What filter do you recommend?

moondreamer7

moondreamer7

Crazy about Bichirs and eels
Mar 20, 2006
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0
0
46
ON, Canada
I'm not entirely new to this hobby but still have alot to learn.

I have a 180gal freshwater tank.

I currently only have 2 emperor 400 running as my only filtration. I did have a fluval but it broke, so now I'm researching for something else. I know I need more filtration but having a hard time deciding what would be best long term.

Money is not an issue. I want something that will last, good quality and basically has proved a good working product and what better place to ask then people who have used what is out there.

I know there will be different opinions, but I want to hear them and then make my own conclusions.

I am really interested RENA Filstar Xp4 Canister Filter but have no experience using them.

I really want some filtration that is outside of the tank simply because anything internal takes up space.

In case this helps my tank is 180gal long, has odyssea lighting (compact with 6 moonlights, 2 12,000K bulb and 2 acentic)

Fish so far: 2 parrots (temporary), 2 silver dollars, 3 senegal bichirs, dragon goby, black ghostknife. I am still looking in different livestock options. So far my plan is for this tank to centre around a tiretrack eel and imitate their living conditions, but this can change.

I have java moss and marimo balls in there.

I want snails but haven't figured out which ones yet that will be safe to use with the moss.

I guess I had alot more questions then I thought.

So what do you think would be a good choice of filtration for this size tank??

Thank you for all help!
 
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With canisters you'd want 2 or 3 fluval 405 size filters on that size tank if they were the only filter, or in combo with 1 HOB... Even with the 2 HOB now I'd be tempted to put 2 405s or equivalent...

Haven't checked out the size and flow of the xp4, but I think it's fairly large. One of those would be nice I suppose... Or two :)

They are too expensive here in Australia IMO, but you can get them cheaper in the US/canada...
 
I have an XP3 and really, really like it. Rena rates the XP4 for aquariums up to 265 gallons. So I think having two XP4's on your tank would be great. Then you could remove the HOB filters all together and get rid of that bulkiness and noise!
 
Eheim canister filters would be the most reliable, most efficient, and it's the most expensive of the canisters. Something a bit less expensive would be fluval FX5. Someone at MFK has tried the xp4 and it already broke 2 or 3 times since he had it.
 
If you want quality, long lasting and nearly limitless media options and money is not a problem, go with one or more of the ehiem classics. Some people have reported having them run for over 20 years. They also are pretty much silent, if they make any noise at all, you won't hear it.
 
Ehiem cannisters are supposed to be some of the best on the market. If money is not an option, and I had the recourses i would go with a wet dry. However.. Im not rolling in money so I use Rena Xp's, and I really like them, i currently have 3 xp3's for about a year and have had no problems with them.
 
Yep .. Ehiem is german made and is the most recommended and the price shows

Fluvals are the lost canister filters... many people own it... few look into it and even less buy it (the xp5 is ok )


Rena is coming up as the norm for canister filters

Red Sea-OceanClear connectable inline filter really pricey , really good

wet dry's arent very efficient for freshwater but a sump or catch bassin is handy



i would say go with ehiem if you have the money

but fluvals are my recommendation.. you can run (2) 404s-(504 is the new versions and the only diff is the price/color) as your biological filtration... meaning you can fill up all the baskets with bio rings.. and keep your HOB and fill it with carbon.. that way maitence is a tad bit easier.



and you only have to clean the sponge pads in the fluval once a month and never touch the bio media... the carbon you can change whenever you feel like it , but its best done once a month too
 
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