# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Eheim keeps getting sludged!



## trace_lynn (Mar 4, 2003)

I have a Eheim 2213 on a 10 gal (overkill? maybe, but I like clear water). This may be in the wrong spot, but it questions equipment and water chemistry both....

By algae in this post (its brown slimy sludge like material that looks like hair in the hoses when the water is flowing and looks like just a slimy sludge in the bottom of the canister)

Anyhow, last week I noticed an algae outbreak (like OVERNIGHT) so I started checking everything and noticed that my filter was not flowing much at all, I could barely feel the return pressure on my finger in the water right up next to the spray bar. It had been running aprox. 3 months so okay, filter cleaning time.

I took the hoses and scrubbed them out with a brush, they had algae in them as well. On the Eheim, I took the filter apart, removed the basket and cleaned the canister (which was full of brown slimy sludge). Then, I took the top off of the media basket and cleaned the top foam pad only. The bottom media ceramic, middle foam pad, and then rock media on top of that was not bothered as I didn't want to kill my nitrifying bacteria. Now, a week later - hair like fine brown algae is in the hoses again and the filter is not flowing anymore. Its extremely slow like it was after 3 months of usage so I evidently didn't get all the algae out somewhere. 

Also, my ammonia has spiked to off the charts (highest reading on the tests Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) but there are no fish dying. (khuli loach, yoyo loach, gouramis, and oto's)

I have also had the same problem with my internal CO2 reactor getting full of this sludge and not being able to operate (this has happened after only two days from it being cleaned since it is a much smaller area).


Water levels:
pH: 7.4
Nitrate - 0 (this dropped from 5-10 ppm just before the filter cleaning)
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - 6+ (spiked after the filter cleaning and was 0 before cleaning the filter)
KH- 14 degrees
GH- 14 degrees
Phosphate - 0,25 mg/l
pressurized CO2 injection
3.6 wpg PC lighting
Plants are 3/4 tank attached riccia, dwarf sag, and ludwigia repens

Could I have killed my good bacteria?

How should have I cleaned the Eheim 2213? If the bacteria wasn't killed, can I go back and rinse all the media lightly (like a run through the removed tank water so that I can get any residual sludge out of the media basket?) without killing it?

Thanks

Tracy
Ummm, Is it suppose to do that!?


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## trace_lynn (Mar 4, 2003)

I have a Eheim 2213 on a 10 gal (overkill? maybe, but I like clear water). This may be in the wrong spot, but it questions equipment and water chemistry both....

By algae in this post (its brown slimy sludge like material that looks like hair in the hoses when the water is flowing and looks like just a slimy sludge in the bottom of the canister)

Anyhow, last week I noticed an algae outbreak (like OVERNIGHT) so I started checking everything and noticed that my filter was not flowing much at all, I could barely feel the return pressure on my finger in the water right up next to the spray bar. It had been running aprox. 3 months so okay, filter cleaning time.

I took the hoses and scrubbed them out with a brush, they had algae in them as well. On the Eheim, I took the filter apart, removed the basket and cleaned the canister (which was full of brown slimy sludge). Then, I took the top off of the media basket and cleaned the top foam pad only. The bottom media ceramic, middle foam pad, and then rock media on top of that was not bothered as I didn't want to kill my nitrifying bacteria. Now, a week later - hair like fine brown algae is in the hoses again and the filter is not flowing anymore. Its extremely slow like it was after 3 months of usage so I evidently didn't get all the algae out somewhere. 

Also, my ammonia has spiked to off the charts (highest reading on the tests Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) but there are no fish dying. (khuli loach, yoyo loach, gouramis, and oto's)

I have also had the same problem with my internal CO2 reactor getting full of this sludge and not being able to operate (this has happened after only two days from it being cleaned since it is a much smaller area).


Water levels:
pH: 7.4
Nitrate - 0 (this dropped from 5-10 ppm just before the filter cleaning)
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - 6+ (spiked after the filter cleaning and was 0 before cleaning the filter)
KH- 14 degrees
GH- 14 degrees
Phosphate - 0,25 mg/l
pressurized CO2 injection
3.6 wpg PC lighting
Plants are 3/4 tank attached riccia, dwarf sag, and ludwigia repens

Could I have killed my good bacteria?

How should have I cleaned the Eheim 2213? If the bacteria wasn't killed, can I go back and rinse all the media lightly (like a run through the removed tank water so that I can get any residual sludge out of the media basket?) without killing it?

