Filters!! So many.....

[em_witt]

Its just A general rule to have your filters cycle the aqaurium 10 times and hour. Whats the 75gallon filter rated for?(gph) I pretty sure it should be enough filtration but what fish do you have in there?

I have SA cichlids now...planning on getting discus....yes I kno that discus r SA cichlids! I have jack and firemouth and others of the sort!

The 75 gal filter I have now?? I have 2 filters both with a gph of 350...

 

[otmmy]

You have to consider that the flow will be reduced with the media. There has being people that have tested filters and it will vary from what it is advertised. So it is best to have something a little bit bigger.

I have never really thought about that before but I could see that. That make me wonder how much my filters are doing do you have any idea how to test them?

 

[em_witt]

Is this a good 1 for the price?? Says it comes with filter pads and it filters tanks up to 150gallons!!

 

[otmmy]

I have never used that brand before but i think that would be enough filtration for sure.

 

[teeter1715]

I currently have a fluval 406 on my 75 and its extremely quiet but obviously its a little over the budget for you, i would go with fluval HOB filters, fairly quiet and great filtering.

 

[em_witt]

I currently have a fluval 406 on my 75 and its extremely quiet but obviously its a little over the budget for you, i would go with fluval HOB filters, fairly quiet and great filtering.

One of the reasons I want a canister filter is cuz I'm planning on getting sand and read somewhere that sand will break ur HOB filter moter. Is this true?

 

[Lonestarbandit]

One of the reasons I want a canister filter is cuz I'm planning on getting sand and read somewhere that sand will break ur HOB filter moter. Is this true?

Why would you assume one type of filter would withstand sand better than another? They all have impellers that sand will chew to bits. Key is pre filtering the intake. Keep the sand out any filter and any choice should be fine. I use fluval edge pre filters on my HOBs. Or home made rougher pre filters cut out of aquaclear filter foam on non sand tanks.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

The reason they say that is because with HOBs the impeller is before the media. In a canister it's after, so the sand would get stuck in the media before even reaching the impeller. I have HOBs and canisters with sand and have never had an issue. Just make sure you turn the HOBs off before stirring the sand.

 

[blert]

The best place to buy a SunSun canister from is this place...
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/index.html
You pay a small bit more but they fill it with media and they reinforce the intake and output bits. If you get one from AquaTop you get very little media and the intake and output bits are very cheaply made.

 

[Lonestarbandit]

The best place to buy a SunSun canister from is this place...
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/index.html
You pay a small bit more but they fill it with media and they reinforce the intake and output bits. If you get one from AquaTop you get very little media and the intake and output bits are very cheaply made.

That's very strange as sunsun IS aquatop.......Is that something the retailer does?

 

[jetajockey]

"Perfect" is another on the sunsun train. They are just chinese knockoffs. If you look closely at the design and compare it, most, if not all of them are identical to some of the big name brand models like the Eheim, Fluval, and Marineland canisters.

It'd be nice if these big name manufacturers would get competitive because at less than half the price it just makes sense to get the knockoffs.

The cheapest prices I've found have been at Aquatraders - Guaranteed Best Prices on Aquarium Lightings + Free Shipping! , have not ordered from them yet though.

 

[Lonestarbandit]

"Perfect" is another on the sunsun train. They are just chinese knockoffs. If you look closely at the design and compare it, most, if not all of them are identical to some of the big name brand models like the Eheim, Fluval, and Marineland canisters.

It'd be nice if these big name manufacturers would get competitive because at less than half the price it just makes sense to get the knockoffs.

The cheapest prices I've found have been at Aquatraders - Guaranteed Best Prices on Aquarium Lightings + Free Shipping! , have not ordered from them yet though.

Agreed. There's also a Germanic sounding name as well that is also the same. They are all from the same production line. However as you say I can't knock them since at the price..... Much the same as how hyundai used to be a joke and now are the value/content leaders those Chinese no name filters just make economic sense!

* I hate iPhone auto incorrect!!!!

 

[blert]

...
There's also a Germanic sounding name as well that is also the same. They are all from the same production line.
...

'Grech' is the name you are speaking of.

 

[Lonestarbandit]

'Grech' is the name you are speaking of.

That's the one, well done.

 

[Lonestarbandit]

"Perfect" is another on the sunsun train. They are just chinese knockoffs. If you look closely at the design and compare it, most, if not all of them are identical to some of the big name brand models like the Eheim, Fluval, and Marineland canisters.

It'd be nice if these big name manufacturers would get competitive because at less than half the price it just makes sense to get the knockoffs.

The cheapest prices I've found have been at Aquatraders - Guaranteed Best Prices on Aquarium Lightings + Free Shipping! , have not ordered from them yet though.

Honestly while I can assume that the construction standards on the halo brands are slightly higher (IE tougher maybe slightly thicker, better quality plastics etc) I think being most DO come from a chinese production facility they are simply trading on the (perceived) value of their name. As long as the customer base continues to trade within this marketing concept framework the big names have no reason to drop pricing.

 

[jetajockey]

cThat's true as well. In some situations it's the exact same manufacturer just using an 'off brand' name, like they do with many common consumer products.

I think some of it is copycatting because there are lots of reports of the cheaper models being created with slightly different designs or inferior quality, so I think its a toss up.

With these in particular though the reviews have been overall good value for the price, and now that there are vendors stateside it's much easier to get parts replacement.

 

[blert]

Honestly while I can assume that the construction standards on the halo brands are slightly higher (IE tougher maybe slightly thicker, better quality plastics etc) I think being most DO come from a chinese production facility they are simply trading on the (perceived) value of their name.

You hit the nail squarely on the head here. I have a MarineLand C220 canister and two SunSuns (303b and 304b). The SunSuns are clones of the MarineLand one (the baskets and valve block actually fit the 303b) and the SunSuns are actually better constructed. Most of the time, in any market, you are paying for the brand name. Of course, there are knock-off products that you should avoid, you just need to make sure to read the specs and warranty info.

 

[Lonestarbandit]

Well thanks lol. But it's also pleasing to know the sunsun/aquatop/insert names here are of functional quality (after all that's all we are really after) and I'm sorely tempted to try out the aquatop 400uv model but unsure if in a freshwater environment vs a marine it is a necessary feature vs it's additional energy consumption ?

 

[blert]

Well thanks lol. But it's also pleasing to know the sunsun/aquatop/insert names here are of functional quality (after all that's all we are really after) and I'm sorely tempted to try out the aquatop 400uv model but unsure if in a freshwater environment vs a marine it is a necessary feature vs it's additional energy consumption ?

You should, in no way, base your decision to buy this filter on the UV feature. It is no where near powerful enough to provide real biological sterilization. It won't kill bad bacteria or parasites. What it will do is kill free floating algae. So, if you have a green water issue it will help.

 

[Lonestarbandit]

You should, in no way, base your decision to buy this filter on the UV feature. It is no where near powerful enough to provide real biological sterilization. It won't kill bad bacteria or parasites. What it will do is kill free floating algae. So, if you have a green water issue it will help.

Good to know. I don't really need it rather it was a feature I was unfamiliar with and curious about. I did wonder at a measly 9 watts what exactly it would kill. I wont concern myself with that particular feature then.