Fluval U3 Internal Filter

[greenscooby]

Evening all, heres the question, i'm about to subscribe to the practical fishkeeping magazine, they are giving away a fluval u3 filter with every subscription, i've just completed a 6 week fish in cycle in my tank my filter is a juwel bioflow 400, will the fluval be a better filter and how do i swap them over without losing all my beneficial bacteria?

Hope you can help,

Many thanks,

Mark

 

[rabbut]

I'd be tempted to run both. Juwel filters have a poor rep (un-justifyed IMO) and the new Fluvals are un-proven. Fluval's internal are usualy excellent, but the U series is now to the market

So yes, running both side-by-side will give a redundant system, just in case there is a fault with one of them

All the best
Rabbut

 

[hollanda88]

I'd be tempted to run both. Juwel filters have a poor rep (un-justifyed IMO) and the new Fluvals are un-proven. Fluval's internal are usualy excellent, but the U series is now to the market

So yes, running both side-by-side will give a redundant system, just in case there is a fault with one of them

All the best
Rabbut

I have the fluval u3 running along side the 2+ and think its an awsome filter, all the mechanics are fluval like (shouldn't break down) and the flow control is good too.

I would get it and as rabbut said run it alongside the existing filter for a good couple of months

hollandA

 

[greenscooby]

Sweet, because i'm a bit thick!! lol, let me get this straight, run both filters in the same tank for a couple of months the remove my juwel filter. is that correct?

Sorry for being stooooopid!!!

Mark.

 

[fish are friends....]

Sweet, because i'm a bit thick!! lol, let me get this straight, run both filters in the same tank for a couple of months the remove my juwel filter. is that correct?

Sorry for being stooooopid!!!

Mark.

Yes thats right . and I am now very tempted to subscribe to practical fishkeeping... how much does that cost? Is it cheaper then buying the filter? lol. The U3 are extremely good filter. Easy to clean, adjust flow rate etc! Id recommend them to anyone! When you have the 2 running along side eachother I would turn the flow rate down on both of them otherwise you might over power the tank ... Meg! <('.')>

 

[greenscooby]

To subscribe it's approx £40 a year depending on how you pay for it, direct debit, cheque, or credit card, the maximum you'd pay is £45 for the year, the magazine is £3.60 per month.

The only problem i have with my juwel filter is i CANNOT adjust the flow rate, it is pre set.


Mark.

 

[backtotropical]

Just to add, I agree that running the filters simultaneously is best. Around 4 - 6 weeks is advisable.

I subscribed to PFK about a week ago, so I'm getting a U3 filter too (not received it yet, it takes up to 28 days). I've never used them before, so it'll be interesting to see what they are like. I'm pleased that the write-ups are good so far.

BTT

 

[fish are friends....]

just turn down the flow rate on the fluval then and after the 4-6 week when you take one out, just wash the media from the juwel in some old tank water and soak the fluval ones in the quickly just for an extra final boost!

 

[greenscooby]

Brilliant, thanks to all for the advice, can't do better then ask on here


Mark.

 

[three-fingers]

Personally I'd keep both filters running in the tank, can never get too much filtration! Unless the Juwel is a pain to you for some reason, or you don't like the space taken up in the tank. Extra turnover is usually a good thing, and by running two filters you should be able to go long without cleaning them out.

There's nothing really wrong with the Juwel filters, it's just that they don't provide a huge amount of turnover for the tank size they come in, and the power heads seem to fail a lot. But it's safe to say most of the powerheads are fine, and as rabbut says, running them both will give you a redundant system anyway .

 

[greenscooby]

Heres were my ignorance comes in, what is a redundant system?


Mark.

 

[three-fingers]

Basically, a system (in this case filtration) that has more than one of the essential features, so that if something does go wrong with one of them, it's OK because there's another one running too.

In this case, it means that if the Juwel or Fluval were to fail for any reason, the other one is still running, so the tank won't crash being left without a filter.

 

[greenscooby]

Simple when you know the answer!!lol

Many thanks for the explanation,

Mark.

 

[petertr]

I'd leave both in permanently.

 

[TigerIssey]

Just to add, I got my U3 in the post Fiday, I am very impressed with it and it will run alongside my Fluval 205 external (which has been running nearly 3 years without a problem at all). It is cheaper to subscribe than to buy the filter.

I also got my April PFK in the post Sat morning, not sure if you can still get that offer as the new offer is a Rena Smart heater 150w (aquaria up to 225l/50g) worth only £25. There is no Surprise gift chance either.

May be worth checking before you subscribe if you particularly want the U3 filter.