Filters

[Jen]

I currently have a filter that hangs over the back of my tank. In the new year i will be doing a tank cleaning, and am thinking of switching to a new kind. A friend of mine reccomended a submersable one, but I was thinking of the under gravel type because they require much less cleaning (and I always forget to change the carbon).

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Lithril]

How bigs the tank, personally I find that eheim canisters are the best but others will go for biowheels. If the tanks is really small then a sponge filter running off on an airpump will be fine. My 30 gal has a eheim canister and the 10 and 8 gal tanks I've got have bother got internals (1xFluval 2 and another with an eheim aquaball) and they're working a treat. I would avoid undergravels due to the amount of debris which can collect underneath, they're also no where near as effect as other alternatives.

 

[smb]

My preference is HOB, Emperor/Penguin but wanted to say if you keep forgetting to change the carbon, just don't use any. Put filter floss in instead and keep whatever filter you have now.

 

[my_fallen_angel]

I have undergravel filters in both my tanks.
In the bigger on i have a powerhead attached to one end.
My water is always clean, but i still do regular cleans.
And havent had any problems with it at all.
I would reccommend them

 

[Jo]

I'd go with an external...I have been having constant problems with my HOB, the most recent being the motors all pretty much dying, causing problems with spikes in my tanks!

I bought a fluval external yesterday and was amazed at how much better the water looked...!

 

[joshua]

hmm... i would strongly discourage undergravel altho i havent used it before. i heard it is hard to clean. try the eheim canister filters. if i aint wrong, 2260, 2213, 2215 and a few others. and yes i may be wrong i havent used them either

 

[OscarCichlid]

If you keep forgetting to change the carbon i would suggest the AquaClear Filters. They work great. I have had my AquaClear 150 Running on my 10 Gallon Tank for about 6 months now without changing the carbon.

 

[thecichlidaddict]

(and I always forget to change the carbon)

Have you every tried not using the stuff? I haven't used carbon in my tanks in 12 years.

Undergravel filters do a great biological filtration job, but they don't accomplish anything mechanical. Quite the opposite they actually collect a sludge of gunk under the filter plates, and the only way to clean it off is to disassemble the entire tank. I think that with so many alternative choices on the market, why go with something like that?

I prefer power filters of any kind, be it hanging, canister, or internal. They tend to be very effective, generally reliable, and easy to maintain.

This is my view of the various types of filtration here:My webpage

 

[Lithril]

Good link mate, like the info you've put on there.