I have just got 100 litre tank and not sure if to opt for an internal or an external filter. I am not very technical and my main requirements is how easy it is to maintain as well as the cost of maintenance. Would really appreciate your opinion on that. Thanks a lot.
100 Litres Tank - Internal Vs External
- Thread starter Anele
- Start date
smithrc
My names Russell.... ....and I'm a
If you have the room for the canister - go external - loads less maintenance, leaves the tank tidier and also adds more water volume to the tank (eg 100L tank and 10L in the external - increase of 10% water volume)
If your looking for a nice external - I can recommend the Tetratec EX series - either the 600 or the 700 on that would be fine
If your looking for a nice external - I can recommend the Tetratec EX series - either the 600 or the 700 on that would be fine
PrettyLittleLamb
Fish Fanatic
Hiya
I'd vote for an external everytime! Externals hold more filter media which enables a bigger bacteria colony to grow, which will help prevent any spikes in ammonia and nitrite once you've got fish in the tank. Either internals or externals aren't particularly difficult to maintain. With internals you either have to lift the whole filter out of the tank, or just the filter media (depending on which internal you choose), you get a bit wet but pretty easy to do. With externals you shut off the valves and then you can access the media that way, the only difference is you don't need to mess around in the tank!
Like SmithRC says, if you use an external then it gives you more room in the tank.
The cost of maintainence I would say is negligable to be honest. I spend about £5 a month keeping my internal running smoothly and an external will cost pretty much the same as it has virtually the same requirements.
Hope that helps.
Take care,
Jo
I'd vote for an external everytime! Externals hold more filter media which enables a bigger bacteria colony to grow, which will help prevent any spikes in ammonia and nitrite once you've got fish in the tank. Either internals or externals aren't particularly difficult to maintain. With internals you either have to lift the whole filter out of the tank, or just the filter media (depending on which internal you choose), you get a bit wet but pretty easy to do. With externals you shut off the valves and then you can access the media that way, the only difference is you don't need to mess around in the tank!
Like SmithRC says, if you use an external then it gives you more room in the tank.
The cost of maintainence I would say is negligable to be honest. I spend about £5 a month keeping my internal running smoothly and an external will cost pretty much the same as it has virtually the same requirements.
Hope that helps.
Take care,
Jo
Callum
Fishaholic
I hope lifting the external to the kitchen is also a thing of the past. Who new an EX1200 weighed so much 
turnnidge
Fish Fanatic
without a doubt go for an external,
you dont see no equipment in the tank makes the whole thing more natural
I have the aqua1 cf1000 for my 125l and wow what a difference it has made, although I have just done a clean, I found a load of fry swimming about so i netted them put them back to the tank and straight away into a stomach not good.
But any way do go for an external so much easier to use and maintain!!!
Good Luck
you dont see no equipment in the tank makes the whole thing more natural
I have the aqua1 cf1000 for my 125l and wow what a difference it has made, although I have just done a clean, I found a load of fry swimming about so i netted them put them back to the tank and straight away into a stomach
not good.But any way do go for an external so much easier to use and maintain!!!
Good Luck
smithrc
My names Russell.... ....and I'm a
what on earth do you buy....
I setup 2 ex1200 last year (18 and 12 months ago now) and they have not cost me a penny since!
I setup 2 ex700 back in jan - and again - not touched them since (not even had to clean them out yet)
PrettyLittleLamb
Fish Fanatic
Lol...I replace the filter wool at least once a week and my carbon sponge once a month. My water stays crystal clear this way and the water parameters aren't affected either so I'm quite happy. £5 a month is peanuts!
vinylman
Essentially Humanoid
Externals every time, no such thing as too much filter media - cram those baskets as full as you can!. It's also very difficult to clean an internal filter without dripping half the cack back in the water when you try to take it out.
A much cheaper way to change out filter floss, that stuff that looks like cotton batting, is to use polyester fiber fill. Its the stuff they make pillows with and stuff quilts with. It is sold in large quantities for almost nothing and even if you change the media every week it would cost you almost nothing.
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