The Puffer Forum

What's in the Eheim?

In the eheim it has the same biomedia stuff that came with it with new sponges and carbon.

The carbon is not necessary unless you are removing things like medication from the tank. The Sponge is a nitrate factory for sw tanks, remove it and replace it with rock rubble or more media

Or just don't use the Eheim at all. It's a FW filter. I've found that using rubble in a canister clogs with detritus quickly. PITA to clean out every month... Good quality skimmer, LR (1 1/2-2lbs/g) & good flow is all you should need for a SW system. I run a 50g with NO sump/fuge & a HOB Backpac skimmer & it's packed with corals--even SPS.

For extra flow, you can use an old HOB filter--empty.

Cool i'll take the ehiem out of the loop then. I have had about 45 lbs of dry tonga branch rock in the tank with 15 lbs of fresh pukani for over a month so it should all be live by now. I have one sicce voyager 2 powerhead and will get a second today or tomorrow and already have a reef octopus bh100 hob skimmer running. Could you tell me a fair price to put the ehiem 2217 on craigslist for, its less than a year old? Thanks again PP for all the help.

It's gonna take longer than a month, for all that rock to be live with only a small amount of live added. Didn't you add Bio-Spira though?

Oh yeah I used almost the whole bottle of brightwells biofacter 7 according to the directions. Would that have me fully cycled?

I am not familiar with that product. i am with Bio-Spira.
It would seem to me, your tank is overstocked. I think the puffer would be better off alone. That eel will grow to 24" & as thick as your wrist!

+1 to Pufferpunk's comments above on the bioload and the bacteria.

I do admit that I have in the past used multiple Eheim canisters on FOWLR + skimmer +microalgae refugim, but using them basically empty with fine sponge prefilters for good internal circulation. I like their connections and current control flexibility, and when you have a closet full of them it is not that bad to use them as flow pumps. The sponges are very fine and used as in-tank water intakes, are rinsed and dried at least weekly, replacing with fresh dry ones to avoid any bacterial development. I would not likely buy new Eheim canisters for this use, but when you have spares, their power costs are not bad.

I'll look for some biro spirula magic ya'll speak of. until then they get music and a bit of tough love. Here is what I played for them tonight, yeah im a crazy hick, lol. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_4mOZVx0Jk

Do you have plans for upgrading?

I do plan on upgrading. I watch craigslist randomly all the time . I don't like traditional aquarium shapes, I prefer more the frag style. I'll probably wind up getting something custom made unless my luck kicks in. 3 foot by 4 foot by maybe 22 inches tall would be ideal. You have any idea how many gallons that would be? I think it would be good for the eel and puffer and maybe a goby.

What's "frag style"?
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... p?tabid=75

Frankly, I would doubt the compatibility of a Puffer and an eel - even a small one - in less than the are of a reef in the wild, and most reefs are the equivalent of a flow-through system in captivity. They are highly unlikely to share space well physically and the eel's bioload will be massive. NIMFT (Not In My Fish Tanks), but your tank, your call...

Alright, i'll rehome the eel. It's a mean little hamster anyways. I don't like the way my little Puff hides from it unless little Diddy is jealous of the eel getting some food, then my Puffer goes apesh**t bezerk on the eel which luckily hides in the liverock. I didn't call him hamster but whatever. Anyone on the westside of Houston speak up if you can take care of this mean little bugger i'll hook you up, if not he goes back to the lfs for trade in. On a positive note I do have a brs 5 stage ro/di kit and a bucket of red sea pro coral salt on the ups truck to make waterchanges easier I hope.