What Are the Dangers of Not Rinsing the Eheim Filter Before Use?

The Eheim canister filter is used to remove metabolic waste products from aquarium fish and invertebrate animals, such as crabs or sea anemones. The Ehime canister is a remote filter in that it does not sit within the aquarium but stands on the floor beneath the aquarium. The Ehime canister filter is powered by a sealed motor, which drives an impeller. Not only the impeller well, but the interior of the canister and tubing must be clean before setting up this filter.

  1. Impeller Well

    • The impeller, which is attached to a magnet, sits within a well that is housed in the lid of the Eheim canister. Carefully remove the impeller and ceramic shaft, and rinse the well to remove any oily residue and dust from the manufacturing process and packing. An ear bud is very useful for cleaning deep inside the well. The ear bud can be moistened in hot water to which normal table salt has been added.

    Impeller

    • Rinse the impeller under hot water, and use a small toothbrush to clean each blade. Soaps and related detergents must never be used to clean any part of a filter that is exposed to the aquarium water. These detergents prevent another type of filter, the protein skimmer, from working and are generally dangerous to aquatic life. Rinse the magnet well, and take care not to break the ceramic shaft that is associated with the impeller and magnet.

    Tubing

    • The inflow and exhaust tubes should be thoroughly rinsed as well, as removing any oily residue from the equipment that is utilized in the manufacturing process is important. Oily residue attracts dust and detritus as well, neither of which belong in equipment that will be used to clean an aquarium, particularly not one in which delicate small polyp stony corals are being housed. Rinse the tubing by running hot water through each one. Use an aquarium pipe cleaner to clean the insides of each tube as well.

    Canister Body

    • All of the important filter materials are placed within the body of the Ehime canister. Use hot water and table salt to thoroughly clean this unit. Use a clean cloth to wipe out the inside, and rinse with very hot water thereafter.

    Previously Used Eheim Canister

    • Thoroughly cleaning the Ehime canister before moving it from one aquarium to another is absolutely essential, particularly if there has been a disease outbreak in the original aquarium. Use very hot, but not boiling, water and clean every part of the canister and tubing that will come into contact with the aquarium water. All filter materials that are to be reused should be well cleaned before being returned to the canister. Filter material should be replaced if the canister was previously running on an aquarium in which fish were diseased.