New Filter

[007iron]

Choice between a Eheim Aquaball Internal Filter or a fluvel 2/3 filter plus.....any opinions please ?

 

[three-fingers]

Eheim are generally regarded better for external filters than fluval but IME this is reversed when it comes to internals.

From both brands (along with a couple of other brands) on the plant tanks and works, the aquaballs seem to get clogged up and require more maintenance than fluval + internals.
They also seem to brake more often, I've dealt with a couple of people with broken aquaball filters (cant remember how old the filters were though, or how long they have been around), but nobody with a broken fluval internal.

I have an 8 year old fluval 3 (not plus) that was still going strong till I put it in storage a couple of weeks ago (just because I got a new external). I also use a fluval 4+ and 2+ on a very heavily stocked 4 foot tank that gets cleaned every 2-3 months and they do a great job. Fluval internals certainly seem to be more popular than the eheim internals too.

 

[Nick16]

got a 1 plus and 2 plus and never had any problems with them!

 

[007iron]

Thanks for the help was leaning towards the fluvel.
2plus is the rec spec for the size tank we have, would there be any benefit to get the next size 3 plus.

 

[Nick16]

just a bit more filtration really! 3 plus might look too big in a tank that size becuase its taller.

 

[OldMan47]

A fairly common practice is to use the next bigger filter than the manufacturers recommend for a specific tank size. If you have a 10 gallon tank you use the filter for a 20. If you have a 50 gallon tank you use the filter rated for a 75, and so forth. It does no harm and can help if the manufacturers have been too optimistic. he real down side that I know of for the Fluval plus series, it may apply to others too, is that there is no way to easily cover the flow inlet path. That means that fry can sometimes get sucked into them and there is no easy way to prevent it. I use a 4+ in one of my larger tanks but there are no small fry in that tank that I need worry about.