Thanks

Tracy
Ummm, Is it suppose to do that!?


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## Vicki (Jan 31, 2003)

You didn't mention cleaning the impeller assembly and well when you talked about cleaning your 2213. If you didn't do that, that's probably the source of your water flow problem; take your filter apart and clean the impeller assembly. You shouldn't need to clean the basket again unless you're getting virtually no water flow through the filter, which is what it sounds like, and cleaning the impeller should remedy that.

You're right, a 2213 on a 10 gallon is overkill, to say the least, and it's really not the best filtration for a 10 gallon tank. You'd probably be better off with an AC 150 or something similar that you clean more frequently; you'd be removing more stuff from the system more often that way. Your brown stuff sounds like cyanobacteria. What nitrate test are you using, and how many fish do you have? If your tank is heavily planted, I can't imagine your ammonia spiking that high just because you cleaned the filter unless your tank has more fish in it than it can support. Have you done a head count to make sure everybody's present and accounted for? How often are you changing the water? Any chance that the sun has recently moved to a position where it's shining on the tank part of the day?

http://www.wheelpost.com


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## trace_lynn (Mar 4, 2003)

Impeller: I took the cover off and flushed water through it but, I didn't clean it so that is probably it. DOH! I had set it to the side to clean it and I (trying to remember) don't think I ever actually took it out. The tank has quite a few plants and they are growing like weeds still. Mostly riccia which covers 90% of the substrate and then dwarf sag popping up here and there and a patch of ludwigia repens (about the size of two fists together).

Overkill: I had a Penguin Double-BioWheel 330 on there before which caused a lot of movement at 330gph when I switched to the 2213. I'll check and see if I can get a different filter like the AC150.

Water changes: 50% a week - I had changed the water actually 2 days before the flow problem came back because I do have too many fish which is why I do the 50% a week, but the ammonia levels were always at 0. Brand of test is Aquarium Pharm on all of them. I double-checked my Ammonia test by check the tap water which came out 0 and then re-did the tank Ammonia as well - it was still too high. I had another tank I was going to be setting up to seperate the stock, but that fell through (different thread). I will still be moving the stock and filter to a larger aquarium in 2 days as a friend has given me a (what she thinks is 45 gallon tank, stand, & canopy) from her garage that she has no idea what to do with. I'll be picking it up tomorrow. The only thing is that even with the fish population, there had not been any problems with ammonia previous to the filter cleaning which is why I dubbed the problem on the cleaning the filter probably.

Stock: Everyone is there (aprox 13" in adult sizes of fish w/miscl. snails but they are kept in check by the loaches) No goldfish or anything that causes a large bioload.

There is no direct sunlight that hits the tank - its been in the same spot since it was set up 6-7 months ago.

I clean the impeller, hoses, and filter canister section again today and see what happens as it will be going on the tank my friend is giving me which should be more accurate for its size and the tank.

Tracy
Ummm, Is it suppose to do that!?


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## Kathy (Feb 2, 2003)

I thought the brown yucky stuff was the nitrifying bacteria. When I zapped BGA with antibiotic couple years ago BYS came out of the hoses and water had a very slight positive test of ammonia. How can BYS grow in a dark canister if it is really BGA? Every tank I have ever had has had that stuff in tubes and filters.

Agree about the impeller. How come I never even knew about that pesky thing and never had any trouble with it til I found out about it on the internet, several years after I set up my tank?

I would rinse the filter media, it may have developed blockages. In fact, I bet that is the source of the problem.


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## trace_lynn (Mar 4, 2003)

Well, I took everything apart again last night, opened up the impeller -took it all out and cleaned it (there wasn't much gunk in there) and cleaned the hoses again. The hoses were really packed again which looks as if it was from the media. Since I only rinsed the top filter sponge, the rest was left alone as I was afraid to damage the bacteria. Well, last night I went ahead and seperated all the media into seperate clean bowls and determined which was the nastiest. The bottom cereamic media was the worst so I rinsed it with fresh de-chlorinated water (same temp as tank) until there was not any more of the brown sludge coming from it. I then cleaned inside the canister again, the filter basket, and replaced the bottom media. Cleaned the neck up sponge, put it back in. I left the next to the top layer of "rock" substance as it was not junked up at all and so I also did not touch it whatsoever. I then took the top sponge and trashed it as it was horrible and replaced it with filter floss. Hooked it all back up and I don't remember having so much water flow (unless from when I first hooked it up way back when







)

I tested this AM for water param and everthing is actuall okay. I'll give it a couple days and test again to make sure. Could the high amounts of Ammonia been coming from the bacteria in the lines/filter? Not sure, but I also added an AC150 to the tank and will be using it solely as soon as it gets cycled. Then the canister will be going on the larger tank I'm getting free from a friend today.

