# New Pump/Filter Needed--suggestions



## mike_302 (Feb 4, 2006)

Hey all,

I've had a silly MArineland Magnum for my 90 gallon now for about 2 years. It's still in working condition and all but I'm soon leaving the house for school and leaving it to my parents. My dad will have that canister out the window in 2 months if he has to keep caring for that thing because there are so many tiny things to worry about! The seals have to be perfect, the hoses are about 2 inches too long in behind so an air trap gets stuck every time we clean the filter, the filter media gets stuck in the very bottom and starts making scraping noises, then we have to take it all apart and reclean it... Everything is very picky about this filter. Mind you, I think it does a pretty good clean but maybe I could be getting something better.

So I'm buying htem a new filter but I would like your suggestions! Bear in mind all that I've complained about here, and what I'm looking for in a new filter. I've read the reviews but I would like to be sure that those top 3 or 5 canister filters are all free of these tiny little quirks.

Thanks all in advance!

Mike


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## maddyfish (Jul 23, 2004)

My opinion if you don't want your dad to have to do too much work, get a hang on back filter. You may have to change a cartridge fairly often, but you don't have to worry about priming it, or the seal leaking, or the hoses coming loose.


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## sjlchgo (Mar 2, 2008)

Aquaclear 110....easy, cheap and your dad won't pull his hair out.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

At the risk of the tank making a trickling sound... I would suggest an Aqua Clear 110 Hang On Back filter...

To clean the filter, leave him a 1 gal pitcher near the tank... turn the filter off... remove the sponge... put it in the pitcher... take it to the tub/spicket... rinse in well... put it back in place... turn the filter back on...

Many people will suggest against just rinsing it in chlorinated water, but in my experience with them, any loss of beneficial bacteria that comes from rinsing the sponge has negligable effect on the overall bacteria colony in the system. I have about a dozen of them in use and have been servicing them this way for years. Just be sure to let him know not to mess with the ceramic rings in the bottom, as they house a lot of the bacteria you want.

To simplify this cleaning method, I suggest plugging any/all heaters and filters into a single power strip (but not the tank lights). This way when it's time to clean he can flick one little button and everything (except the lights) stops and the system is ready for maintenance. Plug the lights into a timer and pluf the timer into the other socket and your all set.

With the HOB style filter, it will be a little more important to keep the water level topped off, or else the water returning to the tank can get noisy. But at the same time, when topping off the tank we should be doing a partial water change at the same time to remove wastes and prevent the minerals and such from building up.

Congratts on getting into school


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## brycerb (Dec 23, 2007)

Any of the rena XP's are good. I have an XP4, people say the flow is reduced because of the extra tray, I'm not sure. I love my XP, take it apart, clean, put back together, then prime. Too easy.


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## kodyboy (Dec 9, 2007)

for ease of maintenance a pair of AC110s that are cleaned once every month alternating (so actually once every two months, clean one of them month one, the other month two) each with prefilters cleaned weekly is probably the easiest way to go. 
If you really want a canister the rena XPs XP3/XP4 are great as are the marineland C360s. Eheims are very nice too, but expensive.


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## mike_302 (Feb 4, 2006)

Thanks all! The HOB style is a valid suggestion but at the same time, he is not THAT incompetent and incapable. I love the whole "no hose falling out" and "no leaking" part of one response.... The leaking has occured to me before (tank leak) and its on the main floor of the house (finished basement--> not good). But at the same time, I think I am limited for space and the HOB is incapable of fitting behind the tank (and ill be ****** if its anywhere NEAR possible to move that tank, or even worth the time and effort). Just as well, he was almost satisfied with the 2 month clean cycle on the Magnum, so the 3-4 month on the Eheim Pro II for example looks to be acceptable.

I have not picked on up yet, but in looking around at my options, the Eheim Pro II is $240 (2028 series) on sale, CDN. Considering hte $300 tag on my magnum, and that the magnum is still in good enough condition to get maybe... $20-$40 for, I am fine with the Eheim cost.

