# Fluval EBI



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

Got my EBI up and running. Stocked with 6 Green neon Tetras 5 White Clouds and 3 Glofish (They will be goon soon).

I have a Moss Ball, some Carolina Fanworth, some Crypt, and 2 other plants my dad got me from petco so im not sure what they are. 

Im going to rescape this soon. The rock that is in there now is from my other tank, and it will be returning. I want to set up a small rock wall in the front corner and put some moss in front of it. Also still searching for the perfect piece of driftwood. Here is what i have so far. Let me know your thoughts.


----------



## mysticalnet (Dec 2, 2007)

how about some small foreground plant?


----------



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

Moss will fill the front left corner then Ill probably transfer some microsward from my other tank. Not positive yet. Still in the process of the design.


----------



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

Something like this










I need to find out if i get another light will i be able to grow HC.


----------



## jmowbray (Dec 20, 2009)

You can grow HC if you get one more light I found them for sale for $30 for the whole fixture. 

It's looking good so far. What kind of rock do you have in there? It looks like a pure block of silica. lol 

Unfortunately santa didn't here me when I told him that I wanted a Ebi for Christmas. lol  Good thing on the 3rd of Jan. I will be getting my check for $2,700.  I hope my parents don't mind another tank.


----------



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

HAHA. To be honest the name of the rock escapes me. I have a bunch of it in my other tank. So HC will grow with another light. Awesome news. I'm also thinking about getting the Fluval co2 kit. http://www.petsolutions.com/storefront/product-view.ep?pID=FluvalPressurinedCO2


----------



## jmowbray (Dec 20, 2009)

I'm currently in the process of trying to figure out how to hook my existing 10lb setup. I'm not sure if I would go with the CO2 kit, I have heard that the cartridge runs out reasonably fast.


----------



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

Yea i read that as well, but (i read) if you add a solenoid it will last longer.


----------



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

The substrate that comes with the tank moves around easily and is not the easy to clean. Is anyone capping it?


----------



## dmxsoulja3 (Dec 22, 2010)

Ahh see I'm not the only one that substrate is a PAIN, its almost TOO natural, have you smashed one between your fingers? it seems like a really nice soil of some sort, but if you move it around it stirs up stuff every single time grr its frustrating lol. I have found that when I move stuff around I simple turn the filter off let everything settle, then fire it back up to clear it up quickly, otherwise you will clog up the filter or it will take alot longer to clear. 

On a side note how do you feel about the filter, did you adjust the flow down? I have that same filter in my 10 gallon and it can create a vortex in there can't imagine what its like in small space like the EBI. I tried turning the flow down and it got a little noisy, ended up drilling alot more holes in the spray bar.


----------



## Cynth (Sep 11, 2010)

EBI looking good. 

I wish the Fluval Co2 they made for this same tank only the planted version had a solenoid. I really don't want to leave it running and I know I would forget to turn it on and off.


----------



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

I like the filter because of its compact size, but it does get a bit noisy. I'm gonna have to put more holes in mine. I wish they made a spray bar about 3 inches longer, because that would help as well. I might grab some black gravel to cap it with. Just a small layer to hold it down some. Im going to the LFS later today for some stuff anyhow.


----------



## Cynth (Sep 11, 2010)

gringostar9 said:


> I like the filter because of its compact size, but it does get a bit noisy. I'm gonna have to put more holes in mine. I wish they made a spray bar about 3 inches longer, because that would help as well. I might grab some black gravel to cap it with. Just a small layer to hold it down some. Im going to the LFS later today for some stuff anyhow.


The filter in my EBI doesn't make any noise at all, the spray bar is about 1" below the surface. Are you sure there isn't some air or something trapped in yours? Or are you keeping the spray above the water?


----------



## chumlee (Nov 4, 2010)

Cynth said:


> The filter in my EBI doesn't make any noise at all, the spray bar is about 1" below the surface. Are you sure there isn't some air or something trapped in yours? Or are you keeping the spray above the water?


+1 on that, mine doesn't make even the smallest amount of noise and I have it 3 inches below the water line. I turned the filter down to about 50% , that thing is powerful for this small of a tank.


----------



## hockey9999 (Nov 21, 2010)

My filter is noisy too... Drives me nuts!


