i'm getting ready to set up a 40 breeder for my 3 senegal bichirs, and i would like to use sand as the substrate. the last time i did this was about 10 years ago, and i remember that the sand got into the box filter, and royally screwed the impeller. has anyone else had this problem? i want to use an ehiem ecco canister. any comments or suggestions? what type of sand to use? how do live plants( anubias, bolbitas fern) fare in a sandy substrate?
sand and impellers
- Thread starter tom h
- Start date
Ive used play sand and pool filter sand, but i like to pool filter sand better. you dont have to rinse it as much, and it is slightly more corse so i will be less likely to get sucked into the filter. This also depends on how far your intake is from the bottom.
Switching out the magnet might help if it needs done. My whispers original magnet got thrashed I put a magnet from a 10$ harbor freight pump in it and it's fine.
If you can scratch the magnet easily with sand paper odds are it will do the same in your tank....
I use industrial sand in my tanks.
If you can scratch the magnet easily with sand paper odds are it will do the same in your tank....
I use industrial sand in my tanks.
The older filters had the media before the pump so you didnt have these problems so much and the filters lasted forever I can guess why they changed that.
you might want to think about using an overflow intake for your filter. better yet drill the tank and put a sump in like a tippical salt setup.
Use a sponge or sock prefilter to keep the sand out of the impellors, also raise the intakes a couple inches, I used little pots of planting mix for plants like anubias, they grew better and it made it easy to spot fertilize, I just used filter sludge and basting syringe.
gomezladdams said:
Do you mean like the eheim classic range? With the intake on the bottom of the canister?
Do these **** up less?
i've never used the ehiem classic range, but i do believe that the intake is on top in the ecco range
yeah buy a $1 aqua clear sponge and cut a hole down the middle and slip the sponge over your intake...
