Advice On Filtration Please

[7755matt]

Hi,

recently got a new larger tank 200l and it came with the fluval 205 external filter.

I was previously advised that its not really 'man' enough for the job so I have a +2 internal filter running as well.

I'd like to get the +2 out of the tank and run just an external, I would also maybe like to remove the heater, can someone with more knowledge than I suggest a decent replacement for the external filter?

Are the inline heaters any good? Any recommendations for those also.

cheers

Matt

 

[konigwolf]

I've never had any experience with inline heaters, so no help there. If you are wanting to get the heater out of the tank you could try a sump.

As for the fluval 205, its supposed to be ok for up to 200 liters, I dont know what the LPH throughput is but I usually aim for a tank turn over of atleast 4-5 times per hour.

KW

 

[7755matt]

LPH is about 680 so its actually a little underpowered for a 200l tank. I've also seen a few 'interesting' threads where poeple slate the fluvals so was wondering if there woere any better recommendations. I was looking t#at the FX5 but is that going to blow the fishes away?

 

[smegforbrains]

You can adjust the flow rate on the Fluvals by manipulating the position of the AquaStop so I would go for the FX5 if you want it

As far as inline heaters go, Hydor are the only ones I am aware of on the market.

 

[waterdrop]

Hi Matt,

I use a Hydor inline 200w heater on my son's 28g and so far really like it. Its been in use for a little over a year. It was very simple to install. I simply held the heater up to the back of the tank and looked at the output hose from the cannister filter and thought about how far the inline unit would have to hang in order to be positioned behind the tank, allowing some flexible tubing between the filter output and the heater and then some between the heater top and the over-tank crook going to the spraybar. Once I had the positioning figured out I just sliced my outlet tube at that point and connected the heater in-between the two pieces of tubing, probably eliminated some of the tubing length, can't remember.

This kind of heat is a dream. Hard to see it ever flucuate a degree and the warmed water is being circulated by the force of your filter spraying it out the spraybar, so distribution of the heat is as even as it gets (no hotspots, coldspots.) And of course the main attraction is that assuming you have a background (or perhaps on a big tank it could be in the cabinet somehow) all heating apparatus is totally removed from your tank, leaving nothing but aquascape.

The Hydor itself (I'm a bit overpowered for my volume) can bring cold water up to temp extremely fast. On TFF threads in the past there was some concern expressed that the 200w ones like mine were prone to failure, but mine's been fine so far. There were also reports that the central tubing section of the heater can break (its made of glass in there) but I've always treated mine gently and my feeling is that that's no different than a traditional heater. All aquarium heaters require the forethought of being turned off when water is not around them or does not flow. I always unplug my heater at the same time I unplug my cannister filter - I always keep these two plugs right next to each other to help with this habit.

Choosing a heater brings up the "cooking the fish" issue of whether you are taking a risk when you oversize a heater. I read many TFF threads on this subject and finally concluded that the risk of a "sticking-in-the-on-position thermostat" has grown smaller over the years as the devices have grown a little more reliable and so I somewhat reluctantly decided to take the risk of an oversized heater in order to get the advantages, partly because my tank location is at risk of getting a bit cold in winter.

Understanding and choosing external cannister filters can be a huge topic. If you have the stomach for it you can do searches both in the beginner section here (there have been a couple of long ones just recently) and also in the hardware and tropical discussion sections no doubt. There are pros and cons for all 4 major brands of the external cannisters: eheim, tetratec, rena and fluval and all will respond to gentle handling and good maintenance practices.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[rabbut]

Well, having owned Fluvals, Renas, Eheim Eccos and Tetratecs, the latter is the only one that I have bought a second of I wouldn't be too dissapointed with another Rena either

I would not buy another Fluval or Eheim Ecco again though Both were hard to work and very un-reliable. Parts were readily available, though you have to pay for them with the Ecco (warrenty parts were hard to come by...), and prices were not great for either parts sets Top this off with the Fluval being noisy and a mate's 405 dumping half his 100l tank's water over their floor in the short time from the leak starting in the middle of a family meal to him getting to the cupboard and closing the Aquastop valve, 5 paces from his dining chair and well.... Lests just say I won't be going with Fluval again...

The FX5 has thus far not been too bad for relability, but it's been on the market 2-3 years so is still a "new" filter. Failures with the Fluvals tend to come after 3-4 years IME... Time will tell...

Eheim Pro's and Classics are supposed to be good and reliable according to the many on here that use them.

I run Hydor in-line heaters as well as WD, no quibbles thus far They are electronically controlled, so should fail off when they do eventually go, but there isn't realy a great deal that can go wrong with them, and an old hand with electronics should be able to fix it easily should it ever go wrong. With traditional heaters, there is a metal strip that flexes with temperature, and they tend to fail "on" due to the way they are made They are also not repairable, so are only fit for the bin when they go

I would get a Tetratec EX1200 and a Hydor in-line 200W if I were in your situation, or a Rena XP2 and a Hydor in-line 200W Eheim Pro 2 2028 should also do the trick, with an in-line heater (don't get one with a built-in heater, they are failure prone apparently)

All the best
Rabbut