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canaster filter

  • Thread starter lithopsboy
  • Start date
i have had fresh and brackish waster fish for a while now and i need to know what exactly is a canaster filter, what do you hook it up to, what do i need to use it, how much are they, are they worth it, how dose it work, why do some aquariums require them?? if some one can answer these questions i will be very greatful

anson nesbitt
 
Hi Lithopsboy,

Canister filters were introduced by Eheim into Germany in the 1950's and into the USA in the 1960's. They are simply a type of power filter that sits on the floor and has 2 tubes running to the tank -- intake and out put. The big empty canister model allows the aquarist to use the filter as a triple threat filter -- biological, mechanical and chemical. In other words, you can use carbon, floss and a biological medium inside the canister. Now I use them as biological filters as I do not use carbon due to the number and amount of water changes I do. The amount of biological medium you can put in a canister allows for a big and effective biological filter bed for the tank. If you use Eheim canister filters, they come with all the biological medium and it lasts for years and years. It also comes with a carbon pad -- that I do not use and with a floss pad that I use and then when I need a new one (2-3 months) I just buy a bag of filter floss and make my own pad for a few cents instead of spending alot of dollars on the pre-cut pads Eheim has available. Regular filter floss works as well for me. This is where the real benefit of at least the Eheim canister filter comes in. They are a bit more costly than other filter types at first but over the long haul they save you lots of money as you don't have to buy expensive cartridges and ready made filter pads. The Eheim type of canister filter is silent to run. All you hear is the water entering the tank -- no motor noise. If you do use carbon in the canister and use a quality carbon like Marineland's, Canister filters make for extremely clear water. If you haven't noticed, Eheim is the brand of canister filter I like and use. Now, I use canister filters on my big tanks and old fashion plastic inside corner filters (very low tech) on my smaller tanks and they work great as little biological filters in a box. I fill them with Eheim biological medium over a small layer of filter floss on the bottom of the box and I have a great filter and one I can move around at will to establish new tanks right away. I keep extras in tanks bubbling away just so I have a cycled filter ready to go when I have to add a new fry tank or breeding tank.
Eheim cost varies. Check out the on line aquarium supply houses like That Fishy Place or Big Al's or Drs. Smith and Foster and see what they sell them for. They are ususally cheaper than stores -- but make sure EVERYTHING comes with the singe purchase. Sometimes places sell Eheims without the medium and quick disconnect values to lower costs and buying those things separately makes the cost higher than when you buy the whole kit as a unit!
I hope this helps. Eheim has a good site. I'd check it out.

Bobby
 
Hey Bobby,
I've been doing a lot of reading, and I'm no where near acknowledgable as you. Guess I got to keep on reading
laugh.gif
Someday, I hope to catch up.

I've been using the fluval filters the 104 model.

I was wondering how do you do your water changes, sometimes my siphoning malfunctions or when the water is just too low it can't reach it, is there another easier way to do some water changes. I've been using the siphoning and the bucket ways.
 
Hi DKiM128,

Thanks for the compliment and you are doing well studying by yourself. I've been into fish for almost 40 years. I have 2 six foot book shelves filled with fish books on all kinds of fish subjects and in german and english and boxes and boxes of magazines and small books from all over the place and dating back to the 1920's. I love books as much as fish and CP's -- especially old books and older fish books are some of the best.
I siphon tanks in a very old fashion way. My tanks are bare bottom so I do not need to use a gravel vacuum. I have a 20 foot 5/8" clear rubber hose that I use. I can run it out the door or window to the yard and siphon the tank water into the grass. I can take the tank down to an inch or two if I want to. I never loose siphon unless I lift the hose out of the water. I have a small strainer on the end of the hose in the tank. If you are using the gravel vacuum type go buy a much longer hose at the hardware store that fits the vac and replace the little 5 foot hose the gravel vac is attached to with the new long hose. That way you can have enough hose to move the vac around easily; keep the hose in the bottom of the bucket or even run it outside. I bet your hose length is your problem.
Now people have all sorts of automated waterchange systems using PVC piping and water pumps but I am a low tech kind of guy so don't do that. Check out the fish room site on a webpage called <Randy's Aquaria>. Randy shows his automated fishroom and goes through the building process. There's other sites that show automated systems but I am not sure where they are on the web.
Now, I can fill many of my tanks with just my tap water dechlorinated. I put the dechlor in the tank and run the garden hose in and fill the tank up. I'm in Houston so my tap water in winter is not too cold -- usually. If it is I use an indoor tap and mix hot and cold and I have a special clean little hose for the indoor tap. With my killies, fry or sensitive fish, I have to use buckets as many of these fish require RO or rainwater and my tap water is hard and alkaline -- plus killies don't like the force of faucet water coming out of the hose. The mollies and swords don't mind the force in a large tank and even the fry in a large tank are ok with it.
I hope this helps.
Did you ever check out the Chicago area fish clubs?

Bobby
 
I am trying to attend the Killifish Society, but the location is so far for me. Around an hour and 30 minute drive, so the best time wouldn't be in the winter. I was trying to find out other means of getting killifish but websites wants around 30 dollars plus overnight shipping for one. Costing around 100 dollars for a chance of getting a pair. I'm trying to acquire some killifish eggs, If that doesn't work, I'll guess I'll just be doing some reading, and try attending it towards the summer.
 
Hi DKim123,

Have you looked at <TheFishWizards.com>? Tony has reasonable prices and shipping charges. I think the Chicago killie club is having a show and auction in March so maybe that would be a good time to go. Check their webpage.

Bobby
 
AHHHHHH! DO NOT USE CANISTER FILTERS! I had a bad mishap a few months ago- the tubes going to the canister filter popped off, and in 30 seconds 10 gallons of water was on the floor! the tubes acted as siphons, and it really sucked out the water! :0

if anyone wonders why proquatics filters were discontinued, thats why! a 250 gallon reef tank was emtied within an hour!
mad.gif
 
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