Upgrading After Christmas

[the_lock_man]

Just happened to be in MAs yesterday, (as you do.....) and noticed that their Oak range is on offer until the end of January - my good lady wife has wanted one of these for some while, as she isn't too keen on the grey plastic fascia of our existing tank and stand. She mentioned that it might be an idea if we use a combination of Nectar Points and Christmas money to purchase while they are still on offer.

Oh, OK dear, if you insist.......

So, I shall be needing recommendations for a decent reliable external filter suitable for a ~100l tank, I hear good things about Tetratec, but would appreciate other input.

Stocking

Current in 65l
2 x Peacock Goby
6 x CPD
6 x C. habrosus
And Prometheus, the indestructible Cardinal Tetra (I've had him years, and he's survived every single one of my cock-ups)
A gazzilion RCS
2 Assassin snails

Proposed stocking
As above, but get Prometheus a group of 5 more playmates.
I'm not sure anything else would fit in sensibly, but open to suggestions again.

FInally, I would be selling the current Aquamode600 (65l, halfmoon shape) tank and stand, c/w builtin filter, but with brand new media - thinking in terms of £75, does that sound reasonable?

 

[DrRob]

You can use nectar points in MA? Why did I not know this? You may have just made my day.

Tis probably a reasonable second hand price, depending on condition and, inevitably, demand.

As for externals, it'll always depend on what you're trying to achieve and budget. I tend to overfilter given half a chance.

 

[the_lock_man]

MA don't accept Nectar Points, but you can use Nectar Points to buy anything. You simply go to Sainsbury's and buy your weekly shopping using Nectar Points instead of cash, and use the cash you would have spent on your weekly shopping to buy whatever.

In terms of externals, budget isn't unlimited, but I want something that's going to last, is easy to get at in order to clean sponges etc. The new tank will be 100lish, so something suitable for 150 - 200 litres would be good - I like to overfilter as well.

 

[MBOU]

AquaManta EFX200 or if you can stretch to the difference... the 300 would be better

Or Fluval 206 or again.... 306 would be better! Wouldnt boter with the 05 range of Fluvals, it will only be 3 years now until you can no longer buy any spares for that range (Hagen only produce spares for 4 years after they stop making a filter) and tbh, that would suck because the 05 range are constantly in need of spare parts.

I'd say the TetraTec filters but meh, AquaMantas are pretty much the same....

You will need to consider lighting too for the Oak tanks, I would get one of the Eco LED strips made by Arcadia, you would only need one to light that tank (go for the tropical one, the colour one seems to promote and insane amount of algae!). You could go for a T8 or T5 light ballast but would cost you about the same and look more messy with cables everywhere.

Which tank are you looking at? The cube one or the small rectangle one?

 

[the_lock_man]

AquaManta EFX200 or if you can stretch to the difference... the 300 would be better

Or Fluval 206 or again.... 306 would be better! Wouldnt boter with the 05 range of Fluvals, it will only be 3 years now until you can no longer buy any spares for that range (Hagen only produce spares for 4 years after they stop making a filter) and tbh, that would suck because the 05 range are constantly in need of spare parts.

I'd say the TetraTec filters but meh, AquaMantas are pretty much the same....

You will need to consider lighting too for the Oak tanks, I would get one of the Eco LED strips made by Arcadia, you would only need one to light that tank (go for the tropical one, the colour one seems to promote and insane amount of algae!). You could go for a T8 or T5 light ballast but would cost you about the same and look more messy with cables everywhere.

Which tank are you looking at? The cube one or the small rectangle one?

The small rectangle one - we did look at the cube one with portholes, but thought that the portholes would restrict viewing the fish.

With the lighting, I'm going to get ps3steveo to make me a lighting rig.

I'm always dubious about companies' own brand products, but saying that, the filter looks a nice piece of kit - anyone else using these?

 

[MBOU]

The AquaMantas?

Made by AquaOne and designed by the same guy that designed TetraTec... not unknown random companies

Ask your MA to get one out the box for you to have a play with, they wont mind at all, they might have one on display if they have display tanks.

I had the EFX200 on my 240L with a Fluval 205 and i know id rather not have a Fluval again, the Fluvals have much less media capacity, i like filters with larger trays to put media in.

I am also currently running the EFX1500U (aimed at about 500L with a UV) and while I open it every other week to change the floss, i dont have to touch the other sponges...well... so far in about 6 months. The only problem I had with it was that the sealing ring on the UV wasnt right and it filled up with water and knackered the UV but tbh... not having the UV has made little difference to me, i like the tannins!

I have also had the AquaOne 620T so know the wet dry filter and really dislike them... also had a range of internals (fluvals, interpets and JBL) and have owned 3 TetraTecs, EX600, EX700 and EX1200... they were all doing great for years (almost identical media trays to the AquaMantas) but then suddenly all three started springing leaks and changing the sealing rings didnt help but there was a flaw with a batch or two of the filters a few years back and they apparently fixed that.

I also had a few of the AquaOne external filters... the older style ones were 'ok' but now not worth if for the lack of a priming button and so on.. had the Aquis filter with the UV as well which was an amazing filter with the downside of it being monstrously big for only a 300L capacity... didnt even fit in half the AquaOne tank cabinets! (the AquaMantas are a lot smaller but built on this design).

EDIT: and yes... i had an awful lot of tanks

 

[the_lock_man]

The AquaMantas?

Made by AquaOne and designed by the same guy that designed TetraTec... not unknown random companies

Ask your MA to get one out the box for you to have a play with, they wont mind at all, they might have one on display if they have display tanks.

I had the EFX200 on my 240L with a Fluval 205 and i know id rather not have a Fluval again, the Fluvals have much less media capacity, i like filters with larger trays to put media in.

Fair play - I saw the "exclusive to MA" thing, and prejudged (especially knowing where you work!)

 

[MBOU]

A lot of people assume I just mention things because I work there when to be fair, I get nothing out of it and couldn't care less where people buy it

Its just I have personally used Eheims, Aqua Ones, Renas, Fluvals, TetraTecs and AquaMantas and those that I havent used personally... like the cheap ones that are doing the rounds (having a mind blank at the name!!) I have had customers bring them in complaining about them and I have to set them up or fix them or advise the customer to just ditch it lol

 

[nikkifro8994]

My uncle uses a fluval canister filter. He's had it running for almost 10 years. I don't know how accessible the media is, but I assume it shouldn't be too bad. He uses it on his 100 gallon tank. It was expensive, though most canister filters are. I've only ever had small tanks (less than 10 gallons) with HoB filters that are less than $30.

 

[Mikey1]

In terms of externals, budget isn't unlimited, but I want something that's going to last, is easy to get at in order to clean sponges etc.

go with an Aquaclear 70

 

[DrRob]

In terms of externals, budget isn't unlimited, but I want something that's going to last, is easy to get at in order to clean sponges etc.

go with an Aquaclear 70

Hagen have stopped selling these in the UK. You can get HOB's, but nothing that I've seen with the media capacity of an aquaclear.