Biolife Internal Or Other Internal Filter?

[Whitey_144]

Hi,

if you've seen my other threads, you probably already know that i am re-setting up a Tropiquarium 88. I can't currently find the Biolife filter that comes with it..it may have been binned by an overzealous family member during spring cleaning...

so... my question is, is it worth buying a new biolife filter for £50 or using this as opportunity to get a different internal filter? the tank would be in my bedroom, so i'd like to keep noise low if possible. i think the biolife turned over about 3.3 times the tank per hour.

which are the best internal filters currently in the market for between £20-£70? (i dont have the space for an external) and has anyone done research on here or have filter comparison charts?

i will be having some plants and probably tetras and Angelfish.

thanks!
adam

 

[FishAreFriendsNotFood10]

i will be having some plants and probably tetras and Angelfish.

Hi there

unfortunatly i do not know much about filters... but this sentance in your post worries me even though you have the word "probably", the angelfish would probably eat the tetras when bigger and even if they are the same size tetras can be nippy and may stress the angelfish out

i hope this helps in some way

Ryan

 

[Whitey_144]

i will be having some plants and probably tetras and Angelfish.

Hi there

unfortunatly i do not know much about filters... but this sentance in your post worries me even though you have the word "probably", the angelfish would probably eat the tetras when bigger and even if they are the same size tetras can be nippy and may stress the angelfish out

i hope this helps in some way

Ryan

Hi Ryan,

yes i'm not too confident about stocking yet, i will be setting up another bigger tank (240 litres) soon after this tank, so in the long run if i keep angelfish they may be moved to the bigger tank and the tetras stay in the T88. Still i haven't even decided on the stock yet, just a rough idea.

i've heard of larger Angels eating Tetras, but i didnt realise the tetras could spook the angels, is this common?

thanks,
adam

 

[Whitey_144]

Hi,

i couldn't find my biolife, so i'm looking at other filters. my eye is on the 'Eheim 2413 Biopower 240' has anyone got this filter? would it be too powerful for a 130litre tank with possibly angelfish. it does say the flow can be adjusted.

i like the look of it, because you can add whatever filter media you want, and not just sponge like some of the other small internals.

would it be as good as the biolife? its £35 and the biolife is about £50.

thanks,
adam

 

[Aqua Tom]

Why do you need an internal filter?

If you are going to buy a new filter anyway, why not get an exteral?

 

[Whitey_144]

Why do you need an internal filter?

If you are going to buy a new filter anyway, why not get an exteral?

because it's in my bedroom, i don't feel so comfortable with an external in case something goes wrong and it floods or i accidentally undo the wrong tap.

there also isn't much space where its sitting on a chest of drawers at the moment..

 

[FishAreFriendsNotFood10]

Hi Ryan,

yes i'm not too confident about stocking yet, i will be setting up another bigger tank (240 litres) soon after this tank, so in the long run if i keep angelfish they may be moved to the bigger tank and the tetras stay in the T88. Still i haven't even decided on the stock yet, just a rough idea.

i've heard of larger Angels eating Tetras, but i didnt realise the tetras could spook the angels, is this common?

thanks,
adam

well i just wouldnt risk putting a nippy fish in with something that has long flowing fins tbh, better to be safe than sorry

 

[Essjay]

my eye is on the 'Eheim 2413 Biopower 240' has anyone got this filter? would it be too powerful for a 130litre tank with possibly angelfish. it does say the flow can be adjusted.

I have this filter in my 125 litre tank. It is very quiet and mine is on full power, though it can be turned down as required.
When I got mine it had two sponges (a specially shaped one for the bottom basket, and a fine one for the top) but the other three baskets had substrat pro. You do need the cylindrical sponge in the bottom basket, but I suppose you could put whatever you wanted in the others, though I like the substrat pro - it's Eheim's biological medium, the stuff they use in their externals.

At that price, I'd grab it. I got mine when it was first out, and it cost a lot more than £35. I'd use the biopower filter again if I ever needed another filter.

 

[Whitey_144]

my eye is on the 'Eheim 2413 Biopower 240' has anyone got this filter? would it be too powerful for a 130litre tank with possibly angelfish. it does say the flow can be adjusted.

I have this filter in my 125 litre tank. It is very quiet and mine is on full power, though it can be turned down as required.
When I got mine it had two sponges (a specially shaped one for the bottom basket, and a fine one for the top) but the other three baskets had substrat pro. You do need the cylindrical sponge in the bottom basket, but I suppose you could put whatever you wanted in the others, though I like the substrat pro - it's Eheim's biological medium, the stuff they use in their externals.

At that price, I'd grab it. I got mine when it was first out, and it cost a lot more than £35. I'd use the biopower filter again if I ever needed another filter.

thanks essjay! i did in the end buy the 240 biopower, so im glad you say its quiet

i have an external eheim and i love their quality and for £35 i dont think i can go wrong on this, and i could always move it to my other larger tank with this size. i have some spare substrat pro too and i think it will come with soe, so ill probably use that, are there any eheimmedia that you prefer to others (im not sure what types they do except for carbon and substrat)

what fish do you keep?

