# Running 2 Eheim 2215 on a 36 gallon ???



## FishHobby (Jul 20, 2011)

Hello Everyone! I need your advice and thoughts about *adding 2 Eheim 2215 on a 36 gallon*. I know its never bad to have too much filtration...but I dunno if I am going to be crazy with having 2 Eheims on the 36 gallon.

Below is quick summary on what I have as my setup...

- I have a 36 gallon planted tank that is almost heavily planted with different plants.

- Got a 10lb CO2 tank with Regulator w/Solenoid on a timer...about 2bps, fluorite substrate, and currently with a Eheim 2215 filter and every 2 weeks 25% water changes. I am dosing with Seachem products for now...(trying to read about EI dosing hoping to convert soon). Lights are T5's - 6500K also on a timer.

- My tank may be little over stocked  ...(I think)...cuz of dang neighbor was about to flush her fishes got too lazy apparently to take care of the fishes as they were moving!....silly person...anyways!...upset about that!)

- 6 Cardinals
- 14 rummynose
- 4 HiFin swordtails
- about 15+ fancy guppies (never stop breeding...bunch of frys in it too)
- lost count on cherry shrimps
- 1 golden algae eater.

Water conditions are all good plants are growing well and fishes are all happy and healthy.

So.......what do I do? Should I run both Eheim 2215 on my 36g or just run with one. Help!


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## WiyRay (Jan 11, 2009)

Just for your reference I suppose...
I've been running 3 Eheim 2215's on a 46g tank for years now.
I love it. Each month I clean 1 filter and leave the others.
Still don't think its enough lol. And if money permitted, would have changed all 3 to 2217's instead.


And I don't think your tank is overstocked... yet.


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## FishHobby (Jul 20, 2011)

Thanks WiyRay! Wow 3 Eheims 2215's on 46g! So I guess on a 36 2 Eheim 2215's will be okay I think.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

If things are good, why add a second filter? A heavily planted tank needs very little filtration, and if you are running CO2 you are better off with less water turnover.


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## Y2KGT (Jul 20, 2009)

FishHobby said:


> Thanks WiyRay! Wow 3 Eheims 2215's on 46g! So I guess on a 36 2 Eheim 2215's will be okay I think.


I have 2 canisters on all my tanks and also alternate the cleaning of the filters. I think you'll love how clean your water will be. Just make sure you clean one filter every month to keep the nitrates down.
--
Paul


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## FishHobby (Jul 20, 2011)

I will setup both Eheims and see how they run....for about a week. If there is too much current I guess I will sell one or just store it as back up.


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## WiyRay (Jan 11, 2009)

BillD said:


> If things are good, why add a second filter? A heavily planted tank needs very little filtration, and if you are running CO2 you are better off with less water turnover.


Assuming that the spray bars are placed beneath the water line and not creating surface agitation, I don't think that the water turnover rate will affect CO2.

I suppose its more of a personal choice to making something good, better. Another filter would allow for more options. 
- alternate cleanings so if you accidentally kill off the beneficial bacteria from cleaning one, the other filter will still be there.
- more flow eliminating some dead spots and providing a more even distribution
- I cant think of a third example so I'm sure someone out there has a good one... but for the time being, although negligible... a 2215 canister can add a bit more water volume to the tank


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## charlie1 (Dec 1, 2011)

BillD said:


> If things are good, why add a second filter? A heavily planted tank needs very little filtration, and *if you are running CO2 you are better off with less water turnover*.


OP i would run both Currently on my 79 gallon i run 2 eheims (2026&2028) along with an Eheim Compact 2000 pump which drives my external CO 2 reactor & adding more flow.

While it is true plants need very little Bio Filtration,, depending on substrate & other factors, the mechanical filtration is always a benefit.
There is another school of thought that suggest that if a tank is heavily planted &hard scaped flow is drastically reduced + flow is essential for the transport of nutrients including co2 to get to all the crooks & crannies of the tank, that school suggest 10-+/- times turn over, of course i subscribe to that school of thought.
Regards


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## dbart01 (Dec 14, 2011)

You can rig up on Eheim with a traditional bio-media setup, and have the second one purely for mechanical filtration with 5 or so course sponges. I am currently running a 2217 and 2215 on a 55 gallon and I have the 2215 setup for purely mechanical filtration and love it. Also have a Fluval C4 HOB for a little extra kick lol


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

A cannister with 5 coarse sponges would be a very good biological filter.


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## dbart01 (Dec 14, 2011)

That is also very true. And it would be great at taking most of the floating debris out as well. Sounds like a win-win situation right there 


BillD said:


> A cannister with 5 coarse sponges would be a very good biological filter.


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

I don't see any point in double-filtering a heavily planted tank. And if you're putting CO2 in and then double filtering, you may as well desist with CO2 entirely. You CAN over filter a planted tank.

W


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