Best + Quietest External Filter

[Anexial]

It's clear that Fluval owners haven't had other brands of filter when they say they are easy to work. Relative to some things, yes they are easy, but if you compair to other exturnals, they are one of the worst to work. Lets look at the priming procedure of each (I have had both these brands) of Fluval and Tetratec set-up

I would just like to say i have a fluval 205 filter and i had no hassles setting it up or with any other aspect
of using it, the impellar has not jammed for me its very quiet and seems to do a great job, i personally are very
happy.

 

[three-fingers]

An easier Fluval guide is this, just make sure you spend £3 on a new "Instant Prime" pump and other spares if you bought an old/abused second hand Fluval.
This is how most people do it.

Cut hoses to length
Plump up and check the aquastop is open
Give yourself an arm ache pumping the self priming leaver that invariably does not work after the first few times, then when you realise that is not going to work...
Remove the outlet pipe from the back of the tank, positioning it over a bucket below the tank
Suck the outlet pipe
Wait for a bucket of water to syphen through before closing the aquastop
Re-position the outlet
Pump lever a few times until full.
Plug in
When the impeller jams, kick it right on the MSF badge to try and free it. If it does not work, kick it again, harder. If it does not work this time, swear a bit, empty the canister and go back to step 3...
When you get the airlock, pick it up and shake like crazy...

 

[rabbut]

Three Fingers, I tried a new priming handle. It worked for three primes, and the new one bust also... Also, the Fluval is the only canister needed weekly attention when the Tetratec EX1200 only needs attention every 6 months on the same tank, but with a now increased fish load...

My YY's are silent Eheim pro's are supposed to be the dog's nuts, but I've only ran Eccos (not actually made by Eheim) so cannot make a fair comparison other than that...

Al the best
Rabbut

 

[Tolak]

Fluval

Cut hoses to length
Plump up and check the aquastop is open
Give yourself an arm ache pumping the self priming leaver that invariably does not work after the first few times, then when you realise that is not going to work...
Remove the outlet pipe from the back of the tank, positioning it over a bucket below the tank
Suck the outlet pipe
Wait for a bucket of water to syphen through before closing the aquastop
Re-position the outlet
Plug in
When the impeller jams, kick it right on the MSF badge to try and free it. If it does not work, kick it again, harder. If it does not work this time, swear a bit, empty the canister and go back to step 3...
When you get the airlock, pick it up and shake like crazy...
Now you are hopefully are done and can go get that well deserved up of tea...

That is too funny! I have a 305 sitting in a box, due for my usual torture test. The 2026 is a great filter, I've torture tested that one, impeller finally gave up the ghost after running for over 2 years on an overstocked tank with no maintenance.

The 305 is due for the same test. 2222 & 2224 are closing in on 1 year, no sign of slowing. I cleaned them during my last fishroom remodel. 2215 is going near 2 years, no sign of slowing. I have an ECCO that consistently chokes after a few months, nothing breaks, it just plugs, usually near the impeller recesses. Same thing happens with the Magnum 350's they're leak-a-matics. The HOT Magnum is a better filter, goes for about 6 months, no leaks.

 

[Jimmy Mc]

I have 3 Fluvals, 2 405s and a 205. I do full maintainance on each one every month and have for a year and a half. I have yet to experince one problem with any of them. I admit that I have not used other brands. There may be some easier one but I don't know how. They are all very quite and do a very good job of keeping the water quality good. I'll admit that I do treat my things well and take proper care of them and I do read and follow the instructions. I pump the prime once or twice, let it fill and then plug it in and they have always started without any problems. I assume others that have had problems have gotten bad pumps or just can't follow instructions.

 

[three-fingers]

Three Fingers, I tried a new priming handle. It worked for three primes, and the new one bust also... Also, the Fluval is the only canister needed weekly attention when the Tetratec EX1200 only needs attention every 6 months on the same tank, but with a now increased fish load...

My YY's are silent Eheim pro's are supposed to be the dog's nuts, but I've only ran Eccos (not actually made by Eheim) so cannot make a fair comparison other than that...

Al the best
Rabbut

I just find it to be an odd coincidence that your Fluval was an 04 model and second hand, and most other people who have Fluvals on this forum seem to have had great experiences .

