Upgrading an Emperor 280 to Fluval 205?

[Andrew.]

Would it be worth it to upgrade an Emperor 280 to a Fluval 205? My brother doesn't want his anymore and is willing to sell me it for $80, and I know he paid around $120 for it. He has only used it once and claimed it messed up his salinity, so he decided not to use it.

My Emperor does fine, but this looks like a good deal, if you guys/girls think it is worth it.

28 gallon. I have nine tiger barbs, one rosy barb, one rasbora, and one cory.

Thanks.

 

[Draal5]

price is to high and if its not broke why fix it. prices on ebay are between 65 and 75 shipped new, big als 109

The Fluval's are not the top of the line and it has bee used on salt water if you have live plants could be a problem, I have both 205 ,405 bio wheel 2x100, 150, 200, 400, and 2 cascade 1000 really a personal choice.

 

[Bnoble]

any canister is better than a hang-on!..more filter media for you to choose from..and yes its along the lines of person choice i also have a CASCADE (1500) i love it...used to have a Fluval 404 didnt last long..now they have the (5) models out (405) and supposed to have all the kinks out and a lot better piece of equipment!

 

[Mgamer20o0]

i wouldnt too much money.

 

[Cory Keeper]

I built my own canisiter filter for less than that, better options out there.

 

[echoofformless]

I don't agree that canisters are better than HOBs. It's all about purposes and choices.

Now while I run canisters on most of my tanks, I do this for particular reasons: My two black water planted tanks because it makes it easier to run peat filtration, it causes less surface agitation, and because I actually want to have higher nitrate production.

On my mbuna tank only because it's slightly overstocked and therefore needs more efficient filtration, and because it's in an area with very dry air so having a HOB makes the water evaporate too fast.

I wouldn't use a canister on a salt water tank unless I was going to religiously maintain it, as they are said to become nitrate factories.

Now for your tank with its well chosen stocking levels, your Emperor is probably doing quite a fine job. If you feel you really want a canister filter, I would actually recommend that in addition to what you already have. (Two filters are better than one for a long list of reasons.) But I would buy a smaller, cheaper and better filter than the Fluval - like a Rena XP1, an Eheim Classic 2213 or an Eheim ECCO 2232.

But really, you're okay with what you have. Use the money for something else...like maybe upgrading your lights and getting some plants if you don't already have them.

 

[Cory Keeper]

Don't forget that canisters also help prevent gassing off of CO2 if you have a planted tank.