Eheim Classic 600 External Canister Filter. Cleaning and review

[@svtcontour]

Eheim classic are the best. I have two 2262 but I have used the 2217 (classic 600) for 14 years as well.

[@TheWeenersLeap]

You must use the top divider. The dark circle in the "wool" filter media is where it is being sucked against the pump motor intake. That is the function of the "divider" the top. It keeps the wool from being sucked around the pump intake and clogging the whole thing. The amount of "dirt" in the filter was nowhere near enough to reduce flow of the filter if properly assembled. It doesn't matter if the media lightly scratches the plastic container. Putting the media back into the filter one handful at a time is silly. Avoid scratching the seal surface for the large O-ring and you're good. It is a bit overkill to put more media in the space between the bottom of the canister and the standoff plate. Yes it adds a tiny amount of extra media, but it is a bit silly. Finally - if you connect the suction line to the filter, open the output valve water will rush into the filter without the pump being plugged in. Good. It expels the air. BUT, your output tube must be in in a bucket as aquarium water will come out of this hose once the filter is full (air is gone). At this point shut off the output valve, reconnect it to the tube/hose going back to the aquarium, and NOW plug in the filter. The air in the canister is gone and the pump can now work immediately. This stops your pump from running "dry" - meaning spinning in air trapped in the pump cavity (and cannister). Running a pump dry is NOT a good idea, the pump is designed to run in water, not dry. You might hear a bit of noise as it starts up as bubbles of air are collected by the pump that were left in cannister after the initial purge.

[@wanderlybasso2078]

The flow is reduced in 2 weeks because you're not using the top divider that should separate your floss from the canister head. That creates an space between the impeller housing and the floss so the water can flow freely. You're putting your second divider in the wrong position. That can potentially blow up your pump motor as the filter flow is blocking the impeller intake making it work harder to pull water. Your setup is very unconventional when comparing to Eheim recommendations. Any particular reason for that? Your setup should be (from bottom to top) divider with pegs facing down (to create an open space for the water to get in) and then your mechanical media rings on top of the rings you put your sponge and then the biological media, finally the filter floss and the divider with pegs facing up (to create an open space before the impeller intake).

[@hus4781]

The great thing about Eheim Classic series is that there is NO recommeded setting for your media basket, you can organise it any way you like it. I cannot understand why it is Ok to place fliter floos between media and impeller housing, but not in this one? I have done it for years with no problems. If the filter is placed under divider and it gets completely blocked then the flow will be reduced as well. I see no difference at all

[@bonwrentaylor2743]

@@hus4781 I think you'll find that's the exact purpose of the 2 dividers - to keep the canister inlet & outlet areas free from media by keeping the media sandwiched between the 2 dividers and to thus not impede flow into or out of the canister. Flow will of course be reduced in any dirty, blocked media, but if the media is dirty and blocked AND on top of the divider and directly under the impeller housing (especially floss), then flow will be even more restricted than if it were below the divider because the impeller can only pull water from and extremely limited space. That's the 'difference you don't see' .....

[@suddhashilmukhuty8836]

I understand why the flow reduced!!! The tray shall be kept at bottom when pegged down & media & sponge shall be kept above the bottom most tray. I have encountered a similar problem where one of the ceramic ring got stuck in the inlet pipe & drastically reduced the flow

[@cichlidsid]

Thanks for your reviews. I think I am going with this filter for a 300l aquarium.

[@josephlu1022]

Would it be possible to put all bio media in net bags first and then put net bags in the classic 600 canister? Will the net bags affect the function of the canister? Thank you

[@tropicalfishhub]

Yes, I've done it before many times

[@nimalannagendiran]

Isn’t keeping all the bio media out water gonna kill all the bacteria. Correct me if I’m wrong

[@tropicalfishhub]

Bacteria will stay alive as long as media surface is wet. However, they will die if deprived of oxygen, which may happen when you clean biomedia and leave it in oxygen-poor water, by contrast there is more contact with oxygen through air if you keep your media without water when cleaning.

