Interesting Information Re Filters

[MermaidMel]

i would just go straight for the fx5 personally its more value for money as you can get 1 brande new off ebay for £145 delivered compaired to the eheim 2080 which is £300
i know eheim has the german engineering but its hard to justify it costing twice as much

What is the measurements of an FX5, it looks massive, I have back problems and lifting is not easy for me and a canister full of water is hard work

yes its huge you might be better getting 2 smaller ones if you have a bad back
- Height - 17" - 43 cm
- Width - 16" 40.6 cm

Yeah I found the Tetratec 1200 an absolute weight on my back, I prefer the size of the Fluval 405

 

[raptorrex]

i would just go straight for the fx5 personally its more value for money as you can get 1 brande new off ebay for £145 delivered compaired to the eheim 2080 which is £300
i know eheim has the german engineering but its hard to justify it costing twice as much

lol yeah. but new ones(eheim), on ebay, go for less than £200. and remember the FX5 has no (real) media, so you need to buy that too.

What is the measurements of an FX5, it looks massive, I have back problems and lifting is not easy for me and a canister full of water is hard work

perhaps two smaller unit then? 2228's. or, if you are up to it. A sump, no lifting there.

 

[MermaidMel]

i would just go straight for the fx5 personally its more value for money as you can get 1 brande new off ebay for £145 delivered compaired to the eheim 2080 which is £300
i know eheim has the german engineering but its hard to justify it costing twice as much

lol yeah. but new ones(eheim), on ebay, go for less than £200. and remember the FX5 has no (real) media, so you need to buy that too.

What is the measurements of an FX5, it looks massive, I have back problems and lifting is not easy for me and a canister full of water is hard work

perhaps two smaller unit then? 2228's. or, if you are up to it. A sump, no lifting there.

Sumps freak me out!!

 

[minxfishy]

Regarding the Eheim canisters, if you had a 70 US Gallon tank what canister would you go for that is cost effective and easy to use?

Eheim classic plus 2217. Small, not heavy to lift even full (I have back problems too hon), quiet, easy to set up, once first primed, never need to prime again, rated up to a 600L tank, £85 brand new.

 

[bitteraspects]

theyre actually not as scary as they seem. once you understand what all is going on in there, its actually pretty simple.
not to mention, a DIY sump is by far the most efficient and cost effective filter you can have.

 

[MermaidMel]

Regarding the Eheim canisters, if you had a 70 US Gallon tank what canister would you go for that is cost effective and easy to use?

Eheim classic plus 2217. Small, not heavy to lift even full (I have back problems too hon), quiet, easy to set up, once first primed, never need to prime again, rated up to a 600L tank, £85 brand new.

Thanks Mags, I've been looking at those, thanks for your help.

theyre actually not as scary as they seem. once you understand what all is going on in there, its actually pretty simple.
not to mention, a DIY sump is by far the most efficient and cost effective filter you can have.

I'm sure I could do it, I have small kids and don't like the idea of a sump in their reach though, isn't it all open top? I might have a look at you tube, but seriously for a 70 gallon tank, I don't think I would need a sump really, do you?

 

[minxfishy]

For a 70g you dont need a sump, a good rated external filter will be more than enough.

I run two eheim classic plus on my 125g tank and a single eheim 2217 on the 95g tank.

 

[bitteraspects]

I'm sure I could do it, I have small kids and don't like the idea of a sump in their reach though, isn't it all open top? I might have a look at you tube, but seriously for a 70 gallon tank, I don't think I would need a sump really, do you?

you can build them open topped or closed. or you can build it to fit inside your stand so its away from little fingers. one of the best things about a sump is that its completely customizable. you can adjust just about every aspect to fit your specific needs.

no specific sized tank "needs" a sump, however any sized tank can benefit from having one. i use them on tanks much smaller than your 70g. heck, ive even built one for a 1gal tank. lol.
i would suggest a wet/dry sump for just about any set up 55g+ (only because a 4' footprint gives you a good amount of space below the tank for your sump)

 

[markandhisfish]

you dont have to break the bank to get an eheim. i paid 50 quid for my pro2 2028 2nd hand

 

[Ian H]

How come aqua one dont get much mention when it comes to filters? im running 2xaquaone cf1000 and they are fantastic filters. My first external and never had a single problem with them. Been running for about 2 years i think and so far all is good

 

[waterdrop]

Something that hasn't been mentioned is relative noise (which of course may or may not be important!)

Along with the advantage that two somewhat smaller cannister filters have in that they are easier on the back when carrying them to cleaning and that their cleanings can be at alternate times, they can also be quieter than a single larger monster-cannister. I've heard comments that all the monster cannisters do unfortunately take the sound up a significant notch.

Another noise factor that is inherent I believe is that both sumps and HOB filters will tend to have more water noise than either external cannisters or internals, it just being a fact of their openness to the outside and the fact that they are not completely filled when operating.

WD