new to canister filters/need advice

[Rmillertx778]

i recently got a eheim 2213 and this is my first canister filter. it's been running long enough now that i'm sure it has established bacteria but recently it seems that it is not circulating the water very quickly. most noteably the water returning to the tank seems to have lost a lot of pressure coming out of the spray bar. do you guys have any sugestions. i'm really unsure how to maintainance the canister. any dos or don'ts?

i checked the regulators on the hoses and they are all completely open.

 

[AtomixIGN]

You can try cleaning the impeller.

 

[Rmillertx778]

ya i was thinking that....any thing i need to be weary of? i assume that i should never mess with the media right? maybe just replace the pads? mine has the three different media layers

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

how long has the filter been running for, and how big is your tank/bioload? My guess would be that you only need to exchange your filter floss. Make sure that none has entered the impeller. Besides that, cleaning of the impeller is a yearly task, if that. You have to run mud thru an Eheim for that mechanism to clog up...

Another possibility is that a snail or other obstacle has entered a hose and got stuck. Although practically impossible, you should double-check that as well.

Good luck,
HarleyK

 

[rumblesushi]

Dont bother with the bio media, and don't replace the sponges. Sponges last ages, all you have to is give them a really thorough squeezing/rinsing in some tank water, and they'll be good as new, but still cycled

I change my filter floss/polywool every 2 or 3 weeks, but I never change sponges or bio media, only rinse the sponges every now and then.

 

[Rmillertx778]

well i disassembled the canister and i think the intake was blocked retty good by a wad of junk (mostly strings that have frayed of of some fabric plants that will soon be removed). but unfortunately while i was jacking with the impellar (sp?) i broke the shaft that runs through it. who knew it was made of ceramic? it snaped like a twig with just the slightest amount of pressure trying to pull it out of the pump. well i put it back together with the fractured impellar shaft and now it seems to be working a little better but noisier. i already ordered a new shaft and hopefully all will be back to normal after it comes in.

it still seems that the pressure from the return is a little low but hopefully after i get it completely fixed it will be better. or i may have to check more throughly for any more blockage.

i lost a fish in the whole ordeal maily i believe due to low oxygen. another problem i am having is with warm water. the coldest water from my tap right now is well over 80 degrees. so if my filtter is not flowing water properly oxygen levels become a huge problem real quick. i am begining to add chilled water to try and bring down the temp a little.