# best twin canister config



## raggamuffin (Nov 11, 2005)

hi guys,
i have a 4 ft that will be filtered by a pair of ehiem 2213s. what is the configuration to have these setup? as in should i
-have an intake at each and of the tank as well as an output at each end
-have both intakes at one end and both outputs at the other
-have intakes at each end but both outputs up same end
etc.

what is the best config?


----------



## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

I set up a 2m (6.6') African cichlid tank with two eheims. I just put the input and output of each Eheim at each end of the tank (as in your first option). Never noticed any issues...


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

I suggest you go to EHEIM GmbH & Co. KG and go to the Contacts and email them your question.


----------



## raggamuffin (Nov 11, 2005)

emailed ehiem and asked them, awaiting reply.

was thinking that flow direction probably makes a difference to the fish. if the had flow coming from both ends, i suppose it'd be like swimming in a whirlpool. not patricularly nice, i guess. so is it a fair enough assumption to say the fish would prefere both outputs at one end. maybe one at the suface and one under it.

so i suppose youd get the most coverage with one intake at the other end and one in the middle of the tank. fair enough?


----------



## Mud Pie Mama (Jul 30, 2006)

In my 75g, (48"x18") I'm currently using two Rena XP canister filters. 
I've got it set up so they both send the flow in one big circular loop. 

I have one filter on the left side and one on the right. The left filter has its spraybar in the back corner placed vertical blowing along the short side toward the front. As the flow hits the front corner it starts to move across the front. The left intake is on the back two inches in from the corner. On the right side the intake is closest to the corner with the spraybar two inches in from the corner. However on this side the spray bar is pointed against the back glass blowing down the long side across the back.

I can definately watch the water movement in the tank complete its circle when I'm trimming and little pieces float. I tried the other method with water blowing into the middle from opposite ends and it was had to get even distribution of CO2.


----------



## snowy (Jun 6, 2006)

I have two 2213s running on a 3' x 14" x 20" high tank, both have the pickups and returns at the same end of the tank. One is in the back corner with the return directed at the center of the front pane, the other is in the front corner of the same side and its return is directed straight along the front. This combination results in a circular flow throughout the tank, fast along the front at the top, but slow and steady along the back and in the lower parts of the tank.

I use a similar setup on most of my tanks, that is to have the pickup and return pipes in the same corner. I rarely use spray bars, instead I use a return hook to deliver a strong directional flow. This way the filtered water has to do a full circuit of the tank before it has any chance of being picked up and, due to the circular motion of the current, there are no dead spots anywhere, despite the fair amount of wood and dense growth of plants. The fish always have a current to swim in, which ime promotes faster growth, although there are certainly quieter areas where the less robust fish can rest. I'll try to get a photo of it if the camera batteries are charged.


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

The cicular thing makes sense to me.

Let us know what eheim says.


----------



## raggamuffin (Nov 11, 2005)

eheim did not have much to say on the suject, actually. after pretty much copy and pasting my first post into the enquiry section of the ehiem site listed above by newt this is the email i recieved:

"Dear Ross.
In relation to your enquiry, 2x2213s is ample filtration for your 4 foot tank.
If you set up an inlet and outlet at either end they will work fine.
Please contact me if you have any other queries.
Regards,
Lynne Banks
Aquatopia Sales"

i guess im being overly pedantic. i guess its not really a big deal how i set my filters up as long as i have all intakes and all output in the water.


----------



## sarahbobarah (Sep 5, 2005)

raggamuffin said:


> i guess im being overly pedantic. i guess its not really a big deal how i set my filters up as long as i have all intakes and all output in the water.


I think it's a very good question. I know that some people who keep hillstream loaches purposely try to create a swift river configuration. And other people favor the criss crossing approach.

I think it's based on the aquascape as well. My outlets always push the tall plants down.


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Hey Raggamuffin,
What type of fish is your avatar?
Looks like a long finned rummy nose tetra but then again I've never heard of one of those.

I like the filter set up that that was posted that had a spray bar vertical on one end and horizontal on the other.
This link is for a CustomFlo system:
Customflo Water System/Complete Kit (Rainbow)
maybe it will give you some ideas.


----------



## raggamuffin (Nov 11, 2005)

its a photo of a pseudomugil gertrudae (spotted blue eye) from cato river in the northern territory of australia. if your interested in blue eyes, check out this link:
http://members.optusnet.com.au/chelmon/Pseudomugil.htm you can scroll down the left hand side and get really good photos of all the different pseudomugil sp.

as for my filters, i think the fish would most likely appreciate a consistant flow from right to left, so outputs both at one end one high for surface ag (maybe a spraybar), the other low for co2 output. intake would be most efficient at the opposite end down low. and if im finding theres a dead patch in the middle of the tank ill move one of the inputs along to collect somewhere near the back middle.

now i just need the filters to arrive! (they were ordered online and payed for ages ago). but their website is down, and my emails to them keep getting returned... im getting a little nervous!


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Thanks for the link. Cool looking fish.


----------

