Fisher

Poor quality line components (and applying teflon tape below pipe threads) can throw debris into your air circuit and cause the problem you're trying to avoid by adding a regulator in the first place nathan. A 20oz paintball tank will produce an fairly impressive sneeze compared to a 20g or 80g CO2 cartridge.

I have a propensity to over-engineer... will an inline regulator (fixed orifice) work ubr0ke? I've only seen regulators for peumatic cylinders/tools. http://www.homedepot...e-1-4-in/902681 Having a gauged air regulator (placed between your needle valve and tank) will tell you what your regulated pressure is nathan. A different purpose than having a gauge on your tank (though useful too!). If an inline regulator isn't adequate, then add a pr of tube to 1/4" NPT (or 1/8 NPT).

sounds exciting Jmak. Post the pix when you have time. Be welcomed!

:thumbs:

Don't let those guys get to you Jmak. Sooo tell me... what kind of plecos do you have?

So ufiXt what ubr0ke There's good learning in that. I can say I have overtightened a hydraulic fitting and ruined a hose - then used the wrong dies to crimp a new one. Yup, I turned the pump on and poink! 30gpm through a 5/8" line... 10 seconds later, coffee break involved cat litter that day :grr: Anyhew, I've talked with (some) people who were unhappy with Eheim but I've been unable (or they've been reluctant) to identify a root cause when something went wrong. One person (outside of this thread) talked about shearing off a connector, blamed it on craftsmanship and boycotted the manufacturer :eh: (because that person didn't want to fess up to using a pair of vice-grips on plastic, trying to keep a fitting from leaking on the carpet). The manufacturer suffers so this particular person can save face. How unremarkably backwards is that? I do understand losing confidence when faulty parts eek through QC and fail right out of the box. But that appears to be the exception that all brands deal with. And of those exeptions, not all are defects in... :shifty: manufacturing. So thanks for being steadfast ubr0ke, and as unbiased as possible. BTW, thanks for your contribution to planted tank questions. (I'll be in touch)

Yup. You don't want it to leak or let go. It's plastic and... toink! A contingency plan is wise; an idle contingency plan is experience. 4yrs is pretty good service for plastic tubing. I haven't ever left it alone that long, constantly rearranging this or that and having to trim the ends as a result - air line anyways. Good to hear. Thanks a bunch!

thanks for chiming in from Ponoka. Do you buy oem filter media, or do you use something else for your classics? Cracking a connector during tank maintenance suggests side loading the connector somehow. Did you bump it?

Um... "dumbass?" :rofl: jk thanks for the giggles Jay. I needed that.

Ah, now we know the rest of the story Jorg. Even though Eheims are crap, you have 2 classics and you have 1 Eheim pro running and it's all right. Eheim reliability √ I've been wondering if there's a cannister out there that sports an integrated heater in the water circuit (outside the tank).So when I spied a stand-a-lone Rena heater on the shelf that integrates into a Rena cannister intake, I was impressed. Thanks for everyone's 2¢ so far. I was originally hoping to learn if the Eheim Classsics had any chronic mechanical problems I should be aware of. Admittedly, I've never run a cannister. The notion scares me. In a millwright's world, a seal failure can empty a tank, destroy a pump and make a royal mess. If any one brand had a chronic problem with seals, I'd be hearing a unified message stating just that. So far, no deal breakers. It seems common for cannister owners, MTS or not, to have run different cannisters, sometimes, concurrently. Why? Price, spec, better features, reliability, it was free, phase of the moon, etc and anon... Some gravitate to a particular brand, but not always. This thread, now, reads like any other "buyers either love 'em or hate 'em" review. You can love 'em or hate 'em - it doesn't matter to me. Eheim fans repeatedly say that the Classic is feature poor and reliability rich. Reluctant owners say they will replace them eventually which means their Eheim is doing the job. People who have opted for another brand bought a brand plagued by the same mixed reviews. Your general advise to run it before buying it makes sense. That advise ratifies what some people have said about Eheim classics - they're not fancy and they run. They have issues. Evidently, Eheim fans (and reluctant Eheim owners) have opted to work with those issues - and others have opted to work with the issues of another brand. I do understand the value of standardization and I understand the challenge it presents - especially when the other brand keeps pace with the brand I might develope a greater appreciation for over time. If I had the pesos laying around, that wouldn't be an issue (notwithstanding the times when my preferred brand doesn't offer the spec I truly need). I like to be informed before buying because I'm inclined to commit and standardize; working with a widget's limitations and possibilities. Until I find a money tree that grows in rural Alberta, I'm content to make mods if it means I can delay an expense. Because anything I buy new ends up used anyways, I don't mind buying used from someone else either. Low investment = low expectation and minimal loss if I decide to unload it. I am hoping to learn if the Eheim Classsics have any chronic mechanical problems I should be aware of before buying one used -or- even a common watch-out-for that an ignorant buyer like me should be aware of. thanx.

