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Old Eheims and CO2, Cichids and silicates



In a message dated 12/25/99 12:50:50 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
Aquatic-Plants-Owner at actwin_com writes:

<< Hi all,
 I purchased a 2217 - 1000LH old style canister filter in top condition to
 use on a 4x2x2 = 120 gallon tank = 400L. This filter will turn the water
 over 2 times an hour, a bit too little but I will probably add an internal
 power filter for circulation/mechanical filtration.
 
 My question is that I know people use Eheim filters successfuly for a CO2
 reacter (ie CO2 is bubbled into the intake and dissolves within the
 filtered water) so does this only work with the 'profesional' series or
 does it work with the old ones - ie no air locks etc...
 
 (OLD = green transparent cylinder with grey lid)
 
 Also I will be getting some white beach sand for a 65 G african cichlid
 tank. Does sand cause many problems? The ones I have noticed are/could be:
 
 1)anaerobic substrate - even with frequent weekly cleaning?
 2) particles are suspesnded in the water rather then being caught in proper
 gravel?
 3) fish waste collects on the sands surface?
 
 Looking forward to some answers.
 
 Daniel Green.
 
 bevgreen at cygnus_uwa.edu.au
  >>
The Eheim canister filters are very much the same functionally in your 
application. The carbon dioxide will be diffused as if it were a model 2227...
    Beware of the "white beach sand"... typically 30 or more grains to a 
linear inch... this too-fine silica based material is a loser on a few 
counts: it's too dimensionally flat... like poker chips... tending to 
compact, leading to anaerobiosis as you mention.
    And it's chemically inert for the most part, not contributing carbonates, 
bicarbonates for pH buffering, raising alkalinity which the principal groups 
of African Cichlids (and plants!) appreciate...
    And it's too "smooth", not granting substrate for beneficial microbes, 
sites for the many "earth" based catalytic reactions....
    If it were me, I'd seek out a different, singular material as a 
substrate... a carbonaceous material that is more three dimensional, about 
the same grade... which I would make larger (at the smallest 1/16" 
diameter... up to 1/8")... for functions' sake.
Bob Fenner