Canister filter upgrade

[Drewbacca]

I have a 55 gallon with a Tetra Whisper 60 HOB filter currently. I’d like to upgrade my filtering and move up to a canister. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Fluval 406 and the Eheim Classic 2215 or 2217. Now Fluval’s 407 is coming out soon. It’s not available yet but is in the UK. Would you wait for the 407, or go ahead with the 2215 or 2217? This would be my first canister, and I’ve been trying to keep things as low maintenance as possible.

As far as stocking, I have mostly small shoaling fish like tetras and danios, but I also have a few mollies, cory cats, a clown pleco, mystery snails, and some RCS. I also have some Italian Val, Java Fern, and a driftwood bonsai tree with java moss.

 

[fishorama]

I like 2 filters on all my tanks of 20g or more. I have an old Fluval 404 & AC 70 on a 75g...so I'd keep both filters going for your 55g, whichever 1 you choose. It makes maintenance easier, you can rinse the heck out of either 1 every 2 or 3+ weeks without any issues.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I concur with two filters and two heaters as well. Single point failure and all that.

When I first got into the hobby, forums were where the action was due to little or no social media, I read and/or chatted on a bunch of sites. One of the things I kept seeing posted/said often enough to take note was folks saying they had one or more Eheim canisters running for well over decade. When the time came after 3 years that I needed a canister, the Eheim Pro IIs had just come out. I went with my first in 2003 or so, it is still working fine today. I now have three in total running, all 2026. I have both a 2026 and 2028, NIB, on the shelf. I bought my last 3 on Ebay years back.

My first Eheim doubled as my pressurized co2 reactor for a 50 gal. planted tank for the first 10 years. It was the only filter on that tank and the only heater was an inline Hydor. I pushed the gas directly into the filter intake. The filter is as quiet and effective as the day it came out of the box and the Hydor is still working well with it. I have a Hydor inline with my other two running canisters and two Hydors, NIB, on the shelf.

Eheims are the only canisters I have used. There is only one downside to them, they tend to be one of the more expensive options out there. But, as my mother taught me a very long time ago, "In the long run, the cheapest solution is usually the one that costs the most up front."

 

[fishorama]

I haven't used Eheims, but Rena 3's (I still have 3 but don't use right now) & the current Fluval 404 are all I know. Eheims have the "name" but they're often very over rated for tank filtering compacity, in the "olden" days they had a rock solid reputation...but like many cos., I think they've been gobbled up by a big conglomerate. They're not as they were in the early days from all I read. Still reliable but not like "back in the day".

I haven't tried them, but Freshy Fresh (Joel) has quite a bit of experience with the inexpensive sunsun canisters. That may be option too.

I don't heat my tanks where I live now, but I'd say heaters are the weakest part of our hobby these days. They've always been iffy, submersibles are better than HOB heaters by a long shot, I haven't tried inlines like Hydors.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

First, Rolf C. Hagen Group is a mini pet conglomerate which owns Fluval. You can see all their brands here http://usa.hagen.com/ourbrands

Next, Eheim is still an independant company, not part of a conglomerate. They pretty much do only aquarium related products. https://www.eheim.com/en_GB/home

Rena is owned by Mars which has as one of its divisions, pet care. They make food and other products unrelatde to fish keeping. https://www.mars.com/made-by-mars

If I had a dime for every time I saw somebody claim that Eheim is not what it used to be, I would be very rich. Fluval used to have a rep as crap and I have not yet seen a post about a Fluval or sunsun running great after a decade+.

I use Hydor inlines. I bought my first one to go with my first Eheim and that heater still works great. They are likely the most reliable heater I have owened. I say that also believing there is basically no such thing as a reliable brand of heater. I have had almost all of the fail sooner or later. I can say I have a couple of 18+ year old Ebo Jaegers still running OK. O also have Ebos that crapped out after a few years.

One last note here. It is as much about the filter media as it isa bout the filter. As far as i am concerned the best filtration available are the Hamburg Mattenfilters. I make mine using Poret foam from Swiss tropicals. I also loaded my 3rd Eheim 2026 with only 20 PPI foam in both baskets. There are not floss pads or carbon or anything else, just poret foam. This filter runs on a 75 gal planted tank along with an AquaClear 300. The AC is loaded with two sponges and a layer of floss, Both filters have pre-filter sponges on the intake.

I do weekly 50% water changes and I swap out the floss from the AC and I rinse both sponges in tank water in a bucket. When I set up the Eheim with the Poret, I asked Dr. Tanner of Swiss Tropicals when I should clean it. My other two canisters I have cleaned twice a year since they went into service. He told me to clean it when I can see the output flow slowing. I have now been waiting for about three years for this to happen. I can also tell you that of the four mattenfilters I run, I have only removed one for cleaning after I had it up for 3+ years. I can also guarantee you that my tank water where I use the mattens and the Poret foam cubes likely has clearer water than 98% of the tanks you will see. The reason is simple. Most solid wastes in a tank are organic. In the proper media, this will be broken down and consumed by small to micro organisms.

If you would like to learn the science behind filtration, read these two articles in order:
http://www.swisstropicals.com/library/aquarium-biofiltration/
http://www.swisstropicals.com/library/mattenfilter/

 

[the loach]

When I set up the Eheim with the Poret, I asked Dr. Tanner of Swiss Tropicals when I should clean it. My other two canisters I have cleaned twice a year since they went into service. He told me to clean it when I can see the output flow slowing. I have now been waiting for about three years for this to happen.

The Dr. is exactly right. There is no need to clean until the output flow is slowing. I also have a couple of Eheims that I only need to clean every couple of years. When people say that Eheim isn't what they used to be they mean the design of the filters. They aren't all as good and durable as their classic filters. As matter of fact, I still have to see the first that is more reliable as their classic. While many of their newer designs are certainly easier to install/clean, they are prone to leaking when the power goes out, and have plastic parts that easily break.

 

[Rbishop]

Like many hobbyists, I also prefer a sole manufacturer's canister. For me, it is Marineland Magnums or "C" Series. Very rare have I ever had any issues they easily hit 12-15 years minimum. My experience is many folks stick with the first style they bought which was often staying away from a style they had issues with. Ironically those bad ones were often ones they got used.

I also agree with the loach...seems all the manufacturers have made improvements but often at the cost of thinner plastic parts that aren't as durable, IMO.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

{quote}While many of their newer designs are certainly easier to install/clean, they are prone to leaking when the power goes out, and have plastic parts that easily break. {/quote]

You can say that about every single piece og aquarium equipment brand that has been around for the last 25 or more years. My first hang-on was and Emperor 400 follwed by and Aquaclear 200. The former broke after about 10 years and I replaced it it with the then current version. I sent it back after having it on a tank for about 30 minutes. I still have the AC. I peaked at about 26 running ACs bough over about 12 years. The more recently they were made the thinner the plastic. I am down to 18 and am about to swap out another 5 over the summer.

Here is the key to great filtration, massive amounts of good media to host organisms. And the thing about that is it brings another benefit, it requires a whole lot less maintenance. It is also why the Hamburg mattenfilter (in various configurations) is the second best filtration one can use in a tank. the best is a planted substrate, but not all tanks or fish keepers may use this method.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

While I concur with the thinner plastic aide of things, it had to be done for two reasons. The first was to compete with cheaper brands. But the bigger issue with canisters was the move from an analog world to a digital one.

Every facet of a classic or a Pro II Eheim is analog.