Choice of new canister filter help

[Bert B]

I am restarting my 100 Gallon F/W tank after moving to our new home. I have been running a Magnum 350 for 5 years, good filter but lacks biological filtration which has caused some problems SO, I am going to buy a new canister filter and (i won't buy online because i want to see before I buy.) the 2 choices I have are these,

1) the FLUVAL 405

2) THE RENA XP 3 & XP 4.

I need to know the pros & cons of these filters and WHY.
I read on these forums how some canister filters are always breaking or leaking and i don't remember what kind those were. what is the best filter of these two and WHY ?
I need the filter by the end of the week and the fish store has both in stock. I know there are other filters out there but those are not available here just those two i mentioned.
Thanks,
Bert

 

[roka64]

All my filters are fluvial. I have the 304 on my 55 and the FX5 on my 125. I think between the two brands, they are both about the same. Go to petsmart or petco and take them apart and see which you like better. Then buy it for a lot cheaper online.

 

[bs6749]

How long is your tank and what kind of fish do you have in it? The reason that I'm asking is because I have a Rena XP3 in my 100g (5ft long) discus tank and it's way underpowered for the tank IMO. The XP3 is probably best on tanks 4ft long with a 75/90 gallon being the best overall fit for the filter.

Some benefits of the XP3 are it's removable media baskets which allow a large number of options from running multiple foam pads to running various stages of chemical filtrations and biofiltration media. It also has a spray bar attatchment on the outlet side which can be placed at one end of an 18" wide tank (55 is too narrow to allow this) to spray the waste to the other end where the intake tube is. It's an excellent filter overall but it's not right for my tank. I'd rather have two Aqua Clear 70's or something that would sufficiently suck up the excrement and would allow me to easily change the filter pads every other day. Depending on what type of fish you have in the tank this filter would work though, but I wouldn't recommend it for discus.

 

[Bert B]

My tank is 4 feet long, a standard 100 gallon plexi. I have been looking at the filters and the Xp3 says it is for up to 175 G i think and the Xp4 is for 200 +. yours doesn't seem to be powerful enough for your tank ? thats good to know. I have been looking at
the XP 3 & 4
Fluval 405
the marineland C-360
I want a filter that
has strong parts that don't keep breaking,
no water bypass
NO LEAKS
enough power for my 100 Gallon
dependable, quiet, vibration free operation
and a filter that will do what it claims to do.
I want to have different media options at the same time.
right now my tank is empty and cleaned out since moving to our new home, I havent had time to set it up until now & I want to do it right and do the things i wish i'd done the last time i set it up. first thing is the new filter choice.

 

[NeptuneJoe]

I have a Fluval on my 56 gallon tank, and a Marineland C-series on my 55 gallon tank. By far, my choice is for the Fluval. It is QUIET, reliable, and so far I haven't had any issues with water leaks, although I have read reports from other owners of having problems with leaks. My only complaint with the Fluval is with the hoses supplied with the filter for the supply and return plumbing. Instead of using conventional vinyl tubing like my Marineland uses, the Fluval has vacuum cleaner style hoses which makes it near impossible to add inline accessories such UV sterilizers.

 

[Bert B]

how do the flow rates compare to each other ? I like to get something rated a little higher than necessary to be on the safe side. if you had a larger tank and had to pick just 1 filter, which would you choose of the 2

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

The xp4, I have a Fluval 304 on my 55G and like it, its not a perfect filter, it can bypass in a sense by the design. I got mine b/c it was the cheapest one and for me its great.

Manufacturer ratings are way overrated, many like XP3's on like 55G size tanks, or XP2's and a Koralia #2 powerhead if its highly planted. I just added a Koralia #1 to my 55G and like it and prob should have gotten the #2.

If you want a Fluval 404, you can get new ones on ebay for cheap, $85 shipped. If you paying money for a new model deff get the XP4 instead.

Last I knew Ken;s had great prices on Rena filters:
http://kensfish.com/filstarcanisterfilters.html

 

[Bert B]

Thanks ! I want to make sure i make the right choice and would rather get a larger filter than is needed to be on the safe side.
bert

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

here is some info just for comparrison of many filters, and there specs
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-151091.html


Additional Information

 

[Bert B]

Thanks ! great list

 

[Bert B]

The xp4, I have a Fluval 304 on my 55G and like it, its not a perfect filter, it can bypass in a sense by the design. I got mine b/c it was the cheapest one and for me its great.

Manufacturer ratings are way overrated, many like XP3's on like 55G size tanks, or XP2's and a Koralia #2 powerhead if its highly planted. I just added a Koralia #1 to my 55G and like it and prob should have gotten the #2.

If you want a Fluval 404, you can get new ones on ebay for cheap, $85 shipped. If you paying money for a new model deff get the XP4 instead.

