Recommend a filter please?

[gimmethatfish]

So who has a filter they LOVE?



I have a secondhand Marineland Magnum 350 on my 54 gallon tank. It's working fine I'm sure. Keeps the water sparkling. However, it is loud and it has a really violent output that freaks out the fish. I have to baffle it or they all huddle in a corner. By loud I mean that it sounds like someone is taking a shower next to my head. It's not the sound of the water output that's a prolbem - it's the water running through the tubes.



So can someone recommend their favorite canister filter? Ideally, I want something with an adjustable output flow and quiet operation. It doesn't have to be absolutely silent, but quieter is better because I have 2 tanks with 3 filters and 2 air pumps between them all in the same room, so anything to cut down the noise would be good. I'd like something good for at least a 100 gallon tank. Cost is secondary (getting a nice tax refund), though I'd like to keep it under $200. I would even consider a smaller capacity canister and a secondary HOB filter or a combination like that. I'm certain that at some point in the future, I'm going to set up a 20 gallon in another room, so I'll keep the Magnum around to use in that tank.


Thanks!

 

[katiekelsey]

I really like my hob Aqua Clear filter. Its very quiet and works well.
I use that along with two power jets and an undergravel filter. My tank has been up for three years and is doing very well.

 

[kevan07]

I second the AquaClear filters. I have used them since I started keeping aquariums and have never had a problem with them. IMO they can sometimes be a bit loud/vibratey when you first set them up but you can easily solve that by either tapeing the tube down to the filter or just removing the lid. On the ones that I had this problem with it usually quieted down within a couple of days (I think sometimes things get a bit shaken up in shipping and they just got to get settled back down). Of course I use to keep the tanks in my bedroom so that might have been why I thought they were a bit loud at first.

Either way in the long run they are awesome filters.

EDIT: Whoops did not see the part about you asking about canister filters. Mine was a regular filter...

 

[threnjen]

I don't have a canister but whenever someone asks about canisters I see Eheim, Eheim, Eheim

 

[mapexmac007]

I'm somewhat new to a canister, but I absolutely love my Fluval 206 for my 29 gallon tank. As a product designer, I really examined the various canisters on the market. My LFS even allowed me to open a few boxes and study the design & construction of the various makes.

I really really liked how Fluval designed this thing. I love how you can customize the media.

Although I'm not using this feature, I appreciate that you can adjust the flow rate VERY easily — to suit your environment's needs.

And it's absolutely whisper quiet, can't hear a sound, except for a bit of water trickle as the feed inlet current subtly breaks the surface.

Replacement parts are easy to find. 7 months into this pump, and it's rock solid. Easy to clean as well.

 

[Cynic]

Eheim 2217. Perfection in filter form.

 

[sallyjano]

Aquaclear. Love it. Quiet and aesthetically a huge improvement on others I've had.

 

[jbtravis91]

I'm going to second the e-heim. It's simple, relatively cheap, and it works like a charm.

The only downside is that the instructions for the initial setup aren't very clear. However, the only non-intuitive part of the setup is the fact that you have to section the tubing they send you.

 

[Proteus55]

I also recommend the Eheim 2217. It is my first cannister and is super quiet. Very easy to set up if you watch the "glass cichlids" video on YouTube. Kens Fish has a great price on them.