Thanks much Ron! So what do you use JORG? A fan and a wind sock?

The glass wuz gratis from someone in this thread. I cut it to fit. It will slide with a nudge from the front or back. I sanded the leading glass edges that run on the platic so it doesn't shave plastic each time I slide it. If I were to do it again, I'd think about taking another inch off the depth. The glass is too thick for plastic hinges, but it's thin enough that the pane sits below the top edge of the frame. The T8 canopy light fixture over hangs the tank by 2". So the fixture sits on the top edge of the frame - above the glass surface. Not pretty, but it'll do until I hafta do something different

Maybe check your power source. Hey jewels, has your stickman been getting his daily dosage of heavy metal?

I'm thinking about buying a used Eheim 2213. I've sifted the forums here trying to figure out what I should watch out for, but nothing dealing directly with the topic (that I could find). I don't need another reason to kick turds down the road buying used. So if you have any advice to share, I'd like to read it. Thanks fokes!

I doubt you'll find a food grade fuel hose because the industries don't readily intersect troni. You will find food grade grease, yes, but you won't find food grade fuels (excluding scoobie snacks). It doesn't mean the hose you bought will kill your fish troni. The inside "tube" of automotive fuel line is (generally) made of nitrile rubber which is also used in the food industry. Go figure. I know nothing about food grade nitrile. However, fuel hose is also made from reinforced PVC. Six years ago, FDA wouldn't certify hoses for the food industry that's manufactured from recycled PVC - two reasons why food grade can carry a higher price tag. I doubt FDA has changed that standard. It's a big decision troni. I recommend you listen to the title track of Quiet Riot's 3rd album while you deliberate.

The cathodes are sealed inside the tube troni. Wire leads extend through the glass end and connect to the metal pins in the end cap. The end cap that keeps the pins rigid are attached to or pressed on the end ot the tube. But the end cap doesn't seal the glass tube. So it's possible to knock the end cap off (even sever the wires between the cathode and the metal pins) without *increasing your dosage of Hg*. Your light still works, so you didn't break wires... or if you did, you managed to put the cap back on just right - good thing fish don't fart. Fluorescent tubes are typically pressured just under 1 psi. If the tube is cracked, the gas will eventually leak out and your light will fail. In time, your fish will don leather wrist bands, studded chokers, and succomb to head banging. You won't be immune. *IMO Thin Lizzy, Quiet Riot and Nazareth are certified safe sources of heavy metal. Play safe; wear headphones.

If I remember correctly, the tubing on your Rena doesn't have to bend around an elbow like on the Fluval rim connectors. So if you're replacing the hose(s) between the canister and the inlet/outlet pipes then you don't have to worry about the hose outside diameter. You will need the proper sized tube ID though! Using tubing with a smaller ID will cause two potential issues: 1) the smaller tube ID will restrict water flow and reduce your filter's intended output. 2) stretching the tube end over a fitting that's too big (if you can stretch it that much) will stress the tube and cause it to split and fail. The white PEX tubing supplied by hardware stores intended to distribute hot/cold water in homes will be safe - pretty stiff stuff though. The black polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing made by Watts (w/o polyester braid) is aquarium safe by their own claim. I doubt Watts owns the market though. Gravel vacuums use clear vinyl tube, so do air pumps. The rolls of clear vinyl I saw at HD were less money that the rolls of black PVC. Was the stuff you saw at BA's a ribbed flex hose troni?

If there was a patch or a gum for MTS, would you try it Jay?

My name is "Fisher" - MTS free for 13yrs. I now have 2 tanks sitting empty in the basement. How unremarkable OOoo..............

20+ trantulas... don't happen to have a B. smithi among them (captive bred of course)?

Haven't added an extension yet.

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:rofl: The kuhli loach ride through a filter kinda reminds me of the ice cave scene in Ice-Age. One jvision has, once again, imparted the wisdom of putting a sponge over the AC intake... to make room for scrubbies in the AC media box. Side effects include: reduced kuhli mortality rates and reducing comic relief for the hobbyist. There's always a decision to make (sigh).

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:thumbs: Post 'em when you get 'em Vince. That's great nooz!