Filter Question?

[Kari]

I've been reading up on here, and it seems that most of you who are really knowledgeable about aquarium care prefer the fluval filter. I've got the kind that just hang on the back of the tank. What's the difference? And why the fluval, in particular?

 

[Guest]

Its quiet and effective. Basically maintanence free, good price, and lots of media choices. Plus, go into any LFS in the nation and you can get replacement media and often parts for it.

 

[rcjubei]

Its quiet and effective. Basically maintanence free, good price, and lots of media choices. Plus, go into any LFS in the nation and you can get replacement media and often parts for it.

Tony really summed it up. The only thing that I can add (I have both a hob and canister filter on the same tank) is you can add much more media and in different combinations vs a hob. I have seen fluval accessories in almost every fish store I walk into.

 

[Kari]

The only kinds of filters I've ever seen/know anything about is the hob and ugf. How complicated is a canister? I mean, I even get the pre-assembled filters for my hob, it's simple to just pull the old cartridge out, and slide the new one in. But if canisters/fluvals are the healthier route to go, for the fishes sake, then I'd like to learn what you can tell me about them.

 

[An t-iasg]

Here's a link and a nice description for the Fluval 104, the smallest Fluval: http://www.petco.com/product_info.asp?sku=1556110200&tab=0&dept_id=&c1=0&c2=&c3=&ct1=&ct2=&ct3=

Are you thinking of using this filter on your 10 gallon tank? It may be overkill. Some say you can't overfilter, but I would think that this filter on a 10 gallon would cause too much waterflow in the small tank. However, I would also be interested in others' opinions. I have a 10 gallon tank that I wanted to use a canister filter on, so I wouldn't have a HOB, well, hanging off the back, lol, but I thought this canister would still be too powerful for the tank size. It would turn over the tank volume about 12 times per hour. Isn't that a bit much? I thought the target turnover range was 6-8 or maybe 6-10 times per hour.

 

[rcjubei]

Here is a link to the hagen website, it breaks down the canister to give you an indepth look and you can read on the maintenance and so forth.

http://www.hagen.com/usa/aquatic/manuals/fluve01.cfm

and

http://www.hagen.com/usa/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=107&PROD_ID=01002000020101

I just bought my eheim canister filter (same concept as fluval) and it was very easy to set up (about 30 minutes total). Attach the intake tubing to the wall of your tank connect flexible tubing from intake to canister/canister to another flexible tubing to spray bar. Fill with any media you would like, the manual gives options but you make the over all decision. Depending which fluval you get depends on how many levels (if you will) baskets that it contains.

 

[ace1uno_00]

Canister filters are just as easy as a HOB. and they are much more quieter and you can pick and chose what media to put in. like som media can lower PH and some can Raise. And you can also run a U.V. with a canister filter. It's just better all together.

 

[fishyrican]

Kari, this link compares some of the more well known canister filters: http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/filtration/tp/TPcanistsers.htm

Although the article looks at canister filters from a saltwater point of view, it still has good information in general.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I only use Cascade canister filters and find them very simple to use, quiet, efficient, and very well priced. It took me maybe 15 minutes to setup the 1200 that we just got a couple months ago. As all canister filters are, they are very flexible on what you can use for media.