[fritz]

I've since ditched the use of the elbow on the intake. I thing that it restricts the inflow and I just wasn't that happy with it in general. Now I use the plastic strainer piece, sponge removed, over the open intake. This is enough to prevent the pump from sucking in air in shallow water. I've gotten the sump level down to almost the intake before it begins to suck in air!

[ZANYMASTER]

I left the sponge on mine but if you take it out and rinse it with every water change,it shouldn't be a nitrate problem.

[autoponicz]

so far i have the sponge on too....first week with the pump running but plan to take it out soon.....is it true that the eheim will draw less wattage as i turn down the ball valve on the output side?....im finding the 1262 is a little bit strong for my sump.....im getting some microbubbles returning to the display......but need to know before i restrict it some more

[ZANYMASTER]

Yep,needed to throttle down myself.

[fritz]

I haven't hooked it up to a kill-a-watt but there's an anecdotal history of it. Calireef I think has a thread on here about it.

I would pull the sponge if you can, no harm in trying it with just the plastic cover. If you use a fuge you're negating part of the benefit of it. Pods will likely get trapped in the sponge.

[autoponicz]

yea im going to pull the sponge out tonight when i do my water change.......but would really like to know about the wattage thing....