Boxa
Fish Fanatic
What is the best/most powerful internal filter about? Have 2 fluval 4s running in a 60g tank but they seem to take up a lot of room and they also seem pony at keeping the tank clean, any ideas?
Filter
- Thread starter Boxa
- Start date
Ace Of Spades
Fish Gatherer
Most Powerful? Fluval FX5, but reliability is questionable with Fluval
Best? I like the tetratec Models, But alot of the forum agrees that Eheim are the best filter by far, years of reliability, quality build but comes with a hefty price tag,
Boxa
Fish Fanatic
Don't really have an abundance of room to house a external filter as the tank has been built into the alcove wall so was more looking for a internal filter one that is more powerful than the fluvals. Never had a problem with fluvals before but this time around they seem really pony, have had Power heads in the past but a power head with under gravel filter is not a feasible option. Or is it now possible to get Power Heads that no longer just use the UG option?
Ace Of Spades
Fish Gatherer
got a pic of ur tank? sounds interesting
Boxa
Fish Fanatic
Not as exciting as it sounds just yet, it's more the cabinet that has been built into the wall but I am making a fake wall around the top, but as you can see there isn't much room for an external filter.
markandhisfish
comfortably numb
that looks like a sweet tank is it sitting on the cabinet ?? if so an external should fit inside 1 of the doors if not maybe knock a few bricks out and make the alcove bigger lol am currently toying with the idea of moving living room radiator so i can squeeze in a 6ft tank but for some reason the missus aint too keen lol
Boxa
Fish Fanatic
I had the idea of turning the old air aid shelter in garden into a massive tropical tank by cutting the front off, it's the size of a garage built back in the 2nd world war, stupidly I was under the impression it would be easy to take the front off, the wall is nearly 2foot thick and thinking about it, it was built to withstand bombs so me hitting it with a sledge hammer or even a kango is gonna take years, would need to probably take the roof off too which had metal lints through it....
Been looking at a external pump only thing is been put off by how noisy they can be and know people in the past that have had them flood their front room out. The cabinet is built into the wall has plenty of space for external just not sure.
Been looking at a external pump only thing is been put off by how noisy they can be and know people in the past that have had them flood their front room out. The cabinet is built into the wall has plenty of space for external just not sure.
Ace Of Spades
Fish Gatherer
noisy? my internal is alot louder then my external, my external barely whipsers
rabbut
I don't bite, all that often...
I spot a discus in there 
The tank will be messy if it runs internal filters with them, and they ain't gonna like it IME like that. UGF filters are nitrate and disolved organics factories also, so they are out. Gorra be getting an exturnal or shifting the discus realy I'm afraid if you want them long term. They are easy to keep for a few months are discus, but if things aren't spot on they will keal after arround 6 months 
The Tetratec's I have are so quite that I can hear the timer swithch for the lights over them..... And that timer is quiet The EX1200 would be best IMO for your tank from Tetra. Eheim are renowned for good build quality and reliability, with a few members reporting that they are so quiet that they have to put their hands into the tank to check they are still running 
Leaks and noise from an extrunal... Sounds like a Fluval Rena aren't brilliant either, but better than most if you can find Tetratec or Eheim. Avoid Eheims Ecco range and thermo filters, they don't fare well, but any other in the range are good apprently. They are expenceve though...
If you are scrapping the discus keeping idea, Fluvals are the best Internal arround reliablity wise and from a quietness point of view. Shame they made a mess of their exturnal range
Try moving the Fluvals to opposit ends of the tank to get more muck off the floor 
Look at Maxijet powerheads for more flow if you like, they can be ran on UGF, or have guard to "stand alone" They are reliable too
HTH
Rabbut
The tank will be messy if it runs internal filters with them, and they ain't gonna like it IME like that. UGF filters are nitrate and disolved organics factories also, so they are out. Gorra be getting an exturnal or shifting the discus realy I'm afraid if you want them long term. They are easy to keep for a few months are discus, but if things aren't spot on they will keal after arround 6 months The Tetratec's I have are so quite that I can hear the timer swithch for the lights over them..... And that timer is quiet
The EX1200 would be best IMO for your tank from Tetra. Eheim are renowned for good build quality and reliability, with a few members reporting that they are so quiet that they have to put their hands into the tank to check they are still running Leaks and noise from an extrunal... Sounds like a Fluval Rena aren't brilliant either, but better than most if you can find Tetratec or Eheim. Avoid Eheims Ecco range and thermo filters, they don't fare well, but any other in the range are good apprently. They are expenceve though...If you are scrapping the discus keeping idea, Fluvals are the best Internal arround reliablity wise and from a quietness point of view. Shame they made a mess of their exturnal range
Try moving the Fluvals to opposit ends of the tank to get more muck off the floor Look at Maxijet powerheads for more flow if you like, they can be ran on UGF, or have guard to "stand alone" They are reliable tooHTH
Rabbut
Boxa
Fish Fanatic
See when I went through the external filter reviews on hear most were saying, noisy, hard to re-start, fiddly, leaks, hard to prime..etc
Did think an external would be better to deal with bulk waste and allowing more room in the tank, have just ordered a maxi jet from ebay but will look into the external filter range again. As for the Discus have had them a few months and they are from a hard water tank which was apparently uncommon for them there's 2 in the tank, the plan is to keep them at the moment but they have been hard work what with hiding an the likes but at the moment they are running about the tank and seem happy enough.
Did think an external would be better to deal with bulk waste and allowing more room in the tank, have just ordered a maxi jet from ebay but will look into the external filter range again. As for the Discus have had them a few months and they are from a hard water tank which was apparently uncommon for them there's 2 in the tank, the plan is to keep them at the moment but they have been hard work what with hiding an the likes but at the moment they are running about the tank and seem happy enough.
A canister filter will do the trick for you and most are very quiet. The Eheim people will come on next and slam any other brand that I mention but here goes. I use both the Rena XP series and the marineland C series and both have been very quiet and reliable. From what I have seen, the marineland C series is the same thing as the Tetratec filters. I'm not sure which model is which in Tetratec but they look like the identical filter to mine when I see pictures of them taken apart. Another option that is inherently quiet is a power head connected to a sponge filter. I am using just that scheme in a 40 gallon breeder setup. The sponge filter means never worrying about losing fry to the filter.
Boxa
Fish Fanatic
Been looking at the TetraTec EX1200, seems a good all rounder in the read up and not a bad price and £65 with delivery, but have ordered a Power Head from ebay which has a sponge filter and seems to be more powerful than both my fluval 4's put together, so hopefully that might do some good for the time being.
Similar threads
Most reactions
-
476 -
291
-
266 -
191 -
175 -
154
-
149 -
145 -
141 -
139 -
131 -
124 -
79 -
77 -
73