# Eheim 2213.Flow rates,and DIY flow reducing mods for nano tanks.



## lescarpentier (Feb 2, 2008)

The discontinuation of the Eheim 2211 in America created a void in the filter market that has yet to be filled.Owners of nano tanks who need or desire a canister filter must now resort to filters that are,at best,of questionable quality.A top quality canister filter is no longer readily available to the nano community.

*The versatile 2213*

Although small in size,an out of the box 2213 can not be classified as a nano filter.However,with the small investment of less than $20.00 worth of factory parts we can reduce the actual flow rate by a full 40%,putting it squarely into the nano category.

My goal was to match the advertised flow rates of the Zoo Med 501,and the Toms Mini canister filters by using available original Eheim parts.The filter I used was a 2213 that I disconnected from my tank that is nearly 4 months old.I exceeded my goal,and in one configuration the flow is actually 20 1/2 GPH lower than the advertised flow rate of the Toms Mini canister filter.

*Tests*

The tests fall into four categories.
(1) Flow rate of dirty filter,used 3 months and 19 days.
(2) Flow rate of clean filter with and without spray bar.
(3) Flow rate using 2211 impeller assembly,part #7632110,with and without 2213 spray bar.
(4) Flow rate using 2211 Impeller assembly,9/12 mm output hose,2211 spray bar,part#7272150,and 2211 diffuser,part #4003700.(Note)The 2213 uses a 12/16 output hose so a reducer,part#4003980 was used near the double tap connector to reduce the hose to 9/12 mm.



Note that the only difference in the impellers is that the 2213 uses a 6 blade impeller,and the 2211 uses 3 blades.For the cost conscious,you can save $11.99 by carefully cutting off 3 of the blades.Also note the broken impeller axle shaft.The impeller had never been removed,so apparently this was a factory defect.This filter ran for nearly 4 months with this broken shaft,was silent,and performed flawlessly.

*The method of testing*

The tests were conducted with the filters sitting on the floor with a 50 inch water height to simulate actual conditions.Results were obtained by using a stop watch to measure the seconds to pump 5 gallons,and then dividing the seconds by 3600 and multiplying this figure by 5.The numbers were rounded out to the nearest 1/2 gallon.

*The advertised flow rate of the 2213 is 116GPH,and the 2211 is 79GPH*

*Results by category*

(1) There was no measurable loss of flow with the dirty filter media.


(2) 2213 factory configuration.*97 1/2 GPH open hose*.*92 1/2 GPH with spray bar*.

(3) With 2211 impeller and 12/16 hose.*90GPH with open hose*,*82 1/2 GPH with spray bar*.

(4) With 2211 impeller and 9/12 hose.*70 1/2 GPH with open hose*.*63 GPH with 2211 spray bar*.59 1/2 GPH with 2211 diffuser*.


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## dhavoc (May 4, 2006)

gonna try switching the impellers between the two tommorow. i have a spare 2211 and 2213 and would love to replace another 2211 used on a 15g CRS tank. i have found that the 2211 plugs up too easily and without shut off valves is a PITA to clean. it only has a couple of filter pads cut from large sheets, with the rest filled with eheim pro media and ceramic rings. flow decreases within weeks, versus months with a standard setup 2213. i am guessing its the larger motor. the 2211 doesnt make noise or seem to be struggling at all and i use a sponge prefilter on the intake. it gets cleaned regularly and it is never plugged so thats not the problem. tried throttling back the 2213 via the output shutoff valve, but it gets very noisy and the flow is still too high for little shrimps. i also dont care for the 3/8" outflow tube as it wont fit on my chiller barbs or any uv filters etc. I know adapters exist and i have some on order as a backup in case i need to use the 2211 again. i didnt know the impellors were interchangeable, good info. thanks


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

Excellent work! You have outdone yourself once again.

Now I wonder if I if you have a 2211, you can simply replace with a 2213 impeller and get comparable results the other way. Could save alot of money for someone who doesn't want to pay for the whole filter, just the impeller and tubing.