----------



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

I have the valve slightly shut... The restriction creates the noise. I have a new scape that allows more water flow. Ill Post pictures tomorrow when i get back from the Skins game.


----------



## Moe (Jan 22, 2004)

I think the filter needed a better intake screen, I didn't use the supplied filter in my EBI, I went with a sponge filter instead.
Good luck with your driftwood search!


----------



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

Rescaped... Not the driftwood i was looking for, but it was cheap and a quick insert until I find what I want. What do y'all think? Sorry fr poor picture quality, took them with my phone.


----------



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

What does everyone think about the Shrimp food that comes with the Kit?


----------



## Moe (Jan 22, 2004)

all my shrimp love it!


----------



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

Is anyone adding anything to the filter?


----------



## chumlee (Nov 4, 2010)

All of my shrimp go nuts over the food, a lot more than the hikari food I was giving them. 

I put some filter sponge into the first compartment so that no shrimp would get sucked in, and then removed the small sponge in the larger compartment and put some bio media in there.


----------



## Cynth (Sep 11, 2010)

gringostar9 said:


> Is anyone adding anything to the filter?


I wanted to add some carbon but the chamber is so small it isn't going to hold much. I am going to stuff the first (empty) chamber where the intake is with filter floss to keep small shrimp from being sucked into the filter... and or glue a small sponge on the outside of the intake.


----------



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

Are you all using the top? I think I may need to start using it because some shrimp have disappeared. I'm gonna look around the tank tonight, and see if i find any.


----------



## chumlee (Nov 4, 2010)

I hate using the top because of how it looks especially with the plastic holders on the corners of the tank, but I use it anyway because with the rock wall and the spraybar near the top of the tank I think it would be fairly easy to have a shrimp jump out.


----------



## gringostar9 (Oct 11, 2010)

Yea... It looks so much better with it off.


----------



## Viz (Feb 1, 2011)

*Cleaning The Ebi*

Hey All,

I finally got my EBI set up and I added five red cherry shrimp to start off with and happened to get a shrimplet with the five I purchased. Had them in the tank for a week and lost one already but the others seem to be fine. I noticed that these shrimp constantly eat and are very good about getting every bit of algae in the tank. I also noticed that since they eat all the time they also poop constantly and it is everywhere in the tank and on the moss balls. How do you all keep the tank clean? I performed the water change becuase I noticed the rise in Nitrates. There is no real way to vacuum the tank with this soil is there? It stirs up way to easy and I am afraid of sucking up shrimplets also in the future if I do vacuum. Any hints or tips? How do you all keep the tank clean? I am starting to freak out because now I noticed some planaria in the tank and I have not even placed one ounce of food in the tank since I have had them in there. They are only eating the algae so I am not overfeeding and I can't vacuum the planaria out of the soil without sucking the actual soil up and stiring it into a mess. Help!


----------



## DannyDapper (Oct 12, 2012)

Just set up my Fluval flora today... The filter is driving me nuts!!! did you guys find a fix for it?


----------



## Ebi (Jun 29, 2011)

I've owned 4 fluval ebi/flora kits 

I recommend buying a Zoo Med 501 Mini Canister Filter for replacement. Cheaper then Eheims.. and just the perfect amount of flow 

The 20g Pressurized CO2 that comes with the flora kept me going for a month now.. 

Mainly bc of manually having to turn it on and off that I only risk turning it on, if I know that i'll be back in time to turn it off. 

Screw the chamber it comes with 
Get the bubble counter and ceramic disk that fluval carries...

Since it seems like you got the 'ebi" kit, wouldn't hurt to get the 45g CO2. 
especially for the foreground plants your planning to scape with. 

Diffinately recommend getting another 13W CFL of the same kind.. Much worth it.. 
I got my DHG to pearl with two fixtures and 1bps.

Good Luck to you!


----------



## DannyDapper (Oct 12, 2012)

Ebi said:


> I've owned 4 fluval ebi/flora kits
> 
> I recommend buying a Zoo Med 501 Mini Canister Filter for replacement. Cheaper then Eheims.. and just the perfect amount of flow
> 
> ...


Thanks for all the tips! I got the flora so it comes with the CO2, I'm thinking of getting a new CO2 with the celluloid so I can put it on a timer =), maybe in a couple weeks! I did get a second of the 13w lamps off ebay for $20! I'll check out the filter, thanks again for all the help!


----------

