# Canister filter, sponge filter questions



## AshK (Nov 21, 2008)

My tank: 20 gallon high, played out sponge filter, medium planted, 13 boraras merah, 12+ dwarf emerald rasbora, cherry shrimp

My fish have been breeding, which is cool, but they will over populate the tank soon. I have no interest setting up breeding tanks or fry tanks or cultures. I'd like them to just keep breeding in this tank. Only a few fry make it to adulthood but that's ok. Regardless, I need to replace my old sponge filter anyway. And I'm thinking of putting my pressurized CO2 system on this tank. I only have experience with HOB and sponge filters, I prefer sponge filters.

So I've been looking into canister filters, which I understand offer superior product lifespan, filtration, media options, better for CO2...etc

Canister filter questions: Can canister filters stay on during a water change? Which specific models are low flow, suited for my tank? How does the flow compare to a AC 150, 100? Inline CO2, what is it and what to buy? Are fry and shrimp going to get sucked up (the fry can't swim for a few days after hatching)? Will the little microscopic things the fry/shrimp eat be affected? Truly how often do YOU open them up and clean the media?

Sponge filter questions: brand recommendations with small footprint? Any other brands than hydro which are black? Anyone ever run a sponge with a power head as their primary filter? How'd that go, what brands did you use? Is a sponge filter with a powerhead a good option to minimize CO2 gas off?

I'm basically leaning towards getting 2 sponge filters but also attracted to those fancy canisters. Thanks.


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## AshK (Nov 21, 2008)

These are the canister filters I've been thinking about, if anyone can weigh in on them. They all seem to have pros and cons, so far the eheim and the sun sun seem like the best due to media capacity, ease of cleaning, number of accessories, and flow adjustability

Eheim 2213 
Rena filstar xp s
Sun Sun 302 
Cascade 500

I am concerned about the intakes chewing up my shrimp and fry. Thanks


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

I can answer a few of your questions.

Canister filters can remain on during water changes as long as the intake remains below the surface of the water at all times.

I use a canister on tanks with tiny fry and shrimp by putting a big sponge prefilter over the intake. You can make one by using a tubular sponge, closing one end with a zip tie, then slipping it over the intake strainer that comes with the filter. This has two advantages: the filter media does not need to be cleaned as often, and the surface of the prefilter holds all kinds of detritus and microorganisms that fry and shrimp graze on. I can count on finding bristlenose pleco fry on the prefilter all the time.

I break down my Eheim 2217 about every 3-4 months. I only have biomedia in the canister (lava rock), and it rarely becomes clogged. The biggest problem is accumulation of debris in the hoses which restricts flow through the filter.


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## JeffyFunk (Apr 6, 2006)

AshK said:


> Canister filter questions: Can canister filters stay on during a water change? Which specific models are low flow, suited for my tank? How does the flow compare to a AC 150, 100? Inline CO2, what is it and what to buy? Are fry and shrimp going to get sucked up (the fry can't swim for a few days after hatching)? Will the little microscopic things the fry/shrimp eat be affected? Truly how often do YOU open them up and clean the media?


Disclaimer - I only have Eheim canister filters (preferably the classics). For your tank size, i would think the 2215 Classic would be a good size. The 2215 is better than the 2213, IMHO, because (1) the inlet and outlet are the same size (1/2 inch or 13 mm - the 2213 has a 1/2'' inlet and the 3/8'' or 10 mm outlet) and (2) the 2215 is the only classic canister filter to come with a media basket (none of the others do, but media baskets are easy enough to make yourself...).

I turn my canister filters off during my water changes. The ability to turn them off is really related more to the intake position than anything. As long as you are going to be doing a small water change so that the intake is never exposed to air, then you can keep them on during the water change. The Eheim intake pipes have the slits sit pretty low in your tank so you can probably leave the canister filter on for a small water change. I use glass lily pipes (mostly for the look) and they have slits that span a greater amount of the water column. As such, i turn my canister filters off during maintenance.

