New Member, 80 Gallon Tank Questions. Eheim 2028 Media?

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M

malawi500

Candiru
MFK Member
Sep 29, 2011
319
12
48
UK
Evening all,

I recenty picked up a second hand tank 48" x 16" x 24" (80 gallon) complete with ~25 malawis, one large parrot fish and a large pleco.

It came with a Fluval 405 with the media as follows: (in to out)
Coarse sponge
Biomax
Biomax
Biomax
Filter Floss

It seemed to be doing it's job but there were plenty of small bits floating round in the tank. Anyway I got the fish bug so trawled the UK eBay for an Eheim filter.

I stumbled across 2 x Eheim 2028 for a bargain price, although when they arrived and I set them up they both leaked like mad.

A new seal later and they're now both water tight. I have only installed one of the filters and set up the media as follows (in to out):
Ehfimech
Coarse Sponge
Biomax (from the Fluval)
Biomax
Biomax
Filter floss
Outlet via a spray bar

Today is the first day it is running so hopefully it will do a better job than the Fluval although I have three questions:

1. The Eheims came with the Ehfimech and 3 trays of Ehfish media, should I use the Ehfimech instead of the biomax? Obviously adding it in stages to build up the bacteria. If so should I boil it up first as it was used in a marine set up? Or should I ditch all the bio media and add pot scrubbies?

2. Having answered 1, what order would be best for the media? (in to out)

3. Would two Eheim 2028's be overkill on an 80g tank? I could just sell the other and spend it on something else.

Thoughts appreciated
 
The EhfiMech is the bottom layer in your filter. It is considered the 1st coarse mechanical media and traps the larger particles & any debris. I don't know if boiling the used media is necessary but I would definitely use a bleach/water solution to soak the media for an hour then rinse thoroughly with fresh tap water until the bleach cannot be smelled anymore. Finish the procedure with a soak in dechlorinator mixed with water to insure no bleach remains.

I'm not sure what 3 trays of Ehfish media is, could you clarify what the media looks like?

I don't think 2 Eheim 2028's is too much for the 80G tank with that many fish.

I don't like using pot scrubbies in a canister filter.

Do you have the instruction/owner manual for the filters? It is available on Eheims website.
 
I have 3 eheim 2028s on my 100...They do a great job but high flow rate is not one of their strength. I think Eheims would come with one tray of mech(mechanical) and 2 trays of SUBSTRAT PRO...I suggest leave that alone. I don't think pot scrubbers are good for canisters...they get clogged up rather easily.
 
Actually it is Substrat, this link called it Ehfish:
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/fish/filters_pumps/eheim_filters/filter_media/13329

So basically leave it set up as it came? Where should the filter floss go? After the coarse sponge or after the 'Substrat' as a final polish?

I probably won't run two on the tank due to power consumption, increased maintenance etc. However, if I did decide to what would be the best way to plumb them in? Just T into the existing inlet and outlet tubing? Don't really want to have two inlet and outlets. Or just connect them up in series with the one outlet going to the inlet of the next?

That way I could use one canister solely as a mechanical filter and the next purely biological? If I did do it that way could I get away with just running the one motor head or would I need to have them both running?

Thanks
 
Of all the bio media you mentioned scrubbies are by far the least effective in a sealed canister. They have some advantages in a wet/dry sump but you might as well put an old shoe in your Eheims as use scrubbies.

A little salt in a fresh water tank is a good thing. No need to boil the salt out of the used media. The amount of salt leached from bio media that was once used in a salt water tank is less than most people add to their freshwater tank directly or through water conditioners. Boiling the bio media to open all the pores and force out any accumulated pore plugging debris MIGHT have some merit.

I would run two inlets and outlets myself.

If you don't want 2 inlets and outlets on the back of your tank I would recommend making your own inlet and outlet out of 1 inch PVC pipe. If you would like to for looks you can paint the PVC black with Krylon fusion spray paint. I would put a T on the 1 inch PVC pipe under the tank and add two valves, one for each filter so you can cut off the water supply/return to them individually. Running two filters off of the stock inlet and outlet designed for one filter is going to make them compete for the water.

I would not run them in series either.

I also would not dedicate one to bio and one to mechanical. Put a mix of bio and mechanical in both filters and then clean the filters alternating months. This month filter one, next month filter 2, repeat. You will have much less impact on the beneficial bacteria colony you are trying to nurture in your filters this way. Also, if one filter bites it (they are used) the other filter is there to maintain the tank.

Your eheims are excellent filters... but they are not known for high flow. The higher the flow and shorter the tank turn over time the cleaner it will be. By running the two filters in parallel with mechanical filtration in both you are halving the water turn over time in the tank.... A VERY GOOD THING!!!!

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST!!!!!! WELCOME TO MFK!!!!
 
how would they compete for flow if I did T off the inlet? Surely the amount would be negligible?
 
The more water you try to push through any particular diameter pipe the higher the pressure in the pipe will be. The more back pressure on a canister pump the lower the flow through the pump will be. The intake and return plumbing of a canister filter are designed to create minimal back pressure for the canister pump to over come. Double the amount of water you try to push through that plumbing and you will greatly increase the back pressure: http://www.efunda.com/formulae/fluids/calc_pipe_friction.cfm
 
Thanks for your reply.

I have been running the single Eheim 2028 for the last week and to be fair the water is a tad clearer than the Fluval 405 I had but that may just be a placebo effect.

Anyway, as I had been running the 2028 with the Fluval Biomax media from the old filter I have now switched one tray of the Biomax out for one tray of Eheim Substrat.

Quesions:

1. Am I okay to leave the Biomax I have taken out of the filter in the tank itself in say an old filter sock or similar in order to leave BB in the tank till the Substrat gains BB? Or should bio media only be in teh canister filter? My inclination says it doesn't matter where...

2. Is this okay for the order of the media in the filter from in to out:
Ehfimech > Coarse Sponge > Filter Floss > Eheim Substrat > Biomax (to be swapped for Substrat in due course) ???

3. My tank is 48" long, 16" wide, 24" high. Is my tank overstocked with the following:
1 x 7" Parrot Fish
1 x 10" Pleco (head to tail)
20 x Malawi's ranging from 2-4"

4. I'm after a marine look tank, I have medium grade sand, lots of rock, blue backing paper, blue effect light. Can I add any further fish, if so what would be good to add?

5. If my pleco is too big for the tank, what would be a good replacement? School of Clown Loaches? I want something that will get on with the Malawi's and do a bit of cleaning

Thanks in advance
 
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