Learn Me On Self Priming Canisters

I've got an Eheim 350 which I love dearly but it is my first and only canister filter. It is not self priming. In addition to being new to the hobby I was new to pumps/filters and I was a bit confounded at first. I learned how to keep the hoses full and how to turn the pump off and on without losing the prime but I'm going to eventually be setting up 2 20 gallon tanks and want to use canister filters in them so I'm looking into filters other than the Eheim mainly because the idea of a self priming pump intrigues me.

I don't even know what questions I need to ask.

Learn me!

(for those lacking a sense of humor this is "hick" for "teach me" - I'm from Texas and can be self deprecating because I embrace my inner Texan)

 

I just got a new canister filter, (for a 100 gallon) and had a heck of a time setting it up. Every time I do it, it takes 3 hours or so the first time, but after that, it works like a dream as long as you do not empty it. First, always be sure the gaskets are in it and the in/out hoses are correct. Gaskets make it airtight, and this is important to the way it works. I learned to start the pump only after putting a lot of aquarium water inside of the cannister, and also in the hoses, even in a so-called self-priming type. So fill it with water (dechlorinated). Put the lid on, then fill the hoses (mostly the input). I have a small funnel I use to do this. I take the plastic in gear off and just fill the hose. If your hose is too long that also effects how long it takes to prime, also it workes through gravity, and so the farther below the tank the better. If your tank and filter are at the same horizon, there is not much gravity action there. At the very least the top of the filter needs to be as low as the bottom of the tank. That's all I know. Press the plunger a few times, and wait for the bubbles to get out of the hose. If you need to, rock the canister a bit, or plunge a few times more. It really happens by itself if you have everything set up right.

 

Thanks for the reply. I'm doing a bit of shopping this morning and reading negative reviews (because that's where the best info is) and air bubbles seems to be a common problem with "self priming" filters. I have no such problems with my Eheim but the idea of self priming does intrigue me. It might be less of a convenience than it sounds if there are inherent problems with all of them. I'll keep looking.

 

Air bubbles are normally caused by not properly priming the canister, or sitting level. If its micro bubbles the hoses are not normally tight enough. Filter maintenance just fill up the filter with water and a touch of prime and reconnect the hose block, it should be good to go.

 

Air bubbles are normally caused by not properly priming the canister, or sitting level. If its micro bubbles the hoses are not normally tight enough. Filter maintenance just fill up the filter with water and a touch of prime and reconnect the hose block, it should be good to go.

Yeah, I don't know if people who have filters that aren't self priming complain of air bubbles with their canisters or not. I've never had the issue with my Eheim but maybe people do, I just don't know. It was just something I saw in comments on various brands of self priming filters.

 

I'm using a SunSun 304B on my 75gal. When I first got it, got all the info needed to fill it before starting it (google videos). Learned everything I pretty much needed. First time was a breeze. If you fill it 3/4 of the way before sealing it shut will help ALOT when it starts to prime. I may pump mine once or twice just to help it along. Easy peeasy.

 

I'm using a SunSun 304B on my 75gal. When I first got it, got all the info needed to fill it before starting it (google videos). Learned everything I pretty much needed. First time was a breeze. If you fill it 3/4 of the way before sealing it shut will help ALOT when it starts to prime. I may pump mine once or twice just to help it along. Easy peeasy.

Pretty much the same with my Marineland Magnaflow canisters. If I clean and refill the filter right there's no messing with the primer unless I clean the hoses.

 

Pretty much the same with my Marineland Magnaflow canisters. If I clean and refill the filter right there's no messing with the primer unless I clean the hoses.

Once I learned how to close and open the valves on the lines to my Eheim I really haven't had any problem at all. Thing is, I've only had to do it a couple of times, the filter just doesn't require me to turn it off. It's been running for 2 months now and I don't know when I'll need to open it again. Lol, I hope I remember how next time I DO have to do some maintenance,

 

Yeah I did a quick clean on mine after the first 3months. It's been about a week. I don't plan on cracking mine open for at least a year. I only have 5 african cichlids, 1 butterikoferi, 1 bala shark and 1 Clown Knife inb my 75gal so my bioload is low.

 

I went ahead and ordered another Eheim today, it's the small classic, the 150 so that I can start one of the 20 gallon tanks. They're no frills but the more I think/thought about it the more I realized that I'm almost never going to have to prime the dang thing.