# Eheim 2215 CONSTANTLY clogging. What to replace it with?



## keymastr (May 25, 2015)

I have a Fluval206 n my 20 gallon along with an AquaClear 50 and I do not think it is too much flow but I also do not have shrimp. If you go with Fluval you will have to switch to smooth wall tubing from Eheim or get it at Home Depot. Otherwise it will make your heater install very difficult due to the ribbed hoses. 

Planted tanks require more filter maintenance. I clean my canister monthly. and change 50% water weekly. Just part of the game with plants.


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## Mr2peak (Jul 15, 2015)

How much material do you have inside the filter? With that small of a tank you can probably have the filter 1/2 full and still have a thriving cleaning community. That should give you a decent boost in flow.


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## WaterLife (Jul 1, 2015)

Yeah, what Mr2Peak said.

It's not really the canister filters fault, it's doing it's job. Either you have a ton of stuff the filter is collecting and/or you have very fine media that gets clogged very easily.
Removing some media will increase the flow, but it's the fine pore media that is the "problem"/clogging (assuming mechanical filtration media, it's actually doing it's job/purpose as well, catching particles) slowing down flow.

If the actual rather large diameter pipes/tubes are getting clogged, you got a whole other problem (sure some things cling/grow inside of them, but should never clog up for years).

If the media is not actually clogging, maybe your impeller just needs a good cleaning to get it running at top speed again.


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## al4n (Nov 18, 2008)

Any pictures of your tank? I dont think getting another filter will help, any filter you get is gonna clog. 

Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk


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## jrill (Nov 20, 2013)

Like others said the filter sounds fine. You have something else going on. Where is all that stuff coming from.


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## whummel (Oct 30, 2015)

Hi Maybe this will help , I had 2 eheim canister filters and was having same problem after awhile the flow would decrease ,could not find the reason for it . right now I am running a fluval 306 on the 65 gal. which can be regulated to an extent ,funny thing no flow problems at all . On my 46 gal. I am using a magnum 350 ,same thing you can regulate the flow to an extent ,the only thing I don't like about the magnum is the fact that you need to replace the magnet and the filter canister once in a while .the canister is 25.00 and the magnet is 25.00 . that's the only draw back with that filter. plan on putting the 306 on the 46 gallon tank and getting the 406 for the 65 . I'm sure if you do you homework you could find better filters but for the money I really like the fluval filters, come pre loaded, hook up and run ..... hope this helps you out


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## Clear Water (Sep 20, 2014)

I would suggest a prefilter. I use a sponge and clean it out every water change. I been able to go 2 months or more without water flow slowing. I was able to slide on the intake. It usually very dirty.


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## Mr2peak (Jul 15, 2015)

I just replaced my fine filter, and got 1/3 more flow out of everything. How long have you been using the same filter? They are cheap, I got 6 filters on eBay for less than $8 shipped.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I have not used a fine filter pads in any canisters for years. Makes my cleaning intervals much longer and haven't seen any downsides to not using it, the upside is far less cleaning far less often.


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## Mr2peak (Jul 15, 2015)

talontsiawd said:


> I have not used a fine filter pads in any canisters for years. Makes my cleaning intervals much longer and haven't seen any downsides to not using it, the upside is far less cleaning far less often.


Don't you end up with way more junk pumped back into the water column?


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Mr2peak said:


> Don't you end up with way more junk pumped back into the water column?


It's kind of a yes and no answer. Yes, compared to if I clean or replace the pad every week or two but no compared to if I service my filter when I actually have time. If I let the filter clog and don't service it, I end up with so little flow that the filter isn't picking up much. I have also used Fluval prefilters that don't fit a 2215 intake but fit another Eheim intake that fits on the 2215 tube and that works just as well, still clogs in about a week, but just needs a rise, no need to pull the whole filter out and service it.


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## PAXpress (Oct 19, 2015)

PickieBee said:


> I have a 25 gallon heavily planted, low-tech tank with some shrimp and small peaceful fish. I do not overfeed. But my Eheim 2215 canister filter is CONSTANTLY clogging and I've had it with that thing!
> 
> 
> It's been barely a month since I took the whole thing apart and cleaned out all the tubes and already the output has slowed to a tiny trickle. The filter is about 8 months old.
> ...


You may want to put a prefilter on it prevents larger particles from getting into the filter.


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## nbr1rodeoclown (Feb 6, 2015)

Sounds like fine substrate or media to me. My 2215 just has the ceramic, and 1 piece of foam in it and its working fine on a 65 gallon dirted tank. are you stiring up a lot of debris?


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## thedood (May 30, 2015)

I second the pre-filter opinion. I seldom disassemble my canisters for cleaning. Every time I perform a wc I pull the sponge and rinse it in aquarium water. I wont run any filter without a pre-filter.


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## alcimedes (Dec 7, 2014)

I usually take a sponge filter and just pop it over the intake to my Eheim cannister. The sponge gets cleaned with the water changes, very little detritus makes it into the filter, and what does is tiny and doesn't clog the filter.

The actual filter then has to get cleaned every 6 months, if that.


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## nbr1rodeoclown (Feb 6, 2015)

alcimedes said:


> I usually tank a sponge filter and just pop it over the intake to my Eheim cannister. The sponge gets cleaned with the water changes, very little detritus makes it into the filter, and what does is tiny.


ditto. you can cut up some foam or use those nylon socks that carbon sometimes comes in.


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