I find that the flow rates of the Eheim classics is very low to begin with, but you can always lower the *force* of the flow with an appropriate lily pipe like the ADA lily pipe spin or poppy glass. These lily pipes break up the flow of the canister filter steam so it doesn't blow over your plants (or fish).

If you're concerned about fry getting sucked up into your canister filter, you can always put a sponge filter over the intake of your filter pipes. Also, the Eheim classics have a small space in the bottom of them so any critters accidently sucked up can usually survive for a while down in the canister filter (i've sucked up many a fry by accident...).

I clean my canister filters whenever i see the tubing get dirty, which is about once a month or every other month. I use the ADA spring washer for cleaning my filter pipes. For cleaning my canister filters, usually all i do is clean the tubing and filter pipes, rinse out the sponges and shake the media in a bucket of water to dislodge all the mulm. (If you clean your canister filters regularly, then the majority of the mulm will be in the sponges, not the media...)

As for CO2 and inline CO2 specifically, I just use a ceramic disk CO2 diffuser. I like the Aquatek CO2 diffusers, personally. The inline CO2 diffusers connect through the outlet pipe and allow you to keep equipment out of your tank but are usually more expensive.

Also, i see that you're from Pittsburgh; Why not stop by one of the PAPAS meetings to meet some of the other planted aquarium enthusiasts in the area? We would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about planted aquariums.


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## kareen (Jan 18, 2013)

I have a Aquatop Canister Filter the same thing as a SunSun Filter and i love it thay have nice big trys for your media and thay are quiet can't hear tham run.


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## AshK (Nov 21, 2008)

Thank you guys so much for the responses! Looks like my hunch was right and eheim and sun sun are good buys. 

JeffyFunk thanks for the invite to PAPAS! I have a giant CO2 tank and the dial valve thing (solenoid?) that was once hooked up and working great. But I've forgotten how to do everything, maybe with PAPAS help I could start it up again! I'm just scared of poisoning my fish especially if I get rid of my sponge filter (lots of surface agitation). Fingers crossed Oddball has some of the canister filters I'm interested in!


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## vancat (Nov 5, 2004)

You can't go wrong with an Eheim.


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## JeffyFunk (Apr 6, 2006)

AshK said:


> Thank you guys so much for the responses! Looks like my hunch was right and eheim and sun sun are good buys.
> 
> JeffyFunk thanks for the invite to PAPAS! I have a giant CO2 tank and the dial valve thing (solenoid?) that was once hooked up and working great. But I've forgotten how to do everything, maybe with PAPAS help I could start it up again! I'm just scared of poisoning my fish especially if I get rid of my sponge filter (lots of surface agitation). Fingers crossed Oddball has some of the canister filters I'm interested in!


PAPAS typically meets on the first Sunday of the month @ Oddball Aquatics. Meetings are supposed to start @ 2 pm, but we rarely (ever?) start on time. If you have specific questions, feel free to bring them up at the meeting - also, pictures are very useful (like on your cell phone camera) are very useful in helping to answer your questions. We have very good relations with Oddball and the owners, Dave & Stephanie, will be happy to tell you more about PAPAS or the members or anything else planted aquarium related. Also, they can typically order most things for you such as the Eheim Classic filters.

Another thing often mentioned about Eheim filters - they're very quiet. As they age, however, it is not uncommon for them to get louder. This is due to wear & tear of the impeller system - replacing it will usually quiet the system. Sponge filters are actually very efficient, but they're not quiet... which is why i do not use them. If you're concerned about poisoning your fish, simply run the sponge filter w/ your new canister filter while the bio media is colonized. After about 2 weeks to a month, you can remove the sponge filter knowing the canister filter is doing it's job.


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## Wphan (Apr 9, 2010)

From what I understand get the biggest one you can afford since most of the filters you can dial the flow rate.


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