Whats your filter choice and why

[Vip]

I would like to know what filters you guys use, and whats is your opinion on them.

I have a H.O.B witch does pick up alot but i dont i like them that much, and i have about 6 powerfilter witch i like due to there water flo and sucktion power i have that has 4 jets on it and it cycles the water really good. My number one choice is a canister, i have it running my 79g and overnight i noticed the difernce in the water it was soo clear and my fish stopped getting sick as well, it can be a pain cleaning it, but they work the best for me. It has 3 sponge filters in it and on those sponges is noodles then carbon then a really think blue sponge.
So its canister for me by far.

 

[Eve]

And the moment I use a Biowheel. Which I have to say I really like actually, my water is always crystal, plus I find I never have any problems with cleaning it etc. Its quick to clean, easy to maintain and airates (sp) my tank extremly well.

However Iv never used a cannister, and am more then a little tempted to try.

 

[cometcattle]

I have HOB's on all my tanks. My tanks are too small for canister except maybe my 29g. I had only an Emperor 280, but just added an Aquaclear 200 for addtional filtration.

When I buy my 55g, I might get a cannister, havent decided.

I've heard nothing but bad things about UGF.

 

[nene]

I like bio wheels to but canister filters are a step up. I got my first one about 2 months ago, a Fluval 204, and it is totally silent and my water, though clear before is sparkling now. The flow from it also doesn't push my plants and fish around like a HOB outflow. Just purchased a Fluval 304 for a 55 gallon 2 weeks ago. I am totally impressed with canister filters now.

 

[parker313]

I'm perfectly happy with my HOB. I think they're a good value - relatively inespensive but do a good job.

I had an UGF on my 10g but hated it. I hated that it never removed all the crud from the tank, just sucked it all to the bottom. I took that out and am much happier with my HOB.

 

[CFC]

For big tanks (over 20g) i only use eheim canisters, for reliability and performance they cannot be beaten, though this does come at a price as they are not the cheapest filters on the market. My preffered model of choice are ones from the classic range, simple design with no fancy gadgets to go wrong and can be picked up for reasonable money if you shop around, i paid around £75 each for my three 2217's (one will deal with up to 600 litres but i preffer to double up) and around £60 for a 2215. I also have a ecco 2234 for my planted tank as these have a slower turn over which is better for plants, it needs cleaning more often than the classics and can be a pain to start but again at around £60 and dealing with up to 150 litres offers good value for money.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I use external filters wherever possible. In my 160l tank I have an internal fluval 4+ but I think I am going to add to that as the tank is highly stocked.

I prefer externals becasuse they do not take up space in the tank and allow for a lot of media.

 

[The-Wolf]

what's a HOB?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

what's a HOB?

A filter that is Hanging On Back of the tank. I have never used them and I think they are more suited to very small tanks because they do not take valuable space in the tank.

 

[amazingbioloboydp]

I like HOBs because they are quiet.

 

[Inchworm]

Not too long ago I would have said HOB with no thought about it. I have a number of AquaClear filters and still think they do a great job. I always keep the chamber above the sponge stuffed with filter floss and this greatly increases the amount of beneficial bacteria they can support.

Lately, since I've been breeding corydoras catfish, and have been accumulating a number of 10 and 20 gallon tanks, I have turned to sponge filters and box filters that are connected to air pumps. I find them versatile and inexpensive to buy and use. Another advantage is that with them, I avoid the problem of fry being sucked into the filter.

 

[White Whale]

Anyone have a picture of a canister filter? Tenx!

 

[endparenthesis]

It's silly, but when I first started out I thought, "Argh, if only there were some sort of simple filter that would just lift the water out of the tank and pour it through a sponge. The water would be spotless!" Then I saw a power filter sitting on a shelf somewhere. I really like how they're designed... very cool using magnets so water never actually touches anything important. The only way they could be better is if the output and the input were on opposite sides of the tank, but I bet that's pretty much what a canister filter does. I'm a nanotank sorta guy, so I've never used one. No experience with biowheels either but I read good things.

 

[Ahmad]

In All of my tanks big tanks I use canister filters since they are the best out there!! I use Ehiem in all of my tanks too CFC great arent they?

The good thing about them is you have alot of choices on what kind of medias you want to put in there so when you decide what kind of medias you want you made a multi layered cake for bio bigs to grow and flurish......


Here is a Pic for ya Itty Bitty Betta

Inside of one....

 

[nmarc3627]

sponge because i have never had any problems with it and it works great