# Fluval 305 ok for 75 gallon tank (with Biowheel too)?



## BigOrangeXJ (Aug 4, 2010)

I am looking to set up a 75 gallon Malawi tank in the near future and have been told my a lot of people to go with a Fluval canister filter. I was looking at the 305 which handles up to a 70 gallon tank because I was originally looking to get a 55 gallon setup, but I wanted something with a little more depth. So I have an old Biowheel 330 that I use to use on a 20 gallon. If I supplemented the 305 with the biowheel 330, would this be enough filtration? I am looking to overstock the tank to reduce aggression/territories, and I understand very frequent/weekly water changes are key. Thanks much.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

Welcome to CF.........
I would put the 330 into use just because you have it already.
It has allot of good features and parts are still available for it.
I`m a fan of the Penguin bio wheel arrangement. 
Simple and effective.
No extra tubes, valves, bells or whistles.
The 305 is a decent enough filter, but thinking of the future it would probably let you down.
As your fish grow, you will be shocked at the amount of crud they can produce and you will end up doing more than weekly WC to keep the tank clean.
I would look for a filter with more media capacity and a higher flow rate.
$0.02


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

KaiserSousay said:


> The 305 is a decent enough filter, but thinking of the future it would probably let you down.
> 
> I would look for a filter with more media capacity and a higher flow rate.


That is not made by Fluval (unless it contains the phrase FX5 in the name). :thumb: :lol:

You are going to spend between $150 and $180 on a Fluval 305. You can pick up an Eheim 2217 for the same amount of money, if not less, and have a filter that holds much more media, at an engineered flow rate (which is about the same as a 305), and will last forever (which, the odds are against the 305 lasting for more than 3-5 years). Or... for the same amount of money, (if not less) you could get a Marineland C-360 and have a filter with about 4x the media capacity and 100GPH higher flow rate.

The only filter that has ever really given me consistent grief is the Fluval x0x line (as in 304,404,305,405). I cannot recommend them. The other two filters I do recommend, I own both and am perfectly happy with both.

A little over a year ago, Fluval tacked on between $60 and $100 to the "xox" line of filters. One day, you could pick up a 405 at about $150, the next day it was $250. Nothing changed other than the price. And they certainly ARE NOT $60 to $100 better than the Eheim or Marineland filters I mentioned. If anything, they are inferior.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

i'd ditch the idea of any fluval 05 series canister

i'll throw in the renas for consideration, i manage to cram a good bit of media into mine, and still takes a few gallons of water to fill them, good flow rates, easy to maintain.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

As someone who likes Fluval (!), I'll throw my two cents in --

I have a planted 58 gallon with a Fluval 405 AND 305. I wouldn't even be satisfied with a *405 *and a biowheel on a 75 gallon overstocked African tank.


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