# Other Aquarium Forums > Equipment and Accessories >  problem setting up eheim 2211

## bigbrownmonster

hi guys,

i'm having difficulty getting my new eheim 2211 to work for my 1 footer.
its brand new and for some reason the water cant seem to be drawn by the pump.

i've tried the following:
1. held the filter below the tank level
2. emptied the filter canister of water 
3. sucked through the outlet pipe till canister is 3/4-full
4. put outlet pipe into the water
5. turned on the filter
6. tilted the filter at all angles

the motor makes the gaggling sound and the filter cant draw any water even after i left it on for 3 minutes. . 

pls help!!

you guys can see my setup here.
maybe if anyone can you can spot anything wrong pls pls help. really have to get the filter up and running asap.......

i cant place it under the tank due to physical contsraints of the space/tank.

here's how much filter medium i've put in.

i've kept it in 'locked'. is this correct?

all parts accounted for? (one end of the small black rubber bit on the impeller stick is stuck in the bottom catch)

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## Jimmy

nothing wrong with the 2211. you need to do proper primming (correct term?).

you need to understand how the pump works in theory and you will know how to make it work with the correct amount of water, it is important that the inlet pipe to the filter is filled up with water and the canister itself is full with water too. then the whole system will work.

let me try to describe how i do it without sucking the pipes which i cant imagine myself doing it, yuck!

my method may or may not work depending on your setup but the key thing is to ensure the inlet pipe and canister is full of water.

1. fill up water in the canister, with the inlet pipe installed but not the outlet pipe.
2. close the canister with the top portion that has the motor inside.
3. use your thumb or finger to block the outlet hole and lift up your whole canister to above your tank water level or rather the inlet at the bottom of your 2211 is above the water level of your tank. at this stage, the air inside the inlet pipe will travel into the canister, of coz when lifting it up, your inlet pipe must be inside your tank. air travels up, so with your canister above the water level, the whole piping will be filled up with water from the canister. your first objective done.
4. still with your thumb closing the outlet hole, lower the canister down.
5. open up your canister and top up any water required and close back. 2nd objective done.
6. fix up the rest of the piping, ie the outlet pipe and your system shall work now.

hope it helps.

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## Jimmy

just saw you have the disconnecting valves, that's even better. don't need to use your thumb to block the outlet, just close the valve. objective is not to have air flowing into your canister, if not when you lift up your 2211, it is just like drain out the water into the tank and causing overflow.

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## bigbrownmonster

hi jimmy, i'd tried your method. while i did manage to get both inlet n outlet n canister filled with water using the valves, i still had no flow after i opened the valves on both ends and turned on the filter  :Sad:  all i get still is the motor rattling. 

i suppose that even if it was the issue of trapped air, there should be some flow and the few strings of bubbles that's come out of the outlet pipe rite?

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## Jimmy

some air trapped is okay, will come out when you turn on... just don't get why still can't work when both inlet and outlet pipes together with the canister is full with water... you sure you turn on all 4 valves? hmm... still can't figure out why.

maybe you can just try using a bucket of water, place the 2211 inside and turn it on. not too much water, just to check if the thing works. ie just the setup in your 2nd picture. place the whole inlet pipe inside the water.

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## bigbrownmonster

did the bucket test, nope still wont flow. i'm dreading the fact that it could very well be a pump/motor fault.  :Sad:  :Sad:  :Sad:

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## bigbrownmonster

gosh what luck. 
thought eheim products are top of the range.....grrrr 
anyway how does the warranty for eheim work? i got this 2211 from c328, do i just bring this set back to the c328 uncle within the '24 months guarantee period' and get a replacement set?

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## Jimmy

hmm... first time heard of spoilt new eheim product actually. well, that's the only way to go now, get it back to c328, they will be able to help troubleshoot. not sure if it will be a direct replacement, never encounter before. it's new, so don't worry.

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## malmah

Good AM Mr bigbrown monster,

In theory, the Suction side of the Filter is indirect depend of Gravity Suction (or Siphon matters), especially for Small Capacity of Filter like 2211 and 2213 Model, therefore, it is recommend that the Filter to be place under the Tank of sustain Height. 
However, as per your Photo, I can see you do not had the Room Height. Also, your Suction Line is too long, i will suggest that you Shorten your Suction Line, best will be some Incline Angle to the Suction Port of your Filter. 
And if possible, try to get a Submesible Power Head to connect to the End of Suction Line (in the Tank) to help to give a Kick Pus Suct for initial. Once the Suction run up, you can remove the Sub Power Head.

Hope it will help.

Thks/rgds.

malvin

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## vinz

If the filter, and pipes are full of water, and both the inlet and outlet are under water, theoretically, the filter will work even if the filter is not lower than the tank. Theory being that the closed "loop" will negate most of the effect of gravity.

However, putting the filter below the tank helps in that in ensures the hoses are stretched out and are not looped, thereby preventing bubbles staying stuck in the hoses.

