External Filters

[Cultasso]

Hi

Im just wondering would anyone recommend getting one of these rather than internal

What are the advantages do they do a better job.

Also if I got a 500 litre filter for a 200 litre tank would that improve things further

 

[iankent]

well external would be better in that its not taking up space in your tank (like mine does ), but dont really know about how well they perform compared to internals.

if you get a 500L filter, you might find the flow of water through the filter is too powerful for the size of your aquarium - if you can reduce the water flow then it should be ok, but I'm using a 120L filter in a 100L tank, and anything above half of its max power pushes everything around the tank (plants included!)

 

[Colin_T]

Most internal power filters have huge motors and pathetically small filters. This means you get a dirty filter quite quickly and the fish get blown all over the tank.
External filters have bigger filter sections and smaller motors. This means they work more effectively than internals but they cost more initially. They have the advantage of sitting outside the tank and can be hidden away from view making the tank look more attractive.
They also have the ability to hold different types of filter media unlike internals which usually only have a small sponge and nothing else.

 

[rabbut]

I run all my tanks on exturnals now, due to the various benifits they bring. The asthetics of not having them in the tank is nice, but not the main one
Exturnals are more flexible media wise. Many internals limit you to foam only. You can put whatever media you like into your exturnal. Ceramics are better than foam at biological filtering, as they don't clogg and have a large surface area. Same with bio-balls, so you rarely need to clean you bio-media, if you carefuly consider your media. You can add floss to polish the water and remove the various small items of floating rubbish from the water. You also aren't limited to your manufacturers brand of carbon e.t.c if you need to use such a media.
Exturnals also have a greater media capacity, increasing the efficiency of the media. Most polutants will be removed from the water first pass with an exturnal, but it may tank many passes with an internal The increased surface area of the mechanical compartments reduce regularities of cleaning the filter. With a internal on my small tank, rated for a tank twice its size, I had to clean the filter every other week. I now have an exturnal fitted, rated for the same size tank, and I opened it last week for the first time in 3 moths, because I wondered what the media looked like. Sure enough there was three months worth of mank in it, but the flow haden't even started to reduce Looking at it it possibly could have gone another 3 months wihout a clean. Not bad

All in all, the exturnals are more astheticaly pleasing, more efficient, quieter in may cases, require less maintanance and are an absolute dream to use if you pick the right one The only dissadvantage I have found so far is that you have to find a space under the tank for your filter to go. Not too bad IMO considering the benifits I get from them

HTH
Rabbut

 

[iankent]

All in all, the exturnals are more astheticaly pleasing, more efficient, quieter in may cases, require less maintanance and are an absolute dream to use if you pick the right one The only dissadvantage I have found so far is that you have to find a space under the tank for your filter to go. Not too bad IMO considering the benifits I get from them

HTH
Rabbut

Hi Rabbut - even though I bought the internal filter a few weeks ago, I'm seriously considering changing it for an external (mainly aesthetic reasons, but also noise and efficiency) - what make do you use/would you recommend?

when you say space to put it underneath, I have a bit of space that I think the filter for my size tank would use, but will have to measure

 

[rabbut]

I personaly rate the Tetratecs most, though Rena are also good. What size tank do you have? You want a filter rated for a tank 1.5 times the size you have as a minimum, as manufacturers can be a little optimistic with their ratings...
I have used Fluval, though they can be stuborn to maintain and many sight reliability issues. I broke mine in frustration :nusure: I have had major issues with Ehiem, thus I don't rate them, but many on here belive them to be the best arround. I bought my Tetratec EX1200's (I have 2, bought seporately) from 1st 4 aquatics and they are the chepest I have seen for the EX1200 and EX700 models. They are undercut on the EX600 by zoo plus though. I have never used Zoo plus, but 1st 4 Aquatics were a pleasure to do business with.

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Cultasso]

cheers

I have a cabinet so no probs room wise

You rekon a Fluvel 305 would do a 218 litre

 

[iankent]

Rabbut - i'm just looking at the tetratec filters now, I have a 110L aquarium so would want the 100-250L (EX700), which is around £50 online (so probably about £60 in the shops)

for anyone who needs to know:

Dimensions -
length/width/height (cm);
EX600 - 21/20.5/38
EX700 - 21/20.5/42
EX1200 - 26/25/50

I think the EX700 should fit no problem, but what filter media would you recommend, or does it come with some to start off with?

also, probably a stupid question, but thought i'd check anyway - how do they connect to the aquarium? i assume it's as simple as some tubing with those rubber feet things for inside the tank - and does it also come with that too?

 

[rabbut]

The Tetratecs come with all media included, three year warrenty pluss all the accessories needed to run them.

Cultasso, a 305 should do that tank quite comfortably I'd try to get media into it that reduces the time between cleaning, as believe me they are a pain to clean are Fluvals.

All the best
Rabbut

 

[iankent]

thanks rabbut - it feels like i'm hijacking another thread but just one more question... when changing from an internal to external, I assume it'd work to just run them alongside each other for a few weeks before taking the internal out?

 

[rabbut]

thanks rabbut - it feels like i'm hijacking another thread but just one more question... when changing from an internal to external, I assume it'd work to just run them alongside each other for a few weeks before taking the internal out?

Aye you are hijacking in a way, but I'm sure the OP, Cultasso, will want to know this if they are considering the purchase of a Fluval 305, so I'll answer anyway...

There are two ways of making the change. You can run both side-by-side for 4 weeks, then spend a further 4 weeks removing 1/4 of the media in you existing filter each week untill there in no media left. This will make the bacteria migrate the new filter. The other way is to move all the media from you existing filter into the new filter. This effectively instantly cycles the new filter.

HTH
Rabbut

 

[vinylman]

thanks rabbut - it feels like i'm hijacking another thread but just one more question... when changing from an internal to external, I assume it'd work to just run them alongside each other for a few weeks before taking the internal out?

As Rabbut says, just put all the media from the old filter into the external, alongside the external media. However good you think your internal is, wait until you see what a difference an external will make within a few hours. BTW, I wouldn't use the bag of carbon you get with the Tetratec, just put it away in case you ever need to medicate your tank and put an ordinary black bio sponge in its place. You can get the Tetratecs VERY cheaply online.

 

[iankent]

Thanks both will be going out to look for the tetratec filter today - there's no immediate rush, so if the prices are crap I'll have a look around online!