# Using a filter rated many times over current tank size



## TypeZERO (Jul 20, 2007)

Hello everyone, currently my 15gallon tank is filtered by a aquaclear50 that needs biweekly cleaning. I'm going on vacation soon for a couple months and was thinking of getting a canister filter to help filter the tank while I'm gone... but I was looking into getting an eheim2213 which is rated for 65gallons. I am interested in a 'big' canister because I am waiting for our basement to be finished so I can get a 55gallon tank running and use the 2213 for it.

I'm lucky my sister knows almost as much as I do about water chemistry and she would be happy to do the weekly water changes for me while I'm gone but she refuses to clean the aquaclear50 seeing how it is a 'naaaaasty' job. So I'd thought that a canister filter would go uncleaned for 2 months easily. 

My problem is that this will be my first canister filter and I don't know how the flow will be like even using a spraybar to reduce the current. Is getting an eheim2213 for a 15gallon tank a smart thing to do, even with my future plans to upgrade? Or is there a way to reduce the flow of the 2213? 

Thank you.


----------



## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

TypeZERO said:


> Hello everyone, currently my 15gallon tank is filtered by a aquaclear50 that needs biweekly cleaning.


_
^This is where I stopped reading- can you define cleaning- also I cant imagine a proper setup where this is possible so I wonder what is being done wrong
_



TypeZERO said:


> I'm going on vacation soon for a couple months and was thinking of getting a canister filter to help filter the tank while I'm gone... but I was looking into getting an eheim2213 which is rated for 65gallons. I am interested in a 'big' canister because I am waiting for our basement to be finished so I can get a 55gallon tank running and use the 2213 for it.
> 
> I'm lucky my sister knows almost as much as I do about water chemistry and she would be happy to do the weekly water changes for me while I'm gone but she refuses to clean the aquaclear50 seeing how it is a 'naaaaasty' job. So I'd thought that a canister filter would go uncleaned for 2 months easily.
> 
> ...


You can't really put it on a 15 gallon unless you output it something like along the bottom through a very loose sponge or something to really diffuse it. its technically possible though


----------



## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

That really depends on what kind of fish you have in the tank. When you clean your filter. Was there alot of gunk or it's farily OK?
While it's good practice to clean your filter once in a while. It's also OK to go 2 months without cleaning it as well. It just depends on your fish load and the amount of poop and stuff they generate. The only concern here is that the build up might clog the filter while render it in-effective. If it's not too bad, you should be able to get away with it with the regular water changes.

*Never pay again for live sex! | Hot girls doing naughty stuff for free! | Chat for free!*


----------



## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

I have a 15g set up with a 2213 with a spray bar that I cut in half and placed vertically in one of the corners to create a lot of flow around the tank because I have pl*cs that love the current. 
I also have a 2213 on my 20g planted tank. The main consideration to me is the amount of current your fish can handle without getting pinned down somewhere. Little fish like CPDs or neons won't be able to fight the current for long, so they might go into hiding where they are shielded from the current. Other fish love the current and will hang out in it all day.

What do you have in your tank that requires biweekly cleaning of the filter?? I clean my 2213s on my small tanks maybe every 2 or 3 months (some times more if I forget  ).


----------



## TypeZERO (Jul 20, 2007)

I have 2 danios, 4 cory cats, 5 platies and one guppy. I do weekly water changes but choose to clean the filter sponge every other week while I do the water change. I might get away with 1 month without cleaning the foam block because it does not look that bad when I clean it biweekly and I have never noticed reduced flow from the waterfall.

If this is important, I have foam at the bottom of the aquaclear50 then some filter floss, then the ceramic rings that the filter came with. I squeeze the foam few times under water from the water change, replace about half the filter floss, and shake the bag of rings also under water from the water change.


----------



## Calmer (Mar 9, 2008)

What substance are you cleaning out of the filter? Is it brown slimy crap. If so you may be over feeding your fish. The filter floss is a good water polisher and will gag up faster than the sponge. Maybe try running the filter with only the sponge and ceramic rings and see how that works.


