Hagen Fluval U3 -experiences?

[happy hen]

Hi
I have had a hagen biolife internal filter running in a 33 gallon tank for almost 6 years. I have always found it a very efficient,and easy to maintain if slightly noisy filter. Recently air has been getting into the system, causing the bottom of the filter to raise away from the glass, the motor stops briefly then restarts, releasing a huge puff of air which causes the filter to float back against the glass. This happens every 10 mins or so. I have taken it apart, reassembled under water, changed the impeller and ceramic core. I have now come to the conclusion that a replacement should be bought. I have been reading on the PFK website about the new hagen fluval U3, has anyone had experience of these yet, they look very good and easy to maintain.

 

[rabbut]

They look good, but have only just released. In the unlikely event that you find somone whom owns one, they deffinately won't be able to give a long-term review of the filter

Fluval internals in the past have been the best in the business, so hopefully the U series won't dissapoint. I'd ditch the carbon and floss pad in favor of sponge that won't need regular replacement, but otherwise it will be ready to go out of the box If only Fluval could make one of their exturnal ranges as good as their internals

All the best
Rabbut

 

[smegforbrains]

TBH, I would recommend Fluval externals over Tetra, Aqua One and Eheim. They are so much easier to maintain, and quieter too )

 

[rabbut]

TBH, I would recommend Fluval externals over Tetra, Aqua One and Eheim. They are so much easier to maintain, and quieter too )

You've used at Tetra Exturnal then? I'm struggling to see what is hard about pushing hoses onto the pipe sets, tightining the screws, pushing a magic button to start (yes they work on the Tetratec's ) and then plugging it to finish. I'm struggling to see what's easy about doing as above for the Tetratec, only pumping away on a primer for 1/2 an hour + in a restricted ammount of space under a cabinet to get the F***er to prime, only to plug the thing in to discover it's air-locked for the 20bilionth time that day, instead of it working when pressed first time.... With a modern filter, you shouldn't have to do the old-fassioned "suck-start" with empty pipes, which is usualy how I prime a Fluval, mainly because it's easier than the "easy start pump"...

Even if they were easier to clean, the 404 is equivilant to a EX1200. My EX1200's go for 6 months + without needing a clean. The 404 on the same tank needed weekly maintanance. What a faff the Fluval was Top it all off, it started giving electric shocks after a few months before springing a leak...

The Ecco range of Eheim are a bit of a faff, but aren't the best of their products (Someone else makes them for them). I haven't yet used an Aqua One though...

Sorry OP for this going off topic As always, this is just my personal expreience with these products, you're mileage may vary

All the best
Rabbut

EDIT to add; Sorry, forgot to mention noise... The 404 could be heard upstears in the front bedroom, when it was running in the diningroom, bottom floor at the back The TT's can't be heard in the same room that they are working in, on the otherhand... The 405's that I've had the displeasure of looking at at work have been equally hard to prime and noisy

 

[happy hen]

I installed the new fluval U3 lst week, very impessed with it - easy to clean, infinately variable flow of water back into the tank, especially like the spray bar which means the plants don't get too disturbed. I replaced half the ceramic bio rings with some out of my old filter in the hope of keeping as many beneficial bacteria in there as poss. It seems to have worked well, as I have been testing the water daily and have seen no real difference.

 

[shuggyone]

Hi everybody..

Well have had the Fluval U3 for about a week now and to be quite blunt its kinda terrible... I also have the much much smaller Fluval 1 PLUS whch in fairness takes in a hell of a lot more dirt..

I may have a faulty unit though.. I spoke to Hagen who in fairness were very nice about it and had been mailing me constantly on what to try.. They advised me to try and exchange if none of their suggestions worked.. I tried their suggestions so I will be returning it for an exchange... But if it turns out to be the same I will be getting a different model...

(I have 1 turtle in a 30 gallon tank).. He is small and young and yet I find myself changing the water every 2-3 days)

If any of you guys have some advice fore some this way....

Thank you

 

[rabbut]

The best advise I can give on Turtles, considering my very limited knowlage of them, is that they are large and messy animals and amongst a few aquatic creatures where, realistically, an external should be considered a must for them I presume an up-grade to tank size is planed in the near future, most "small" turtle species will need at least a 4X2X2 (half filled for many such "small species" so they can get out of the water, but one or two are nearly fully aquatic I believe) as adults.

All the best
Rabbut

 

[yabadaba]

Hi everybody..

Well have had the Fluval U3 for about a week now and to be quite blunt its kinda terrible... I also have the much much smaller Fluval 1 PLUS whch in fairness takes in a hell of a lot more dirt..

I may have a faulty unit though.. I spoke to Hagen who in fairness were very nice about it and had been mailing me constantly on what to try.. They advised me to try and exchange if none of their suggestions worked.. I tried their suggestions so I will be returning it for an exchange... But if it turns out to be the same I will be getting a different model...

(I have 1 turtle in a 30 gallon tank).. He is small and young and yet I find myself changing the water every 2-3 days)

If any of you guys have some advice fore some this way....

Thank you

Just a long shot, but did you remove the Bio-Max from the plastic bag it comes in? I forgot to do that and then spent the next few hours wondering how on earth the Fluval's have such a good rep

 

[treefella83]

i ran a u3 for several months in my tank while i was ripping out the juwel filter and installing two 205s and only took the u3 out of the tank when both 205s had matured.
i found the u3 a very user friendly filter but i did take out the poly carbon pads and used thin polypads cut to size.
i was going to sell the u3 when i was finished with it but i will keep it as a back up or untill i get another tank.
did its job well