External Filters

[jama12uk]

I currently have a juwel vision 180 which has the compact juwel filter as standard, however it only runs ata a rate of 400l/h which is the same rate as my 45l tank which is much cleaner and requires much less maintinance.

I have been looking at the new fluval 405 filters but have not yet decided. Does anyone have any sugestions with regard to which filter, or if you have a 405 your oppinion would be valuable.

I am looking for a large filter of similar size to the 405 as i may wish to upgrade my tank to a larger one in the future.

I am also fed up with the juwel filter design and my fish have continualy being caught in it.

Thanks

James

 

[Rodders]

Deffinately ditch the internal and buy the external. I did on my juwel 125 and it was a massive improvement. Also saves lots of space.

 

[fishing4exotics]

Hi jama12uk, If you are considering the Fluval 405 you might want to look at the Rena Filstar XP3. It more efficient, easier to maintain, and priced similarly as the 405.

 

[sub.42]

Hi jama12uk, If you are considering the Fluval 405 you might want to look at the Rena Filstar XP3. It more efficient, easier to maintain, and priced similarly as the 405.

Yep, the Rena is just sooo much easier to open up and work on. The Fluvals can be a real pain to prime. Just the price to worry about. The Fluvals are about 30% cheaper at least.

sub.

 

[fishing4exotics]

Yep, the Rena is just sooo much easier to open up and work on. The Fluvals can be a real pain to prime. Just the price to worry about. The Fluvals are about 30% cheaper at least.

sub.

Interesting! They are priced at around $99 for both brands online here in the USA. That's for the Fluval 405 and the filstar XP3. I guess there is a price difference from across the pond.

 

[Matty]

if you can afford a juwel aquarium, you can save up enough to go for an eheim. They really are the king of canisters

 

[sub.42]

Yep, the Rena is just sooo much easier to open up and work on. The Fluvals can be a real pain to prime. Just the price to worry about. The Fluvals are about 30% cheaper at least.

sub.

Interesting! They are priced at around $99 for both brands online here in the USA. That's for the Fluval 405 and the filstar XP3. I guess there is a price difference from across the pond.

Yep,

I don't know quite why, but I have always been able to negociate a bigger discount on the Fluval range. I can buy the Fluval 405 for about £79, and the Rena filstar XP3 is usually more like £99-105, at least IMHO. There seems to be a big shift going on in the online price wars, so maybe I was a little over ambitious at 30%, but maybe 20% is more like it. Considering how much grief I get when I try to prime my Fluval, it will be an XP3 for me next time!

sub.

 

[Bloo]

I would suggest you cast your eye on this tropic on external filters - I ditched my internal Juwel on my Vision 180 and replaced it with an Eheim 2224 (around £90 fully inclusive). The maintenance is a dream and the operation is heaven !

 

[Squid]

I would suggest you cast your eye on this tropic on external filters - I ditched my internal Juwel on my Vision 180 and replaced it with an Eheim 2224 (around £90 fully inclusive). The maintenance is a dream and the operation is heaven !

Do you run the juwel filter at the same time, or just the new filter. ?

I guess you run them both for a while to ensure that the bacteria is spread into the new filter?

Is the old filter easy to remove, because its stuck to the tank? (i guess you might not know this if the answer to the first question is yes

Cheers

Squid of many questions.

 

[Bloo]

Grrr, I just wrote one marvelous reply and then deleted the whole lot by accident

I will try again....

I have removed my internal Juwel Filter. After 3 years I was fedup with the maintenance and plant matter turning into sludge in the bottom bit, and small fish getting stuck inside.

I removed 40% of the water (fish remained in the tank), then with a snap-off Stanley knife gently used a saw action to cut through the silicone blobs that keeps the filter in place.

There are 4 blobs on each side (two top corners, two bottom corners).
Start with the upper outside blobs, then the two upper back blobs. Then do the bottom outside blobs – by which time you can almost just pull the filter gently forward and the last bits can easily be removed too.

With a (fish dedicated) scourer, I removed the last bits of silicone from the glass.

All of this took less than 5 minutes

I then just moved the filter slightly forward and it just sat on the gravel while I installed the external filter. They then both ran for 2 weeks so that I was sure the new filter was fully seeded.

I removed the entire Juwel Filter and water parameters remained 100%

As my Internal Juwel Heater was still fully working (even after 3 years!) I just took that out and hung it next to the inlet pipe of the external filter. I guess I could buy a proper heater guard with suckers so that it’s more secure, but have just never got round it it (yet). That will only cost a couple of ££’s.

Since my new Eheim external 2224 has been in operation, it’s been an absolute dream to maintain

 

[Squid]

The second reply is marvelous too...

Ive bookmarked it.. the rio is new, so i will see how it goes for a little while, then have a look at the filter you have recommended.. the eheim one, as mine is a 180 litre too..

Pleased to know its not too much of a chore should i decide to do it.

Many thanks..
Squid

 

[Bloo]

The second reply is marvelous too...

Thanks !

Good luck with your new one

 

[CFC]

The reason you can often get big discounts on fluvals is because they are crap, as with everything you get what you pay for and the more you pay the better the quality of the filter, my advise would be to just spend that extra 20 or 30 quid and get a Eheim.

 

[rixy]

ive just bought an eheim 2028 and its brilliant.as so many other people have said,you get what you pay for.you can skimp on lots of stuff,but if i were you,i'd spend as much as you can afford on a good external.the eheim took minutes to set up,is silent,is powerful,easy to clean and a doddle to alter to power of flow etc.GET THE EHEIM !!!!!

 

[jama12uk]

I think i will go for the Juwel 405 as i don't trust Ehiem after the damage my friend showed me. He has had three Ehiem's one in each 4ft tank and they have been awful.

Thanks for your suggestions



James