----------



## kweenshaker (Mar 11, 2006)

TypeZERO said:


> I squeeze the foam few times under water from the water change, replace about half the filter floss, and shake the bag of rings also under water from the water change.


Do you mean you squeeze it in the old aquarium water or the new water fresh from the tap?


----------



## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

TypeZERO said:


> I have 2 danios, 4 cory cats, 5 platies and one guppy. I do weekly water changes but choose to clean the filter sponge every other week while I do the water change. I might get away with 1 month without cleaning the foam block because it does not look that bad when I clean it biweekly and I have never noticed reduced flow from the waterfall.
> 
> If this is important, I have foam at the bottom of the aquaclear50 then some filter floss, then the ceramic rings that the filter came with. I squeeze the foam few times under water from the water change, replace about half the filter floss, and shake the bag of rings also under water from the water change.


well thats why.

Aquaclears run best foam/foam/foam or foam/foam/biomax. Whatever you prefer.

Only rinse out ONE piece of foam OR the biomax per cleaning. Otherwise you will damage the biofilter


----------



## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

For my aquaclear filters where the outflow water is too powerful for the tank's plants or fish I use a water bottle cut into a square and curved around the lip of the tank to slow the fall of the water. I will explain further.

Take an empty 500mL water bottle. Cut the tapered top section off and remove the bottom portion. Take this rectangular shape and fold one end onto itself in the direction opposite the way it naturally curves in (from the cylinder it used to be). Now put this folded section over the lip of the tank and put the filter down onto it to hold it down. The natural curve of the plastic keeps the water from spilling right over it and instead deflects it 50/50 to the right and left. You can cut down the plastic to suit your taste.

This may not be desired in an open top tank but something fish room quality or with a canopy this method is foolproof.

Naturally as soon as I post this I find another thread where tabatha links to a similar DIY plan!
http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?p=24253#post24253


----------



## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

kweenshaker said:


> Do you mean you squeeze it in the old aquarium water or the new water fresh from the tap?


i imagine from the tank. That'd be best anyways


----------



## awbowden (Mar 8, 2007)

I run a 2213 on my 10Gal, with shrimp and otos, with no problems. If you find the current too strong you can run the spraybar from front to back and point it towards the glass. You could also remove the cap on the end of the spray bar, this will greatly reduce the current.

I don't think, however, that the 2213 is big enough alone for your future 55Gal.

Andrew


----------



## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

awbowden said:


> I run a 2213 on my 10Gal, with shrimp and otos, with no problems. If you find the current too strong you can run the spraybar from front to back and point it towards the glass. You could also remove the cap on the end of the spray bar, this will greatly reduce the current.
> 
> I don't think, however, that the 2213 is big enough alone for your future 55Gal.
> 
> Andrew


A 2213 can run a 30 gal by itself successfully beyond that you're asking for trouble


----------



## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

2215 at least for a 55 - I'd recommend a 2217 though.

I also run a 2213 on my 20g tank, and I think it is absolutely perfect for that size tank - good flow, but not too hard. This is in a tank where I am also raising apisto fry.


----------



## TypeZERO (Jul 20, 2007)

kweenshaker said:


> Do you mean you squeeze it in the old aquarium water or the new water fresh from the tap?


Yup i clean all my filter media with old aquarium water.

Thank you all for the inputs on the eheims. Worrying about current problems, I went and got the marineland c-160 rated for 30gallons. It has been running for couple of days now. I'm surprised how easy it was to set up a canister filter. I'm using the supplied coarse sponge's for the bottom tray, everything that was in my aquaclear50 in the second tray, and the supplied bioballs for the last top tray. One thing I dislike about the c-160 that it did not come with a spray bar, but came with a nozzle, I'll plan a diy spray bar sometime in the future.

I like the spray bar aimed towards the glass idea with the cap off when using the 2213 but I got a pretty sweet deal on the c-160, if I haven't bumped into this deal I would of gotten a 2213 and did this.


----------

