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My 350 head running on a 250 canister is, as expected, working well. I’ve not noticed any difference in noise or flow. It’s just a hell of a lot easier getting it out of the cabinet and taking it to the sink.

The problem with my stainless inlet pipes are that the intake slots are not very large and there are not really enough of them. Once you add stainless mesh over the top the actual surface area is pretty tiny. You can buy ready made stainless mesh covers but I’ve not seen one that fits my pipes...

I have stainless pipes on both of my Nano’s. I covered the slots with stainless mesh to start but I found the holes got clogged quite easily with loose moss due to the small surface area. I’ve now got foam on both and the flow is better. Obviously though they do need removing and cleaning...

Answering my own question here, I checked through my spares box and found these. I must have checked the size not long after I bought it and got some spares. I made my own O Ring pick years ago but this would probably be ok for working on aquarium O Rings.

Do you need a complete adapter or just the O Rings? Anyone know what size the O Rings are?

Years ago I never had the luxury of a spare filter. These days I’ve got at least four in the loft. 😆 I’ve also got spare parts for my Biomaster. Having said that I should get a spare main seal for my Eheim Classic 350 …

As mentioned earlier the 600 impeller fits, and runs in the 350. It did make more noise than my standard 350 impeller but that may have been due to it being completely clean with no biofilm on it like the 350 that had been in use. Unclear though whether it produced a greater flow. Edit: I...

There must be a difference as the 250 and 350 use the same impeller but have different power consumption and output. 14W 900L versus 17W 1100L. I wonder how technical they will be in their response? As I mentioned earlier I think it must be the size/number of metal plates that surround the...

Sadly I just left the plug and lead on the counter so not included in the weight. I should have mentioned that I suppose. I’ll redo it at some point! 😉

I should have said, the difference in media is negligible. I was running foams in trays one and two, bio media in three and four and Purigen and a foam at the top. I obviously had to dispense with a tray so it was tray two. One of the bio media trays was only half full so I put a half foam on...

1558g according to my kitchen scales.

I agree. Impellers are for example different depending on mains frequency. UK and Europe is 50Hz and USA is 60Hz. Interesting though that the Biomaster 250 and 350 use the same impeller but have different outputs. I’m guessing the Biomaster heads have the same number of plates in the stator but...

It’s really funny, if you go to the linked site the 850 head is cheaper than the 600 which in turn is cheaper than the 350! 😆 https://www.pond-planet.co.uk/aquarium-c4/aquarium-media-spares-c113/aquarium-spare-parts-c100/external-filter-spares-c538/oase-biomaster-external-filter-spares-c587 I...

I’m a big fan of Siporax.

I’m not sure if there have been any changes in impeller design but the difference between the 250/350 and the 600 is more noticeable in these pictures.

When I got my Biomaster 350 I didn’t actually need the large media capacity of the filter, I just wanted the increase in flow over the 250. Quite some time later I’m now about to fit the original 350 head on a 250 Container and its relevant parts. I’m hoping the reduced height will make...

This topic must have come up in here many times before. I agree with this answer from 2010. If the OP is expecting to get 700lph + 500lph I don’t think it’s going to happen. I think it more likely to get 700lph or 500lph total, or somewhere between the two? In addition I reckon purging air from...

I’m not so sure about that.

Thanks for posting, those non return valves look interesting. I would just be a little concerned about how it may affect the flow rate. Just something to be aware of. Let us know how you get on with this as I’m sure it will be of interest to others. 😉

I’m sure I’ve heard this question before many years ago but can’t remember the outcome. I would have thought having two output pipes into the tank may help with dead spots though? What non return valves are you planning on using?

I neglected to order the rubber feet and clips for the new casing. 🙄 The feet aren’t bad, about £4 for a set of four. The clips though vary from £4.26 to £12.99 Each! Anyone found a really good price on these. Postage seems to be about £5 or £6 for most places. I know I can remove the parts...

Ah, I didn’t know that, but did expect it might help spread detritus more evenly over the pre-filter sponges. Having said that, the last time I cleaned them it didn’t look any different.

And also different shape holes. Sadly it doesn’t seem to be making much if any difference at the moment. It does look a lot nicer than the old style one though! :lol:

Postage is £2.95 so works out more expensive. If you buy on Amazon shipping is free, at least for me as I have prime. You can also get them for £6.99 inc postage on eBay. Edit: Those prices are good though. I’d probably have bought the 250 pipe from them if I’d seen it. 😉

I’ve decided to buy some Biomaster 250 spares for my 350 to try out using a smaller casing. I’ve ordered the casing and pre-filter cover from one company but they didn’t have the pre-filter intake tube. Looking around, the most expensive tube is the smallest - the 250! The 350 and even larger...