I also find it odd that you sold it as being in "very good condition" when it apparently didn't even prime properly.

I've can let my 305 go without maintenance easily, and I have a very overstocked (or what some would consider so) tank that is very messy. I usually open it every month or so, but not because I need to (no noticeably reduced flow), just because the filter mat gets dirty looking. The only thing that ever used to get clogged was the intake strainer every couple of months...because it was situated in a pile of dead plant leaves at the back of the tank that I refuse to remove.

My 105 hasn't needed cleaning yet after the 6 months I've been running it now either, I've only opened it to put carbon in twice (to remove copper) - and I'd consider that tank to have (or at least had till a couple of days ago) average stocking (about a hundred small shrimp, 2 big filter shrimp, 2 Macrobrachium shrimp, 5 amano shrimp and 2 young bristlenoses).

Tetratecs seem fantastic, but from reviews and forum posts I've read, I cant say they sound better than Fluvals - they sound equally as good, just with a different layout. And that is pretty much what I would expect from similarly priced filters.

Eheims on the other hand, you pay more, and you get a more solid filter. Or in the case of the Classics, you pay about the same, and get a more simple and more solid filter.

Which again, is exactly what I would expect.

 

[stang1]

I have mainly Fluval external filters on my tanks and find them quiet with little maintenance.

 

[RadaR]

I have a Fluval 204 on a 25litre and would still like more circulation. Not enough IMO.
The 5 series are probably better.

 

[Curiosity101]

So if I say... Eheim 2026 Professional II

People would say;

One of the most reliable
Not a huge amount of maintenance
Easy to use?
As quiet as they come...
Maybe will allow me to push stocking a little... (I have 5 kuhli loach...which in theory consitute 15" of fully grown fish which IMO knocks out a stocking calcs accuracy)

Also...I like the look of the pro 3's (far too expensive) but are they basically just the new range of eheims then?

Found the 2026, brand new, for £108.74 (inc delivery and media) good price? Am I likely to find it for less than that?

 

[three-fingers]

Easy to use .

Very quiet, extremely reliable (which is why they are £30-£40 more than the competition).

Stocking calculators are very basic, and are good for setting up a tank if your new, but underestimate generally and don't take lots of factors into account.

The Pro3's are newer and seem to have a bit more gadgetry. Being newer, they are less tried and tested, but are likely just as reliable being premium Eheims.

Sounds like an excellent price.

Just going to add this in, remember to lubricate the O-ring during maintenance and clean impellers. They are great filters that can run a long time under abuse, but will run even longer if you look after them.

 

[Curiosity101]

I'm going to uni in September which is a big reason why I'm after the new filter.

I just don't trust my family to do maintenance in the same way I do. Which to be fair to them, they are MY fish, so they aren't as attached to them.
And an external that only needs maintenance every few months is perfect...as opposed to the internal Fluval 3+ that I have at the mo.
Needs cleaning every couple of weeks.

All of this is sounding good, and seeing as my dad is looking after them (and slowly getting quite attached), perhaps I can convince him to put some money towards it! lol.

 

[-SPB-]

I've got a tetratec ex1200, but the ex700 is the same type, just smaller and it's a good filter, very easy to use and setup, very easy indeed, when it needs cleaning, unplug, detach hoses, clean, reattach hoses, press button, away you go. It's also very quiet, i've had no leaks, nothing. I can honestly say I've had no problems whatsoever in the year I've had it. Sure as hell beats the Rena I've got hands down.

 

[DanielG]

i have the TetraTec ex700 running on my Rio 125

its dead quiet, extremely easy to use, and cheaper than the others, fantastic filter

also as you say it will work for aquariums up to 200l this means that it filters the 125l like a dream, with this over filtration you could probably over stock, not something i would do but i think its possible

 

[Gav935]

I'm running an ex1200 on my 125l and an ex700 on my 60l, both completely silent and no troubles at all.

 

[yhbae]

My vote goes to 2026 too if you can afford it. IMO, it is the best canister on the market. I personally buy Eheim Classics because they are cheaper and just as quiet and I don't mind priming it once at the beginning when I purchase it. After that, no prime is needed on these filters. Just disconnect, clean, re-connect and plug it back in. But if I had more money, I would go with 202x series.