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## fishsandwitch (Apr 20, 2008)

gmccreedy said:


> Excellent work! You have outdone yourself once again.
> 
> Now I wonder if I if you have a 2211, you can simply replace with a 2213 impeller and get comparable results the other way. Could save alot of money for someone who doesn't want to pay for the whole filter, just the impeller and tubing.


yeah you can. If you switch impellers you get boosted flow but not as much as a stock 2213


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Great job Les!

I am getting the 2213 from a seller on Craigslist for $50 shipped, it is exactly as it was when new just slightly broken in.

Now, you know im wanting to put this on my ADA Mini-M (approx 7.5g) in hopes it will dissolve co2 from my diy bottles. Since this is my first foray into Ehffing it up (ahhhh!!!) do you see any issue with cutting off half of the blades at all? and are there any specific filter medias you could suggest to decrease the flow as much as possible while still maintaining a good co2 dissolving rate?


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## lescarpentier (Feb 2, 2008)

bsmith782 said:


> Great job Les!
> 
> I am getting the 2213 from a seller on Craigslist for $50 shipped, it is exactly as it was when new just slightly broken in.
> 
> Now, you know im wanting to put this on my ADA Mini-M (approx 7.5g) in hopes it will dissolve co2 from my diy bottles. Since this is my first foray into Ehffing it up (ahhhh!!!) do you see any issue with cutting off half of the blades at all? and are there any specific filter medias you could suggest to decrease the flow as much as possible while still maintaining a good co2 dissolving rate?


Thanks!

Cutting 3 blades off of the impeller would not intimidate me at all.I would use a very sharp razor knife,cut off every other blade,and make the cuts as flush and clean as possible.

Using the media to reduce flow would not be a good idea.As soon as the impeller gets robbed of water the pump will cavitate and make noise,possibly even eventually damaging the pump.I got the least flow using the shepherds crook diffuser.If I was looking for the minimum flow I would buy the reducer and the 9/12mm tubing and use the diffuser.The spray bar could be a problem though because it is longer than any of the Classic's spray bars by 1 3/4" and it is 13 1/4" long.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Yeah your right it shouldnt be too hard at all to cut the blades off carefully.

What kind of tubing boed the 2213 come with? Im assuming 12/16 hose as you suggest the smaller.... Wait a minute am I misssing something those fractions both equal 3/4"?

Do you have a source for the parts you suggest Les, I assume you know the best place to go to?


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## lescarpentier (Feb 2, 2008)

bsmith782 said:


> What kind of tubing boed the 2213 come with? Im assuming 12/16 hose as you suggest the smaller.... Wait a minute am I misssing something those fractions both equal 3/4"?


Both the intake and the output lines on the 2213 are 12/16, "12 milimeter inside diameter",which is close to 1/2".I wanted the Eheim hose because I like it,and it should fit the filter parts better.The 9/12 hose is close to 3/8" inside diameter.At Big Als I think that it was .49 per foot.



bsmith782 said:


> Do you have a source for the parts you suggest Les, I assume you know the best place to go to?


All of the parts that I needed for this latest test came from Big Als.They were cheap themselves,but I ordered a few other things to offset the 7 or 8 dollar shipping cost.


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## spacemanoeuvres (Mar 8, 2008)

*...*

I run a 2213 on a 30cm cube without any modifications and it works great. In my experience the media that comes with the filter works a'okay. Cool experiment though...


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## dhavoc (May 4, 2006)

_"I run a 2213 on a 30cm cube without any modifications and it works great." _wow, thats alot of water movement. i use 2213s on 20 and 30 breeders.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

I run the 2232 on my ADA mini-m. All I do is turn down the output QD it works wonderfully.
I assume the 2213 comes with QD's? why all the modifications? I mean it's a cool experiment non the less.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

lescarpentier said:


> The discontinuation of the Eheim 2211 in America created a void in the filter market that has yet to be filled.Owners of nano tanks who need or desire a canister filter must now resort to filters that are,at best,of questionable quality.A top quality canister filter is no longer readily available to the nano community.


