# Priming Eheim 2217 Filter



## MiSo (Oct 26, 2005)

water goes in from the bottom and out the top

i use a hobby pump to start the siphon (force water into the intake.) imo, its the easiest way. sucking on a fish tank tube is disgusting to me. 
if you're going to suck on tubing, i fine its easier to fill the canister with water first.


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## sp33drhno (Jan 8, 2009)

Filter intake goes on bottom, and spray bar goes on top.


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## happybats (Feb 1, 2014)

Thanks guys, understand that. I just can't get a lasting siphon.. it just stops. Should I be starting the siphon on the bottom or top of the filter?

the water for the flow into the tank runs fine until I attach it to the connector and just reaches an inch or two and doesn't flow into the tank.


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

Fill the canister fully with water, then fill the inlet and outlets with water separately, then just connect it all together, and plug in the power. No need to suck on dirty water. Also, make sure the canister is under the tank stand.


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## idex (Apr 15, 2010)

I think you are doing it backwards... on the 2217 the larger tube is the intake the smaller tube is the outake.


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## happybats (Feb 1, 2014)

Thanks guys, I'll definitely try that next time exv152. New tank, new everything. I'm brand new to this. Anyway, got it to work! I was doing everything right just didn't close the outflow valve connector to get the filter fully primed before connecting it to the outtake of the tank.


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## jrill (Nov 20, 2013)

exv152 said:


> Fill the canister fully with water, then fill the inlet and outlets with water separately, then just connect it all together, and plug in the power. No need to suck on dirty water. Also, make sure the canister is under the tank stand.


That's how I have always done it. Works great.

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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

jrill said:


> That's how I have always done it. Works great.
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk


Does anybody read and follow the directions to avoid having trouble with priming? This is totally NOT the way the directions say to do it! 
The directions are very specific. Leave the intake line full of water, the canister and output lines should be empty. With the intake end under water, when you open the cutoffs, water will siphon downhill to the bottom of the canister and force the air out the top. This will continue until the canister and both lines are full up to the level of the tank water. Just a simple siphon that removes the air from the canister and lines. Sucking sucks!


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

PlantedRich said:


> Does anybody read and follow the directions to avoid having trouble with priming? This is totally NOT the way the directions say to do it!
> The directions are very specific. Leave the intake line full of water, the canister and output lines should be empty. With the intake end under water, when you open the cutoffs, water will siphon downhill to the bottom of the canister and force the air out the top. This will continue until the canister and both lines are full up to the level of the tank water. Just a simple siphon that removes the air from the canister and lines. Sucking sucks!


 If you fill everything (canister, inlet and outlet with water) it's instantly primed. No need to wait. Water flows instantly with minimal air bubbles, but it creates the least amount of stress on the pump and the motor.


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## Mmdiscus (Nov 30, 2013)

exv152 said:


> If you fill everything (canister, inlet and outlet with water) it's instantly primed. No need to wait. Water flows instantly with minimal air bubbles, but it creates the least amount of stress on the pump and the motor.



Have been using eheim2217 for over a yer loving it. Never priming issues, only at the beginning while i tried to figure out.

I use the same way- fill the canister all the way, and it primes. Before doing WC, right before i unplug it, i close inflow valve, then i turn off power, then immediately i turn off outflow valve.. This ensures that water in the pipes stays there. Then i bring back cleaned canister(filled up with water), open inflow valve and plug it in, and then open outflow valve, works like a charm everytime..


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## jrill (Nov 20, 2013)

PlantedRich said:


> Does anybody read and follow the directions to avoid having trouble with priming? This is totally NOT the way the directions say to do it!
> The directions are very specific. Leave the intake line full of water, the canister and output lines should be empty. With the intake end under water, when you open the cutoffs, water will siphon downhill to the bottom of the canister and force the air out the top. This will continue until the canister and both lines are full up to the level of the tank water. Just a simple siphon that removes the air from the canister and lines. Sucking sucks!


The instructions don't always show the best way, just the recommended way.

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## kaz442 (Sep 28, 2013)

A canister filter is only a siphon. gravity takes the water from the tank through the filter up the return to the height of the water in the tank.
The pump only pushes it over the top of the tank. 
To prime canister for the first time, have filter in place under aquarium EMPTY. all lines should be EMPTY and valves open. Suck on return line causing water to flow into the intake line, gravity will take over from there. When filter is full and return line has water in it plug it in. May need to give a shake or two to get any trapped air bubbles out of filter media.

When cleaning unplug filter close all valves. Pull canister and clean. Drain return line put canister back in place. Make sure return line valves are open THEN open intake valves. Siphon should start, wait for it to fill up and plug in. Give it a shake or two. 
There not that hard. Return lines must be open and clear of water to let the air out.

