Low planted tank filter selection?

[thebaldingaquarist]

Hi all,

I am thinking of placing my 522 tank on a short shelf. the tank base will be about 20cm off the ground.

Its a planted tank and i am thinking of using 2X 2217 as a filter. But my friend tells me that the classic filters (and other filters) are not meant to be placed so close in height with the tank.

If thats the case, what other options do i have?

Thanks all.

[tawauboy]

check 2217's pumping head specification. this tells you the maximum height of water in which the pump can push up. there shouldn't be any mention of minimum height, so there should be any issues with your planned setup.

[thebaldingaquarist]

check 2217's pumping head specification. this tells you the maximum height of water in which the pump can push up. there shouldn't be any mention of minimum height, so there should be any issues with your planned setup.

Thanks for your reply Thomas. I got to know of the problem when i searched the internet. not sure if i can post the link here (to another forum) but basically it says that there will be pockets of air and the motor MIGHT burn out. Also, the design is for the tank to be above the canister due to the siphoning action, so placing the canister beside the tank means the canister cannot perform to full spec-ed power.

Not sure if anyone faced the same issue.

My expected tank configuration should be a 6ft by 1.5ft depth by 2 ft height tank. now wondering how to place the inlet and outlet of the filters also.

[thebaldingaquarist]

double post...

[li_gangyi]

I have a 2213 that I loaned to a friend to put side by side with his 2ft tank, essentially what happened was that pockets of air would get trapped inside the filter itself and the filter will regularly make a buzzing/humming sound when the pocket of air gets to the impeller (and then gets pushed out). Overtime this indeed did make the impeller wear out faster than it should have, so yeah I wouldn't recommend running it that way, but hey, I got a replacement impeller with shaft for less than SGD$25.

[thebaldingaquarist]

I have a 2213 that I loaned to a friend to put side by side with his 2ft tank, essentially what happened was that pockets of air would get trapped inside the filter itself and the filter will regularly make a buzzing/humming sound when the pocket of air gets to the impeller (and then gets pushed out). Overtime this indeed did make the impeller wear out faster than it should have, so yeah I wouldn't recommend running it that way, but hey, I got a replacement impeller with shaft for less than SGD$25.

Thanks for the information. that's what i read online in other forums as well.
Now the headache i have is what canisters are capable of performing filtration beside a tank. I only know of one, but its far too small.

[mincedmeat]

If you can't increase the height, would it be possible to increase the length of your pipes so as to mimic the distance travelled from the canister into the tank and then out? It might be the next best alternative. Not too sure about this.

[doppelbanddwarf]

It is not the distance but rather the gravity pull of the water for the inlet. I had the same problem with a eheim pro 2 canister.

[li_gangyi]

Essentially you need gravity to fill the entire filter housing for it to work properly as the pump is located at the top of the filter.

[tawauboy]

Thanks for your reply Thomas. I got to know of the problem when i searched the internet. not sure if i can post the link here (to another forum) but basically it says that there will be pockets of air and the motor MIGHT burn out. Also, the design is for the tank to be above the canister due to the siphoning action, so placing the canister beside the tank means the canister cannot perform to full spec-ed power.

Not sure if anyone faced the same issue.

My expected tank configuration should be a 6ft by 1.5ft depth by 2 ft height tank. now wondering how to place the inlet and outlet of the filters also.

was the reason for air pockets forming shared?

siphoning action is not the only major factor to consider. if it, one would want to place the aquarium such that there is maximum height between water surface and he filter. however, in doing so, the impeller will have to work hard to push the water back up to the aquarium. so it's a double-edge sword...

since you are constrained, you could experiment with having the canister beside your aquarium. do monitor closely during the trial. if no issues were found, then problem is solved. else you'll need to increase the height difference between the canister and aquarium

[astro]

My 2028 working perfectly

[li_gangyi]

was the reason for air pockets forming shared?

I'm guessing because of low inlet pressure to the pump, the water can cavitate at the impeller, that and the pump itself is not very good at sucking water, only good at pushing water, means the pump will pump out water faster than it's being fed in.

[astro]

Ain't the same theory for a pair of water bridged tanks?

[thebaldingaquarist]

My 2028 working perfectly

this set up is very similar to the one in my plan! only difference is that i am thinking of 2X 2217.

[aquarius]

I'm guessing because of low inlet pressure to the pump, the water can cavitate at the impeller, that and the pump itself is not very good at sucking water, only good at pushing water, means the pump will pump out water faster than it's being fed in.

Well said.... I used to have airlock problems in my filter head area because i put the filter just beside the tank. Lengthening the tube will not solve the problem. The only way is to reduce the flow of the water back into the tank. You'll need to tinker n adjust the flow so as to give you the best possible flowrate while at the same time not cause any airlock in your filter.

[thebaldingaquarist]

Well said.... I used to have airlock problems in my filter head area because i put the filter just beside the tank. Lengthening the tube will not solve the problem. The only way is to reduce the flow of the water back into the tank. You'll need to tinker n adjust the flow so as to give you the best possible flowrate while at the same time not cause any airlock in your filter.

so in other words, get a water pump and attach it to the inlet of the canister. Thats the advice i got from my friend.

[li_gangyi]

so in other words, get a water pump and attach it to the inlet of the canister. Thats the advice i got from my friend.

Well, if you really feel the need to run the canister side by side with your tank yeah you could do that and maybe you don't even have to have the canister's pump working if your inlet pump is strong enough. I'm guessing Eheim didn't put the pump at the inlet because it'll be pumping 'dirty' water and can get clogged up with buildup faster then if the pump was placed at the outflow.

[thebaldingaquarist]

Well, if you really feel the need to run the canister side by side with your tank yeah you could do that and maybe you don't even have to have the canister's pump working if your inlet pump is strong enough. I'm guessing Eheim didn't put the pump at the inlet because it'll be pumping 'dirty' water and can get clogged up with buildup faster then if the pump was placed at the outflow.

fully agreed. i am not keen on the pump solution from the beginning. But i am not keen on IOUS, so i think i will try a canister.