Which external filter to get?

[ScottishFish]

Well as Christmas is approaching I need to make my mind up on what I want Santa to get me

Mum and dad are happy to get me an external filter, but the question is, which one?

Here's my list of available models, price, and rated to;

Fluval 306 - £100 (300l)
Fluval 406 - £140 (400l)
Fluval fx5 - £215 (1500l)

Here's the eheims I can get;

Eheim Pro-II 2026 - £130 (600l)
Eheim Pro 3 600 external filter - £210 (600l) note this is new version so parts for pro-2 will be spare in future.

I hope to get one canister for Xmas then another for my birthday. So my 42g and 48g will hopefully be well filtered by April.

I know these tanks are pretty small for this kinda filtration but I shall be upgrading in the next year or two and I will take the filters with me. So from experience which of these models would you recommend? Would the fx5 be too big for my 48g? Its the one I am really looking at as a good investment and many members have already told me they are excellent.

Also is the fx5 a pretty noisy filter?

Cheers guys

[Rocksor]

I wouldn't get the fx5 for something as small as a 48g. Your fish may get blown around.

Also, by the time you get your larger tank, the fx6 or something better may be available.

[Goes to 11!]

My FX5 is not pretty but IS silent, A friend of mine thought it was a shop vac. It does have this daily 2 minute reset cycle to clear air from the filter that makes a few weird noises as it burps [Pardon the very technical term there] and restarts but otherwise IME it's dead quiet.

I agree that either of your tanks would be a washing machine in an earthquake in a hurricane in a tsunami if using it lol. It moves some water!

I have a 2026 running on my 100g Oscar tank [with an AC 110] - Love it and I have had no issues.

The 2026 would be my choice given that the classic series isn't available to you. Some don't care for the lack of bells and whistles on them but my perspective is that there is less to go wrong. .

Having said that, I don't think you can go to far wrong with any of the choices above as they are all top tier filters Ken?



Look into that adoption ok? There's only a few weeks left & I don't want them to have to rush to shop for me :-P

[mizzoutank]

I have the Fluval 306 for my 40B!
But I'm also running a penguin 200 HOB filter to get over the 2x filtration recommendation. etc.

Let me know if you want pics/video of how it is set up and how it runs w/ the current etc.

But here is my feedback on it.

I love it. It provides a much stronger current than I thought it would. I've got it it on about 70% output to tame the beast. It was pushing my plants/fish a bit to much for my comfort. The circulation on the tank is so much better with this thing though. I enjoy having my plants "dance" and seeing a current mimic that of a river/natural habitat.
so that makes me worried if you get a bigger fluval with them having a stronger motor.
The thing is beyond quiet. I can barely hear it. The fan on my computer is louder than the 306!
Set up was pretty straight forward. I went at snails pace as it was my first external filter and I was being super picky on location and making sure everything was correct (triple checking everything. ha)

Issues that could happen:
if you are not running a HOB, then it gets tricky to aim the nozzle upwards to create the needed surface agitation for O2.

Other than that, i have nothing but praise for this thing. Best purchase so far for my tank.

[ScottishFish]

Thanks so far guys, I'm sure there are many more members who have externals that could chime in

I think I will look at the smaller scale ones then, maybe narrow it to the 306 406, and eheim 2026 .

If I were to get the eheim, should I splash the extra on the newest model? Since the old one I mentioned will eventually run out of parts? Or are they that durable that really little could go wrong?

[Cermet]

Rather than getting a traditional mechanical filter for standard bio-processing of waste (which creates nitrates) why not get a far cheaper but significantly better system - an in tank algae scrubber?

For a 40 - 50 gal aquarium such a unit will provide extra bioprocessing (I'd still suggest a std filter) but unlike standard filters, a scrubber will also remove nitrates and phosphates - something those old style filters you listed simply can't do . While chemical absorbers can do this, they are expensive and a pain to replace all too often - algae growth is always free but far better still, this unit prevents algae from growing else were in the tank.

(aside - they also remove ammonia but I'd rather depend on a canister for that function ... big external algae scrubbers can handle those but I prefer the small in tank units for space issues.)

Since adding my samll in tank unit, algae which use to always start up in my tank, no longer does . Better still, I have reduced my water changes saving me a lot of work yet my nitrate level is more than three times lower than when I changed my water twice a week (only once a week currently!)

You can buy the parts and save or just use their design and build it yourself (they ask a small fee for the right to copy their really great design.)

Sorry for my rant on this device but since getting one, and especially after the terrible (deadly for some of my fish!) results from a tarditional nitrate removal system, I am sold on the in tank algae scrubber. External work great but who has the room or time for upkeep of those for fresh water aquariums?

[ScottishFish]

Cheers for the, er, rant cermet!

I hear ya loud and clear what you are saying, however I hope to take this filter with me as my tanks get bigger. So making a scrubber for a 50G won't really be beneficial in the long run. Cheers though

[ScottishFish]

Anyone else got any thoughts?

[Cliff]

I would choose the eheim 2026 over the fluval. I do like the fluval filters, but I think the eheim might be a better fit as it has more media capacity.

But I have only actually used fluval filters so please keep that in mind when considering my suggestion

[ScottishFish]

Well this worked out good, I think . . . . .

I was at a house viewing a potential upgrade tank for my mate (who's just joined the AC, called Fishsupper, check the intro threads) and I came away with a purchase.

I got for the grand sum of £10 an Aqua One 1000

The owner knew hee haw about fish, or tanks or anything, so it has everything apart from one of the four clips that secure the lid/motor/pump thing to the media bucket. I will buy. New hosing for it when I'm at a DIY place.

So did I make a good buy? Or just bin it? Or even just get to grips with how it works before I get an Xmas canister?