External filtration for ACFs

[Gemma]

I've got 3 african clawed frogs in a 180 litre tank (according to Google that's 39.5944 imperial gallons or 47.551 US gallons), and I might be adding more frogs in the future. At the moment I'm using an internal filter (the one that comes with a Juwel Rio 180/240). The vents are at the top of the filter box so it doesn't really filter any of the waste that gathers at the bottom of the tank, but it does keep the tank cycled and keep the water clear. I'm thinking of either replacing it with an external filter or running my Juwel filter alongside an external one. I've only ever used internal filters so I don't know much about external ones. Is it important to get an external filter that is intended for a larger volume of water than I have in my tank? Could I get a less powerful external filter if I keep my internal filter in there too (I'm trying to spend as little money as possible)?

Can anyone recommend a good external filter? I'm looking at Fluval filters at the moment, purely because everyone seems to have them so I assume that they must be good. If I get a Fluval filter, what size would be best for my 180L ACF tank?

Also, does anyone have any experience of them leaking? I'm a bit paranoid since I live in a first floor flat.

Thanks.

[mpmistr]

I have a 40 gallon breeder which is roughly 45 US gallons. I use an Eheim 2217 and it works pretty well for my three african clawed frogs. It doesn't leak and it runs really quiet and has a lot of mechanical filtration and would work with your other filter pretty well. You could probably get a smaller Eheim if you needed, I really like that canister filter, they're not fancy but they're really well made and run forever..

Fluvals have more pass through and biofiltration I guess. I don't have any first hand experience with them but I've not heard many negatives about Fluval filters either. The only Fluval I've really looked into was the FX5 which is a monstrous filter and I've heard some reports of leaking, either way that's a $250+ US Dollar filter.

The only negative thing I have to say about Eheims is that the instructions are worthless (hell I can help you set it up, its not hard) and it doesn't self prime (you have to prime it yourself and get the water flowing) which can be a pain in the *** but once it's going it's rock solid. I clean mine every 6 months and it wasn't too bad, though I am considering going to a 4 month maintenance routine.

[rodsboys]

I have had both brands. The fluvals are a better bang for the buck. They are a bit cheaply made, buy if you are careful and do regular maintance they will last for years. The only leaking I have had with any canisters is when the o ring goes or the top is not seated right. I would never buy a brand new canister by the way. They are sooooo cheap used. You loose so much when you buy new.

[mpmistr]

I have had both brands. The fluvals are a better bang for the buck. They are a bit cheaply made, buy if you are careful and do regular maintance they will last for years. The only leaking I have had with any canisters is when the o ring goes or the top is not seated right. I would never buy a brand new canister by the way. They are sooooo cheap used. You loose so much when you buy new.

Well... see that's my problem with Fluvals, they're a bit cheaply made, I know I've read reports of the FX5 leaking and that is their big daddy filter, no? .. I don't want water flooding my living room so i am willing to pay a little more for to avoid that. Besides the Eheim classic design hasn't changed in a few decades, it's a tried and true canister and a total workhorse. Not sure if the Fluvals include quick shut off valves on the hoses but again, it's a nice feature of the Eheim (not all canisters have this).

Plus the media is included with the Eheim canister, I don't know if Fluvals include media but I know some canisters do not, which increases the price. Pretty sure I got my Eheim 2217 for $120 on Amazon and it's rated up to 159 gallons (though I think that rating is pretty pie in the sky, maybe 75 gallons is more realistic).

So $120 for the canister + all media for a canister rated (again, unrealistically) 159 gallons that doesn't leak and runs for years and years and years isn't really THAT bad of a deal. =]

They are much cheaper used but I don't know, I live in a very rural area so I've never seen any for sale. Everyone on Craigslist is selling aquariums with crappy Marineland garbage HOB filters on them, they can keep that junk..

Gemma, both brands work well honestly. I would just avoid the cheap Chinese knock off canisters though.

[Gemma]

Thanks both of you for the advice. I'm glad you mentioned Eheims because before I saw these replies I decided that I'm either going to get a Fluval 306 or an Eheim Classic 2215, but I'm torn between the two. I did want an Eheim 2217 but they're about £40 more expensive and I've got loads of other things I want to buy for the tank as well. I think these should be OK though even if I do decide to remove the internal filter in the future and use the external filter alone. The Fluval claims to filter up to 300 litre tanks and the Eheim says it filters up to 350 litres, so if these figures are accurate then it should be OK, hopefully.