IMO this is a bold statement that I totally disagree with 100%
I love my eco as I'm sure I would love a 2213. Quick disconnects work wonders,
Actually the zoo med 501 is a perfect size for nanos with no mods whatsoever IMO.
I filled my 501 with Eheim media and it preforms fantastically on my 7 gallon bookshelf tank.


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## dhavoc (May 4, 2006)

turning down the flow via the qd valve is what eheim reccomends you to do. however, once you reduce past a certain point, it gets alot noisier IME. not a problem in say an office or a family room in the day. but it is for me at night when the house is quiet as i am a very light sleeper. thats why i went eheim in the first place instead of say rena or similar.

as for the 501 or crappier toms, they do work, but dont hold nearly as much biomedia as say a 2213 or 2232. and like the 2211, they tend to plug up much quicker also. that is the main reason i was interested in this mod, higher media capacity, stronger motor and keeping the quietness of the eheim i have come to love, but with a lower flow rate so my shrimps dont get tossed all over the place.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

True the 2213 holds more bio than the 501 but for a nano tank especially a shrimp nano do you really need that much?

I turn down my 2232 down at least half way and notice no difference in sound levels.
What was this "certain point" for you?
I remember turning down to a trickle a few weeks ago during a WC and forgot about it and all week it was like that until the next WC and didn't notice any change in sound. The funny thing is the tank was just as clean LOL.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

mott said:


> True the 2213 holds more bio than the 501 but for a nano tank especially a shrimp nano do you really need that much?
> 
> I turn down my 2232 down at least half way and notice no difference in sound levels.
> What was this "certain point" for you?
> I remember turning down to a trickle a few weeks ago during a WC and forgot about it and all week it was like that until the next WC and didn't notice any change in sound. The funny thing is the tank was just as clean LOL.


For a shrimp tank espicially CRS/CBS which allot of nanos are devoted to, the more bio media the better. I don't think any avid shrimp keeper will argue with that. Actually the more you can "overfilter" your tank the better.


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## lescarpentier (Feb 2, 2008)

mott said:


> IMO this is a bold statement that I totally disagree with 100%


You are free to disagree,for whatever it is worth.



mott said:


> I love my eco as I'm sure I would love a 2213. Quick disconnects work wonders,


Quick disconnects and stop valves are not designed to reduce flow.The added pressure to the pump creates noise.If you are content with a noisy filter you may as well buy a cheaper one.


mott said:


> Actually the zoo med 501 is a perfect size for nanos with no mods whatsoever IMO.
> I filled my 501 with Eheim media and it preforms fantastically on my 7 gallon bookshelf tank.


If you would have thoroughly read my post you would have seen that I was talking about a "top quality" filter,not a dangerous question mark.If you think that a zoo med is a top quality filter you have much to learn,but that would explain your post.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

lescarpentier said:


> You are free to disagree,for whatever it is worth.


For whatever it is worth? who the F are you? I disagree and it is WORTH something.



lescarpentier said:


> Quick disconnects and stop valves are not designed to reduce flow.The added pressure to the pump creates noise.If you are content with a noisy filter you may as well buy a cheaper one..


Got any proof on this?
I have been running my eccos this way for over 2 years now no noise here.



lescarpentier said:


> If you would have thoroughly read my post you would have seen that I was talking about a "top quality" filter,not a dangerous question mark.If you think that a zoo med is a top quality filter you have much to learn,but that would explain your post.


The zoo med sure as hell aint no Eheim BUT it does a DAMN GOOD job. Do you own one? I always am willing to learn but show me some proof here don't just imply that I don't know what I'm talking about.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

bsmith782 said:


> For a shrimp tank espicially CRS/CBS which allot of nanos are devoted to, the more bio media the better. I don't think any avid shrimp keeper will argue with that. Actually the more you can "overfilter" your tank the better.


Admitted I never owned CRS are they more sensitive than RCS? 
I had over 100 RCS in my 5 gallon with a lil tiny HOB with hardly any bio for about a year and parameters were just fine...


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

mott said:


> Admitted I never owned CRS are they more sensitive than RCS?
> I had over 100 RCS in my 5 gallon with a lil tiny HOB with hardly any bio for about a year and parameters were just fine...


