# I could use some filter selection help please



## 6Gears1Speed (Mar 18, 2013)

I've been doing a lot of reading here and elsewhere and I'm quite honestly fried and need some direction... I'm still not sure which way to go so I'm hoping that I could come up with a top 3 from you guys and then make my choice.

I used a Magnum 350 for years. The good part about them is that there is no proprietary expensive replaceable media packs required, they move a lot of water and parts are readily available. The bad part is that they tend to be on the loud side, especially because I've found it's nearly impossible to get all of the air out of them no matter what.

This new tank is 75G and is in our family room directly next to where we watch TV and do most everything so being quiet is high on my list. I also want to be able to use bulk charcoal like with the Magnum and be able to easily find parts like the Magnum. I have no experience with any other canisters that's why it's been difficult for me. I usually run a secondary hanger like an Aquaclear 300/70 but those are too loud and would like something quieter to hang as well.

So am I stuck with the Magnum or is there a better more quiet alternative? I know there are lots of threads but I'm getting thread fatigued. Thanks.


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## Brentt700 (Mar 14, 2013)

There will be many responses on which canister filters to use and I only have experience with my Fluval 205's (have three of them on a 75 gallon tank in my room where I sleep) and I can tell you that they are really quiet. No humming from the motors and no noises from the filters themselves. Only thing you'll get noise from is the outputs and where you place them at the water's surface and when the water level gets low due to evaporation. Now.....on the HOB filters....I have a HOST of them in my room as I have three tanks in there. I have used a Whisper 60 which was noisy. I use right now Fluval C-3's (two of them on two tanks), Aquaclear 50's (two of them on two tanks), a Marineland Bio-wheel 150 filter, and on the 75 gallon which is right next to my bed.....an Emperor 400, an Aquaclear 70, and a Fluval C-4. Out of all the HOB's I would easily say that the Fluval C series filters are the quietest out of all of them. There is virtually no noise out of them IMO. The Emperor 400 is probably the one that makes the most noise out of the lot of them, but I can tolerate it and I sleep easy in there as the noises don't bother me but for your threads sake......I would say out of all the ones I have used including the Tetra Whisper EX45, Marineland Bio-wheel 200, Aquaclear 500 (now Aquaclear 110) and all of the above mentioned filters.....the C-3 and C-4 are the quietest I have come across in a long time. Plus....they do a great job of filtration overall.


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

Well, for price, versatility of media configuration, and being quiet. The Aquatop CF series canisters are the best. I have 2 and they are dependable and extremly quiet also easy to use.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

You can always check the Product Reviews section at the top of the page to see some members experience with filter brands. It is much easier than going through the Equipment & Supplies forum.

What is your price range for a filter? There are low end up to top of the line filters available.


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## 6Gears1Speed (Mar 18, 2013)

Price would ideally be somewhere under $200. I also want to keep in mind operating costs. Not so much the electricity, which is important as well, but also with supplies. Being able to buy bulk like the big jugs of Marineland charcoal is good.

I know nothing about DIY sumps. Are they noisy? I have a decent amount of space in the cabinet I built.


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## Bd79 (Apr 11, 2011)

I think an Eheim Classic 2217 would be perfect. Extremely quiet and you can use whatever media you want.


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## 6Gears1Speed (Mar 18, 2013)

I looked at the reviews and I'm a bit overloaded with information. I think I need to step away for a while and look again tomorrow. :?


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## Wilson33 (Feb 19, 2008)

+1 for the Eheim 2217. You can use many different types of filter media, and the two I have are very quiet. I have read that some people use quilt batting as media, which is inexpensive. The media will be included when the filter arrives (or at least mine was, and I think it is standard practice).


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## 6Gears1Speed (Mar 18, 2013)

How does the disconnect feature work on the classic? I'm looking at their site and it doesn't really explain it for the classic. The pro disconnect feature looks excellent. Easy non-messy disconnect would be great. I always spilled water and had towels on hand when cleaning my Magnum.


