Buy with or without filter/ heater

[Splreece]

Newbee question.. Just splashing out ona 240l tank and cabinet...

Question is.. Do I go for a heater and filter included or do I get separates.. I keep reading both sides but am unsure.. Just there's no points buying a set to find the output on the filters rubbish or that I need more juice in the heater...

I'd much prefer to spend less on the aqua and more on the bits separately if u know they are more reliable and appropriate..

 

[kwi]

All depends on the specs of the included kit, which should be easily found out.

 

[Blackwater guru]

Newbee question.. Just splashing out ona 240l tank and cabinet...

Question is.. Do I go for a heater and filter included or do I get separates.. I keep reading both sides but am unsure.. Just there's no points buying a set to find the output on the filters rubbish or that I need more juice in the heater...

I'd much prefer to spend less on the aqua and more on the bits separately if u know they are more reliable and appropriate..

Personally I would say that going the separate route is the option to go for if you bought a set with filtration and a heater that is not efficient or low quality for example chinese knock off brands or other unknown foreign manufacturers.

Although If the equipment included has soldid ratings online and is from a reputable well known manufacturer then go for the option that includes the heater and filtration in the same package.

As for pricing it mainly depends on things such as the filtration type where advanced equipment like canister filters tend to be quite expensive where as a overhead filter is not as expensive yet it requires maintenance every week with filter material that needs to be replaced(here is a tip don't buy the filter materials or pads sold by the filter manufacturer or similair products in a pet or fish store because not only is it a waste of money you can easily replace the pads with your own filter sponges and other materials readily available which will not only last much longer but also cost less)

 

[Colin_T]

I prefer separate filters and heaters and don't like tanks that have built in this and that because most of the built in stuff is hard to work on/ in and usually consists of cheap no name brands that you can't get parts for. Then if something fails, you have to buy a replacement.

 

[Essjay]

If you go for a brand such as Juwel, Fluval or Eheim, they will have Juwel, Fluval or Eheim filters and heaters. The downside to Juwel is that the filters are siliconed to the tank wall so it is more difficult to change them (you have to saw through 8 silicone blobs which is do-able, just time consuming). Aqua One usually has their own brand filters and heaters as well. All of these do have reasonable reputations.

In the UK, most tanks come as a package rather than just a tank and buy the equipment separately. Custom built tank manufacturers can either sell you equipment, usually from just one or two brands, or you can buy your own choice elsewhere.


Edited to add Fluval as I forgot about them

 

[mrsjoannh13]

Totally depends on what brand kit you are buying and if you have experience with and like their products. I made the mistake of buying a cheap big box brand kit when it was on sale for Black Friday. Complete crap. The filter was so bad I lost one fish and nearly lost the rest of my tank. In just a few months of fish keeping I have a favorite brand of heater and a favorite brand of filter. So I'd rather get a tank and then add the other components based on what I've seen that works best for me. The kit I bought wound up being not cost efficient at all. It was just $49USD for the kit, but I wound up replacing the heater and the filter. So in the end I would have come out better just buying a tank on sale.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I would go separate. Usually the heaters or filters that come with kits are trash.

 

[Splreece]

Thanks all... I bought a bearded dragon and viv full setup... After 2 weeks realised the setup was garbage and spend just as much again on much better components... The components were shocking compared with what I ended up with so am checking incase its a similar risk.. Sounds like it might be... Although sounds like perhaps the branded setups are good just hard to work with and replace....

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Thanks all... I bought a bearded dragon and viv full setup... After 2 weeks realised the setup was garbage and spend just as much again on much better components... The components were shocking compared with what I ended up with so am checking incase its a similar risk.. Sounds like it might be... Although sounds like perhaps the branded setups are good just hard to work with and replace....

It all depends on the brand... Fluval kits are great, while the kits sold at Walmart aren’t that good.

 

[Splreece]

It all depends on the brand... Fluval kits are great, while the kits sold at Walmart aren’t that good.

Thanks... Im going withe fluvial juwel or aquaone if I get a package