I’ve got a 350 and it’s not easy to get the filter out of the cabinet for maintenance. I even have to remove it to get the pre-filter out. I’m now thinking of maybe getting a 250 casing, pre-filter cover and inlet pipe as I too don’t need the volume of filter media of the 350 for my tank. For...

Ah, shame.

Have you got the broken part. It would be interesting to see a picture with the break at the top.

I think part of the problem is that it’s not easy to release that part by lifting it perfectly vertically. At least not for me. I have to jiggle it a little to get it out. Another issue is that the O rings may be a bit dry? One thing I try to remember with any filter is to lubricate the O rings...

Gosh, those 250’s do look dinky. I’m wondering if I should get a 250 housing and the other shorter bits for my 350? I really don’t need all the media that’s in it and a shorter filter should make maintenance easier for me.

The smallest visual impact that I can think of would be the intake tube from an external or perhaps a hang on back filter. Both however would need some kind of sponge over it to prevent shrimp being sucked into the filter.

I went for an Airstone in the end, well, Limewood diffuser would be more accurate. They don’t last that long but I make my own.

Or this. https://www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/products/650lh-650-cif?currency=GBP&variant=45370049036573&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=f20b45b292d8&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwm_SzBhAsEiwAXE2Cv1FZWPQMw78Ih74U1TZP0G1IVUEwEsrrsu9jFei2hDtcaCskgy144hoCRygQAvD_BwE

I had an Eheim internal filter once and that had a sponge behind the inlet screen so that should have been shrimp safe. You don’t get huge flow though from the internal filters I’ve seen. You might need two on a 90L? Edit: Maybe something like this?

I’ve had a couple of surface skimmers over the years and none of them worked reliably. This was the first type I used many years ago. Sometimes it worked sometimes it didn’t but it never sucked in any air.

Me too. I’ve come to the conclusion that nearly all the external canister filters on the market have too many gimmicks. It’s not surprising we hear so many complaints of leaks and excess noise etc.

I’m fairly sure my notion that there was an updated version was garnered from a comment on this forum somewhere? I think we can probably trust what Oase have said though.

The 600 is rated at 1250L/H compared to the 850’s 1550L/H.

Another option is to fit a Biomaster 850 head to your existing 600.

I sometimes look at components like impeller covers to see if the design allows the best possible flow rate. On at least one filter I remember carefully removing some “flash” to hopefully improve things.

It would be nice to see what the difference in appearance is between the old and new pump cover.

I’m not sure now but wasn’t there an upgrade to the pump cover?

I bought a Fluval 207 a while back. Very flimsy construction compared to a Biomaster and the vertical inlet/outlet manifold made installation problematic for the hose runs in my cabinet.

I’m intrigued by this. I’ve had a 350 for quite some time now and I’ve never had this issue. I sometimes wonder if it’s something to do with hose placement or inlet/outlet pipes? I did fit the new style prefilter pipe but it’s not made a noticeable difference.

Thanks for posting. It looks to be in very good condition. I wonder why they stopped making these?

As a matter of interest I wondered what the difference was between the two Acids I use in mine and found this online. Chemical Structure: Citric acid is a tricarboxylic acid with the chemical formula C6H8O7. It has three carboxylic acid functional groups. Ascorbic acid has the chemical...

Seeing Zeus’s clip it reminds me. I think I read somewhere about adding Acid to the water first so that’s what I did. This is what’s left of a batch I made many months ago and it’s still nice and clear. Edit: This is the recipe I use but with increased E202 + Citric Acid.

I had the same problem. I increased the Potassium Sorbate by 50% and I also added a small amount of Citric Acid. I can’t remember how much Citric I added but it wasn’t much. Since then I’ve not had a problem.

I’ve been using carbon under tank heaters on my 60L and 37L.

Eheim used to make heater versions of these filters. A Picture from the net:

For those that may not have seen it, this is my solution for (easily) carrying the filter to the sink for cleaning.

I’ve just seen this. Shame it’s only in the 250 at the moment. Someone at Eheim has been (partly) reading my mind. Two things I hate about some filters is a lack of carrying handle and an attached power cord. I corrected the first issue on my 250 and 350 and now Eheim have corrected the second...

I put a sponge on the inlet pipe of my Ehiem Classic 350 and it does a better job of keeping the media clean than the Biomaster. I don’t like it being in the tank but I had to install it to stop baby shrimps being sucked up. Luckily it’s at the back of the tank so you can’t see it.