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## Wilson33 (Feb 19, 2008)

If you buy one with the quick disconnect attachments, then it is a breeze. They attach to the tubing and you just turn the switch to close. You then unscrew the quick disconnects and will lose very little water. I do place a small towel underneath them when I unscrew them. The disconnects come with the package, or at least they do at the online retailer where I bought mine. They are also currently on sale. I have no connection whatsoever to this merchant.


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## Wilson33 (Feb 19, 2008)

One more suggestion would be to buy the diffuser (diffusor) as an outlet to replace the spraybar. I just received mine about 2 days ago, and I really like it. It was under $6. It adds tons of tiny air bubbles to the output without having to be powered by another source.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

+1 on the diffusor.


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## 6Gears1Speed (Mar 18, 2013)

The Aquatop CF500UV looks interesting but I usually hesitate on lesser known brands. It says it has a single disconnect valve which I like. I'm all for anything that makes maintenance easier. Reviews seem positive with the exception of comments about cheap connectors which is a bit concerning. But there aren't a whole lot of reviews to go on. It seems like a lot for a decent price but I always wonder about "You get what you pay for". I also don't know how accessible parts are.


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## Brentt700 (Mar 14, 2013)

"You get what you pay for" is something that I, as well, always have in the back of my mind......which is what has kept me far away from Sunsun or Aquatop brands or offshoot Chinese or made in Taiwan filters. I have heard nothing but good about Ehiem and although more expensive than most others out there.....I believe this is a prime example of getting what you are paying for. I wish I would have splurged and gotten a pair of Eheim filters when I first set up my 75 gallon tank versus running what I have now. Not that there is nothing wrong with the Fluval 205 filters that I am running at all. I just think I could get a better filtration from the Eheims and they also take less power to run. AND.....parts are readily available to get if you need to get replacement parts as well. Fluvals are the same as with lots of replacement parts readily available if needed. Plus.....it seems most local stores carry Fluval versus most other brands (at least around the Seattle-Tacoma area). I really hope you can find a filter for your tank that suits you well through all of these 'opinions' and replies. As I stated.....you will get responses all over the board on which ones are suggested and who is using what. Remember.....every filter is going to work essentially. It's just how well and for how long, and I always think about the longevity aspect about it with getting parts for it and how easy it would be to get them from either a LFS or online for the particular filter as a factor with my decision. If it will be hard to get parts for OR it is a small company that no one carries the filter but a VERY few online places.....I would think twice about getting that particular filter personally. Who cares if it costs "X" amount of dollars and "you get a UV light, too!!" ...... if it is hard to find parts for or if it is a small offshoot brand filter made in China or Taiwan that will save me $75, no thanks. I would rather pony up and spend a decent amount for a good product that has a good availability of replacement parts if I need them versus a headache and a useless piece of plastic later. JMO, though.


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

I have had an Aquatop 400CF uv up and running for 20 months. No problems what so ever. Purchased new for $89. I also bought one on Ebay for $35. Just needed uv crystal and bulb. Rumors of ehieim going to China also. opcorn:


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## 6Gears1Speed (Mar 18, 2013)

I learned by way of barbeque grills the importance of buying a widely distributed name like Weber :lol: . I bought a really nice Jenn-Air grill, but parts are impossible to find and they are EXPENSIVE. You can find Weber grill parts in every hardware store in America.

Good filtration
Easy maintenance
Accessible parts
Quiet
Durable

That's what I'm looking for. Come to think of it, that's probably what we're ALL looking for :wink: .


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## Brentt700 (Mar 14, 2013)

..............exactly. Rumors. They are still, however, sold in LABELED made in Germany boxes though, so we'll see about that one. Nice poke back, too. LOL! :roll:


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## Brentt700 (Mar 14, 2013)

Check out Fluval if you are seriously thinking among those lines of thoughts. They are widely distributed in stores all around. MANY different models to choose from being 206-306-406 or the FX5 or FX6 filters. Like I stated.....I run three 205's just mere feet away from my bed and I do not hear a sound out of them! I can, however, hear the Emperor 400 whirring which really even then isn't that loud. I, personally, like the trickling sounds of the water from the filters and canister outlet nozzles as it reminds me of sleeping next to a brook. Kind of peaceful in my opinion and it puts me to sleep, actually. LOL!