My fish are MUCH more energetic this morning/today with the extra current. No one seems to be bothered by it in the least, but it is quite whirlpooly in there.

Tracy
Ummm, Is it suppose to do that!?


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## Tenor1 (Mar 3, 2003)

Hi Tracy,

Let me get this straight...You cleaned the filter Saturday and by Sunday it was clogged and you cleaned it again? There is defanitely something wrong here. I don't care how over stocked a ten-gallon tank can get. That's too large a canister to get dirty so quickly. 

I suspect the water in the tubing is somehow restricted. The canister needs to be below the tank and not level with it. The tubing also needs a certain amount of vertical drop, maybe it's running too horizontal. 

Are you using the Eheim surface extractor? This coupled with any of the issues stated about can cause air bubbles to get in the impeller area and would reduce the return flow. 

Now for cleaning the media myths. Personally, I don't belive in all that stuff about rinsing the media in tank water as not to kill the bacteria colony. The bacteria is embedded in the ceramics and NOT the fish droppings floating in the canister. If you go through the bother of openning the cannister give the ceramics a thorough rinse under the facet or blast it with a hose. 

Another thought on the reduced flow is that you NEVER had the correct flow after cleaning the canister. Very often Eheim canister need a little TLC to get everyting working correctly. Often you see and hear air bubbles and the canister needs to be tilted on its side until all the air is out of tubes and the canister itself. Sometimes it is hard to acommplish this. Playing around with the tubes themselves usually allows the trapped air to escape back into the fish tank. It's usually the water siphon tube that is the culprit.

Hope some of this helps with your problems.

Regards,
Carlo

==============================
I try to keep the tank plain and simple but it never stays that way!


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## trace_lynn (Mar 4, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> Let me get this straight...You cleaned the filter Saturday and by Sunday it was clogged and you cleaned it again?


From the original cleaning to when I had the flow problem and it was all nasty again was 1 week. I have decided it was because I didn't clean *all* the media (over paranoid about messing up







)

The filter is below the bottom of the tank and I shortened up one hose that was a tad bit longer than it probably should have been.



> quote:
> 
> If you go through the bother of openning the cannister give the ceramics a thorough rinse under the facet or blast it with a hose.


This is what I did the other night. I cleaned out/rinsed everything. All the brown sludge was trapped in the ceramic circle things on the very bottom but ever since I rinsed everything out, I have not had any further problems with flow.

I'm not using a surface extractor, just the regular intake that came with the filter.

Eheim and TLC about water: yeah, I had an issue before with the eheim keeping air for a couple days even with tilting, etc., but after it was broke in I have not had any more problems and I figured out that tilting and working with the ball valves on the disconnects helps with getting the air out.



> quote:
> 
> Now for cleaning the media myths.


I have often wondered about this myself. People squeeze and rinse their sponge filters all the time. "Embedded" bacteria - this I didn't know - you always hear "there is more surface area" for the bacteria to grow which makes me think its on the outside but I guess you could look at that if its pourous media it would be embedded.









I always decholorinate any water from my tap because I can actually smell the bleach in my tap water - Its VERY strong at times so to be safe, I de-chlorinate. I figure that if I don't drink it (which we don't) then I surely don't want to put it in my tank









Thanks for the help!

Tracy
Ummm, Is it suppose to do that!?


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## Heady (Mar 4, 2003)

BTW Tracy, your body absorbs MUCH more chlorine directly through your skin when you shower than it could ever absorb through drinking water. If you don't want chlorine in your body, the FIRST thing is to see about getting a house water purifying system, or a purifying shower head (relatively cheap & easy to find in hardware stores or Bed Bath & Beyond) so your shower/bath water does not have chlorine in it.


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## trace_lynn (Mar 4, 2003)

Thanks!







I didn't know that it was absorbed more through the skin. I've shopped around for the full house purifiers (too expensive so far). I guess I have been defeating the whole purpose of that Brita sink filter all along though.










Tracy
Ummm, Is it suppose to do that!?