I’ve got a 350 and never had the Air Purge issue. All canisters that I’ve had get a little trapped air when installed/cleaned but it soon finds its way out with a little rocking. The Biomaster certainly hasn’t been any worse. I suspect the modified head plate might improve expelling air a bit...

I didn’t mean to suggest that you can’t use ADA Bio Cubes long term, it is after all just bits of chopped up foam! I just read somewhere that ADA considered it a “starter” media before using something different. The Bio Cube concept seems a good way of using up those small trimmings from...

Very good question, I can’t help except to say when I’ve used Carbon to remove tannins it needed changing after three or four weeks. I also read somewhere that ADA don’t intend their Bio Cubes to be used long term? Hopefully someone will be along soon with some better information for you.

I’ve tried a few different things in my Biomaster and it hasn’t altered the appearance of the water at all. Different media may affect the flow, but I don’t know how much?

I’ve got a 350 on a 60L Nano and it’s not exactly blowing the fish around. I’ve been procrastinating about getting a tank about double the size and would probably get a 600 head to fit my 350 as I wouldn’t need the extra trays. I have also been contemplating getting a 2217 in case the Biomaster...

I’ve found in the past that a light coating of biofilm on the impeller and the housing can have an effect on the noise. As a result I don’t religiously clean that area too much like I used to years ago.

I’m not aware of any seals inside the head unit itself but I think I’d take it apart and have a look inside. If you do find anything amiss let us know how you get on and take some pictures for reference! 😉

As a point of interest the 350 and 600 impellers appeared to be the same overall size apart from the blades themselves. As a result I bought a 600 impeller to see if it might make a difference in the flow of my 350. It didn’t seem to make much difference though? I’m wondering though if...

I use Silicone grease for use on potable water fittings for things like O rings and impeller shafts.

...it doesn’t appear to have made any difference to the flow rate on my 350. Perhaps though the flow rate won’t drop so quickly between Prefilter *cleaning? The new tube certainly looks the part though compared to the afterthought original?! 😆 * My fault I know, but I admit I don’t clean it...

One issue though is flow through the filter. Someone on here was carefully stacking their ceramic or glass tubes vertically, perhaps to maximise flow?

Someone on here, I can’t remember which thread it was, rather cleverly suggested freezing foams before attempting to cut them. In my case I wanted to cut two 20mm thick foams from a spare 50mm thick Biomaster foam. Freezing and then cutting on my Bandsaw worked perfectly! Thanks for the tip. ;)

If you need them the Stainless Steel reducers are nice. The wall thickness is thinner than the plastic ones.

I’ve cut quite a few bits of foam on the bandsaw but not edge on, so to speak. I’m not confident unless I can support the foam on both sides somehow during the cut? I may try knocking up a quick plywood support jig of some sort.

Ha Ha! We often bake our own bread and I sometimes cut it into even slices on my bandsaw. 😆 Maybe after freezing I could do the same with the foam? Edit: I’ve actually cut circular foams for my Eheim’s on the bandsaw, but it’s easy with a circle cutting jig.

How did you find that out?! 😆

Looking at the pictures you posted earlier it looks like it wouldn’t be that easy if you were to ever try it.

This was my understanding many years ago. Sometimes though it’s a compromise between staight as possible and short. I’ve always tried to avoid sharp bends like those shown earlier in this thread. Not doing something because it’s difficult probably means a poor installation, and this should...

Have any of you seen the top, half height, foam filters in anything other than 30ppi? I ask as I use the top foam to hold a bag of Purigen in place. Just wondering if another 20ppi might be better?

I use Eheim double taps on all my hoses so they are easy to remove to clean them. The hoses themselves are easy enough, not so much the stainless steel inlet/outlet pipes due to the bend. Some fancy multi part stainless pipes would be good if anyone would like to invent at set and get them...

I’ve had a variety of filters and they all worked, albeit some better than others. I’m inclined to the keep it simple principle now.

The only thing I find a bit strange about Biomaster loading is that the flow goes through fine *45ppi pre-filter first, then hard plastic “bio media” (I know the foams are also bio media) then it goes through coarse foam and then through a finer foam again? Anyone else find this odd? * Yes, I...

I’ve found this does over time reduce the flow on my tanks. Using clear hoses I can keep an eye on just how dirty they are. They generally get a clean every 12 months or so as needed. Not so important on the 16/22 hoses on the Biomaster but definitely on the 12/16 hoses on my Eheim.