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## 6Gears1Speed (Mar 18, 2013)

After much consideration I decided on a Fluval 406. It just arrived and unless someone gives me a good reason to not open it I'll put it into service this weekend. I've never owned a Fluval but went with it due to one of my requirements that parts are readily available. I've seen Fluval parts in every pet store I've ever been to so I know I have that covered. As far as doing it's job I haven't read anything that would lead me to believe that it won't be a fine filter. In the Mid $100's it was where I wanted to be as far as price too. The others that were mentioned seem fine too but I'll give this a try. Wish me luck :lol: .


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## Brentt700 (Mar 14, 2013)

Good choice. Eheim and Fluval seems to be the most popular out of all of the filters. MOST stores do carry Fluval parts and CAN special order them if they do not have them in stock if they carry Fluval filters and parts. I have loved my three 205's except when one had a bad o-ring and dribbled out the side and leaked. But.....changing the o-ring sealed her right up just like new. The other two have NEVER had any issues with leaks for the last almost two years of continual running, and they are quiet as well. I am going to revamp my filtering system towards the end of this year with two Eheim Pro 3 2075 as biological filters and I DO want a solely chemical filter so I am still deciding on whether to go for a Fluval 306 and cut the dividers out of the baskets to fit my media inside them OR just use one of my 205's I already have. I want to switch to the Eheim Pro 3 as they have 1.5 liter baskets that can hold a LOT of media like my Seachem Matrix and my Eheim Ehfisubstrat Pro media. I may even load one up with Azoo Bio-Glass ceramic media as well.

I really don't care what people think about my "overfiltration" habits as my tank has always taken extremely well testing readings with the master kit as well as the Phosphate kit, the GH kit, The KH kit, the Oxygen kit (which reads high in oxygen content which really surprised me!) and I keep a steady PH throughout the water change cycles. The fish are as colorful as can be.....like neon colored and very healthy and I don't have to go in and clean my canister filters but every four months and they aren't even that dirty at this point. Same with the HOB's. Might be due to the OVERFILTRATION but I can honestly say that not any of the filters get very dirty and the gravel on the bottom of the tank stays rather clean as well. You do the math on this one. So......essentially, I have a tank I do water changes every two weeks about 40% or so and never touch the filters until four months pass by. I have tested this and watched this for almost the last two years. If anyone has anything rash to say about this practice......feel free to come on over to my house and check out my tank. My doors are always open to naysayers.


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## 6Gears1Speed (Mar 18, 2013)

I over filtrate too. This one will be the primary but I haven't decided on the secondary and thirdary yet :lol: .


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## Brentt700 (Mar 14, 2013)

Don't let all the people who tell you you are a fool for doing what you are doing get to you. I did what I wanted to do and I think what I did paid off. I religiously tested the **** out of my waters and tank for a LONG time and never had any issues. In fact.....I found out I could go longer in between what all of these guys on here were saying to do with maintenance due to my testings and what little dirt and sum I had inside of my filters. Remind you....my filters are all biological so they have Seachem Matrix, Eheim Ehfisubstrat Pro, Azoo Bio-glass, etc in them along with assorted Aquaclear Bio-max in bags and other assorted media in bags holding the Matrix inside the HOB filters like the Aquaclears. In the canisters, it is mostly Seachem Matrix but a few baskets have Eheim Ehfisubstrat Pro media in them. Every four months when I clean them out a LITTLE bit of sludge comes out with them, bit I have a sieve I use to clean out the media and it works well. Then.....back inside the canister for another four months.


