How to Clean an Eheim Classic Canister Filter

In this video I give you guys a step by step guide on how to clean an Eheim cansiter filter. The one I am working on today is an eheim classic (model 2217) all models are practically the same in terms of cleaning so this tutorial will work for any Eheim classic cansiter filters.
I hope you guys found this useful and if there are anythings I missed please put them down below in the comments to help others out!
want to give a huge shout out to www.aquariumco2.ca/, this is where I get all my lights and CO2 equipment. You can use code "Kalem" for 5% off your order!
if your looking for fertilizers and additives also check out advitan.ca/ these are what I use on all of my scapes! code "Kalem" also works for 5% off there!
if you want to keep up with frequent updates of my tanks check out my other socials!
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#plantedtank #aquascape #eheimclassic

[@criteschristine]

Love you videos Kalem! You are always thorough and take the time to address the smallest of details that are so often over looked! I’ve been in the hobby for a little while now, and you still teach me tips and tricks that I find super valuable!

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Thank you so much Christine! I really really appreciate that. Try to find the little things no one taught me about that I had to learn myself the hard way haha

[@vasileiosparlapanis6015]

Thanks for the help mate!

[@rhaphidophora]

I just got an aquarium and the previos owners didn't tell me how to clean the filter, so thank you so much! You explained it really well😊

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Oh awesome! Glad it helped!

[@briancronin3790]

Great video..
Thanks for your Tips Mate..

[@drew-ie9xw]

Your aquascape looks beautiful!

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Thank you!!

[@michaelholmes4808]

Would never have thought of bleaching my filter tubes and then dechlorinating. (Typically use a tube brush and tap water. ) Thanks K!

[@KalemsFishtanks]

On my plastic tubes I used to always use a tube brush. Broke too many glass pipes with a tube brush so I switched over to this method. Also does a much better job with things like black beard algae and any green algaes

[@christinareyes3654]

Thank you, for teaching me how to cook white rice, noddles, frijoles... Etc. lol

[@BharatMataKiJaiii]

Thanks for the video 😊!! I prefer to keep all the mechanical filtration right at the bottom, where the water enters first. It clears all the debris before reaching my biological media.

[@stoneysscapes7544]

Great video and tutorials on cannister filter maintenance and the routines for the preservation of the beneficial bacteria that are capable of handling the pollution in our systems and I think it is the #1 reason for investing in the best external filtration and the best media . I am not saying you can't do without etc. You probably can sense I've got a few OCD traits 😏 , and over the years of being in the hobby I am sure as #%^$ not buying anything that might come with the cheapest price or w/out reading reviews etc. I get the best I can get or just wait for it to come to me and being patient with anything you can without a doubt I am going to say isn't that hard to see the benefits and not crying for the next couple years of owning a ☀ ☀ that leaks inside the cabinet and feels like it was made for McDonald's happy meals 😂

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Hahahaha eheims are the best all of mine I have had for years some up to 5 without any major problem!

[@shauny2146]

Thanks Great video !
I just bought a used one . Should I replace all the media or can I just clean it ? Also does the filter need to be well below the tank or is it ok to set on the side level with the bottom of the tank ?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

For the media you can probably just clean it really good and itll be fine. As for positioning, it makes it easier to get your filter primed and going if its below tank level but you can make it work at the same level as the tank

[@jillblyth8607]

I think that i like the easier priming method in your first video. I have a hard enough time putting the top back on with the valves open. Did you wash your ceramic rings in tap water or tank water?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Fair enough! And I washed them in tank water

[@Steve-qn8gn]

The reason your filter is hard to prime is because of the skimmer on the intake side.

[@tracerbullet6271]

Thanks Kalem! Just got an eheim and had no idea how to clean it. How often do you clean them?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Its different from tank to tank, my show tanks I probabpy do every 3 months to keep BBA low

[@tracerbullet6271]

@@KalemsFishtanks good to know thanks👍🏽

[@carolallain6130]

HELP! I can't get the canister primed after cleaning-I feel like I am sucking fish water into my stomach at thus point

[@eye1dry138]

Doesnt the water travel from the bottom up? So wouldnt you put the sponges and filter floss at the bottom, and bio media on top?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

You are right it does travel from the bottom up. What I do now is the coarse sponge at the bottom to prevent the biomedia from getting filled with gunk but then the filter floss at the very top to make it easy to change. It also prevents it from clogging too fast

[@henryp3114]

you should change the format off sponge and media 30% sponge 70% media first rough sponge then medium then filter floss the media use a cut up piece off mesh plant pot to seperate filter floss from media

[@fabienneisore7831]

I have 4 of these, and they are all really nousy now. Do you have the same issue?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

I do not, when one of mine became noisy I opened it up and found the impeller wasnt in properly and in another case it was broken

[@tiffanysavoie4847]

I have the 2215. The filtration is not the best. The water comes out fine on the spray bar. I just can’t feel much suction

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Whats important is how fast it comes out of the spray bar. If theres too much suction may suck up smaller fish. You just kinda have to get those bigger chunks of waste manually with your waterchanges that it cant get

[@tiffanysavoie4847]

@@KalemsFishtanks thank you! I wasn’t sure if that was normal lol

[@sheilaedmonds5306]

Is this filter OK for baby angel fish fry? Trying to figure out how much flow it makes. Is this the classic 150?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Depends on 2 things for the flow, how big is the tank. And the second thing is how small the fry are, if theyre tiny you may have to worry about them getting sucked up but that can be avoided with a sponge over in the inlet

[@sheilaedmonds5306]

@@KalemsFishtanks the tank is 29 gallon and I've got a 37 gallon also. I've got aquarium coop sponge filter for the intake depending on the size. of the tube . I understand that these canisters are great. I saw it on Amazon but it doesn't come with sizes.

[@sheilaedmonds5306]

@@KalemsFishtanks I would be trying to use it when I thought fry could handle it.

[@KalemsFishtanks]

@sheilaedmonds5306 150 wont push out too too much flow at all and for a tank that size may need to go to a 250 depending how many fry youre throwing in it

[@sheilaedmonds5306]

@@KalemsFishtanks U think for the 29 it's not enough? Or the 37? I'd probably need one for each tank. I'll look up the 250 also. Doesn't the flow get stronger for the larger ones?

[@GoLeafs03]

How many times a month you clean canister?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Once every 3 months maybe

[@chadevbo3595]

How often do you do this?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

currently Im doing it every 45 days ish hoping it will help get rid of my BBA, but it all depends how stocked your tank is. my shrimp tanks I do it far less often

[@mjjferreira]

Is it silent\quiet?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Not silent but fairly quiet, I sleep in a room with 3 of them 😅

[@adamjaberwolff]

Nice BC Canadian accent

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Haha close, Im in Ontario

[@shayandevi9870]

Les poissons de ton aquarium ne craignent rien. As-tu pensé aux poissons dans la nature ? Il y a une alternative à l'eau de javel, c'est le vinaigre et le bicarbonate de soude ! Aussi efficace et sustainable ! Protégeons nos poissons et la nature en dehors de nos aquariums ! 😊😉🐳🌴🪱