Please Help Me - Regd EHEIM External Filter

[nagukush]

Hi Friends !

My EHEIM 2217 is about to come and I just read somewhere that these external filters are to placed below the aquarium (inside the aquarium stand) - but sadly I dont have such space below my tank. I was planning to install and place the filter beside the tank - is it possible ?

Kindly advice if I will be able to keep my filter beside (next to the tank) and run it successfuly ?

Kindly advice.
Regards
Kush

 

[Rook]

Here's a good article on the topic:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquarium-equipment/10747-eheim-next-aquarium-not-under.html

Ed

 

[jaysen]

yeah, it should be fine. i have done it with mine.

 

[Squawkbert]

As long as the tank's taller than the canister, you will probably be OK.

Let me take this opportunity to reiterate a good idea for all canister filters...
In the unlikely event of a hose popping off or major failure of the canister or an O-ring, canister filters have the nasty habit of allowing the bulk of a tank's water siphon out onto your floor.
If you drill a little hole in the filter's hard plastic intake tube a bit below the waterline, it can prevent this from happening as it will suck enough air into the line to break the siphon. How low you drill the hole is a function of how much water you're willing to have come out when things go wrong and it is also a function of how frequently you to off your tank (you really don't want to break the siphon if there's no leak as you will cavitate your pump etc. if you don;t catch it early).

Note - you will hear some odd noises coming from the filter before the hole causes a complete break in the siphon.

For water changes, I use a little piece of poster putty to plug the hole.

 

[aquanoob]

Great tip, thanks. Amazing this safety is not built-in already.

The filter engine will likely be damaged anyways but at least you'll prevent a big mess!