Canister Filter For Oscar/other Nw Cichlid Tank

[Mako Man111]

I've got an Aquaclear 110 currently for my 105 gallon oscar and other NW Cichlid tank, but it probably won't be enough for them after they grow a bit, so I was wondering what the best canister filter for my tank size and stocking would be. Planned fish are an oscar, convict, firemouth, and jack dempsey. Also some type of catfish. If anybody has any good suggestions that would be great. ( would prefer eheim) I would run both filters together.


Just for grins, hows this look? http/www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/F2...6/Itemdy00.aspx

 

[grayboy1]

Well Im running a Fluval fx5 on a 170gal tank and its a great filter. More expensive than the eheim you mentioned, but far more powerful. You can pick it up on ebay for about 130 quid delivered if you look for the cheapest sellers.

Before anyone flames me for having a fluval. Yes I agree, the old fluval filters such as the internals were rubbish. They jammed all the time. But their new range of stuff Im pleasently surprised with. Im not an idiot and wouldnt buy crap gear. This filter certainly is not rubbish. Its good.

 

[Mako Man111]

Well Im running a Fluval fx5 on a 170gal tank and its a great filter. More expensive than the eheim you mentioned, but far more powerful. You can pick it up on ebay for about 130 quid delivered if you look for the cheapest sellers.

Before anyone flames me for having a fluval. Yes I agree, the old fluval filters such as the internals were rubbish. They jammed all the time. But their new range of stuff Im pleasently surprised with. Im not an idiot and wouldnt buy crap gear. This filter certainly is not rubbish. Its good.

I've got no issues personally with them, its just I've never owned one before.


Out of this list (have to get from there, as I can drive to the store), which do you think best suits my situation?

http/www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/F2...s/Shopay00.aspx

 

[Tolak]

The Eccos are an entry level Eheim, don't waste your money on them for a larger tank, though they are fine for a smaller one. The Magnums are a waste of money, period. No media flexability, prone to leakage & breakage. I've never run the Fluvals or Filstars, they seem cheaply made compared to the Eheims.

I would consider the 2217 the minimum, the 2250 would be a better choice with that stocking. Even with that size tank, you will still have to keep an eye out for aggression issues.

I would set the hob up for mechanical filtration, the canister for biological filtration. Put a couple of powerheads on the bottom, or do an undergravel jet system if it's a show tank. Thia will keep the bottom much cleaner, I have powerheads on the bottoms of my bare growout tanks, which are often overstocked. It makes a world of difference, and doesn't cost much.

 

[Mako Man111]

The Eccos are an entry level Eheim, don't waste your money on them for a larger tank, though they are fine for a smaller one. The Magnums are a waste of money, period. No media flexability, prone to leakage & breakage. I've never run the Fluvals or Filstars, they seem cheaply made compared to the Eheims.

I would consider the 2217 the minimum, the 2250 would be a better choice with that stocking. Even with that size tank, you will still have to keep an eye out for aggression issues.

I would set the hob up for mechanical filtration, the canister for biological filtration. Put a couple of powerheads on the bottom, or do an undergravel jet system if it's a show tank. Thia will keep the bottom much cleaner, I have powerheads on the bottoms of my bare growout tanks, which are often overstocked. It makes a world of difference, and doesn't cost much.

So running this guy along with my ac110 should do the job? Yeah thats what I was planning on doing, jusst running sponge and some filter floss in the ac, and setting up the eheim for biological. http/www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/F2...2/Itemdy00.aspx

 

[Tolak]

That's the route I would go. The 2250 holds more media than the 2028, at a better price. You are paying for bells & whistles with the 2028, which are nice if you are a clean freak, and don't like getting your hands a little dirty. The media baskets & priming lever are nice, the flow indicator restricts flow, I removed it from my 2026.

Make sure to get the double tap set, it will make the 2250 much easier to disconnect, & keep a few smallish buckets around to dump the various media in for cleaning.

 

[Boids-n-more]

I've never owned an eheim , but i have a fluval 303 and not 1 part has broken on it and its been running like a charm since i bought it about 10 years ago. Why don'y you just put another 110 on the other side of the tank ?

 

[grayboy1]

Ive also got a rena xp3. I must say its probably the best canister filter ive ever purchased for the fact that it is the easiest to use, setup and maintain. the fluval fx5 is extremely easy to maintain but the equipment it coems with to mount the hoses into the tank assume you dont have bracing bars across the top of ur tank to strengthen it? lol thats insane......other than that top notch but if ur looking for a smaller filter then an xp3 i can highly recommend

 

[Mako Man111]

I've never owned an eheim , but i have a fluval 303 and not 1 part has broken on it and its been running like a charm since i bought it about 10 years ago. Why don'y you just put another 110 on the other side of the tank ?

Wouldn't it not be as effective to run 2 ac110's as it would be to run the eheim and the ac?

 

[Tolak]

Hob's are strong mecanical filters, but lack in bio filtration. Canisters are awesome bio filters, but a little weak in mechanical filtration. By working with each filter's strengths & weaknesses you have everything covered.

In smaller tanks I like to run sponge filters for bio filtration, and smaller hob filters for mechanical. It works as well in smaller tanks as in large.