best filter??

[molly luver]

can ny 1 recomend a filter for my Hagen Fluval Duo 1000 aquarium i want really clean clear water im going to be stockin guppies mollies and plattys in it

 

[FishFingers]

Hi,

How big is that tank?

What volume?

 

[molly luver]

180 litres

 

[Idealconcepts]

About 47 US gal. 1 Emperor400 or 1 AquaClear 70 or 1 Aquar Clear 110.

 

[Zagz]

I would recommend the Aqua Clear 110 myself. Easy to use, quiet and had great media basket for beneficial bacteria.

 

[neilanh]

You recommend that over a canister?

 

[Idealconcepts]

I do for a 47gal tank with guppies mollies and plattys. I recomend canister for larger tanks, and wet/drys for even larger tanks.

 

[neilanh]

So for my 46 I shouldn't get the Ecco 2236 to go with my Emp 280?

 

[Zagz]

Let me elaborate on my suggestion, for a 47 gal with that stocking a HOB is good. Easy to clean, easy to manage. There is nothing wrong with cannisters at all. I use them on all my tanks over 50 gals, some with 2 cannisters and some with HOB's and a cannister. My cannisters are all fluvals, so I have no experience with the ecco's. I certainly prefer the ease of cannister with the stocking I have in most of my tanks. I also tend to overfilter my tanks.

 

[Idealconcepts]

So for my 46 I shouldn't get the Ecco 2236 to go with my Emp 280?

This decision should be based on what you are stocking your tank with or planning to stock it with as well as what you are willing to spend, and if there are any other filtration or watermovement device will be included, as well as personal preferrance. I read from many different sights people with 100-150gal tanks using 3 or 4 AC 110s or 3 or 4 Emp400 and that is all the filtration they have for the tank. Some reasons for this that I have read are for the cost of one canister I can have multiple filters so if one goes out I still have 2 or 3 running, but if I have one canister if it goes out I am stuck. Then again you are cleaning 3 or 4 filters instead of just one. For me any tank that is 120gal and larger, I will use a sump, canisters, and possibly in addition a powerfilter. On my larger tanks I also have UGJ (Under gravel/sand jet) system that circulates the lower water column so waste gets sucked up by the filter intakes. These are powered by water pumps rated at 1017gph at 0 head. All my other tanks 80gals and under use powerfilters, because I don't want to spend the $ on a canister and they are mainly growout tanks, hospital tanks, or quarrantine tanks. Also most of these tanks came with a power filter so I use them. I have a 180gal tank in the works, the stand needs to be built and I need to get a glass hood, but I am contemplating of either using a canister and power filter or possible a ocean clear filter (a large canister) as the filtration along with a seio pump, can't remember if I have the 1500 or 2600.

So what are you planning to stock your 46 with and besides the canister or Emp280 what other filtration or watermovement device do you have or plan on having?

 

[neilanh]

My current planned stock list is below. This is my total list. The first 4 will go in in the near term, the others over time if I feel there's room and the tank can handle it.
6 rummynose tetras
3 Boesemani Rainbows
3 cory cats
king tiger pleco
2 GBRs
1 rapheal cat
possibly a few loaches and some shrimp.

Other than airstones, that's all the movement I have.

I don't feel that I have enough filtration with just the emp280. I also don't want a 2d HOB, which is why I'm considering the addition of a canister. I have particles in my water that just won't go away, and other than being underfiltered I don't know what it could be. In my HOB now I'm running the standard filter, floss, and ceramic rings.

 

[molly luver]

i was thinkin along the lines of a canister filter maybe the xp2 are the bio wheel filters alot better?? also i have no real isue with price

 

[neilanh]

There's quite a difference of opinion on the biowheels. Some think they're great, some don't like them at all.

If you're going to go with the Filstar canister, I'd get the XP3 if price isn't a consideration. They're only about $10 more (on sale at big als right now I think), and will give you some added flexibility in the future.

I have the same tank as you almost, mines 46, and I'm debating between the eheim ecco 2236 and the Filstar XP3 personally.

