# How to get rid of air in Eheim 2213



## krak256 (Dec 14, 2007)

For some reason, I keep having air trapped in my canister for my Eheim 2213. I tried tilting it, opening it up and filling the canister all the way, but nothing works. I think having air inside my canister destroyed my impeller, so I'm on my 2nd set. Can anyone please help?

I was thinking of getting the Eheim Universal Installation Kit, which helps prime the canister, but I hear it's not needed.

If you guys have any helpful suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated


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## mahoro (Dec 18, 2007)

its hard to add the water into the installation kit, unless you buy another kit from them that makes adding water into more easiler or u can always go to dollar store and get a cheap funnel, so in a way it does help with prime... but not by a lot, i got it because its much nicer look then the org. ehiem tube that comes with it. so for air trapped... there shouldn't be any after an hr of usage or so unless you run your co2 into it...


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## fishscale (May 29, 2007)

I used a powerhead to prime the filter.


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## JimmyYahoo (Aug 14, 2005)

How often is this happening? When you dont need to get into the filter I find using the quick connects helps keep air out of the filter. When i do need to get inside the filter i fill it back up with water when im done and put the lid on. Nows the time that you get most of the air out. Put enough water into the filter so that when you pud the lid in tightly some water seeps out of the lid/seal. Now hook it back up with the quick-connects still engaged in stop position. Let the inflow open first, below tank water, then the outflow. Pull some water through and turn on. If there is any air left just tilt the top of the filter back and forth for a bit and the little amount of air that is in there should discharge quickly and easily. Key is to have no air in the inflow tube when your hooking it back up.


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## moogoo (Dec 7, 2007)

When I stop my 2213 to do water changes, it was a pain to start back up. But then I realized I could just disconnect the quick connect on the outflow pipe with the filter on and already filled with water. You can hear the air rushing out of the quick connect and the water coming. At the point when the water is almost there, reattach the quickconnect and voila, filter starts running again. Be sure to only separate the quickconnect just enough to allow air to escape.

If it's an initial prime, you leave the filter empty. Turn on and suck through the outflow at the quickconnect (which should be near the filter). You'll see the filter fill with water and then just do like described above. Works for me.


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## krak256 (Dec 14, 2007)

this morning, i heard noises coming from my Eheim again. It still had a bit of air trapped in it from before, but I thought it would get rid of itself. 

I just got back from work, and my Eheim is starting to kick the bucket again. Water flow is minimal and its making a lot of noise. There's more air in it than before.

My question is, should I replace the entire canister? I don't know why the air won't go away. It used to when I first got my Eheim 8 months ago. Should I replace the motor?

I know I can replace the impeller, but I feel it's going to just break down again. I replaced it less than a month ago....


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## riverrat (Jul 14, 2005)

If I were you I would check every connection maybe pull tubing and cut and reconnect all the disconnects and and connection to input and output of the filter. Then open it up and check the o-ring to see if you have any tears or nicks in it. I would think that you have to be pulling in air on the intake to filter side. I have owned classics and never had a big problem. 

I always made sure my intake in the tank was under water during my water changes. If I did any maintenance to the filter I would close the disconnect valves. This means when you reconnect it you do not have to prime it because you have water in the intake hose. I would not attach the return to tank side until I reconnected the intake side and opened up return into a small bucket until water ran out. Closed it shook filter a bit and opened again to get as much air out as possible. Then reconnect and plug in. This would usually evacuate all of the air in filter. If not a few tilts would do it and by the next morning quiet to the point of having to put my head against the filter to make sure it was running. 

I have only quickly read the thread so you might have given this info. You do not have anything running on intake side correct? No diffuser near filter intake no inline stuff etc ect...... You do not have anything on the output side such as a reactor that the noise could be coming from that you mistakenly think is the filter. 

I am not trying to make you feel dumb with these questions its just that I myself have overlooked easy things many times. I once thought my 2126 was making a slight grinding noise only to find out it was one of my timers. :hihi: 

Once you feel you have cleaned ......checked every possibility and ruled everything out I would contact Eheim to see what they say. It seems your filter is still fairly new (less than a year). Regardless of how old I would still contact them.

