External Filter

[fallenhalo]

Hi there i am buying a juwel rio 180 and want an external filter could somone advise me on what too look out for , i will get it of ebay unless someone has one for sale cheers

 

[The-Wolf]

I realise that you are new here
but the search facility is there for a reason
please use it in the future
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?act=Se...external+filter

 

[fallenhalo]

I realise that you are new here
but the search facility is there for a reason
please use it in the future
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?act=Se...external+filter

cheers

 

[Squid]

Hi there i am buying a juwel rio 180 and want an external filter could somone advise me on what too look out for , i will get it of ebay unless someone has one for sale cheers

I have the same tank and bought an eheim 2026 professional II. I ran it along side the old internal one for 3-4 weeks then removed the internal one. If this is a new tank then you can remove the internal one straight away, or keep it in if you want to. I took mine out because the internal one needed frequent maintenance, was a pain to get at the sponges because you had to remove the powerhead each time, and finally the dirt in the bottom of it was a pain and can have negative effects in the tank if you don't keep on top of it.

The 2026 is a fantastic filter. It's been quiet, which is important if kept in the bedroom or lounge, its low maintenance, and most importantly has managed to keep my stats rock solid since its introduction and the water was much clearer too.

It means the tank is slightly over filtered, but thats not a bad thing. One thing i have done to ensure that the plants are not blasted by the spraybar on the outlet, is drill some extra holes. Getting a filter like this means you can keep some fish that produce higher ammounts of waste, or fish that need to be overstocked such as Mbuna Cichlids. So it future proofs what you do with the tank too..

Search can be a pain when searching for things like RIO or 180 as they are not allowed. Not everyone spots the google way of searching the site so that short words are included. I think info on that is in the Board suggestions section as a pinned topic. That way we can keep the big bad wolf at bay.. just kidding wolfy..!

Good Luck
Squid.

 

[fallenhalo]

thanks for that squid and you wolf , i always know wolves had a short temper lol
i already have a fluval 204 in my rio 125 but was looking into getting a eheim for new rio 180

 

[The-Wolf]

I don't have a temper.
I just get frustrated at the same old questions being asked over and over again within a few days.
sorry if I came accross as terse, that was not my intension.

 

[Squid]

I don't have a temper.
I just get frustrated at the same old questions being asked over and over again within a few days.
sorry if I came accross as terse, that was not my intension.

No worries wolfy, I was only being light hearted, I know what a helpful chappy you are.

The temper comment was light hearted too i'm sure.

Squid.

 

[fallenhalo]

lol yeah it was no offence intended , now too search for a cheap Eheim lol

 

[Marcos]

Welcome, you now know the search link!
(Oh, and if I know the wolf he'd recommend a Tetratec EX700 like this one, http/www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/fish/technic..._filters/19461)
I have one on my Rio 180 and it is absolutely faultless.

 

[vinylman]

The TetraTecs are entirely fabulous. I wish I'd got one much earlier.

 

[fallenhalo]

are Tetratecs better then the eheims ??

 

[Marcos]

Better value. I went for one as the EX700 came with all the media and it's all held in baskets which the Eheim 2213 (the other I was considering) doesn't seem to and I have to admit it is absolutely faultless.

 

[doubledee]

I recently bought an Eheim 2126 which has a built in heater but in hindsight it appears that others are probably just as good for the money. I had a look at the Hydor and Tetratec models and both look well built and probably better value than the Eheim but I suppose time will tell. I could get the Hydor Prime 20 or the Tetratec EX700 plus the new Hydor external heater for around £90 as opposed to the £140 plus media I paid for the Eheim. I notice that the Tetratec also has a 3 year warranty (same as Eheim). Annoyingly I also had to splash out another £28 or something to get a more discrete intake/spraybar/hoses (went for the installation kit 1, 2 in grey and JBL clear hoses) as the green stuck out too much in the tank. If I set up another tank, I think I will try the Tetratec/Hydor external heater combo.

 

[Dutchie]

I would also consider the new Aqua One range if money is in short supply.......

 

[scorphonic]

I have the RIO 180 and last night we hooked up the Tetratec EX700...and in 5 minutes it did the job!! Its absoutely amazing and if you keep the returning pipe above the water level it acts to disrupt the surface of the water increasing the oxygen in the tank!!

Its very easy to use and set-up, not a bad price and is cheaper than the eheim external filters. I'd highly recommend one coz the internal bioballs and ceramic pieces which hold the bacteria can be cleaned when clogged and dont have to be replaced!! The only things that need replacing are the black sponges (every 6 months--but I'm sure a good clean and squeeze can keep that going for longer!!) and the white cotton??? sponge (every month...again you can probably treat this carefully and clean it without it falling apart so it lasts longer than a month)

The compartmentalised filters couldn't be easier to deal with and I intend to use the filter to do water changes since it would be the quickest and easiest way to pump water out of the tank.!! Everything you need to operate the pump is included in the box and you should have it going in less that 30 minutes.

Best of luck with your choice...