[@nimalannagendiran]

@@tropicalfishhub Thanks so much 🙏 for this detailed explanation. I’ve always kept my bio media submerged in tank water in a separate container while I’m cleaning the canister filter. This was very helpful though thanks 🙏

[@wanderlybasso2078]

Also, it doesn't take time to fill up the filter with water. Happens to you because after open the intake connection you have to open the outflow connection otherwise the air inside the filter will not get out and water will not have space to get in. That's why you have a lot of air when starting the filter, won't be that much air if you open the outflow connection soon after the intake is open. You can damage your impeller doing what you doing as I can hear your impeller running dry and struggling to create enough pressure to expel the air trapped within the canister.

[@hus4781]

It took a few seconds on the video to fill up the canister with water. You believe its too much time? Once the filter is filled, the impeller cannot by definition run dry even if there is some air trapped inside (just tiny pockets of it). I am yet to see a canister that never has any air at all trapped inside.

[@clipperjay]

I use fine large media bags tie a knot so I can pull the bio media in seconds. Don't use floss use a finer sponge one it's cheaper and reusable floss slows flow rate alot.

[@MumenRider78]

Does this use 16/22 pipes?

[@flamingbridges1649]

I went to open the valves a bit more on the outtake valve and now water is dripping out of it

[@clarkewhanau168]

Thank you for the video! It was very clear :)

[@FredHallyson]

because you are not using the grill at the top, if it came you have to use it

[@underthebus5801]

As a note of clarification, do you close both intake and output hoses before disconnecting power? I didn't close either and when I disconnected power, the lid popped off, releasing three of the clips, causing a flood on my floor. Thanks.

[@tropicalfishhub]

You should certainly lock both pipes with connector taps before opening the canister (or when switching it off) because gravity will pull water from your inlet pipe. Some units also tend to 'blow up' when you switch them off as was in your case, it happened all the time to one of my Eheim 600s before. It was a total flood!

[@underthebus5801]

@@tropicalfishhub Thank you. A hard lesson to learn for me!

[@KamarulAzlanAhlengChai]

using this filter.. but the flow really strong for my 90cm tank.. and how to slow down a bit the flow? im try to pull the two connector lock abit around 30%.. but it starts to leak at the connector joint.. after i fully release back the lock.. it didnt leaks at all.. so wonder how to adjust the flow.. any tips?

[@tropicalfishhub]

I always use control valves from other eheim models. Sadly, this model doesnt come with control valves, but you can also buy them used in places like ebay.

[@KamarulAzlanAhlengChai]

@@tropicalfishhub can you suggest any ones that suit classic 600

[@tropicalfishhub]

@@KamarulAzlanAhlengChai I'm using control valves from eheim ecco pro, but any valve suitable for your pipe width dimensions will suit

[@johnfadds6089]

That alfagrog is a flow killer.

[@k9feces]

Floss isn’t necessary use coarse foam instead, then the flow won’t slow down.

[@ahmetsengun5648]

Thanks for your

[@anonamoss78]

what are you doing for gods sake??? you are going to ruin your filter, the green plastic discs have 1 purpose...to keep the media away from the outlet tube AND most important the propeller housing!!! your flow is restricted because you have filter floss up against it. Have you read the manual?? you are making the motor stressed which will blow it eventually. there is supposed to be approx 1" space on the bottom and approx 1" space on top, with whatever you choose to place in between....this is how this filter was designed to work, you do not know better than eheim for their own design

[@illyeen2320]

It's just a bucket with a pump

[@MarijkeWillemsen990]

Its wrong to fill the spaces of the dividers. No wonder you have reduced flow after 2 weeks. Eheim put the dividers there for a reason! To assure good flow! Even without reading instructions you should have known it’s a bad idea to put the floss media on the impeller space. Those dividers are there for a reason. I clean my eheim once a year, no flow reduction.

[@anonamoss78]

people please dont listen to this man, he has no clue about this filter

[@anonamoss78]

sack the camera man