Super Pleco!

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Just a couple shots of my aquarium. It's a 55 long with 2 eheim canister filters, 2 reverse flow power heads, and under gravel plates.

It contains a school of 5 silver Balas. The largest one being 8 inches long. A common pleco which is 10 inches. A leopard sailfin pleco which is 6 inches, and a rainbow shark (catfish) which is about 5 inches.

Most of the plants are silk plants since balas are prone to zipping around, running into things, and damaging their selves.

[Christine]

Beautiful fish and tank!

[el8ch]

Nice setup! I'm always happy to see over filteration. I run two Eheim canisters on my softshells tank too.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Oh ive learned through the years of trial and error that over filtration is the only way to go. The only way to ensure a healthy bacteria load is by having 2 large filter systems so that one can be cleaned every couple months. Plus I always put the basket of bio rocks in a pan of tank water while I clean the other filter media. So I don't kill the good bacteria in them, which would completely defeat the purpose of using bio rocks. It also cuts down on the number of water changes I have to do in a year. I've never had a problem with cloudy or murky water.

[el8ch]

Plus I always put the basket of bio rocks in a pan of tank water while I clean the other filter media. So I don't kill the good bacteria in them, which would completely defeat the purpose of using bio rocks. It also cuts down on the number of water changes I have to do in a year. I've never had a problem with cloudy or murky water.

I have a very similar process, my bio rocks are in mesh bags so when it comes time to change one canister of the other I fill a bucket of tank water and dunk them and let them sit while I clean/replace my other filter elements.

Do you ever have any problems priming your canisters after cleaning? I have had it happen a couple of times where after the canister was hooked back up it would fill, but it would take a really long time to purge all of the air from the system. I have seen that Eheim has priming kits, but I have never looked into them.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Both of mine are different models and are slightly different on top but they both have a pump. The newer one is very easy because the area where both hoses go into the canister has it's own shut off valve. Then there is a lock lever that you open and the entire top piece, hoses attached and all, comes right off. You never have to drain either of the hoses or take them out of the tank so it primes almost immediately.

Then I just shake the canister a little until I hear no more bubbles.

With the older one I still have to remove one hose and pump the primer to lower the water level in the canister. Then when it's back together it takes a little while to get it primed again.

I'd definitely look into the newer models by eheim. They made it so much easier.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Oh and to clarify the first paragraph of my last post.. The piece where the hoses go into the canister comes off independently of the canister top itself. Everything is still contained. The hoses remain attached to the smaller piece which then plugs back into the top of the canister after cleaning.