What is a good filter for a 4 foot, 200litre/50gallon tank?

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Yeah the 306 is pricey, but you pay for quality, reliability, performance and the brand name itself.

If that's too much of a reach you could always go with the 304-5, they are pretty identical and I'm sure will be a fraction of the price.


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So are you saying eheim 2217 is still not enough flow rate for a 200 litre tank?

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It should be OK. What stocking level are you going to have? What fish and how many?
 
Im going to have American cichlids lol.
Aqadvisor rates eheims very high, and does not rate fluval 306 very good. I have no idea why. Despite the flow rate of them.

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I have the same dimentions of a tank as you and I spent plenty of time researching people's reviews of the canister filters. Sunsun was obviously the cheapest but I don't think it came with media, and then I also spent alot of time looking at the fluval 306. I ended up getting the fluval. I found it on sale at petsmart for $120 and it is dead silent!! Comes with everything you need to start and it is simple to set up. I can't tell you how clear my tank is! I strongly support the fluval

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I also read the quality of plastic was something to pay attention to. The sun sun had alot of issues with cracking over time and eventually leaks. The fluval is supposed to be very hardy and will last a very long time

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Which model of fluval do you have?
Also, how long have you had it running?

Thanks for the reply.

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I have the fluval 306. Been running for 3 weeks and it has a control to adjust how powerful to run the filter. I had it on high initially and it was pushing some of my little guys away, but it is good for up to 75 gal, so I set it at 75% and it has been doing awesome work! I have a planted aquarium and the dead leaves fall off and the filter sucks them right up

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Here's a photo of the hoses.

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Flow rate on the 2217 is higher, tubing is larger diameter and the impeller moves a bit more water. Mainly depends on the stocking and setup though. Large, messy fish and/or heavy stocking requires more water flow and turnover to keep the tank clean. Planted setups with small fish like tetras or rasboras don't need nearly as much to keep the tank clean. General rule though, bigger is better, more filtration is never a bad idea.

I agree with todd to an extent. Your beneficial bacteria flourish in lower flow rates. You are better off getting multiple smaller filters than 1 large one.

You cannot beat the Sunsun. If your on a budget, get 2 Sunsun filters. The media is pretty cheap. Buy it on Craigslist or Amazon.

Moving large quantities of water slowly is better than moving it quickly. I know it's counter intuitive. Everyone wants GPH, which is a marketing number, but if the tank is clear and the fish are healthy, who cares?

Fluval are good filters, I thought the hoses felt cheap and were difficult to put behind the back of my tank, I also didn't like the fact that they are corrugated.

A lot of people like the fluvial. It's a matter of who you ask.
 
The hoses on the fluvals do accumulate a lot of debris IME. Typically you do want more circulation in a cichlid tank because larger fish produce more/larger waste than small fish. I prefer hob filters that pick up most of the waste because it's easier to clean them. Rinsing out the sponges in tank water only takes a few minutes and most of the debris is out of the system. There are still some areas of the bottom where waste accumulates and has to be siphoned out with partial water changes, but it isn't usually necessary to siphon the entire bottom of the tank for regular cleaning.
 
good point, i am so accustomed to canisters i completely forgot about HOB's They are cost effective as well. HOB with a biowheel? and a Sunsun? a powerhead or wave maker to direct flow of debris toward the intake of the canister?

The possibilities are endless, The only true test is to try all of the ideas being thrown around.

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Ok I went to my local fish store to look at aquarium filters, and they pretty much had all the brands there.

So I asked, why does Eheim have a lower flow rate, yet its rated for a larger aquarium tank than the other brand of filters. And they told me its because the Eheim has a true flow rate with filter media inside. While other brands is flow rate without filter media inside and not a true flow rate. If this is true, I will most likely buy an Eheim.
Anyone know anything about this?

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Anyone know if this is true?

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Well, Fluval especially, like to show off their super-strong pumps, they advertise the FX6 pushing about 3x what it actually does with media.

I guess it's just a marketing trick that they can use, it's not them lying, it's you not looking properly.

Anyhow, from what I know, Eheim and Fluval both have their own claims to fame.
Eheim has a far superior media capacity, ie, they can carry a lot of media.
Also I'd say that they're the best built canister out there.

Fluval has a far stronger pump, even with the true output value it is much stronger and faster than any other brand.
This is why a lot of people use them in Cichlid tanks, they have a VERY strong input, they can draw debris from an unbelievable distance. And they have that high flow rate that Cichlids love.


In my opinion, if you're getting a canister, make it one of these two.
There are far too many horror stories about other cheaper brands such as Sun Sun and Aquaclear.


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I've heard the same about eheim filters. They are great. I have 3 classics. The quality is apparent.

Dont dismiss Sunsun. for the cost they are great. I have one running along with 2 eheims and It works great. The uv light on the 304-b is a bit hokey but I don't care. As long as the tank is crystal clear, I'm happy.
 
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