JKaz


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

The reason having the canister full of water is not the best way is due to the air left in the top of the canister top. It is not possible to fill the canister and top totally full to the top of the lid as the lid is not there until after you fill. So when there is not water in the lid, there is a good chance that the impeller will be in air rather than water. The impeller can't pump air, just water, so people often have trouble starting the filter. There are filters set up so that the water can run down the intake even though it is not designed to work with the canister full. Some can get by with this but then the next guy who has his tubing run slightly different may not. The instructions are from folks who have studied this question. It is their job and Eheim is generally considered to be at least among the best. 
So for those who feel they know more about canister filters than Eheim, I encourage them to do it the way they feel best. But for those of us who are still not quite sure we know that much, I suggest following the directions. Then when you get really, really good you can tell Eheim about any mistakes they are making? 
But in the meantime, why do so many have trouble? They don't read the directions!


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## jrill (Nov 20, 2013)

Oh please......

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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

jrill said:


> Oh please......
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk


So you don't agree? 
I recommend you go with what works for you. But after you have had a few more filters and had a few more times when they didn't seem to work right, you may find reading the directions are really a good idea. 
I'm still betting on Eheim knowing more than most of us about filters!


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

It's easy to fill the canister and eliminate the air inside. There are several ways to do this; one is to fill the canister in a sink with the lid already fastened on, and pour water through the top outlet using a funnel. Or you can fill the canister right to the top, and push the lid on, any excess water will spill out in the sink. If there is any air left inside, it's minimal. Once hooked up to the full inlet and outlet, just open the taps and plug it in, instantly primed. Eheim's method is a waste of time and completely unnecessary. Check out this video...


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Anything to avoid following instructions?? While it may work, it is also lots more work. To each his own but I like to carry the empty canister back much better than a full one. Opening the top and putting water in seems just a lot of trouble when it will run in by itself.


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## islanddave1 (Jul 5, 2013)

Found this written on the web myself....thought that I would share it:
*Priming Eheim Classic Series Filters*

Some people claim Eheim classic series filters are hard to prime, but I have never found that myself. The problem with these filters not starting up after a service is invariably air in the pump-head. The pump cannot expel this air by itself, so you have to get it out, or the pump is stuck. Expelling the air is very easy to do if you are using Eheim’s double-tap-quick-release in the return pipe from your filter to the pump. If you are using a a Hydor external thermal heater, like I am doing, the quick-release goes between the filter and the heater. While we are at it, you also want to put a double-tap-quick-release in the intake pipe of your filter, so you can remove the filter easily from the tank for maintenance. Anyhow, here is how I start up my Eheim canister series filters after maintenance:


Put all the media back in the filter and close it up.
Connect the filter to it’s intake via the corresponding double-tap-quick-release on the lower end of the filter, and open both of the taps on the quick-release.
Do not connect the filter to the return pipe to the tank, but hold hose that’s connected to the outlet of the filter over an empty bucket and open that tap. If there was still water in the filter intake line from the tank down to the double-tap-quick-release near the filter intake, the siphon should start automatically filling the filter with water. If not, you need to give the return pipe a quick suck with your mouth to start the siphon.
Wait until the filter has filled all the way with water, maybe tilting it a little at the end to expel all the air in the filter. You want water to run clearly through the filter into the bucket without bubbles. I will even plug in the filter shortly to remove air from the pump around the impeller.
Unplug the filter, close the tap on the filter outlet, and connect the filter to the return pipe via the corresponding double-tap-quick-release at the upper end of the filter.
Open the return line and plug in the filter.
DONE!
 In 99 cases out of 100 all air will have come out of the filter this way, and it will start without a hitch. On the rare occasion that it does not, you simply have to disconnect the double-tap-quick-release at the filter outlet, and let some more water run into your bucket until there is only water in the filter and no air. If you follow this procedure, you will find priming Eheim classic series filters a breeze, and you can save hundreds of dollars on what a similar filter with self priming feature would cost.


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## Jack Gilvey (Jun 16, 2008)

PlantedRich said:


> Does anybody read and follow the directions to avoid having trouble with priming? This is totally NOT the way the directions say to do it!
> The directions are very specific. Leave the intake line full of water, the canister and output lines should be empty. With the intake end under water, when you open the cutoffs, water will siphon downhill to the bottom of the canister and force the air out the top. This will continue until the canister and both lines are full up to the level of the tank water. Just a simple siphon that removes the air from the canister and lines. Sucking sucks!


 I can't imagine why this is so difficult. Lots of threads on it, though. 

On a new Eheim, I don't bother filling the whole thing at a sink - not needed. Once you have it put together and on the tank, then it doesn't matter that there's a filter there - just start a siphon via the output hose then put the hose back on the tank. The system fills just like a hose would, and then you turn it on. Re-priming after servicing the filter is even easier as the intake hose is already filled (assuming one uses the disconnects).


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## jrill (Nov 20, 2013)

i like chocolate ice cream but I read once that some people like vanilla. go figure.


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

How dare anyone not follow the manual? Blasphemy, madness.


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