So, yes I have been reading hte reviews and all, but I am wondering in terms of my specific scenario: He was originally "satisfied" with doing the Magnum 350 maintenance, but I could tell he wanted something easier... I also want something that is just overall, BETTER than the magnum 350... And last: In terms of water issues: Which was more likely to leak? the 350 or the eheim pro II ? considering all the connections the Magnum 350 had in order to split the output to the jets and the biowheel.

Thanks all for your help so far! I really do appreciate the input on the HOB, but that might not be the type of "ease" I am looking for... If that makes sense? Haha

Hope to here from you soon.

Mike


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## Pilgrim (Mar 28, 2005)

brycerb said:


> Any of the rena XP's are good. I have an XP4, people say the flow is reduced because of the extra tray, I'm not sure. I love my XP, take it apart, clean, put back together, then prime. Too easy.


Fill the xp with water when you put it back together, then no priming necessary.


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## mike_302 (Feb 4, 2006)

Hey all. I'm goign to big al's in about an hour. I am hoping to get some opinion on my specific case by that time. Hope to here back soon!

Thanks,

Mike


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## mike_302 (Feb 4, 2006)

Hey all. I'm goign to big al's in about an hour. I am hoping to get some opinion on my specific case by that time. Hope to here back soon!

Thanks,

Mike

p.s. read my last post to understand more accurately what I'm after.


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## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

Pilgrim said:


> brycerb said:
> 
> 
> > Any of the rena XP's are good. I have an XP4, people say the flow is reduced because of the extra tray, I'm not sure. I love my XP, take it apart, clean, put back together, then prime. Too easy.
> ...


That's what I do.
Mike,
What did you end up getting?


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## mike_302 (Feb 4, 2006)

well, I'm going out at about 5:30 to pick up a Pro II 2028 from Big Al's. The battle on hte net seems to tell me: 2028 and XP3 are hte top. People who say XP3 also quote that it's the "value for oyur money" ... People who say Eheim don't talk about money. To be honest, for the sake of all the quotes about eheim being such a GREAT build and amazing construction, I'll pay a little bit more ($240, install kit and media included) for that quality, sell the Magnum 350 Pro with biowheel for maybe $40 flat, and call it a day. Splitting it 50/50 with ma pappy so its all good money-wise.

My only concerns/questions are this:

Is the Pro II 2028 going to be that much easier to clean, and much more..... Resistant to leaking (at least in feeling) than the Magnum 350? (I mean, hte 350 has so many connections, the plastic cyclinder feels thin. Burping it involves tipping it and twisting the intake tubes to an uncomfortable level... etc etc)

And I keep hearing about some seal problem on a efw Eheim Pro II's... Is it really that common? Mind you, I plan on picking up the spare orings to ensure I dont go a day without fitlration, if need be.


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## brycerb (Dec 23, 2007)

"And I keep hearing about some seal problem on a efw Eheim Pro II's... Is it really that common? Mind you, I plan on picking up the spare orings to ensure I dont go a day without fitlration, if need be."

I never heard of any problem like this on the "cheaper" XP. :thumb:


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## mike_302 (Feb 4, 2006)

hahaha, I didn't mean to supply you with a hit against the Eheim! But as I said, I also keep hearing about insanely good construction on the Eheim that I am not hearing praise about from the XP3 fanboys.... I'll pay for that construction. A leaky o-Ring won't spray water out THAT fast (I don't think) or else it will be noticeable over time (I work parttime in a pool store sellign pool pumps and fitlers, etc. so I'm fairly experienced in those types of "leaky" situations)


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## mike_302 (Feb 4, 2006)

Ok, picked up the Eheim Pro 2 2028 .... Will be setting it up in a few weeks (I just cleaned the filter on the Magnum 350 the other day, so I might as well let that use itself up)


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