 

[molly luver]

the xp3 rated quite high though does this matter im going to be having to angle fish and a fairly large amount of livebears and some others when i can decide

 

[Idealconcepts]

neilanh – for your situation it might be a good idea to add a canister and fill it with filter floss to polish the water. I would go ahead and get the Ehiem or XP3, for the XP3 you can print out the Petsmart prince on line and take it to their store. They are suppose to price match it, some stores don’t but I have heard it is a corporate policy. The XP3 is rated at 350gph empty, but when you fill it with media it drops it the gph down, just make sure you set it up so your fish don’t get stressed by the current. With the addition of the canister you should be cleaning both filters less and the particles should disappear. How much of a water change are you doing and how often?

molly luver - you can adjust the out put of the XP3 so the current doesn't stress your fish, by using the wand and point it in different directions or using the nozel that can be adjusted.

neilanh and molly luver – regarding bio-wheels there is a huge debate. In another forum I belong too people say the Emp have great biological filtration (because of the bio-wheel) and the AC have great mechanical. Someone actually constructed a AC with a bio-wheel to get the benefits from both filters. Personally I think the bio-wheel provides one of the best biological filters because it is very similar to a wet/dry or sump system (many argue wet/dry or sumps have one of the best biological filtration capabilities). The bio-wheel houses the huge amounts of bacteria that converts the ammonia in your tank to nitrite and the nitrite into nitrate, the bacteria that does this are “oxygen hungry” and the more oxygen they can get the more efficient they are at coverting ammonia and nitrite. Since the bio-wheel is out of the water it is able to contact the air and the bacteria is able to obtain large amounts of oxygen. In a wet/dry or sump system the bio-balls where the bacteria is located (similar to a bio wheel) is not submerged in water, water actually trickles above it and pools under it and gets pumped back into the aquarium, so like the bio-wheel the bio balls are receiving large amounts of oxygen. With other filters like the canisters or AC where the media that houses the bacteria isn’t exposed to air, is still able to obtain oxygen from the water which will not obtain as large amounts compared to being exposed to the air, also the bacteria is competing with the fish in the tank for oxygen. Check the link below and it explains the whole nitrogen (bacteria) process and how the bacteria need oxygen.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1979&articleid=2657

That’s why I believe bio-wheels are very good at biological filtration. Let me know if you guys have other questions I or someone else should be able to give you some info.

 

[neilanh]

Thanks for the information!

So, since the XP3 advertises the 350 flow rate when the canister is empty, do you know what the effective flow rate drops to when it's full? I was leaning towards the XP3 over the eheim ecco because it advertised a higher flow rate. But if we're comparing apples to oranges here, the story changes. I assume the Eheim Eccos advertise their loaded flow rate, which would explain why it's so much lower than the XP3's flow rate.

 

[Idealconcepts]

neilanh - have hear around low to mid 200gph so its not a huge difference. You might want to verify Eheim gph rating is loaded, I would like know as well.

I have read some people think the XP3 is easier to clean than some of the Eheims, don't know which models they were referring to. Do a search on this site, cichlid-forum, cichlidsforum, and the net regarding reviews on both brands. There should be tons of info out there.

 

[neilanh]

yeah, I've found that there's 2 clubs - the Eheim club and the XP club. The XP club claims to be easier to clean, the Eheim club claims to be quieter.
I've yet to find anyone that's owned both and can give a logical or realistic comparison. I am searching/researching and trying to find out what I can.

 

[neilanh]

I emailed eheim this question:
The specifications for the Eheim Ecco canister filters. Specifically for the flow rate. Does this flow rate assume an empty canister, or a canister full of media. Thanks, Neilan

And got this response just 2 hours later:
Filter flow rates published are the maximum flow the pump can achieve. Normally a pump can loose up to 20% of its flow when installed with filter media at 4ft from the top of the tank.

 

[Idealconcepts]

neilanh - This sounds like they are saying the ratings are when the filter is empty just like the Rena. What is the flow rate of the model you are looking?