What is the best filter you've ever used?

[Paul1792]

Ok, thanks for the good information. I think I've got my heart set on the Fluval C series now. XD I might try to get a C4 to work along side my Marineland Penguin. Or completely replace it.

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What size tank is it?

If it's up to 38 gallons, C4 is all you need but be sure and run them side by side for a while. 55 gallons or more and both filters are probably a good idea.

 

[Aneamals]

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What size tank is it?

If it's up to 38 gallons, C4 is all you need but be sure and run them side by side for a while. 55 gallons or more and both filters are probably a good idea.

My tank is 29 gallons. The filter it's using is a Marineland Penguin 150B, for up to 30 gallons.

 

[Paul1792]

My tank is 29 gallons. The filter it's using is a Marineland Penguin 150B, for up to 30 gallons.

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The C4 is a perfect fit for it. That's what I have on my 29 gallon that is heavily stocked. I run it at about 80% of "full speed."

You should run them both side by side for a week or so in order to preserve beneficial bacteria. But to speed up the process .......... go here to this link which shows how I "seeded" my first C3 with old media from an aquatech (from walmart).

Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community - Paul1792's Album: Paul1792's 29 gallon - Picture

 

[Aneamals]

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The C4 is a perfect fit for it. That's what I have on my 29 gallon that is heavily stocked. I run it at about 80% of "full speed."

You should run them both side by side for a week or so in order to preserve beneficial bacteria. But to speed up the process .......... go here to this link which shows how I "seeded" my first C3 with old media from an aquatech (from walmart).

Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community - Paul1792's Album: Paul1792's 29 gallon - Picture

Awesome!
Yeah, I did think of putting them both together for a while.
And yes, seeded media, heard lots about it. Sadly I don't have any real fish-keeping friends, but I could possibly ask a fish store. Maybe the good Petsmart I know (the fish in there are in great quality compared to most other fish stores and Petsmarts around me.)
Although, my tank is almost done cycling, I'd say in a week or possibly less it should be done. Does media from that filter work? Then again... that's kind of the same thing as keeping both filters side by side.

 

[Dallascowboys16]

The Fluval 306 has been the best filter I've owned so far. Very reliable and easy to do maintenance on.

 

[schoeplein]

Marineland Emperor for HOB's. Eheim canisters have the most reliable waterpumps.

 

[ScaryFatKidGT]

The older models of the emperor (I have an old 280 still in use, thing runs great even after sitting in storage for 8 years) did have flow control. Apparently sometime in the latter 2000s they took it out to help reduce prices/costs.

I really like my emperor, it's solidly built and does a good job at pumping the water through, but I feel the filtration customization is lacking compared to newer filters. I will note that it seems to add a lot of air bubbles into the water which is a pleasant effect. I also have a C4 on the same tank (overkill) and I really love its ability to change out different types of filtration media, but the pump can be a pain. In order to get it properly "seated" or whatnot I have to plug it in and let it spin up, then unplug it and replug it back in before it spins down or else its kind of loud/grindy.

For example, with the emperor I have: Standard filtration cartridge and I stuck a "the bag" full of purigen in the thing instead of the chemical filtration cartridge. It doesn't work fantastically, I have to lower the flow a little or else it spills out the front down the intake tube back into the tank.

The C4 has: A fluval edge pre-filter sponge (it was sucking up fry and I had to "rescue" them from inside of it), the standard physical filter, a ton of biomax in the media basket and the stock bio media in the tickle part of the filter.

You don't have to do all that just move the intake tube and "poke" the impeller with your finger or a stick and it will fire right up.

Yeah the C4 is for 40-70g tanks so it will be perfect. You have the right idea that depending on your stocking a 30g filter isn't really optimal for a 30g tank, just like I wouldn't recommend a single C4 for a 60-75g tank.

 

[PJFISH]

I love aquaclear hob filters. They are very quiet!

+1 totally!


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[Smikey]

Two marineland penguin 350's on a 75g. Best hob filters I've ever own!!!

 

[pip walters]

If I kept fish at home I would still be using an under-gravel filter - what could be simpler? Massive surface area for bacteria to colonise, no big pipes or other stuff hanging out of the tank, no leaks, no wrestling to get canisters apart or priming pumps, no washing sponges or replacing stupidly expensive filter cartridges, can run off a simple airpump very efficiently and is easily maintained with a gravel cleaner each time you do a water change.

Of course, the big sellers don't make much money from them tho, so we are led to believe they are outdated and unsuitable for modern aquaria

 

[jlk]

the ones I have built myself.

I know that isn't much help to you, but it's the truth.
I haven't bought a commercial filter in a very, very long time.

I agree! I have homemade sponge, canister and internal filters. The best is my homemade pond filtration system using 55g water drums run with a 13,000gph inground pool pump and a 40w inline UV sterilizer (purchased both for under $150).

I have various brands of hob filters and I actually like my aqueon 75's the best. The marineland emperors are ridiculously loud and burn through impellers at an alarming rate. The ACs are a pain to restart. Top fin and the other economy brands rarely last more than a year or so in my house but are easy for setting up something temporary (and not in constant use).

 

[Paul1792]

If I kept fish at home I would still be using an under-gravel filter - what could be simpler? Massive surface area for bacteria to colonise, no big pipes or other stuff hanging out of the tank, no leaks, no wrestling to get canisters apart or priming pumps, no washing sponges or replacing stupidly expensive filter cartridges, can run off a simple airpump very efficiently and is easily maintained with a gravel cleaner each time you do a water change.

Of course, the big sellers don't make much money from them tho, so we are led to believe they are outdated and unsuitable for modern aquaria

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I too used them for years through about 1995 but they are just oh so obsolete:

the Smiley Fish

I too thought they were fine at the time ..... but hey at age 65, I learned there sure can be a lot you don't know. My tanks always smelled "fishy" and that annual (or semi annual) complete tear down required by them took hours ... which of course included hauling the gravel in buckets to wash it out doors with a garden hose. This even with regular vacuums of the substrate.

Today my tanks are odorless, water is crystal clear and polished, and the bio media and fine filter pads cost per tank is maybe $2 per month including Purigen and cut to fit polishing pads. If you use an aquaclear stuffed with only floss and bio-media, you can still get better results for less than 50 cents a month than with a UG filter. Further, many of the types of fish we keep today would not survive in a UG filter environment.