Ehiem 2224

[Brossy]

I have an Ehiem 2224 that I am going to use in a 36G Bowfront tank. I dont plan on putting plants in the near future..but may someday.

When I was at the lfs buying new substrate, mech and filters for it, the salesperson at the lfs said I should be putting a carbon filter in it as well as the other 2 filters. What I am wondering is, do I do this just while cycling the tank, or is something that I should have in there all the time from now on? I had planned on only using the Ehiem for filtration...should I consider a pwr filter as well?

Thanks

Brossy

 

[FroggyFox]

Assuming the Eheim is rated for your size tank then that should be all you need. Just be sure to place the tube where the water comes out at a good angle to get some surface agitation to help your tank keep its oxygen level up.

You do NOT need a carbon filter on it, especially not while its cycling, but it might be good to have a couple carbon pads around in case you need to use them to take any medication or coloring out of your tank sometime in the future. If you have a planted tank I hear that you REALLY dont want to run carbon in it (there's a thread in the planted tank section on it if you're interested in the 'why')

Sales people at LFS will tell you pretty much anything to make a sale...I wouldn't personally listen to them

 

[Brossy]

As always you have great answers...thanks FroggyFox!

 

[echoofformless]

Just a rant about LFS people and their advice:
I generally look at most LFS people the way I look at Best Buy people. They repeat whatever they're told to say, make up things, or gleen a little bit of common knowledge and share it. I think of them more as fish baggers or cash register operators; not knowledgable and helpful salespeople.

Always educate yourself profusely about any creature or product you consider acquiring. Ideally, one should know exactly what they want and why they want it before they even step foot in the store.

This is not to say that there aren't some expert people at the LFS, it's just more the exception than the rule.

Sometimes I wish I weren't so shy in person, because there have been so many times when I watch and listen to the fish person giving out questionable advice as answers to uneducated people who have no idea whatsoever how to keep an aquarium because they obviously do no research on the hobby. Oh, for all the times I wanted to step in and be like, "Dude don't tell them to just drop in this chemical to get rid of nitrite! Explain to them how nitrite should never appear in a properly cycled tank!!"

See these, and other wonders of the imagination all right here: http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/showthread.php?p=328120#post328120

 

[Big Vine]

Sometimes I wish I weren't so shy in person, because there have been so many times when I watch and listen to the fish person giving out questionable advice as answers to uneducated people who have no idea whatsoever how to keep an aquarium because they obviously do no research on the hobby.

You could always wait for them to be done giving their misguided advice, and then catch up with the customer and give them proper advice. Why not direct them to this forum while you're at it?

Then again, that in itself wouldn't prevent the store worker (a.k.a. "fish-bagger") from giving the next customer the same poor advice. If you're feeling brave enough, you could always try to educate them too, but I wouldn't do it in front of customers. That'll just put them on the defensive even more than they'll already be (and there's no use teaching someone if they're not willing to listen).

I'll try applying this advice the next time I see something like this happen at the fish store, and I'll report back on how it goes.
Big Vine