Filters?

[chrisrm]

Hi all
I have been thinkink about getting an external filterfor my 350l tank.

At the moment i have two fluval u4.

I was hoping for some opinions/ suggestions on a sutable external filter for it.

Also after reading some other threads, i am under the impression that you can more heavely stock a tank with say a Fluval FX5.

Is this true?

Thanks

 

[jmkgreen]

I'd say you're really hitting the limits with the two U4s at the moment. Combined they are advertised for up to 300L tanks.

An FX5 would provide far better filtration. Just do not forget to cycle the filter media before removing the U4s.

 

[chrisrm]

I'd say you're really hitting the limits with the two U4s at the moment. Combined they are advertised for up to 300L tanks.

An FX5 would provide far better filtration. Just do not forget to cycle the filter media before removing the U4s.

thats what i thought. (stocking wise)]

some people say external fluval's arnt all that though?

 

[Gav935]

I'd say you're really hitting the limits with the two U4s at the moment. Combined they are advertised for up to 300L tanks.

An FX5 would provide far better filtration. Just do not forget to cycle the filter media before removing the U4s.

thats what i thought. (stocking wise)]

some people say external fluval's arnt all that though?

Apparently the FX5 doesn't seem to have the problems that the 05 range reportedly have. It's a totally different design from the rest and due to the claimed specs is probably much more thoroughly engineered.

 

[chrisrm]

any suggestions... please!

 

[rabbut]

For a 350l tank, you have a few options;

Pair of Tetratec EX1200's
Rena XP3
Eheim Pro III 2080
Fluval FX5

in my order of preference I'm actually using two Tetratec EX1200's on a tank that's about 400l, and they cope fine of a heavy bio-load. As it turned out a few months ago, when I watered the plug socket by accident, forcing me to run with just one filter, they cope on that fine when going alone...

I'm a Fluval external hater in general (love their internals thought), but the FX5 does seem more solidly built that the 04/05 series. It's a monster that smaller folk may struggle with, purely due to it's weight and bulk when full, but otherwise does what it says on the tin. They did have one dodgy batch, but you'll get that with any filter brand. They haven't been around long enough to judge long-term performance and reliability (mind you, neither have the Tetratec's), but they both look OK thus far. Rena's are good and reliable filters, build like rocks, and Eheim's are like tanks unless you got a thermo, Ecco or electronic one... Rena's can be tricky to maintain though, due to the way they have recesses the O-ring, takes some effort to get it out and work on, but otherwise, they are great filters

All the best
Rabbut

 

[shrimply]

Pair of Tetratec EX1200's

What about a single EX2400.

Personally though if I had a tank that size I'd probably fit two smaller externals. Probably eheim 2217's but just because I'm a fan, people find them fiddly but they aren't really.

The biggest tank I have is a 240l, and its filtered with a 2217 and a fluval 4+ internal. When I get some more cash I'll hopefully replace the internal with a second external.

But if you've got a cabinet check the sizes, I looked at both the Tetratec EX1200 and the EX2400 and neither would fit.

Currently I'm boycotting Fluval after a disastrous 304, my eheim 2217 is far superior.

 

[rabbut]

You could run an EX2400, but they are supposed to be more noisy than the rest of their range. Also, with Tetratec being new onto the market, I double up on them until their long-term reliability is known That is the reason for me running two on mine. They seem solid and they are easy to work on. Thus far they have been reliable too, but I haven't had them long enough to develop faults due to wear and tear ahead of time (18 months) and neither has anyone else... When a lot of people have had them for 10-15 years, we can start judging long-term stuff, and we can say the seals and bearings are fine after about 5 years, impellers after 10, but the motor head should do at least 15, so until a lot of people have had them past 15 years, we cannot say that all of the filter is reliable long-term. They have been on the market for 4-5 years now, so we are starting to see about the seals and bearings, most of which are doing fine bar a dodgy batch of EX700's about 6 months back, but moving parts and the motor units are still "under user testing" for reliability... It's a similar story with the Eheim 2080, that's been about a year or two longer being their newest Professional range, and also the FX5 being about for a year or two less. The Rena's are the only ones with longer term testing, being about for around 8 years as far I am aware, and they are OK, bar the seal issues caused by lasy users that neglect them due to poor access to the seals on the Rena's...

All the best
Rabbut

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, really excellent advice from rabbut and others up there. I personally like the eheim professional ranges for their silence and ease of maintenance. The point about the advantage one gets from running two externals is an important one. You have the chance now to decide on having that advantage - once you commit to a particular setup it will probably be for many years. Being able to alternate cleanings is another nice thing, besides the big advantage of redundancy and of multiple points of output to keep the circulation moving more smoothly.

Shrimply's comment about measuring your cabinet is well-taken. I like to set my external in a large squarish plasic kitchen container type thing, as an extra catch for stray water when taking the filter box out for cleanings and presumably to help if there were a slow seal leak at some point. So taking the sized of this extra container into account would be useful too when planning. Turned out for me that the lid of that big kitchen container made an excellent "tray" for holding plant material when working on the tank!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[jmkgreen]

Single Eheim 2075 currently operating just fine on my 4x2x2 but agree with others I'm planning on my second filter+heater combi in the weeks to come.