Filters

[water patters]

Hey everyone,

I'm wondering what filter you all recommend. Right now we have a Rena XP2. We've had it for a little over a year now. We've had some issues with it. We've replaced the impeller once already, and tonight it's stopped working again. We've checked the tubing for any blockage, and the seem to be fine. We can see/hear the filter running, it's just not pumping any water.

We're now considering buying a different filter. Which ones do you all prefer? Have any of you heard of similar issues with the XPs?

Thanks!

Kelly

[Diana]

I have had the same issue with the Renas. For no apparent reason, they stop. Cleaning does not help. Some of mine are around 2-3 years old, and run OK. 2 have died like you describe.

Unfortunately I do not have a suggestion for a replacement canister style filter.
Fluval is worse than Rena. About half have died, and are not interchangeable parts for each other, either, even with the same name! (Fluval 204 parts may or may not fit another Fluval 204, for example) so when one dies it cannot be salvaged to make up for something else broken on another filter.
Eheim does not pump the water very fast, though it seems like it keeps on running longer than the others. It does. Since it does not move very much water, it is not removing enough debris to slow it down.

So far the filters I have the least complaints with are the Aquaclear series of hang on back filters. The thick sponge is very good filter media, and the large box can accommodate other media if you wish. Lots of water movement, and the debris is trapped in the big sponge.

[plaalye]

Agree with Diana on the Aquaclear HOB filters. I have an Eheim classic 2217 on my 75 gal along with an AC 110. I really like them both but would rather have 2-2217s. I use the spray bar with my eheim cannister and I think it does a great job! This is the first and only cannister that I've used so I can't compare it with others first hand, but all my research pointed to Eheims for quality and I'd have to agree.

[PASoracco]

On my 75g I use an eheim 2227 for biological filtration, and an older HOB aquaclear for mechanical; the two combined really get the job done. The eheim is under a year old, and already has one leak, but otherwise is a really great filter. The 2227 is one of the wet/dry units, and I have noticed a much faster break down of waste than with other regular canisters I have. I have also used a fluval 305 for 4-5 years in unideal conditions (running level next to a 95 gallon pond and later a 35 gallon pond), and never had a major issue with it. I had a rena and an ebo that both died way before their times, but I could recommend either Eheim or Fluval canisters from personal experience.

[water patters]

I used to have an aquaclear HOB, before I had sand. I agree, they do work good. Does the sponge/foam insert on the inside of the filter keep the sand from breaking the impeller? Or do you somehow attach a second foam insert to the intake tube in the tank?

We're getting sick of having to mess around with our XP2 every other day, so we're thinking about going with the aquaclear. I just don't want another filter to die due to sand. We had about 3 Marineland HOBs die due to the sand.

Thanks for all your opinions and help!

[Francois van Brederode]

I can very much recommend the Eheim pro. 3 series of filters.

I have recently bought a 2073 from that serie, and am very content with it.
It delivers a very decent 1050 ltr/hr.
The filter has 7,4 ltrs of content for lots of filtersubstrate.
It is also dead-easy to install and get running again after cleaning.
Just push the button on the top 2 or 3 times and it runs
Cleaning is also very easy because of the pre-filter thingy.

The current it delivers in my 1mtr tank is such that I had to give up on a couple of plants because of it, and thats just from the standard spraybar.
Imagine what it will do without the spraybar.

Mind you, it is set for tank of 180-350ltrs, and I have it on about 150ltrs.
But still