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## 6Gears1Speed (Mar 18, 2013)

My main reason for over filtration is redundancy. I like to be able to remove one filter for a complete overhaul or replacement while leaving the others there doing there job. Just like having two heaters. To be honest, I rarely test my tanks. Once they get going they just go and these guys are pretty hardy. Regular water changes with some trace elements and chemistry is all I do. The only time I had a problem was after a few years I started to get bored and lazy about changes. When that happens this time I'll just shut it down and give my fish away.


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## Brentt700 (Mar 14, 2013)

My main reason was NOT redundancy. Mine started out with one 205 taking care of 40 gallons worth of tank so I got two. The third I got because I wanted to add a chemical filtration aspect to the system as well. NOW.....the HOB's I have had laying around for a while and decided to use them just for the **** of it thinking that it couldn't hurt having more filtration sucking up detrius and stray bits of junk floating in the tank and as time went on I decided to convert them as well into biological filters with Seachem matrix inside all of them. Even the C-4's wet-dry chamber bed. I honestly was thinking they all served a purpose and I still think that they do. Yeah.....you can take a few off and have the tank run just fine most likely but that isn't what I planned for it and it's set up. I have two 205's that are full of Matrix, Eheim Ehfisubstrat Pro media, Azoo Bio-Glass, and Seachem Denitrate (since the flow is so low at 180 advertised.....must be half of that full of media). Another reason why I added the HOB's since the 205's only put out 180gph EMPTY. Full of media.......maybe 70-80gph?


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## Wilson33 (Feb 19, 2008)

Congrats on making your selection, 6gears! You should filter your tank with what makes the most sense to you. You are much better off using more filtration than less. I know that the Fluval replacement parts are much more readily available at the LFS than Eheim in my area. This helps if there is an emergency. If there are parts or media that you know for sure will need to be replaced, then you might want to compare the prices of your LFS vs. an online retailer. The online retailers can't help you in an emergency, though.


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## 6Gears1Speed (Mar 18, 2013)

In my area there is virtually no Eheim in stores. I never even heard of them before I registered here. I did buy Eheim heaters though and got them online. I actually do most of my shopping online but I wanted Fluval for just what you said. In an emergency I can go anywhere for parts, even though i do tend to keep critical spare parts. Like I said, I learned my lesson with my grill. Great grill but I can't find parts and they cost too much when I can find them.


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## Wilson33 (Feb 19, 2008)

I think that your strategy is a good one! I know that I can't buy Eheim replacement parts anywhere near me. It gives you peace of mind knowing replacement parts can be bought at a moments notice.

Are you going to change the background? I had a similar one for about 12 years, and I liked it. I did switch to black recently, but I need to wait a while to add more fish. I'll see if I like the new background then, I guess.


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## Brentt700 (Mar 14, 2013)

I am so happy for you! You got a great filter and thought about the future consequences of needing parts and being stuck in the water with NO parts around to be found. Very clever! And since the merge from Aquaclear to Fluval recently, there is bound to be more parts a lot more easily to be found at many different stores. In my area I have Bridges Pets....Denny's Pet world....The Fish Store.....and of course the larger ones such as Petsmart and Petco. ALL carry Fluval parts. The smaller stores I mentioned first carry things as o-rings, impellers, foam, etc......while the Petsmart stores carry regular supplies such as inserts etc. I don't use inserts in my Fluvals at ALL. In fact, I load them up with Seachem Matrix media in two baskets and in one basket I tried Eheim Ehfisubstrat Pro media to see how it would work since I heard good things about it form many people. On yours.....you would be wise to keep the 3-dimensional foam on the bottom basket and do whatever you want with the three "free" baskets above it. I do NOT use carbon on any of my filters except for taking out medications in the tanks water if I treat them. I also don't really like to use zeolite (ammonia remover) as it doesn't do much good in an established tank. Kind of a waste of money and purpose. I would read up on Matrix and see if it's something you are interested in using in your filter. It works wonders and I am a FIRM believer of it. Her's a link............

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product ... atrix.html


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## Brentt700 (Mar 14, 2013)




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