Troubleshooting:
You opened the valves when you started the filter, right?Check that there are no bubbles in the hoses. The length of your hoses and where you place your filter almost guarantees there is a loop in there somewhere... good place for a large bubble to stay and disrupt water flow.Try running it without filter media.Another trick I have, is to remove the filter head from the canister, and lower it into a pail/basin of shallow water. Just enough to submerge the impeller and turn on the filter and see if water comes out of the outlet. It works for powerful filters... not sure if it will for this one.

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## Shadow

If you suspect the motor spoil, what you can do is take out the head do as Vinz suggested or you turn it over and turn on the power. You should be able to see the impeller turning, you way need torch light for that. If the impeller does not turn then the motor is spoil, otherwise it is probably setup problem. Few second will do, you just need to see whether the impeller moving or not.

2211 do not have auto primming feature. so you need to fill the filter with water until full. You can put your filter horizontally just to make sure that no air bubble trap inside the impeller. Turn it on while the filter in the horizontal position and if the motor is ok from the previous test, you should see water jettison out.

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## vinz

I forgot.

Have you checked for kinks in the hoses?
Have you checked that the inlet and outlet pipes are not blocked? (i.e. the J-pipe, etc)
Have you checked there is no bubble stuck in the top of the upside down J-pipe?
Have you checked whether the impeller is spinning?

Generally, if the impeller is spinning properly, the issue is with bubbles or blockage somewhere in the line or the filter.

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## rafimo

(one end of the small black rubber bit on the impeller stick is stuck in the bottom catch) do confirm that the tiny part is in there. it help the impeller in the straight position. or try this trick... place a small powerhead in the inlet tube, power up the powerhead and filter together, when there is an outflow remove powerhead. been doin this for mine 8 yr old eheim cannister filter. (SAFETy FIRST)

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## bigbrownmonster

rafimo: the small black rubber bt is there, just stuck in the bottom catch.
vinz: no kinks in hoses, all pipes are not blocked. on earlier attempts there were air trapped in the j-pipe but i was able to remove it by raising the canister above the tank, let the water flow down and closing the tap on the out pipe. impeller is also spinning. does it matter which direction it spins? 

i'll try the motor head only + no filter medium test later. fingers crossed. will keep you guys posted.

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## thinbluelinesafari

you just need to suck the water from outlet (find a way.) then turn on the filter.
as this is a classic filter. this is the only way.

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## BFG

Remove the J pipe. That's what hindering the set up from sucking in water. Unique to yours as you are setting it side by side to the tank.

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## bigbrownmonster

hi guys,

i still cant get the filter to work!  :Knockout: 
i tried the following today with no success:

1. i placed only the top motor part on the water surface in a bucket. i figured that if the motor works, it should draw water out through the outlet.. all i hear is the motor rattling, the impeller is definitely spinning but no water is drawn by the motor at all  :Sad: 

2. i removed all filter media and filled canister with water. i raised the canister above the water level to allow water to fill the inlet, then i shut the inlet taps. i then opened the canister to top up the water and poured water into the outlet pipe to make sure that the outlet pipe and canister is filled with water. i then shut the outlet tap when i managed to fill both inlet and outlet pipes with water before i turn on the filter. result: still no flow only motor rattling. i resorted to placing the canister lying on its side. 

even when i used gravity to draw out water from the outlet pipe (by moving it below the inlet pipe) to introduce a flow...the flow is very small. i don't think its the motor pumping the water, rather its just physics at work. hence when i moved the outlet pipe slightly, the weak flow stopped altogether. i am very sure this is not 30l/hr!


anyone else has any idea what can be wrong?

this set is brand new and i know many of u guys out there swear by eheim's quality......i have primed a 2213 before and this incident is a 1st for me. i'm beginning to think that it could very well be a motor issue with my 2211.

should i need to use the warranty card how does it work? do i bring it to the shop where i bought it from (c328 ) and ask the uncle to change a new set and test on the spot? or do i need to bring it to the distributor (i think its yihu.....)?

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## vinz

Usually when I bring the outlet below the inlet, I get strong flow... almost as if the filter media isn't in the way. Was that the case with your 2213? There may be blockage where you can't see it.

Check the path of the water from impeller to outlet... any blockage? Also the little curve inlet at the bottom.

When you prime it, does it fill up as fast as when you prime the 2213?

Check the valves? Do they open completely?

I'm just throwing stuff out now... the ceramic axle... not broken?

I think few people can answer you about the warranty as no one has had to bring one back in before. You just had the bad luck to get a faulty set. Great quality does not equate perfect quality. Suggest you give Yihu/Qianhu a call and find out.

Which part of Singapore are you at? Maybe a kind forumer might pop by if you are nearby.

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## kennyseah17

i had the same issue before.... however what i did was to add water in the cannister until it is very very full....and water will start running through...