Last I knew Ken;s had great prices on Rena filters:
filstarcanisterfilters

Well I made my filter choice and due to the choice being between the fluval 405 and the Rena filstar XP3 OR 4, I chose the Rena XP-4 bigger the better. It has 4 media trays and the instructions are not as clear as i would like them. Can a Rena Filstar owner here give me some assistance on the CORRECT way to load the media trays ? there are 4 black foam pads those i see go in the bottom the very top tray holds the white polishing pad & it says to put the bag of black BIO-CHEM ZORB & it looks like that goes somewhere under the white pad. NOW, the 3 remaining trays, each has a lift out divider that covers the bio-media you choose to put in there, I am saving 1 tray for a yet undetermined media. the box came with a handful of STARS. MY question is, do you lift out the divider, put bio media in, put the divider back in THEN, put a new tray on top of that one OR do you put the bio media in put the divider back in AND add more media "on top" of the divider THEN put a new tray on top ? I am probably not making sence . The picture on the box shows double layers of media in each tray the instruction book does not. what is the correct way to fill these trays and what other kinds of bio media can you put in a rena filstar, can you use fluval bio- media ? or must it be rena media only ? ( not talking about the pads) thanks, the filter is still in the box and i won't be setting the aquarium up for another week or 2.
Bert

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

You can use any generic bio media in the trays.

Normally you want the finest/polishing pads/media at the top. You can buy 100% polyester batting(pillow stuffing) to serve the same purpose instead of buying more expensive specific media/pads.

The bottom you want a coarse foam pad, to stop the bigger debris

Then in the middle tray(s) put whatever kind of biomedia you want, bio balls, ceramic noodles, stars , whatever.

 

[newfound77951]

I have an XP2 and an XP3. I use ceramic media (left over from the previous filter) and have it in the center basket of the XP3, below the "divider". I don't think it really matters, although you do want to sandwich the micro filtration pad between two dividers in that top basket.

I think you make a good choice. I have the XP3 on a 55 and it is about right. Would probably be OK for a 75 but a little small. The XP2 is on a 36 corner and I have to turn the flow rate way down, so it's a little big for that tank. There really isn't much difference in flow rate between the filters, it's more the volume of the filter to hold stuff.

 

[neilanh]

I run 2 XP4s on my 125 planted with the 4 sponges in the bottom, and floss on the top, and that's it.

For a community tank, I'd recommend the 4 sponges in the bottom, just some ceramic rings in the middle basket (I prefer the fluval rings myself), and floss as necessary up on top, and that should be it.

The more media you put in there, the more reduced your flow will be.

 

[Bert B]

what is the correct way to load the baskets ? I know you remove the divider and insert the media bio stuff then put the divider back in BUT is the media suppossed to be under the divider and a NEW basket placed on top of it OR, can you put more bio stuff ontop of the divider & then put another basket on top ? I think the space above the divider would be better left empty then put the next basket on top of it, how do you do it ? I got the XP-4 for my 100 gallon plexi that is 4 ft. long, I am debating if i want to use the spray bar or the jet nozzle. How powerful is the outflow with the spraybar & jet ?
Bert

 

[smn723]

In my XP3 I run the coarse pads in the bottom basket (20s and 30s) then the bio rings in the middle basket (bottom part) with floss in the top part of the middle basket. In the top basket I just have floss but sometimes will add Seachem Purigen after big rescapes (planted tank).

 

[Bert B]

thanks SMN723, i am thinking that loading the bottom half of the trays is the right way to load them. what is the difference in the BIO-CHEM ZORB & ordinary carbon , is it the same stuff ? which outflow do you use, spraybar or jet nozzle ?
Bert

 

[Bert B]

What is Seachem Purigen ?

 

[OldMan]

My own experience is with a Rena XP3 on a 120 that is 6 ft long. I put the inlet to the filter on one end of the tank and used the spray bar on the other end. It has been running that tank for 4 years with no troubles. I do not care about changing filter media every few days as somone suggested with the AC filters, I clean mine every 3 month whether it needs it or not. Usually it does not. The filter is dead quiet and the only way that I know it is on is by looking for the flow disturbance near the spray bar. I do not expect my filter to create enough current to sweep fish wastes off the gravel and up into the filter inlet so I use a gravel vac to take care of that. My filter is there to takecare of suspended solids, which it does nicely, and to provide biofiltration , which it also does nicely. It is simplicity itself to prime after you clean it. Once the hoses are back on the unit you wait for it to prime itself then after about a minute you plug in the filter motor. I also have used a Marineland C-series filter that works quite well but is much less convenient to service because after the second cleaning the shutoff valves in the hoses stopped sealing right. What it means is that I need to prop the hose ends at the tank's water level while I have the filter off being cleaned so I don't drain the tank through the hoses. That makes it a bit of a PITA to clean.

 

[Bert B]

Thanks Oldman, it sounds like your XP3 gives you plenty of power for your 120 so it should be safe to say that the XP4 will have plenty of power for my 100. How do you load your media trays ? what i mean is do you put the media in the bottom half of the tray only or, do you put it in the bottom half, replace the divider & then add more media on top of the divider before stacking the next tray on top ? this is my first true canister filter since my magnum 350 only had the filter carbon basket with the wrap around floss sleeve. I see with the XP4 there is a choice of spray bar or jet & there are also 3 choices as to what depth you can choose to place the return outflow, which depth do you find works best ?
Bert