# Newbie NEEDS Canister Filter Advice



## U_Hoo (Jan 13, 2013)

Hello. I'm new to the forum, well at least to posting. I've been lurking for several weeks and reading-reading-reading all the EXCEPTIONAL advice found here  I have a 55 gal that just started cycling with pfs substrate, Aqueon 250w heater, 3 pieces of driftwood, and homemade rocks/caves (well, they're still curing  ) all greatly anticipating some yellow labs, acei's and possibly some rubin peacocks. Currently, I have an AC70 HOB, but I know I need a canister to supplement. I've narrowed(?) the list down to: EHEIM 2217, Fluval 406, or an Aquatop CF500UV. I'm really leaning towards the Aquatop, but I was wondering if some experienced Aquarians had any suggestions or comments? I don't want to be lured by the Aquatop's 'shiny' factor (ooh, UV light) only to discover for a few dollars price difference I should've gone with the Fluval, etc. Thanks!


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## S2K_Alex (Jul 2, 2012)

well i personally just got rid of my 406 because the same amount of biomax you would have in a AC110 will be in 2 baskets of the fluval, and has a alright... flow nothing to strong, i do give it this though it was quiet and nice but i think it was just a little over priced. now the CF500UV is really good for the price but my dilemma with this canister is the construction of the plastic is very weak ,and you will find people saying just because when taking it apart. i dont know about you but i dont want to spend 100 bucks on a canister and prying to god it wont brake when i need to service it. now the Eheim i believe is your better contender from them all, i had an ECCO version that i got for free and it was really solid and quiet but the flow was a little weak and i know eheims are not the best flowers but i guess in a way thats good because you do want some dwell time from the water being in the canister and comming out treated, so really its down to you personal prefrence


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## U_Hoo (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks, S2K. From reading different posts, I kinda got the feeling it's all personal preference in this price range; just wanted to see if anyone had strong objections to any of them.


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

Go for the EHEIM 2217 ... I have 2 of them and love them. I'm in the process of stocking Eheim's...LOL...getting what I can when I can as I love them. Parts are easy to come by and not too expensive. They are easy to maintain too. You can get a used one on ebay for about $70 plus shipping and for a newer one something over $100. You will not regret it. The 2217 holds 6L of media...that's good bang for the buck.


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## S2K_Alex (Jul 2, 2012)

EDIT^^^^ Now the CF500UV is really good for the price but my dilemma with this canister is the construction of the plastic is very weak ,and you will find a lot ofpeople saying just be careful because when your taking it apart you can or might brake something. I dont know about you but i dont want to spend 100 bucks on a canister and pray to god it wont brake when i need to service it.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

S2K_Alex said:


> EDIT^^^^ Now the CF500UV is really good for the price but my dilemma with this canister is the construction of the plastic is very weak ,and you will find a lot ofpeople saying just be careful because when your taking it apart you can or might brake something. I dont know about you but i dont want to spend 100 bucks on a canister and pray to god it wont brake when i need to service it.


What plastic do you mean specifically? I have two of these along with other canister filters and the build or plastic seems about the same to me. I do think that the Eheim classic series seems to be the best built of all these filters.


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## U_Hoo (Jan 13, 2013)

Sooooooo, all of you like the Eheim's over the other filters. Even with the lower water flow? It's a little early for math for me, but I only have an AC70 on my 55g which is rated for 300gph. The Eheim is rated for 263gph (low flow as S2K stated). That would only be BARELY the minimum gph. Would I then need a third filter for extra gph? I'm still just cycling and I'm already having water issues (water appears slightly greenish and things felt slightly slimy when I did a 50% water change yesterday - another thread topic  )


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Welcome to C-F!!

Don't be too hung up on the GPH rating of filters, many of us when we were just getting into aquariums thought that more flow was better. It is important to have efficient filtration that utilizes both mechanical and biological filter media.

As noted in some of the responses, everyone seems to have a different 'favorite' brand of filter, whether it be a canister, power filter (HOB), sponge filter or sump. You can check out the *Product Reviews *section of the forum to see some recommendations of members.

My two cents would be Eheim since I've had excellent results with them but I have not tried most of the other brands others are using.


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## U_Hoo (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks for the welcome! I guess I'm 're-leaning' towards the Eheim  As I stated, I tend to get caught up in product's 'shiny' factor, and just needed some experienced advice. Thanks again everyone!


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## eTrain (Oct 15, 2012)

The AC70 should cover your mechanical and agitation. So your flow rates shouldn't be a huge issue in your canister.


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## S2K_Alex (Jul 2, 2012)

U_Hoo said:


> Sooooooo, all of you like the Eheim's over the other filters. Even with the lower water flow? It's a little early for math for me, but I only have an AC70 on my 55g which is rated for 300gph. The Eheim is rated for 263gph (low flow as S2K stated). That would only be BARELY the minimum gph. Would I then need a third filter for extra gph? I'm still just cycling and I'm already having water issues (water appears slightly greenish and things felt slightly slimy when I did a 50% water change yesterday - another thread topic  )


well like i said the 406 that i had worked very well but its also not just about how much you can turn around your water, like i also mentioned its about the dwell time and if you pack 3 baskets with nothing but biomax and keeping the sponge at the very end with a polishing it will defenetly treat your water super good, the only reason i sold mine was to see just how good or terrible the fx5 will be because everyone on here says the fx5 is **** but a lot of people with turtles that release high amounts of ammonia and are super messy. the fx5 does the job perfect for them and if you check on there sites they swear by the fx5 same thing with oscars, goldfish and other fish that are messy. My theory with these canisters is that if you maintain any canister with the proper maintenance, it will take care of you. But if you pack it with way to much stuff or pads that will get clogged up easily then your just asking and trying to over work your filter. simply its like a half ton truck if you haul a big trailer with a big load eventually it will give out compared to a diesel truck that is more capable of doing that type of hauling.
Actually the guy i sold my 406 has 5 406's powering in each tank of his Red Dragon Flowerhorns and told me that not once, has any of the units ever given him any type of problems. and has had 3 of them since they came out and little by little he has been buying them in different time frames, so you be the judge. which is why you should go with which ever appeals to you more


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## slb.76 (Jul 30, 2012)

I have two eheim canister filters on my 90 gallon:

1-Eheim Pro 2 2026 (3 yrs running, no issues)
2-Eheim Pro 3 2075 Ultra G160 (1 month running, no issues)

And man I'll tell ya, its pure silent, my tank is crystal clear, and I have about 25 cichlids in there with PFS.


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## b3w4r3 (Dec 14, 2012)

Have you considered a wet dry? You can DIY a very efficient wet dry using two 5 gallon buckets and a 20 gallon aquarium for a sump. You can make an overflow out of some PVC pipe. The biggest expense would be a return pump, and a mag drive 5 or 7 would do it nicely.


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