Changing Juwel Vision 260 Internal To An External Filter

[pammy172]

Hi all - looking for a bit of advice please......

Have just acquired a Juwel Vision 260 - used - and are now starting the laborious process of setting it up. We want to change from the internal filter (currently fitted) to an external. As with many things the vast array of choice is so confusing and frankly mind blowing. What we don't want to do is make a costly mistake so would be really grateful if members could advise what we need to take into consideration and which makes/models would fit our plans.

We are planning on a freshwater tropical set up, probably fairly heavily planted with a wide variety of fish rather than specialising (will be coming for advice on fish choice later). But if there's anything we need to consider now - please do let me know.

Also clues for approx prices and reliable, suppliers who offer good value for money and back-up support would be gratefully received and anything else we would need to know - including which media would be the most suitable for us.

Oh and one other question please if I may - when we come to fill the tank - what water do we use:
a) straight cold from the tap with conditioner etc and allow the thermostat heater to bring it up to temp - that'll take yonks I would have thought,
b) lots of trips with boiled water, or
c) can we use the water from our mixer tap which is heated via a combi boiler?


Many thanks

 

[MrWhite]

Cant really give advice on a filters but ehium is supposed to be good also tertatec avoid fluval bad reputation and when getting a fillter the higher the filtration the better your be looking at £70 + for a good filter for that tank size also filling it with cold water with the heater on will be fine because by the time you leave you tank to settle 24-48 hours it will be heated up no problem when u planning on putting your fish in the tank ?

 

[pammy172]

Don't know when the fish will be going in yet - got to get it all set up properly first. The plan is to take it steady and avoid being impulsive!!! Well that's the plan

Hope to do the fishless cycling and have bought ammonia, but need to decide on the design of the tank too - need to know what and how much substrate to get, background etc etc. Will be some time before the fish go in I reckon.

 

[smegforbrains]

Absolutely nothing wrong with Fluval filters - most reliable I have come across.


You will need at least a Fluval 305 (around £90 new) or Eheim's 2215 (around £100 new).

 

[rabbut]

Absolutely nothing wrong with Fluval filters - most reliable I have come across.


You will need at least a Fluval 305 (around £90 new) or Eheim's 2215 (around £100 new).

How many brands have you used?

I've had 4 different brands of filters, and Fluval was the third best for both performance and reliability, only worse than an Eheim Ecco... Before Three-fingers rightfully points out that I bought mine second hand, it was bought off a well respected member on here and wasn't that old when I got it. This member treats their filters realy well too...

Tetratec are my current favorite filter, and an EX1200 is the modle of choice for this sized tank.

Rena's are good also IME, the XP3 again being the modle of choise

Fluval were hard to work (relative to other filters) and its motor head failed just outside warrenty, starting to give off electric shocks, loosing flow and becoming noisy. A mate of mine has had both an 04 and 05 series Fluval blow it's seal ring and wash his floor for him un-expectedly, just outside warrenty again. Work's filters are no better, going through replacement parts faster than they realy should do... If something does however posess you to buy a Fluval, as said, the 305 should do it, though considering the 404 I had struggled with a 335l tank, I think a 405 would be a safer bet

Eheim's are supposed to be good, though avoid the Ecco range, that I made the mistake of buying... For cheap Eheim, go Classic, the "sweet spot" is the Pro 2 range

AquaOne exturnals are supposed to be good, but I've no 1st hand experience with them.

All the best
Rabbut

 

[smegforbrains]

I have used Eheims, TetraTecs, Aqua Ones, Renas and Hydor as well as Fluval.


Fluval have proven themselves easier to use and more reliable against all other brands I have used of the same capacity with only one exception. that exception being that my Eheim 2213 currently performs better than my Fluval 204 and the only reason I say this is because I have to clean the 204 more often.

Apart from that, I would use Fluval every time, or if pushed towards another brand if Fluval were not available, I would choose Aqua One.

 

[pammy172]

Well I think it's going to be the Tetratec EX1200. Local supplier selling them for £69 Off to have a look this aft. Am also going to ask if they'll let me have some mature medium when the time's right - shy bairns get nowt

Got all the old silicon sealer off with no bother using a new paint scraper - made it a doddle of a job. So if anyone is thinking of taking off their internal filter but worried about getting the silicon off - fret not - one of these little beauties from your local DIY store £2.49 and job's a good un!!