 pro 3 's and I have mix emotions on them. The pre filter pad is on the top and then water runs to bottom of the canister through a corner tube in the filter. I am using the Eheim pro round media balls and some bio-home plus media. Every week the filters have tremendous debree free floating in the water in the canisters (brown water). The water in the tank is clear but has a brown tint to it. I do water changes every week. The tank is a 180 gal and was set up about 4 to 5 months ago. I do have a piece of drift wood in the tank but when I removed it the tank was still getting brown after the water changes. I don't know whats going on. The fish are fine , I am feeding once a day, and the tank is not over populated. My friend has the Fluvials FX6 with a lot more fish in his tank and he hasn't opened them in months. Any one have suggestions on whats going on in my tank ??? Any one using these EHEIM 1200 XL filters with issues ?? Again I was always a Eheim Guy but these new filters with the double intake lines I am not so sure about.

 

[that_fish_Guy]

from what I have seen on the Eheim website...its supposed to be able to run a long time without needing servicing, same as the FX6. Here is their display of how they think it should be set up below. I couldnt find much other info or people with similiar issues online....I have always been a fluval guy...self priming easy disconnect and re connect easy servicing, so im not too sure what you could possibly be doing wrong on your end...maybe your bio load is just too much for it to handle? what is your current stock? water parameters? feed schedule? all this will depend how fast the filter will clog up with that brown sludge/debris. Do you have substrate? do you vacuum it?

 

[Tropical Joe]

Yes this is the configuration of the filter. I have two of these on the 180. I have very small gravel a little coarser then sand about 1/2 inch thick. I do vacumme it. I have about 12 fish in the tank and I feed once a day. Adverage fish is about 4 to 5 inches. Every week filters have lots of sludge in them. I am feeding frozen blood worms , flakes , plankton.

 

[Beetlebug515]

What is your lighting like? Do you see the brown stuff in the filter tubing? Basedo on the age of the tank and what you are describing it sounds like diatom buildup in the filter. Do you need to wipe off algae often?

 

[Tropical Joe]

I have Two Ecotech Marine gen 3 pros on the tank set only at 35 %. Yes,There is some sludge in the filter tubing. Not to much algae on the glass.