Aleas Xp-07 Filter?

[livelifelow]

Does anyone have any experience with the Aleas XP-07 External Hang On Filter?  I just got one for Christmas and it seems....sketchy.  To me it sounds like the pump is sucking air, has half a thin sponge and a small carbon cartridge for filtration.  I just don't want to pull my old filter, stick the new one in, and have it die and kill everything in my tank.
 
Is this filter adequate for a 34g with 2 red cap orandas, 1 BN pleco, 1 male betta, 1 bumblebee goby, and 1 goldfish fry (going in pond in spring) or should I use both this filter and the Great Choice (Model GC10-20IN)?  Is there anything I can do to make the new filter better?

 

[ech0o]

I wouldn't run that filter on its own for sure.  While it claims to output 130g/hr, the housing does seem to be pretty small.  I would scrab the cartridge and use cut to fit sponges in that filter, then run both filters.  I usually run an internal + external HOB, as the Great Choice internal filters work great for easily adding and removing pouches of granulated media like carbon or zeolite, as they just sit right on top of the filter and water can bubble up through it.   Also check to make sure there is a good seal on all of the intake pipes, the air gurgling sound you may be hearing is probably air getting into the pipes and hitting the impeller in the pump unit.

 

[Blubble37]

i agree, run it alongside your existing filter, it does look a bit flimsy, but the only way to tell is to try, but try it with safeguards in place
 
I'm currently running a TT-ex700 with a marina Slim S20, working good tbh, i have it set up so the TT does the bulk waste filtration and the marina effectively polishes the water of excess tanins from bogwood and fine dust/waste etc

 

[livelifelow]

Thanks for the help guys.  I took everything apart and pressed it all back together firmly and it is no longer making the air sucking sound.  It would have been nice if it had come with directions, and if the website wasn't all in Chinese.  I'll stick my internal filter back in once the biofilter is established in my mom's tank (new filter, so I stuck my carbon filter in), my room is smelling of fish.

 

[Blubble37]

Thanks for the help guys.  I took everything apart and pressed it all back together firmly and it is no longer making the air sucking sound.  It would have been nice if it had come with directions, and if the website wasn't all in Chinese.  I'll stick my internal filter back in once the biofilter is established in my mom's tank (new filter, so I stuck my carbon filter in), my room is smelling of fish.

do you have a matured filter in that tank at the moment?

 

[livelifelow]

I don't at the moment, I've been checking the ammonia and nitrites daily and they've been staying at 0.

 

[Blubble37]

you must either have ghost fish or a whole lot of zeolite to absoorb that ammonia..