External Filter Choice Aqua One :/ Newbie First Ever Post

[klein]

You know how it is, you just pop in to the local stockist to pick up some live food as a treat and leave thinking your whole aquarium set up is very... er.....yesterday.

I run a 36x12x15 inch 'Clear Seal' standard rectangular tank (not sure how many litres that is)with integral hood and light and separate seater. with an undergravel filter with two fluval PH 201 power heads. I have had this setup for about 5 yeras now and it all seems ok what with the very small quantity of fish I have. They are all rescue tropicals from friends and family (currently 2 angel fish, 1 plecostimus and two small bottom feeding loaches.

My issue is that although I religiously do water changes every fortnight I suffer from lots of hard to removed algea on the glass ( i have to scrape it off with an aquarium sponge) and the water is yellow in appearance after each two week cycle.

I mentioned this to the local aquarium shop and they said powerheads running undergravel filters are quite outdated now ( I though they were the business!) and that I should consider an external filter (which until today I'd never heard off). This is how , they said, they keep the immaculate looking aquariums they have on show where the water is so clean it looks like its not there. I always wanted my aqaurium to look this good but have always disappointed myself with my efforts so far. In addition i would like to really stock the tank up to its proper intended levels with a community tank in the future.

I was shown the AQUA ONE CF EXTERNAL PRESSURE FILTER

THE CF 1000 will filter a 250 l tank at 1000 litres /hour
THE CF 1200 will filter a 300 l tank at 1200 litres /hour

Should I consider either of these filters to solve my problems or is there a better system or make of external filter I should consider?

When the tank is due for replacement ( i renew every 10 years after my last two 4 foot tanks split and drained themself through the ceiling!) I would like to go for a curved sided or bow front 'Aqua one' tank so the new filter needs to be man enough to be transferable over into the new tank in about 5 years or so.

I'm a newbie here and have only just found the site after researching the 'Aqua One' externnal filters that the local shop recommended, be gentle with me!

As these things can be quite expensive I'd just like to know if i'm wasting my money or if this really is the answer to my prayers.

Many thanks in advance.

John
Burgess Hill
West Sussex

 

[newfishaddict]

I think Eheim are the best external filters.

I think Eheim are the best external filters.

What helps my tanks LOOK crystal clear is co2. The plants grow so fast nothing grows on the glass.

 

[QuotheRaven]

Ok well if your looking for Top Notch filtration Eheim external filters are best and go for professional not classic if your not the best with mechanical stuff (it was a pain for me setting my eheim 2213 classic).
Fluval external filters are good except I hear they can muck up quickly and not as good as Eheim.
Aqua One is good with everything I have used of theirs.
It really depends your funds if your a bit pressed go for the cheapest of the three if your not kept down by funds get a eheim.

Hope that helps

 

[diademhill]

If you don't have one, spending a fiver on a gravel cleaner & sucking gunge out of the gravel when you do water changes should give you clearer water.

Your tank is 106 l./23 gal. (28 US gal.) ( probably has at least a bucket of gravel so that taakes off 2 or 3 gallons) so is rather overstocked and weekly water changes would be better than fortnightly.

Changing the filter won't stop algae on the glass.

 

[klein]

Many thanks all for your help

I am suprised to hear my 3 ft tank is overstocked with 5 fish in it.

The two angels are about 4 inches high and the pleci is about 3 inches long.

The 2 bottom feeding loaches are about 1.5 inches long.

The reason I raised the query about Aqua One is that my local shop is doing the external filter CF 1000 for £76 and the CF 1200 for £89.99 which seemed pretty good. Not sure how that looks against the equivelant Eheim pro. though.

ALso why wont the new filter stop algea on the glass and if not what will?

Does anyone have Octobers PFK magazine digitaly as they review the 'Eheim' and the 'Aqua One' external pumps/ Just went to get a copy but its already on Nov. issue.

thanks

John
West Sussex
England

 

[diademhill]

Normally a 5 year old tank with a plec contains a common plec of about a foot in length. How long have you had yours?
"loaches" usually turn out to be sucking loaches, khulis or weather loaches. If they are Clowns people can usually name tham. Can you describe yours please? How long have you had them?

The rest stands....

Algae is a result of nutrients being available. It grows on the glass because that is where light hits. A better filter won't change this. What light do you have are there any plants?


Your tank contains<100 litres so you need to look at smaller externals of even a fluval 4+ internal.