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## trace_lynn (Mar 4, 2003)

Totally disgusted and need more advice, suggestions, anything.......

2 weeks ago I put this canister on a 35g hex (it had been on a 10g if you read above w/the same problems as I am having now and is a cycled filter)- it was nice and clean, hoses, impeller, media was rinsed, everything and last night I noticed that I had no water movement again - fish were all sitting still towards the top of the water and most of them were gasping (there is no CO2 in this tank at the time)

I had a hagen power head w/prefilter so I took some of the media from the ehim canister, put it in the internal prefilter column on the hagen and stuck that in the tank and am using just it right now BUT (its obviously not large enough for this tank so I need to get something figured out)

when I opened up the canister there was little to no clogging in the media, the hoses (12/16 eheim size) have just fine bacteria buildup in them and the impeller was slightly gunked - this all looked like normal stuff to me.

I decided to do some experimenting w/the canister to see if I could tell what was not allowing the water movement so I took the motor top off the eheim, stuck it in a sink with some water in it and plugged it in - water shot out the return connection so the impeller and motor are working. I went ahead and cleaned the impeller housing down again while I had it open.

Is a 2213 adequate by itself at 116 gph on a 35g or should I look into getting something w/more turnover - I'm sick of having to clean this @#$%* thing every 2 weeks just to keep water moving through it!

I have a brand new in the box 2028 eheim w/256 gph sitting in a closet that I purchased for my planned 75g and really think this would be way too much for a 35g but I definitely considered it last night.

Would like to get some suggestions from here first.

Tracy
Ummm, Is it suppose to do that!?


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## anonapersona (Mar 11, 2004)

Any chance the lines were kinked?


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## trace_lynn (Mar 4, 2003)

No, I checked that when I first put it on the larger tank as I thought they would be too short. They are however the perfect fit without any stretch or horizontal-ness to them. They go straight from under the tank to the top of the tank.

Tracy
Ummm, Is it suppose to do that!?


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## Vicki (Jan 31, 2003)

You may have tried these things already, but:

Check to make sure there's no air in the canister while the filter is running; if you can see air space at the top of the canister the filter hasn't siphoned properly. Make sure the O-ring is properly positioned when you place the top on the canister so that it seals properly.

Check to make sure the intake elbow that passes through the canister at the bottom of the filter is not clogged, and that there are no fine cracks in any of the connections or in the canister itself.

Other than that, I don't know what to tell you. If I were filtering a 35 gallon hex, I'd probably opt for a 2215, just because hex tanks are always more difficult to filter effectively, but a 2213 that's functioning normally should be up to the task.

If all else fails, call 1-800-99-EHEIM. That's a help line to Hawaiian Marine in Houston; they've been Eheim dealers for many years. Ask for Cal. He knows more about Eheims than Eheim does, and has every Eheim part known to man. Good luck!

http://www.wheelpost.com


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## anonapersona (Mar 11, 2004)

Any chance theres air in the top of the line as it goes into the tank? 

novice to canisters, so just guessing


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## trace_lynn (Mar 4, 2003)

Actually, since it just keeps happening, I think there may be some kind of algae that is blocking up the system and that is what the "gunk or sludge" is. I re-read the previous posts about cyano and then started looking at the algae board and this could be the problem. I've got a plan worked out so I guess its just seeing if it works. I'm crossing my fingers and waiting for some upgraded lighting to arrive that will bring the total up to 2wpg and I'll be moving my pressurized system over to this tank as well ---- as a last resort, I'll have a vortex diatom filter on hand to help with the symptoms as the water is now starting to get a brownish color to it also (another indication that I think this is algae (not green water but brown ?weird?)until I can get a balance worked out on the tank. All my smaller tanks look crystal clear and are having no problems, but the two larger tanks that this filter have been on are having this problem - I think I just transfered the problem from one tank to the other and contaminated the larger tank with this cyano *ARGHHH* through the filter. Yet another stepping stone on the life of aquariums....

Also, thanks Vicki - I'll keep that number because I'm just guessing now as far as the algae. The lights are less than 1wpg, but I wouldn't have thought that too little light would cause the alge which could possibly be the sludge and its even this sludge stuff is not really blocking the lines/media to where that there should be so much of a decrease in flow .... however - I've run out of ideas.

Tracy
Ummm, Is it suppose to do that!?

[This message was edited by trace_lynn on Thu June 19 2003 at 10:27 AM.]


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