Equipment Review and Discussion :: Filter upgrade

[jenaero]

I know this has been asked before but I'm wondering about others' experiences with different filters. I've got a 50 gal tank with a Fluval 4plus that's just not doing it's job anymore. I have to do 80% water changes every 1 or 2 weeks and it's driving me nuts. I know little about what kinds are out there, but I'm guessing a cannister filter would be best. I'm looking to buy one next week. My next tank upgrade will be at least a 125 gallon so I'm looking for something that will handle that. The best I could find at the local stores is a Fluval 404 or something similar but it says on the box that it's only rated for 75 gallons?

any input is appreciated.

[steve]

I have a 125 gallon tank that has about 70-75 gallons of water. I'm using an XP3 and a Fluval 304.

I'm not crazy about the minor leak my Fluval has, though it's pretty easy to prime (so easy I forgot about it yesterday and it started to siphon water out of the tank and onto the floor). It's more of a chore for me to clean than the XP3 and the media that comes with the XP3 is lasting longer.

I had to do partial changes frequently this summer to cool it down but I'm aiming to do a 100% change every 6 weeks. BTW, I usually feed in tank and the water seems pretty good though I have not gotten a test kit yet.

I'm considering getting one of those AquaClears to help in the mechanical filtration and loading extra bio media into the XP3.

[marisa]

The XP3 would work in a 50-gallon and larger when you upgrade. I thought I read somewhere that the fluval 404 canister was rated for 100 gallons...A lot depends on what you have in the tank, feed in the tank, etc., though, in terms of a filter being efficient.

[cam722]

marisa, When I had asked about upgrading filters and did some research I found the different specs for the top 2 filters (XP3 and Filstar 404) and compared them with my Aquaclear 110.. maybe that's where you remember seeing it ..

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1224&highlight=filter

It was part of that discussion

[marisa]

No, I thought it was on ATP (but I do remember the discussion in which you posted specs). I went back and checked--the Fluval is rated for 75 gallons and the XP3 is rated for 100 gallons. This is for turtles--for fish the ratings are significantly higher. Somewhere, though, I thought the Fluval had been rated for 100 gallons as well, but it could have been someone's estimation based on their experience with it.

For a filled 125 gallon or larger, two filters would be needed (or a pond filter).

[jenaero]

ok, so how big is a pond filter? What is a good kind?

[cam722]

Ok, marisa, I remember reading something on that site too about the filters, I can't find it right now either. Go figure right??

good luck on the pond filters jenaero.. I've been searching them for a few weeks, I know marisa has been doing the same but for longer.. its a major purchase and one you don't want to make a mistake on because it could be costly from what I'm seeing.

[marisa]

Yep, if you're talking pond filters, that's where I currently am. I'm not sure you'd want a pond filter in a 50-gallon tank, though, even for the few months before you upgrade.

[jenaero]

I'm just looking for something simple to clean and will handle a 125 later on. I guess I'll check out the xp3...I didn't realize these filters were rated for turtles. That's a relief.

[steve]

I think the previous discussion was in turtle ratings not turtle specific filters. I've seen maybe 2 or 3 filters marketed for turts but they are usually for small tanks.

What is your current filter rated for and do you find it easy to clean? (I want to experiment with dual filter setups)

[jenaero]

Me? I don't know what the fluval 4plus is rated for. Probably for a 50 or 75 gallon fish tank. It's easy to clean, yea, but with a turtle mess instead of a fish mess it gets pretty nasty.

[marisa]

The Fluval 4 plus is rated for a tank up to 57 gallons (it's on the box). I found it a major pain to clean and I hated the outflow, which was barely adjustable. The sponges are crappy and the other media you can buy for it isn't enough to really do anything--it has no biomedia to speak of.

The specs given above for the XP3 and fluval 404 are for turtles and I think are based on experienced turtle keepers' opinions after actual use of the different models. Any canister has been made with fish in mind, so the specs on boxes are for fish aquariums. All the ones I've seen that advertise themselves for reptiles/turtles are submersibles. Whoever designs/markets them obviously doesn't own any turtles...

[GouzlanTheAmerican]

get one of thease babys!
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_ ... 6383728100