I hope someone will come up with the answer for you. Eheims are great IMHO and the only problem I have ever had with either of mine was user error.

Good Luck,
Dave


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## krak256 (Dec 14, 2007)

riverrat said:


> If I were you I would check every connection maybe pull tubing and cut and reconnect all the disconnects and and connection to input and output of the filter. Then open it up and check the o-ring to see if you have any tears or nicks in it. I would think that you have to be pulling in air on the intake to filter side. I have owned classics and never had a big problem.
> 
> I always made sure my intake in the tank was under water during my water changes. If I did any maintenance to the filter I would close the disconnect valves. This means when you reconnect it you do not have to prime it because you have water in the intake hose. I would not attach the return to tank side until I reconnected the intake side and opened up return into a small bucket until water ran out. Closed it shook filter a bit and opened again to get as much air out as possible. Then reconnect and plug in. This would usually evacuate all of the air in filter. If not a few tilts would do it and by the next morning quiet to the point of having to put my head against the filter to make sure it was running.



Dave, thanks for the info. I tried what you mentioned, plugged the filter back in, let the inflow pipe run into a bucket for a bit, closed it, shook, and let it run a bit more. It seems to have helped, but i still can't get that last bit of air out. 

mine used to be silent, but i dunno what happened. im going to try and take it to the LFS and see if they can figure out what happened. have you ever had any contact with Eheim warranty support? will they send me new parts or do I have to send them my canister in order for them to fix it? that would REALLY be a PITA.... plus having sitting water and losing all my beneficial bacteria....


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## krak256 (Dec 14, 2007)

fishscale said:


> I used a powerhead to prime the filter.


fishscale, what do you mean when you say, "use a powerhead to prime"?


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

I have never had an issue with air in any of my classic eheims. I turn off the unit. Close the disconnects and remove it. The I connect them open the disconnects, wiat for it to fill and turn it on. Give it a few shakes and there you have it.


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## guppygolucky (Nov 9, 2009)

It's an old thread, but I am having trouble with my 2213. I filled the canister and the 1st section of the intake to the quick disconnect and closed the ball valve. As for the actual pieces from the tank, I sucked in water into a bucket and closed the ball valves (did this for the intake and the outtake). Connected everything, plugged it in, and it's STILL pushing out air. I've tilted it, tapped it gently, and tilted again to loosen and move the air around. No results. Any help is appreciated!
The eheim 2232 was SO much easier to set up!
Thanks


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## DaveFish (Oct 7, 2011)

*Eheim is always getting air in the chamber*

Alright, now I know a lot of people love Eheim and I know this thread is super old, but man do their products stink! Every single Eheim product I have owned has been a lemon. They never work properly or for very long. I would like to know why my filter keeps filling up with air. I have checked and re-checked all connections. If it is the o-ring I would rather just buy a different brand than fix this thing. I bet it would just fill up with air again. Once a lemon always a lemon is my experience. I have owned it a little over a year and it has been crapping out on me for a very long time. Almost from the beginning.

Why aren't Filstar filters as good? I have had way better luck with Filstar and I like the design. The only thing is they have a steel shaft instead of ceramic and if you don't plan on using sand or doing Cichlids it is just as good and cheaper. My Filstar runs just as quiet as my Eheim.

I do own a Fluval and they are work horses, but the design and ribbed hosing have turned me off to Fluval.

Can anyone recommend any other canister filters that would work with a 10 gallon tank?


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## greaser84 (Feb 2, 2014)

DaveFish said:


> Alright, now I know a lot of people love Eheim and I know this thread is super old, but man do their products stink! Every single Eheim product I have owned has been a lemon. They never work properly or for very long. I would like to know why my filter keeps filling up with air. I have checked and re-checked all connections. If it is the o-ring I would rather just buy a different brand than fix this thing. I bet it would just fill up with air again. Once a lemon always a lemon is my experience. I have owned it a little over a year and it has been crapping out on me for a very long time. Almost from the beginning.
> 
> Why aren't Filstar filters as good? I have had way better luck with Filstar and I like the design. The only thing is they have a steel shaft instead of ceramic and if you don't plan on using sand or doing Cichlids it is just as good and cheaper. My Filstar runs just as quiet as my Eheim.
> 
> ...


