Help! Should i get the original eheim filter media or just

[joestoys]

Topic was dated to 2002, but it's still as relevant today. Glad to see you are still an active member of the community!

By the way, what did you go with in the end?

Cheers,

ya benny, still remember my very first field trip to TEO and GAN fish, get to this forum from sherwin and kelvin???(not sure if i get the name right) bought CO2 tank from them. still check out AQ almost everyday....

So back to the topic.... end up i use the aquori Biolit for the top tray and the bottom tray i use Angel Bio Rings(made of sintered glass)
(cheap and good) . if using those original media from ehiem will cost a bomb.

So far so good have been using since then.

[aquarius]

Quote by yurona
Does the ehfisubstrate and ehfimech needs to be replaced? I thought they can be used for years. The ones in my 2224 has been in use since 1998 and i never notice anything wrong

Quote by yurona
Ehfisubstrate works by providing a very large surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow. There is nothing biological or chemical about it, only mechanical. So why does it need replacing? Does the bacteria eats away all the micro curvatures on the ehfisubstrate and make it "flat land"?

Quote by bclee
It is time to change when the pores get clogged either by dead bacteria colonies or dirt.

As there is no conclusion to these questions, i thought i'd ask if the experts here
actually change the filter medias after a few yrs of usage? I thought you only change/replace the white filter pad?

[vinz]

Ehfisubstrate is biological filtration media not mechanical filtration media... biological in the sense it is designed to host large colonies of bacteria. The bacteria can grow on all hard surfaces in the tank... on equipment, all other filtration media, tank walls, gravel, driftwood, plants, etc. But they prefer darkness. And we also need a lot more of them then can grow on the surfaces mentioned above. Bio-media is meant to provide this wide expanse of space and darkness (within the media and within the filter).

Sintered glass has micro-channels in them, through which water can flow. The bacteria grow on the walls of these channels, and pick up the NO3 and NO2 as they pass. In the long run, these channels get clogged, by detritus, dead micro-organisms, algae spores, etc. etc. etc. When these channels get clogged and water stops to flow through the media, the bacteria starve and the media becomes useless.

[joestoys]

Quote by yurona
Does the ehfisubstrate and ehfimech needs to be replaced? I thought they can be used for years. The ones in my 2224 has been in use since 1998 and i never notice anything wrong

Quote by yurona
Ehfisubstrate works by providing a very large surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow. There is nothing biological or chemical about it, only mechanical. So why does it need replacing? Does the bacteria eats away all the micro curvatures on the ehfisubstrate and make it "flat land"?

Quote by bclee
It is time to change when the pores get clogged either by dead bacteria colonies or dirt.

As there is no conclusion to these questions, i thought i'd ask if the experts here
actually change the filter medias after a few yrs of usage? I thought you only change/replace the white filter pad?

I don't change all the media since 2002 only filter pad. but i do discard some the top layer of the media in the tray and replace fresh media. so the BB have new home to move to.
l am sure the pores of the media will get clogged ove

[aquarius]

From the first time that i open my eheim canister to clean until now, the tray containing the ehfisubstrate is always very dirty. I'll rinse it in a pail filled with tank water and put it back. Pardon my ignorance but I don't see any difference when i look at the ehfisubstrate during my filter maintaintence to show that the pores of the media is clogged up? The filter is running as per normal, the ammonia is zero, the water clean and the fishes are happy and healthy.

How do we know that it's time to change the biological/ehfisubstrate media?

[BFG]

I would change when they get dark brown and can't be washed using tap water. But don't change 100 percent of the media. Start at 20 percent every 4 month or depending on when is your next cleaning period.

[aquarius]

Quote :
I would change when they get dark brown and can't be washed using tap water. But don't change 100 percent of the media. Start at 20 percent every 4 month or depending on when is your next cleaning period.

You're refering to the ehfisubstrate media turning dark brown? So far mine not like dat lay... which means i don't need to change.
You use the filter for planted?

[BFG]

Yup, for planted tank.....that is until the tank leaked and had to be decommissioned.

[aquarius]

No wonder.... I just it's the algae spores that cause it to turn dark brown cos i use mine for my pleco tank and it still looks fine to me after yrs of usage.
Come to think of it, when using medias for planted, don't need to buy so expensive cos after some time it'll need to be changed due to what you've mentioned. Will look out for the "tell-tale" signs you mentioned b4 changing the media.