fluval U2

[smartybones]

Needed to replace the filter in my tank and after looking about and reading reviews the fluval U2 was perfect for my 100 letre tank....

I found an exelent supplier around 15 to 20 minute drive away from me, the big blue aquarium warehouse http://www.bigblueaquarium.co.uk/

They will price match most equipment to what you can get on eBay.

Exelent family run shop.

 

[Ian086]

What price is the filter??

 

[smartybones]

23 quid....

I am not sure if they do mail order though

We'll worth the effort of calling into the shop if its within a reasonable drive....

 

[Ian086]

23 quid....

I am not sure if they do mail order though

We'll worth the effort of calling into the shop if its within a reasonable drive....

I had that exact filter on my 45ltr and to be honest it struggled to keep it clean for long. It was a reasonably stocked guppy tank. It was such a pain to clean. It looks easy and psychically is, if you can open the stiff lid on the top!!. When you remove the cartridges, all the gunk leaks back into the water. I am not a big fan on internals, in general. This filter will do the job but I took mine out after about six months. It is quite a bulky filter and when I removed it, the tank just opened up with space. Depending on your stock and with your tank size, I would say it will really struggle to keep you tank clean for long. I'm not telling you not to buy it and don't want to disappoint you but if it was me I would opt for something else. Is your budget a bit more flexible??

 

[smartybones]

My preference would be for a external filter but my biggest constraint is the space surrounding the tank.

It was fitted into a space as part of the refurbishment of our bar that used to be a firepace.

I get that a lot of people have issues with this filter but as they have been sold worldwide in very large quantities I would expect to hear a fir bit of negativity.

As the u2 is rated for 45 to 110 letre I would expect it to perform really well in the lower end of that range. I suspect there may have been a fault with it if it was not working in your 45 letre tank.

Just to add.. This filter was pretty much an emergency purchase. I have only just set up the tank, cycled it.. Added some plants.... And as soon as I added fish within a day the corrys had churned up the bottom and bits of plant was clogging up the inlets of the crappy filter that came with the tank.

Within 6 hours of adding the filter the water was clear as glass....

I still have the old filter in the tank... It has a nice colony of BB in it. So I will give it a week for the new filter to build its own colony before taking the old one out. I know I could just stick some of the sponge from the old filter in with the u2 but there is a total lack of space to squeeze anything in.. Plus in the past this is how I have exchanged filters and if works really well....

 

[Ian086]

No fault, just clogs pretty quick. With a 100ltr tank and it rated for 110l(remember these are the manufacturers claims!!), you will be cleaning it a lot. Good luck with it, I hope it works out for you....