Well... see that's my problem with Fluvals, they're a bit cheaply made

From reading people say this elsewhere as well, this is one thing that worries me about Fluvals. The good thing is that spare parts are cheaper for Fluvals, but I suppose they're less likely to be needed for the better quality Eheim so that might be irrelevant! Apparently the tubes for Fluvals are ribbed so they're a bit harder to clean. I've read that Eheims are quieter - it's important that it's quiet because it's going in my bedroom. It will be in a cabinet under the tank though. On the website that I'm looking at, they do both come with all filter media and pipes. The Eheim says it filters tanks up to 350 litres and the Fluval says it filters 300 litres. The Fluval is cheaper (they're supposed to be the same price but I can get a 10% discount on the Fluval), it's got a higher flow rate and it's got 3 year warranty (the Eheim is 2 years). I wish I could try them both and send back my least favourite. I'm completely torn, but I want to order it before this weekend. I definitely won't be going for a cheap Chinese knock off, don't worry

I can't find any second hand in my area either. I saw an unused Eheim 2217 on ebay a few weeks ago for £40, but I wasn't looking for one at the time. Typical!

Thanks again for the helpful replies.

[deranged chipmunk]

I've had both eheim and fluvial. never had problems with either. the downside to the fluval is their hoses and their intake and outputs are HUGE!! the hose is no biggie, you can always replace it with vinyl tubing and custom output and intakes can be made cheaply out of PVC. the eheim I didn't really like, but they did the job. self priming doesn't exist, as was stated above. I just feel they are over priced and over rated. personally, I prefer fluvial canisters. I have used them for a long,LONG time without any problems. I've used their nano filters all the way up to the fx5. quietest filters I have owned actually. oh, and I have never had a fluval leak. eheims have leaked on me.

[Jenste]

I have two Fluval 405s, a few Fluval U3s, U2s and a U4 and a U1 - - I love Fluvals. I use both external and internal filters and I would never switch to another brand.

[Gemma]

I've had both eheim and fluvial. never had problems with either. the downside to the fluval is their hoses and their intake and outputs are HUGE!! the hose is no biggie, you can always replace it with vinyl tubing and custom output and intakes can be made cheaply out of PVC. the eheim I didn't really like, but they did the job. self priming doesn't exist, as was stated above. I just feel they are over priced and over rated. personally, I prefer fluvial canisters. I have used them for a long,LONG time without any problems. I've used their nano filters all the way up to the fx5. quietest filters I have owned actually. oh, and I have never had a fluval leak. eheims have leaked on me.

Thanks for your reply, Bill! I'm really swaying towards the Fluval now. Like Michael said, both sound like they get the job done pretty well. I don't think I'll regret my decision either way since I won't have the other filter to compare it to, so it probably makes more sense to go for the one that's cheaper and has the longest warranty, which is the Fluval.

Edit: Thanks for your input too, Jen! I hadn't seen your post when I wrote this. Sounds like Fluval is the way to go

[deranged chipmunk]

np i'm not sure if they are available in your locale, but another good option is the rena filstar series of filters. although, i am not sure about their quality now that they were taken over by API. then of course, there's always a d.i.y. canister

[deranged chipmunk]

I know I've read reports of the FX5 leaking and that is their big daddy filter, no?

i had my fx5 for 2 years and it never leaked. 9 times out of 10, the leak was caused by over torquing the hold down screws for the lid. i have seen it time and time again. i have probably owned hundreds of filters over the course of 30 years of keeping aquatic tanks and the fx5 was, without a doubt, the finest filter i have ever owned.

[mpmistr]

i had my fx5 for 2 years and it never leaked. 9 times out of 10, the leak was caused by over torquing the hold down screws for the lid. i have seen it time and time again. i have probably owned hundreds of filters over the course of 30 years of keeping aquatic tanks and the fx5 was, without a doubt, the finest filter i have ever owned.

idk, it's just what i read when i was researching on which canister to get, i was considering an eheim pro series but i heard they tend to leak some times too. that's why i got the classic

[Gemma]

I went for the Fluval 306. Only cost me £75 because I found a great website

[rodsboys]

i had my fx5 for 2 years and it never leaked. 9 times out of 10, the leak was caused by over torquing the hold down screws for the lid. i have seen it time and time again. i have probably owned hundreds of filters over the course of 30 years of keeping aquatic tanks and the fx5 was, without a doubt, the finest filter i have ever owned.

I ran one on my old 135 gallon for years. Never a leak. It was an absolute bulletproof filter. I even had the tank setup with turtles at one point and saltwater at another.