I have a couple sunsun canister's 602 and 603 they are great for small tanks. Also the zoo med 501 is decent. Not sure how they compare to other's but I haven't had any problem with them. With a 10 gallon tank your pretty much looking for something that holds a lot of media but doesn't toss the fish around all day.


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## DaveFish (Oct 7, 2011)

greaser84 said:


> I have a couple sunsun canister's 602 and 603 they are great for small tanks. Also the zoo med 501 is decent. Not sure how they compare to other's but I haven't had any problem with them. With a 10 gallon tank your pretty much looking for something that holds a lot of media but doesn't toss the fish around all day.


Thanks for the quick response. I will definitely check those out. I was actually looking at the Zoomed today at my LFS. Does the 501 run pretty quiet, do you have any issues with it? 

I wish I could say I am an Eheim fanboy, but I just can't! LOL I have had such bad experiences with several of their products. It's too bad.


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## BDoss1985 (Sep 15, 2011)

I'm not an eheim fan either i've broken the handle clips on the 2232 about 3 times just closing the lid and my 2234 just completely locked up while I was gone one day to never work again. Other than being terrified to open the 2232 it works great
My zoomed 501 flow is very low I use a little internal hagen elite and it puts out just as much as the 501

Sunsun and odyssea both have a small canister filter just do an ebay search. I use both brands and haven't had near the problems as with other brands and the cost is alot better.


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## sushant (Mar 3, 2007)

I'm not an ehiem fan either but I have a 2213 working without any problem for last 7 years. You can also give aquaone a try they are quite and almost half the price of ehiem


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

Here is my fail-proof method to prime my EHEIM Classics. It is very simple and just uses the already established siphon to push the air out before you re-connect the output tubes:

- Turn filters off
- Close all check valves on the filters (keeps water in the intake tube so a siphon can start again)
- Take filter apart / do whatever you need to do
- Fill filter back up with tank water almost to the top. There will obviously be air stuck in the canister when you seal it again. (This is actually optional - you can just let the whole thing fill through the siphon)
- Put the pump head back on / seal the filter up.
- Reconnect the intake tubes only
- Point the output of the filter into a bucket.
- Open all the check valves so that the siphon from the intake tube pushes water to fill the canister. This will get all the air out of the canister within 20 seconds max
- Once a steady stream of water is coming out / no more air is in the canister go ahead and close the valve on the output of the canister to stop the flow
- Re-attach the output hose
- Open all valves
- Run filter - it will work perfectly


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## jrill (Nov 20, 2013)

+1 above. That's how I have done it for years. I really like eheim filters never had a problem that I did not cause.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Why don't people like Ehiem filters? 
Just reading through their postings gives a good clue. They are too damn dumb to read the directions! Step one is a big one. Don't put water in the canister when you restart. If they can't read and understand that simple instruction, too bad. They should quit before they hurt themselves!


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## DaveFish (Oct 7, 2011)

klibs said:


> Here is my fail-proof method to prime my EHEIM Classics. It is very simple and just uses the already established siphon to push the air out before you re-connect the output tubes:
> 
> - Turn filters off
> - Close all check valves on the filters (keeps water in the intake tube so a siphon can start again)
> ...



Alright, I will try it. Not much different than I already do, but enough that it may make a difference.

Look this filter hasn't really worked from day one. It was always getting full of air. May be a simple fix, but I bought a SunSun for $28.00 and it is working great. I am sure it is just a lemon, but still from my perspective all Eheim equipment I have owned have been lemons, filters, pumps, powerheads, heaters. They have all broken or do not operate at optimum levels.

Thanks for the advice

Bump:


PlantedRich said:


> Why don't people like Ehiem filters?
> Just reading through their postings gives a good clue. They are too damn dumb to read the directions! Step one is a big one. Don't put water in the canister when you restart. If they can't read and understand that simple instruction, too bad. They should quit before they hurt themselves!


Look this filter hasn't really worked from day one. It was always getting full of air. May be a simple fix, but I bought a SunSun for $28.00 and it is working great. I am sure it is just a lemon, but still from my perspective all Eheim equipment I have owned have been lemons, filters, pumps, powerheads, heaters. They have all broken or do not operate at optimum levels.


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