The Puffer Forum

bigfatfish wrote:I have an internal & an external on my 55G - both Fluval. Used my previous Fluval for 10 years+ & its now still going strong on a friends smaller tank.

You see those new fluvals all digital n stuff theyre like 480$ but there beasts. Never used fluval but from the looks they look like workhorses. The fluval fx5 is like a shop vac lol

Pufferpunk wrote:You mean Eheim. I prefer HOB filters for smaller tanks & then add another HOB & an Eheim to ones over 50g.

Yeah, Ole' Dad can't spell very well early in the moring, you know, need that frst cup of coffe and all that....

Hello peeps thanks for all the suggestions, going to have another look tonight with thorough investigation to see if banding or a crack on the bottom

If it is going to be better to get another external, I wont be able to afford a new one currently.
Second hand I could get possibly
FX5 £70 this is 2nd hand local so could see it, though pushing the limit!
Rena XP3 £50ish
Vitatech 1000 £50
Weipro external for 540 litre tank for £47

Small update bought a Rena Xp3 for £40 plus postage and he says he will throw in a eheim as well (assuming a smaller internal) so to await its arrival now. I didnt actually realise the cf1000 was actually inadequate (meant for tanks up to 200 litres), the one I have gone for is right stats. Thanks so much for helping out, Im still going to inspect the cf1000 (actually must do that now) if it is saveable always run as second filter or on the figure 8 tank.

Don't go by the "rated for" tank size on the box.. aim for the filter to be able to turn your tank over 10x per hour.

Its kind of hard with the different brands you have over there, hope the Filstar works out for you, I have an XP2 and that thing really moves the water big time!

The listed turnovers per hour bear no relationship to the achieved turnovers per hour. Also, different filter formats require different numbers of turnovers per hour. Canisters, for example, are much more efficient than HOBs. Setting an arbitrary number of turnovers per hour without specifying filter format at least is counterproductive.

Very true RTR, cannisters can move more than hang on back types.

That said, not giving her something to work with doesn't help either! I have the Filstar XP2 which moves 300gph, I used it in conjunction with an Eheim 2213 on my 33xl tank and don't feel it was too much current or overfiltered. Even with cannisters, I still aim for 10x gph, personally. Easy to remember and a nice amount of current IMO.

Since the XP3 only moves 350gph.. its not really that much stronger than the XP2 I used on my 33xl tank.. so I have my doubts it would be as strong as she'll like on a tank that big.

Thanks for the input guys, it will do for now when it arrives and will invest in a much more powerful one by end of the year. Thanks so so much x

I massively over-filter just about all my tanks, generally with multiple units on each tank. I also segregate bio- and mechanical filtration. For mechanical filtration, I use the bottom of the size range given, and for higher current tanks may use up to two of those. For biofiltration only I use the top of the stated range.

The issue with different filter formats is really more about efficiency. HOBs are perhaps the least efficient filter format - bypass is a major issue and relatively inflexible return control is non-trivial - but they are the easiest units to maintain and among the least expensive. Canisters are among the most efficient formats, but they tend to be significantly more expensive and more difficult to maintain.

Rated output volumes are all based on motor output alone at zero head. That is so far from real-world that it is pathetic. Any resemblance to real in-use output is purely coincidental.

I found this web site. Do you guys agree with what its posted there.

http://www.aquariumfilterreviews.com/hang-on.htm

I can't comment on that. I do not use any HOBs.

I have used several biowheel filters, several whisper filters, and several aquaclears. The aquaclears are the best. They have the fewest bypass problems, a customizable media stack, last a long long time, have adjustable flow rate, and the closest to advertised flow. It's also very easy to extend the downspout, as the extenders are identical to the intakes that come with the filter and just slide right on the end, add as many as you like. You can also attach the Hangen/Fluval surface skimmer attachment to an aquaclear, which keeps the surface free of film should you have that problem and moves the intake even further from the output.

Also, I've just never had any problems with them a cleaning hasn't fixed.

+1, AC all the way for me, backed up by Eheim for larger tanks.

My favorite way is trickle filter and sump. lol

One of my filters is a HOB Cascade. I got to say that I'm very happy with it.