Tom Flowmeter

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tankmate

Slave to the Loaches
Mar 17, 2007
36
0
0
Portland, OR
I am in the process of setting up a 75g planted tank. My big box from Al's arrived today, so I set up the Eheim 2236 canister filter.

I installed a Tom flowmeter (H-2506) in the output of the filter, and everything seems to be fine, except....

The flowmeter shows about 80 gph and the filter is rated at 185 gph. I had to get different fittings to fit the Eheim hose, but from how I understand this flowmeter to work, this shouldn't make any difference.

BTW, I searched and didn't come up with anything. Anyone familiar with this device or situation?

TIA
 

Riverfishguy

AC Members
Jan 5, 2007
37
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0
Thats awful man. Thats less then half the rated flow rate. Info like yours makes me glad im pretty heavily in the HOB camp. I run a rena xp3 and like it but it also flows about 180gph with media instead of the 350 or so the box says. It also cost over double what a pair of large HOB's would.
 

Ulan

AC Members
Sep 22, 2006
1,025
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Of course, HOBs always have the flow rate that is stated on the box :joke:.
 

Riverfishguy

AC Members
Jan 5, 2007
37
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Lol never said they did but they still flow far more then a cannister that has 3x the cost. *shrug* All in what you prefer. I just prefer Hob's for bang for the buck and reliability. Cannisters have there uses to in applications where there's no space for hob's but if ive got the space i'll use hob every time unless its a planted tank.
 

tankmate

Slave to the Loaches
Mar 17, 2007
36
0
0
Portland, OR
i'll use hob every time unless its a planted tank.
Exactly... This is a planted tank. at any rate it turns out that the flowmeter was reading low, and the head (height water lifted) impacted it a lot, too. I measured the out put and with zero head, I put the output at about 150 gph vs. 185 rated.

HOBs don't have any head issues, obviously, so one is more likely to realize the rated output. As for cost difference, well, the cannister filter is more sophisticated, quieter, and more flexible. But the HOB is definitely the best bang for the buck.
 

loaches r cool

Snail Terminator
Feb 15, 2006
1,830
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Gahanna, Ohio
tristan.homelinux.net
Hmm, I just got one of those flow meters myself, that sucks its not very accurate. I may have to 'calibrate' it. I did think it was odd that something probably intended to measure 100-200 gph has such large hose fittings. I mean what kind of pump or filter around the middle of the scale uses hoses that big? I'm having some trouble finding reducers.
 

Rbishop

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 30, 2005
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Mr. Normal
I have found that all canister manufacturers usually do their flow calcs WITHOUT any media, chambers, trays in place to inhibit flow. Then you put all the parts in, fill with media..... You can usually find the disclaimer in small print in the instructions or on their website.
 

loaches r cool

Snail Terminator
Feb 15, 2006
1,830
0
0
Gahanna, Ohio
tristan.homelinux.net
I'll look into that, I was at Lowes the other day and spent a half hour and looked through all the fittings and even with combinations I could get it down small enough. I cant remember offhand but the size I need is smaller than 1/2". I was going to look somewhere that might have smaller sized stuff like for watering systems like at a nursery or something.
 
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