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## bigbrownmonster

vinz: my experience with 2213 was easy. it was a 2nd hand set which i was testing for a friend. i'd placed the empty (i mean i took out the filter medium) 2213 below the same tank and filled the canister and both pipes with water and opened the taps. the physics works and the motor kicked in immediately. other then the expected immediate rattling from trapped air in canister, the flow from 2213 was as strong as expected. 

my 2211 experience is frustrating. i'd checked the taps, in-out points, canister, impeller, all seem to suggest that they are fine.....so i dunno...maybe its really the motor  :Sad:  :Sad:  :Sad:

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## kennyseah17

have you tried putting the filter below your tank level??

not sure if thats the problem??

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## Jimmy

> have you tried putting the filter below your tank level??
> 
> not sure if thats the problem??


unlikely. i'm running mine side by side with no issue at all.

just bring it down to C328 and let them advice instead because sometimes we are not playing with it physically, so it is difficult to troubleshoot too.

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## Shadow

I guess you need to bring it back to the shop.

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## bigbrownmonster

think this will be my last post on my final attempt to work the 2211.

i tried the following but its still NOT possible to get it to work:

1. i'd tried putting the top mechanism above a bucket of water again, with the impeller touching the water surface. turned the motor on and it does not draw water at all through its outlet pipe
2. i'd set it up in its 'ideal' state. ie canister being really much lower than tank.
3. i'd filled up the empty canister with water, held it higher than the tank, opened the outlet tap so that water in the canister flows out through the inlet, driving out the air before closing both the inlet n outlet tap.
4. i'd topped up the water in the canister, closed it...making sure that there's overflow when i close it.
5. i'd opened the inlet tap, lowered the outlet pipe to under the level of the tank and opened the outlet tap to let water siphon out from outlet pipe, clearing any air on the outlet end. then i closed the outlet tap
6. i installed the spray bar onto the outlet pipe
7. i turned on the filter and opened all the rest of taps
8. then i get the motor rattling and see the water in the outlet pipe reach slightly above the water level in the tank before stopping.
9. i tilted, turned it upside down, and laid the canister horizontally...switching the filter on and off occasionally...but nothing seems to be able to push the water beyond that level.
10. i'd even switch the pipes around (ie connecting inlet tap to outlet tap and vice versa) but no luck.

here're the pictures:

empty canister filled with water


last checks on impeller

the 'ideal' setup recommended by eheim (below tank)

the water level at outlet pipe...there is simply no movement at all.

i think after 3 days...i'm throwing in the towel.

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## Shadow

try turn the impeller magnet, by right the plastic blade will also turn. I had experience with other brand that the magnet turn lose. I mean the blade will not turn even though the magnet is turning.

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## rafimo

from the picture look like the impeller fin-side hole( a little wide). try turning the ceramic shaft should be synch with the fin. broken impeller will also cause loud rattling sound.

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## bigbrownmonster

hi shadow n rafimo:
the impeller dun seem to be broken. 
however the grey blade piece and it's white inner piece can be turned 180' independently of the greyish magnetic piece. i suppose the impeller is also suppose to 'float' somewhat within the hole. when i turned it on w/o water it makes the same rattling noise.

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## bigbrownmonster

hey thanks guys for all your support and advice!
i did 1 last try a few hours back...sadly again with the same results.

1. i'd removed the taps, shortened the pipes in both inlet n outlet.

2. i'd put back the original crappy top trickle filter (the black box) that came with the tank just to make sure the tank folks survive another experiment.
3. i'd then connected a submersible pump to the inlet & outlet pipes on separate occasions to make sure that i got the canister and all pipes filled
4. i'd still managed a trickle...despite leaving it on for over 2 hours...hoping that the situation will improve. but a slight change in the position of the outlet pipe caused the flow to stop.


looks like i've exhausted all possibilities......guess i've to bring it back to the shop

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## bigbrownmonster

an update on the situation:

yes it's been fixed!! a very big thank you to forummer who'd taken this morning off to come by and help me trouble shoot.
it was a manufacturing defect in my impeller. the blade core piece was loose and had not been adhered to the magnetic shaft piece. 
that probably caused it to rattle loudly and turn inconsistently, hence unable to draw water to the outlet. 
so once we worked around that, the 2211 worked like it should. quiet, with a very slight hum but all good! 
i had a scare later when it failed to power up though but after a few minor shakes and some 10 seconds, it started running again (phew). 
i hope it's not going to recur but for now i'm not turning it off for a while.......

so here's how it looks......beside my 30l. it does work sitting on the same level as the tank. and i'd all the taps and pipes tucked behind the tank.
i find that the taps are a good-to-have (easy for maintenance etc etc) but not really essential for a nanotank setup.



lastly, i just wanna say thanks to everyone who'd chipped in their solutions!

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## Jimmy

glad to hear that!

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## bigbrownmonster

thought i'd just share with you guys the solution to my problem. 
hopefully it'd help anyone else who may face the same issue in the future.
4785950055_9ed95f8b67_b.jpg

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## Jimmy

you didn't go to claim warranty on this part?

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