Any tips/hints for new canister filter?

I don't think you'll need the ac5oo with the canister. As far as the broken package of 'bio chem zorb' that you dropped goes. You can just put it into a ladies nylon stocking and tie it up and it will be ok.
I got rid of the prepackaged materials that also came with my eheim.
I use ceramic noodles on the bottom, thick sponges in the middle and fill the rest up with polyester fill.
You don't need to use the manufactureres products exclusively (although they want you too).
 
I too have an XP2 and I really like this filter. I had nothing to compare it to until my neighbor gave me a 55 gal. with 2 Eheim 2213 Classics (nice neighbor, huh?). The Eheims work fine but I like the Filstar better.

IMO, the nozzle-type jet creates current whereas the spraybay dissipates it.

I think your tetras are just jittery because of the new current flow. All the fish in my tank hid for a few days after I installed the canister. Once they got used to the new flow they were back to normal. In fact, they sorta "surf" the heavy current in the middle of the tank and seem to like doing it.
 
Hey, Sivic..I didn't get my tubing on even as far as you did..and I had my husband help. Like you we were afraid we'd break the other components.
I didn't use the chem-zorb at all, and I did bet a small package of the biostars to add to the filter. I also packed the extra space with polyester fiberfill. It really polishes the water that way, but you do ahve to clean the filter every couple of weeks though.
 
nursie said:
1.when I clean it I disconnect and take it to the kitchen sink. Clean it, and then refill it there instead of trying to backfill the whole thing from the tank.
Click to expand...

Just to pass on my experience with the XP2, when I clean mine I just empty it into a bucket and rinse or change the media as required. When restarting the filter you should have to fill it before starting it up. All you should have to do is re-attach the lever with the hoses, allow the water to flow into the filter and then start it after two minutes. I have been doing this for the last few months and have experienced no excessive noise from the filter.

For media I have not used the bio-chem zorb. I use nylon pot scrubbers as my additional media and if chemical filtration is required I just add a piece of carbon impregnated mat under the micro-filtration pad.
 
Do you XP2 owners have the blue intake tube and the black spraybar? I really wish the intake tube was all black so it would look alittle bit better. I wonder if i can just find a black one although im going to have a pain in the a** trying to pull those tubes off to change it.

Also when i was looking at eheims i noticed accessories for their products, do filstars not have any accessories? or are they just harder to find.
 
I think i might have found black intake tubes on bigals. But here is my last question involving my canister.

With the HOB the water falls from above the water causing it to mix with oxygen correct? My spraybar is underwater so does that mean that my tank will not get a good amount of oxygen if i was to remove the HOB? Do you guys keep your spraybar above or below water level?
 
My spraybar is ~2" below the water surface pointing slightly upward. I get a small ripple in the water surface but no splashes. I think this gets plenty of O2 into the tank.
 
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