Filters

Hello all.
I'm posting this in the Beginner Discussions because I feel it is a beginner discussion

What sort of filters are you guys/gals using and why. I recently (yesterday) changed my reverse flow UGF to a normal UGF and 700L/Hr powerhead with prefilter (3ft tank with medium sized fish eg. Parrots)
What are the best filters for people on a budget?

I would also like to know if a 400L/Hr power head with prefilter would be too strong for a 2X2ft tank that has danios and neons and some other small fishes?
Thanks
Firefly

 

Best filter for someone on budget would definitely be the Resun submersible pumps been using them for ages without any issues and since they are made in china we get the savings. They run whisper quite, and if the impellers break its about R30 for a replacement, the one I bought today does about 1400liters per hour and it set me back R235

http://www.resun-china.com/en/Produ...lassID=105&PPro_ClassName=SP Submersible Pump

 

I believe in canisters all the way!! I've used internal filters, and find they don't compete even closely to canisters. Canisters generally have large areas to keep filter medium. The more filter medium you have, the better the filtration. NOT the higher the output!!

As soon as a tank reaches a certain size, I beleive you should seriously consider going Sump route!

Saying you buy the cheapest you can afford is like saying you driving a Mercedes with a Corsa engine. If you going to have a big tank... pay for the big filter. Remember, stuff is cheap for a reason.. because it's cr@p. Not because it's made by cheap labour, or better planned factories. You get what you pay for.

 

I'm with zoom on this one. If you can afford an eheim canister go for it otherwise a Fluval also works fine.

The resun pumps are exactly that – a pump made to move water. It might offer 1 of the 3 types of filtration – namely mechanical filtration if it has a sponge attached.

It will offer VERY little in line of bacterial filtration (nitrogen cycle)and won’t have any space for chemical filtration.

 

It actually has space for bacterial filtration as the sponge you use with them is not solid but rather a sheet, so the middle gets filled with ceramic beads. And if your tank is deep enough you can add a second canister were you can use chemical filtration.

 

its still not a proper filter mate....

 

Well obviously it cant compete with either a sump or a canister filter, but at the end of the day it gets the job done done which is what matters the most to someone like me on a tight budget.

 

i got stuck with this silly topic ,and now have come to a theory
if you have space MAKE A SUMP if you dont have space get a canister filter ,if you still need more filtration get some power heads and if your tank is tooo small to do much get ,an hang over filter [on this topic i checked out a big ehiem hangover filter with 4 stage filtration and exelent design and reasonably priced R500-]
i am going to build a sump and put in some power heads for my 1,2 m ,as i have the space for it and it is the best value for money solution

 

Thanks guys for all the updates. Really interesting info. I was wanting to get another 3ft tank for my small fish so thats why I started this topic. I will definitely be comparing prices of canister filters.

Regards
Firefly

 

Hi Henk,

I see you are in the parklands area, can you recommend a pet shop where I can buy a decent filter in the area?

Thank you,
Candice

 

I normally do all my shopping at Panorama Petshop - my emergency shopping i do at Ecopets around the corner from me