You could compare RCS to Guppies/Endlers (almost any livebearing fish) and CRS/CBS to Discus.

I have heard of people in the south that have RCS living in trash cans and outdoor ponds at their homes. Some even liken them to Cockroaches, as there probly harder to kill them then make them thrive!

CRS on the other hand prefer a specific temp range, GH anf KH, PH and the water must be clean as a whistle for them to do live much less breed.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

bsmith782 said:


> You could compare RCS to Guppies/Endlers (almost any livebearing fish) and CRS/CBS to Discus.
> 
> 
> I have heard of people in the south that have RCS living in trash cans and outdoor ponds at their homes. Some even liken them to Cockroaches, as there probly harder to kill them then make them thrive!
> ...


We are slippng off topic a little but here goes.

Ok I did realize they need a certain temp, KH, GH but how about nitrate levels?
I was under the impression that most types of shrimp can't handle a lot of nitrates.
We are talking bio here.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

mott said:


> We are slippng off topic a little but here goes.
> 
> Ok I did realize they need a certain temp, KH, GH but how about nitrate levels?
> I was under the impression that most types of shrimp can't handle a lot of nitrates.
> We are talking bio here.


Sending PM.


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## dhavoc (May 4, 2006)

CRS are much more sensitive than RCS, hell i myself keep them in ponds and cant get rid of them from a tank if i wanted to. the reason i like this idea is the volume of bio-media a 2213 holds versus a 501 or 2211. its all about the bacteria converting wastes, and the more surface area the better. and yes i have owned both the toms (POS and i stand by that), 501 (better but still basically a toms that works longer than 6 months) and many eheims (again for their quietness mainly). like i said before, using the isolation valves is a band aid solution, once you go past a certain point it gets noisier, and probably puts more stress on the motor as well. this is not for everyone, but honestly a 501 is fine for a 5g, but is not big enough for a 10g (which is what most use for shrimps), and the 2232/2213 or similar sized filstar or rena is simply too much flow for small fish or inverts on said tank. some like the flow high, but the only thing i have found that loves that are hillstream loaches. and yes i have a high flow tank setup just for them as well.

sorry to get off tangent but yes, it IS all about the bio, at least for me.


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

The point i was trying to make is that shrimp only tanks including CRS, bee or whatever don't have a large bio-load hell a lot of shrimp breeders use sponge filters.


I AGREE with all of you guy's about the statement of more bio is better.

The thing I don't agree with is the fact that using the output QD to control flow makes the can noisy... at least it doesn't for me but I don't turn it down more than half way. 
I have been using my 2232 like this for some time now, when is it supposed to get noisy?


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## Grubs (Jun 2, 2007)

Cutting fins off the impeller seems a drastic measure.

Another simple option to reduce the flow is to shortcircuit a proportion of the filter outflow back into the suction side. Put a "T" into both the inlet and outlet hose between the filter body and the double-tap (assuming eheim classic to fit in with OP) and insert a length of hose with an irrigation tap in the middle betwen the two. This provides a short-circuit where a proportion of the outflow is sucked back around to the inflow. The tap gives you control over the amount of flow that is diverted.

As far as the filter is concerned its just pumping at full steam like it was designed with the benefit that some of your water is getting polished with a 2nd, 3rd etc run through the biomedia. The outflow and suction is reduced.

This method works on any canister filter without the need to mod the impeller (that you may want intact for the next project). If you had the eheim 2215 (or any other canister with the three-bladed impeller) then chopping off the impeller blades realy isnt an option anyhow.



The reason for putting the "T"s between the filter body and the double-tap (using the eheim example) is that in the event that you find you have your short-circuit flow path fully open and the flow is not reduced enough you have the option of closing down the tap on the outflow double-tap to restrict the outflow a little - which will assist with more water recirculating through the shortcircuit. If you have a different brand of canister without taps you could easily insert another irrigation tap into the outflow hose if you needed to... just dont close them both down at the same time!


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## Pocho (Dec 3, 2018)

Grubs, I'm about to do that mod.
Thanks!


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