I’ve not yet found the perfect canister filter. I wonder if it’s the ADA Superjet? It would be just my luck to buy a noisy example! 🤣

Those hoses must be a nightmare to clean. I use Eheim double taps on all my hoses so they’re relatively easy to disconnect to clean them.

Biomasters it seems have their *issues. Build quality (thickness of parts etc) is much better than the Fluval 207 I have though and it’s also much quieter. * I’ve not experienced some of the common ones folks speak of like sucking in air etc.

Bends in the hoses are inevitable in most setups but I try to avoid tight bends like that. I use standard clear hose so I doubt I’d be able to get a bend as tight as that in it even if I wanted to. I like clear hose (or pale green/grey) because I can clearly see when they need cleaning.

When I bought my first canister filter, an Eheim 250, in the 1980’s I took the design for granted. It was housed in a home made cabinet that had a suitable hole in the back for the hoses. The angled outlet pipe and ability to angle the inlet on the Eheim made it easy to position the filter to...

I seem to have been unlucky as my Fluval 207 was noisy. Not now though, it’s in the loft!

Looking back, none of the plastic media I’ve used in the past has discoloured much if at all. In fact when I used ceramic media many years ago any obvious discolouration largely washed off that as well. I took out the Ziss media that was in the Biomaster (along with the Siporax) and replaced...

You might assume that but if that was the case why is the aquarium not suffering high nitrite or ammonia levels? I strongly suspect the brown stuff is just detritus. Edit: Just to add, when the Biomaster had plastic media in it as well at the same time, it was not covered in brown detritus. I...

I think the reason in this case is that I have a foam “pre filter” on the inlet pipe for the Eheim. I believe that some of the flow on the Biomaster bypasses its internal pre filter. This could be checked I suppose by doing the same on the Biomaster inlet.

I don’t think it’s specifically Eheim equipment, but rather the design. On an Eheim Classic, or an ADA Superjet (and the copies), the water can’t really bypass the media in the canister. It has to flow through it. On various other designs the water has other routes it can take. I found this...

I’ve just done some maintenance so took a couple of pictures. The Siporax is still pretty clean in the Eheim. The stuff in the Biomaster has been in there a lot longer but I remember being disappointed at how quickly it got dirty. I’ll monitor how things go in the Eheim as time goes by.

Thanks for the heads up. Luckily I have several spare canisters in the loft should I need one. I have actually been thinking about replacing my Biomaster 350 with an Ehiem Classic 600 at some point. Far less to go wrong.

As a point of interest I found a skimmer either didn’t work or was a danger to shrimps. As a result I followed advice on here and introduced air diffusers in both of my Nano’s and it’s cured the problem. I make my own Limewood diffusers. They produce nice fine bubbles for a couple of months...

When I put some Siporax in my Biomaster 350 they went from white to brown in maybe six months. I put some in my Eheim Classic about six months ago and they are still pretty white. Due to the design, bypass on the Eheim isn’t really possible. On any other canister I’ve had, including the...

I took a screen shot of the relevant part when I first saw it but didn’t book mark it. I’ve found it though. https://www.sera.de/en/service/info/how-does-sera-siporax-professional-work-in-aquarium-filter/ I only started using the stuff as it came with a Sera canister filter I bought some years...

It was in Sera’s advertising blurb for Siporax.

I don’t take much notice of marketing when it comes to Aquarium Technology, including media etc. I came across this recently though, I wonder if a copy of this university study is available? Not for me I might add, as I doubt I’d understand it! :D

I use lime wood air diffusers in both of my Nano’s. I originally started doing this to stop surface film and it works really well. Before that I was using an Oxydator but I’m not sure it was needed. I read they were quite good for shrimp though. I have 6 Sterbai a bit over 2” and 2 Pandas that...

I’ve never actually checked whether I’ve had enough Bio media. Given my 350 is on a 60L with 8 Corydoras and some shrimp I think I have more than enough bio media. In fact with two trays, plus the sponges I suspect it’s overkill. I used to run an Eheim 250 on a well stocked 50 gallon community...

I made a mistake of using Ziss ZM-11 in my filters. It’s rather small and as it floats gets all over the place come filter cleaning time. Now all replaced with Sera Siporax and some Substrat Pro I already had. I’m a big fan of the Siporax. It’s lighter than ceramic rings, appears to have a...

Or the tap needs to be opened. :happy: I say this because on more than one occasion I’ve done the opposite and not closed a tap before disconnecting a hose. Excessive moisture ensued …

As a point of interest, the central heating at our old house had a three or four speed circulating pump. It seemed to make little to no difference in noise level whichever setting you used.

Good to know. ;)