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Best Filter And Heater

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lferron

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I have just brought a 300 litre tank and cabinet. However it did not come with filters and heaters etc so i was just wondering which is the best for this size tank. I am not new to fish keeping although this is the biggest tank i have had and just want some advice on it ! Thanks !
 
Go for the FX5 its got an awsome flow rate and would allow you to heavily stock your tank. and also if you upgrade tank then it will do for a larger tank,

depending on the length of your tank you could use two heaters. ive got those rena unbreakable ones they're good soo far. ive got a 300w and a 200w on my 120galon and a 150w on my 40galon.

you could go with 2 200's or a single 300w
 
always4lora said:
Go for the FX5 its got an awsome flow rate and would allow you to heavily stock your tank. and also if you upgrade tank then it will do for a larger tank,

depending on the length of your tank you could use two heaters. ive got those rena unbreakable ones they're good soo far. ive got a 300w and a 200w on my 120galon and a 150w on my 40galon.

you could go with 2 200's or a single 300w
Click to expand...


is that an external or internal and whats best?
 
Another vote for the Fluval FX5 from me. I run two on my 150 gallon Cichlid tank and the water is crystal clear. As for heaters, I also use the Rena non-breakable but I haven't had these for that long, so I don't know how reliable they are. Most of the external filters are ok if you use the right size, but Ehiem and Fluvals are probably the best.
 
Ok thanks for the advice. where can i get my hands on a fx5 ?
 
 
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Out of the two, the Fluvals are *theoretically* less likely to go wrong, as the Fluvals are electronic with no parts subject to wear and tear, where as Visitherms use By-metalic strips that are subject to wear and tear. This said, the E series Fluvals haven't been about very long, and I know one chap that's running a 30 year old Visitherm, that's been going for that entire time floorlessly... Average life on a Visitherm, unless sold on or replaced before it fails is in excess of 15 years in most instances.

As a rule, Fluval filters are noisy, un-reliable, cheap build-quality rubbish IMO. The FX5 broke the mould though, as it's looking good at this point for reliability, noise and some say build-quality, though that's still debatable. Whether or not I'd trust one alone on a 300l tank would depend on what I was stocking with. I wouldn't go there with my Discus, I don't trust Fluval enough for that. With small tetras e.t.c I'd *possibly* give one a whirl. My 300l tank currently runs two Tetratec EX1200's and it's heavily "overstocked". One copes fine biologically on it's own though, but the water needs polishing when working alone :sad:

All the best
Rabbut
 
rabbut said:
Out of the two, the Fluvals are *theoretically* less likely to go wrong, as the Fluvals are electronic with no parts subject to wear and tear, where as Visitherms use By-metalic strips that are subject to wear and tear. This said, the E series Fluvals haven't been about very long, and I know one chap that's running a 30 year old Visitherm, that's been going for that entire time floorlessly... Average life on a Visitherm, unless sold on or replaced before it fails is in excess of 15 years in most instances.

As a rule, Fluval filters are noisy, un-reliable, cheap build-quality rubbish IMO. The FX5 broke the mould though, as it's looking good at this point for reliability, noise and some say build-quality, though that's still debatable. Whether or not I'd trust one alone on a 300l tank would depend on what I was stocking with. I wouldn't go there with my Discus, I don't trust Fluval enough for that. With small tetras e.t.c I'd *possibly* give one a whirl. My 300l tank currently runs two Tetratec EX1200's and it's heavily "overstocked". One copes fine biologically on it's own though, but the water needs polishing when working alone :sad:

All the best
Rabbut
Click to expand...

Just out of interest - how heavily overstocked is your tank with those filters?

If you use the 1" of fish per 1 US gallon - then would you say you were double stocked? tripple stocked? etc?
 
Thanks for all your help. i think i might go for a tetratec now you have said about the previous unreliability of the fx5.
 
the FX5 is not unreliable. do a search online for reviews by users. it is BY FAR the best canister on the market for large tanks.
tetratec on the otherhand always has leaking problems, along with MANY other problems. do a search online, and you will find lots of information regarding these issues.

alternatively, you can look into a eheim canister. (great build quality, and awesome overall filter, but they can be a bit pricey), an aquaclear110 HOB (best HOB on the market, but may not be available in your area. check your LFS for availability), or a DIY wet/dry sump (by far the most cost effective filtration)
 
bitteraspects said:
the FX5 is not unreliable. do a search online for reviews by users. it is BY FAR the best canister on the market for large tanks.
tetratec on the otherhand always has leaking problems, along with MANY other problems. do a search online, and you will find lots of information regarding these issues.

alternatively, you can look into a eheim canister. (great build quality, and awesome overall filter, but they can be a bit pricey), an aquaclear110 HOB (best HOB on the market, but may not be available in your area. check your LFS for availability), or a DIY wet/dry sump (by far the most cost effective filtration)
Click to expand...

yh i have just done the search on the tetratec and im back where i started i havent got a clue what to go for now. :( i read about the leaking problem and to be honest i cant be doing with buying a filter knowing there is a chance of that because i will be thinking of it constant! :S
 
all filters are subject to problems, its just that some (like tetratec) are more prone to these issues.
if you dont want to risk leaking issues, go with an internal filter. i NEVER suggest these as a general rule. they're bulky, ugly, and not as effective as they claim. but, it wont leak water. however it does leave room for other problems.
you could also go with a DIY OHF (over head filter). basically its a wet/dry filter that sits on your tank, and is powered by a submersible pump that sits in the tank. these are also unsightly if you dont hide it with a canopy or some other covering. but it will not leak. all the water will end up back in your tank. (but again, this leaves room for other issues)

there are many options out there. a lot of it depends on how much you want to spend.
i still strongly suggest the FX5 or a good eheim canister
 
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