Lolly123
Fishaholic
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2010
- Messages
- 428
- Reaction score
- 0
Hi all,
It's been a while since I've been on here, I've started work and haven't found the time. I have had problems with my tank recently and am so disappointed with the quality of the stuff I purchased some months back that I feel it's necessary to write about it.
I bought a 250L tank with heater and the 1000L/H external filter from Allpondsolutions. I only paid 300 for the tank and about 45 for the filter, so am aware that you get what you pay for, but I thought I'd take a chance and give another brand a go after reading some posts about their products and people being happy with them.
However, I was quite disappointed at the overall quality of the filter and the fixtures, I snapped one of the filter outtake connection pipes right down the middle as I was connecting all the tubes together, no excessive force was used, they were just really flimsy and very breakable. So that was the first little annoyance already in place before the whole thing was even setup. After unwrapping the rest, I discovered that the amount of media supplied with the filter was a joke. I could almost count the amount of media pieces. The filter trays, especially the bottom one is a real pain to get out, the trays handle kept coming loose and unclipping leaving only one end attached when trying to pull the tray out for cleaning etc. Then I took the heater out of the box to find a 2 pin plug, maybe I should have expected this but that also added to the inconvenience.
After setting up the external and internal filter I switched it all on. I wasn't too happy with the flow rate of either, the internal filter was very poor, lots of space for media but a little more than a trickle of water being pumped through it. The external was doing slightly better but nowhere near what you'd expect from a filter that says its capable of filtering tanks up to 400L. As usual I thought I'd let the filter settle in, work any air out of it's system and of course checked for other things that could impede the filters flow rate etc. As the months went on, the water quality of the tank just took a nose dive. With 3 water changes a week and gravel vacs the filter was still not able to manage. I don't feed excessively anyway but I cut back on food to help matters, but was still left with green tinged water that was fully of tiny particles of dirt.
Shortly after giving the external a clean out including all pipes and hoses and checking impeller, the turnover was still no better and then I noticed that that internal filter had packed in and was pumping almost nothing. I watched the tank just plummet despite water changes being brought up to every other day and my best efforts to make up for the poor equipment I had bought. I almost didn't want to test the tank because I knew the results were going to be worrying and on top of that knowing I had no spare cash to buy a replacement.
After finally starting work and getting enough money to replace the APS filter I bought a Tetratec 1200, I did a massive water change, chucked the internal filter away, and packed away my 7 month old APS filter and gave the tank a light clean. To be honest, I am so annoyed by this that I wouldn't even give this filter away. After 2 hours of hooking up the Tetratec the difference was astonishing, I have no backing on my tank and can finally see through it without having murky, green water staring back at me. The new filter has been running for 2 days now and the water is absolutely crystal, the filter is quiet, flow rate is SUPERB and there is huge amounts of space for media. I am truly impressed, my tank is finally starting to recover, and both the fish and plants are enjoying the improvement in circulation.
Just to add, I think the APS guys are always very helpful when it comes to customer service, every time I've emailed them they have responded and been as helpful as they could. But in light of what I, personally, have experienced with a few of their products, I would never buy that particular brand again. I decided that I was so unimpressed by the quality I didn't want to bother sending the filter back, i just forked out for a new one. I took a chance and steered away from the likes of Fluval and Eheim but I have been taught a valuable lesson. As a fish enthusiast, I'm aware that even the top brands are not perfect and can have faults, but I've never experienced such poor quality items in my mere 7 years of fish keeping.
This is just MY experience and I only speak for myself and I'm not implying that what happened to me will happen to everyone who buys from APS. But I'd thought I'd give my experience in an effort to give food for thought for someone who may be considering filters and brand choices.
//Lolly
It's been a while since I've been on here, I've started work and haven't found the time. I have had problems with my tank recently and am so disappointed with the quality of the stuff I purchased some months back that I feel it's necessary to write about it.
I bought a 250L tank with heater and the 1000L/H external filter from Allpondsolutions. I only paid 300 for the tank and about 45 for the filter, so am aware that you get what you pay for, but I thought I'd take a chance and give another brand a go after reading some posts about their products and people being happy with them.
However, I was quite disappointed at the overall quality of the filter and the fixtures, I snapped one of the filter outtake connection pipes right down the middle as I was connecting all the tubes together, no excessive force was used, they were just really flimsy and very breakable. So that was the first little annoyance already in place before the whole thing was even setup. After unwrapping the rest, I discovered that the amount of media supplied with the filter was a joke. I could almost count the amount of media pieces. The filter trays, especially the bottom one is a real pain to get out, the trays handle kept coming loose and unclipping leaving only one end attached when trying to pull the tray out for cleaning etc. Then I took the heater out of the box to find a 2 pin plug, maybe I should have expected this but that also added to the inconvenience.
After setting up the external and internal filter I switched it all on. I wasn't too happy with the flow rate of either, the internal filter was very poor, lots of space for media but a little more than a trickle of water being pumped through it. The external was doing slightly better but nowhere near what you'd expect from a filter that says its capable of filtering tanks up to 400L. As usual I thought I'd let the filter settle in, work any air out of it's system and of course checked for other things that could impede the filters flow rate etc. As the months went on, the water quality of the tank just took a nose dive. With 3 water changes a week and gravel vacs the filter was still not able to manage. I don't feed excessively anyway but I cut back on food to help matters, but was still left with green tinged water that was fully of tiny particles of dirt.
Shortly after giving the external a clean out including all pipes and hoses and checking impeller, the turnover was still no better and then I noticed that that internal filter had packed in and was pumping almost nothing. I watched the tank just plummet despite water changes being brought up to every other day and my best efforts to make up for the poor equipment I had bought. I almost didn't want to test the tank because I knew the results were going to be worrying and on top of that knowing I had no spare cash to buy a replacement.
After finally starting work and getting enough money to replace the APS filter I bought a Tetratec 1200, I did a massive water change, chucked the internal filter away, and packed away my 7 month old APS filter and gave the tank a light clean. To be honest, I am so annoyed by this that I wouldn't even give this filter away. After 2 hours of hooking up the Tetratec the difference was astonishing, I have no backing on my tank and can finally see through it without having murky, green water staring back at me. The new filter has been running for 2 days now and the water is absolutely crystal, the filter is quiet, flow rate is SUPERB and there is huge amounts of space for media. I am truly impressed, my tank is finally starting to recover, and both the fish and plants are enjoying the improvement in circulation.
Just to add, I think the APS guys are always very helpful when it comes to customer service, every time I've emailed them they have responded and been as helpful as they could. But in light of what I, personally, have experienced with a few of their products, I would never buy that particular brand again. I decided that I was so unimpressed by the quality I didn't want to bother sending the filter back, i just forked out for a new one. I took a chance and steered away from the likes of Fluval and Eheim but I have been taught a valuable lesson. As a fish enthusiast, I'm aware that even the top brands are not perfect and can have faults, but I've never experienced such poor quality items in my mere 7 years of fish keeping.
This is just MY experience and I only speak for myself and I'm not implying that what happened to me will happen to everyone who buys from APS. But I'd thought I'd give my experience in an effort to give food for thought for someone who may be considering filters and brand choices.
//Lolly
