Sand...good...poo...bad...so, Should I Get An External Filter?

[jojouk]

So, made the transition to sand a while ago, and im getting very frustrated with the whole poo thing. Im glad its all on display to some extent - better for fishies, but would rather not see it!

I have a Juwel Rio 180, with one of those inbuilt filters - which I hate.

I am considering getting an external, but can anyone reccomend one for me?

Its a 180 litre, and I need the filter to be strong enough to keep the poo at bay, but really really quiet, as it is in our living room.

ALSO for optimum poo shifting, does a spray bar help or hinder, or should it be just an inlet tube down to the bottom of the tank?

Any ideas?

 

[CezzaXV]

I've got a Fluval 205 and it's as close to silent as you can get. The flow is great and I'd highly recommend it. For a tank your size, I'd go for the 305 or the 405, depending on how much flow you want.

 

[jojouk]

I've got a Fluval 205 and it's as close to silent as you can get. The flow is great and I'd highly recommend it. For a tank your size, I'd go for the 305 or the 405, depending on how much flow you want.

How much flow and placement of tubes etc...would I need to shift the poo?

 

[soybean]

Ive just added an eheim 2215 to my Rio 180, I have the internal running as well, but I wish I'd gone for the 2217 model to give it a bit more welly. Not having any problems with it. It seemed a bit loud at first but the noise has reduced after running for a couple of weeks. Tank is in my room and I sleep fine.

 

[James9114]

go for the new range of fluval 206/306/406 depending on flow rate you want. motors are quieter in the new range

 

[CezzaXV]

My 205 is about half a metre from my bed and I can't even hear it at night.

 

[jojouk]

Expensive?

http/www.aquatics-warehouse.co.uk/fluval-306-external-filter.html

Will I have to buy tubes etc?

 

[CezzaXV]

If you buy it new it should come with the tubes and everything you need.

 

[bally]

i could have wrote this very same topic. experiancing the same and looking for an externel filter

 

[jojouk]

Any thoughts on this one?

http/www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/aquarium-external-filter-1000-l-h-9w-uv.html



ALSO for optimum poo shifting, does a spray bar help or hinder, or should it be just an inlet tube down to the bottom of the tank?

 

[Geoff-]

spray bar distributes the pressure, you want strong circulation to stir the poo up - BUT only do this if your fish don't mind a good current. i think keeping enough of a current to shift poo might be too much for your fish.

personally i would add a few bottom dwellers if they'd be compatible with existing tankmates, cories love sand and will continually stir it up. if there's poo then it will end up in a corner somewhere or they will keep kicking it up until your filter takes it in.

 

[raptorrex]

So, made the transition to sand a while ago, and im getting very frustrated with the whole poo thing. Im glad its all on display to some extent - better for fishies, but would rather not see it!

I have a Juwel Rio 180, with one of those inbuilt filters - which I hate.

I am considering getting an external, but can anyone reccomend one for me?

Its a 180 litre, and I need the filter to be strong enough to keep the poo at bay, but really really quiet, as it is in our living room.

ALSO for optimum poo shifting, does a spray bar help or hinder, or should it be just an inlet tube down to the bottom of the tank?

Any ideas?

try to achieve a REAL flow of 5x.( this means, for most filter makes, you divide the box claim by 2)
I do it with 2x Ehaim 2224's. I found very little "poo" on the sand with my system..
but a Tetra ex2400 or even the APS2000. the UV is a waste of time, but the filter is good.

 

[jojouk]

All this is great info, thanks guys

Right, been thinking of this non stop - its driving me mad!

I think im going to get a All Pond Solutions 2000EF +, its cheap (ish) and all reports say its a really good filter.

I have been thinking of spray bar placement, and I have, ahem, drawn a little diagram.

The reviews of the filter all talk about the fact that the inlet and the outlet pipes are a bit flimsy, so I thought of making my own, ish...

Modify the spraybars so that they are along the back of the tank, facing slightly downwards (AVOIDING THE TOP OF THE VALLIS) so it does not blow everyehere and at the side of the tank, pointing quite downwards.

The idea is to create a kind of corkscrew effect, wooshing all the debris (the main reason for all this work!) to the inlet on the far end of the tank.

The main problem I have is not having the flow so it gets trapped under the wood (the brown lump in the diagram) hence the corkscrew idea?

What do you all think?

 

[Far2lively]

JBL E900 would be a good choice you can pick them up for £65 on zooplus all of my friends that keep fish have this filter including me and I have had no problems and you can't hear them atall I have to chek to see if its still running with my hand its soo quiet flow rate is around 900lph but media will affect this hope this helps

 

[jacko32]

try a CFS500 by ODYSSEA its a replica of fluvals FX5 but only costs £56 heres a link

http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/External-Aquarium-Canister-Filter-/170720662069?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item27bfbe9235#ht_1580wt_1163