 

[Essjay]

I just used the media that came with the filter. It has the cylindrical sponge for the bottom basket (to trap the bits), then three baskets full of substrat pro, then a fine sponge tucked under the pump at the top. You say you have an Eheim external - does it have any substrat pro in it? If it does, steal some to seed the filter and put the new SP in the external to replace it. I don't use carbon at all. One little touch I like is that there are two sets of clips that hold the baskets together, a grey set and a red set, so you can chose whichever suits your tank better - and you'll always have a spare if you break one.

This filter is better than the aquaball I used to have in this tank - the aquball is now in a smaller tank replacing a filter that broke. The biopower copes well with my bolivian rams, dwarf chain loaches, green neon tetras, dwarf pencilfish and honey gouramis. The bottom sponge does clog faster than anything else, but it's job is to collect the bits of debris so that's to be expected.

The only time I hear a noise from the filter is right after a water change, and then it's just trapped air. Turning it off, waiting a couple of seconds then turning it back on usually gets rid of the air.

 

[Whitey_144]

I just used the media that came with the filter. It has the cylindrical sponge for the bottom basket (to trap the bits), then three baskets full of substrat pro, then a fine sponge tucked under the pump at the top. You say you have an Eheim external - does it have any substrat pro in it? If it does, steal some to seed the filter and put the new SP in the external to replace it. I don't use carbon at all. One little touch I like is that there are two sets of clips that hold the baskets together, a grey set and a red set, so you can chose whichever suits your tank better - and you'll always have a spare if you break one.

This filter is better than the aquaball I used to have in this tank - the aquball is now in a smaller tank replacing a filter that broke. The biopower copes well with my bolivian rams, dwarf chain loaches, green neon tetras, dwarf pencilfish and honey gouramis. The bottom sponge does clog faster than anything else, but it's job is to collect the bits of debris so that's to be expected.

The only time I hear a noise from the filter is right after a water change, and then it's just trapped air. Turning it off, waiting a couple of seconds then turning it back on usually gets rid of the air.

oh the larger tank is decommisioned too, so i have to start from scratch unfortunately. had to stop them when i went to uni, but 6years later im going to start them up again,

green neon! cool. im thining of getting either neons or angelfish, havent made up mind yet, but ive not kept angels before. i will proabbly get rams too.

im glad you say its better thatn the aquaball too! i feel better about my purchase already! i did see the clips, but i didnt realise it came with both colours, thats good news, but i think the grey will be best, unless i get a reddish plant. i do have some spare substrat pro in a packet though, so if it doesnt come with much at least i wont have to buy more...ill just have to find someone that can lend me some media to cycle. hopefully there must be someone at my work who has a fishtank!

do you have plants too?

 

[Essjay]

oh the larger tank is decommisioned too, so i have to start from scratch unfortunately. had to stop them when i went to uni, but 6years later im going to start them up again,

If you start the larger tank up later, then use can steal media from the biopower for the external instead. That's the beauty of them having the same kind of media.

I'm renowned for not being able to grow plants in the aquarium (though my houseplants flourish). I do have java fern tied to every ornament where it'll fit, and salvinia floating on the surface. The outflow from the filter keeps it all down one end, so that's where I have silk plants, and the java fern's in the part near the filter where the surface is clear. The biopower has a small optional spraybar which I use, and that spreads the flow out across the tank, which helps with the floating plant.
I use the grey clips, the red ones make the filter stand out too much for my liking. I prefer the fish to stand out One tip - don't cram too much media in the basket. The one above fits down inside slightly, and if the basket's too full, it won't clip shut properly. My substrat pro came in little bags, one for each basket, and there was just the right amount in each bag. I did have some already (for the top box in the aquaball), but I didn't need to top up the amount that came with the biopower.

 

[Whitey_144]

oh the larger tank is decommisioned too, so i have to start from scratch unfortunately. had to stop them when i went to uni, but 6years later im going to start them up again,

If you start the larger tank up later, then use can steal media from the biopower for the external instead. That's the beauty of them having the same kind of media.

I'm renowned for not being able to grow plants in the aquarium (though my houseplants flourish). I do have java fern tied to every ornament where it'll fit, and salvinia floating on the surface. The outflow from the filter keeps it all down one end, so that's where I have silk plants, and the java fern's in the part near the filter where the surface is clear. The biopower has a small optional spraybar which I use, and that spreads the flow out across the tank, which helps with the floating plant.
I use the grey clips, the red ones make the filter stand out too much for my liking. I prefer the fish to stand out One tip - don't cram too much media in the basket. The one above fits down inside slightly, and if the basket's too full, it won't clip shut properly. My substrat pro came in little bags, one for each basket, and there was just the right amount in each bag. I did have some already (for the top box in the aquaball), but I didn't need to top up the amount that came with the biopower.

still no filter today...come on mr postman!

yeah, that's exactly what i will do when i start the larger tank.

i agree, i prefer the grey colour, but at least i have a backup, thats also handy to know that they provide enough media with it, saves me stealing it from the larger tank's reserves. and i will defintately use the spray bar..either horizontally to move the surface water, or add a curved tubing and put it vertically in the tank to change the flow direction deeper in the tank..not sure yet, depends on the tank setup i guess

i love Java fern. i've never had too much problem with plants before, but i guess proper planted aquariums see alot more growth in the right places. as long as mine doesnt die, im happy!