filter maintenance

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jjyo888

AC Members
Jan 10, 2007
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hello i just bought a eheim prof.2, 2026. for my planted tank. as far as i know, 2-3 months is the best for cleaning the filter and changing some new fine filter pads. my question is do i need to change the water inside my canister filter when ever i do the maintenance of my filter or just leave the dirty water inside of my canister filter?
 

jjyo888

AC Members
Jan 10, 2007
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i have another question. do u use carbon filter pad in you eheim filter? if not, what media substitute did u use for your carbon pad. between efisubstrat and fine filter pad(white pad)?
 

Plecosterone

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Jan 25, 2007
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Windsor, Ontario, Canada
home.cogeco.ca
I dont use carbon very often. Only when I do a major makeover of my tank or after medication is used. My Ehiem is set up (bottom to top)as follows.
Course filter floss - I cut my own - buy it in rolls
Ceramic rings
Course sponge
Ehfisubstrat (basically small stones) in filter bags
Fine sponge
Filter floss - 2 layers
I have tried different orders but find this one works best for me.
 

liv2padl

cichlidophile
Oct 30, 2005
2,686
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north carolina
don't feel obligated to use those various "Effi" this and "Effa" that in your eheim. there's no magic in them and they're perhaps twice as expensive as other media. basically, media is media ... a place for bacteria to grow. even if you were a fan of carbon, those 'carbon pads' are useless. if you're going to use carbon, usse a full basket of Marineland or Black Diamond brands .. they're quality.
 

jjyo888

AC Members
Jan 10, 2007
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thank u very much for your advise. is coarse sponge the blue one right? this is my eheim filter setup:

ehfimech
coarse sponge(blue pad)
ehfisubstrat
coarse sponge(blue pad)
fine filter pad(filter floss)

is this setup fine for planted tank?
 

jjyo888

AC Members
Jan 10, 2007
5
0
0
don't feel obligated to use those various "Effi" this and "Effa" that in your eheim. there's no magic in them and they're perhaps twice as expensive as other media. basically, media is media ... a place for bacteria to grow. even if you were a fan of carbon, those 'carbon pads' are useless. if you're going to use carbon, usse a full basket of Marineland or Black Diamond brands .. they're quality.
thanks for the advise liv2padl
 

Plecosterone

We don't need no stinking badges!
Jan 25, 2007
795
0
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68
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
home.cogeco.ca
One other thing. I don't know if you have baskets in your filter (mine does not). If not, I buy filter bags for any loose stuff (substrat, carbon etc), it makes cleaning the filter so much easier. No loose stuff all over the place and getting mixed in with each other.
 
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