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i've decided to redesign my tank. redoing 45gallon

i have two filters an old corner air powered filter and a small internal interpet duo 3 filter. i would like to have an exturnal filter to give more room in the tank and they are easier to clean and hide.

the tank is 36x14x21 see profile for stock, which would be the best filter to get for this tank?
and would it be ok to fit a filter meant for a larger tank? beacuse i intended to ungrade one day and don't want to buy a new filter

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

You can go with Aqua Clear 300. Pretty cheap here in the US, buy it online if you can.

it's rarely a problem to overfilter. i like to get between 7-10 turnovers per hour on my tanks. an AquaClear 300 is a good choice.

Either that or a penguin 330, but both good choices.

how about a fluval 404 or eheim 2026 as your external filter,this will give you upgradeability in the future and are sound filters.

Gibson SG you know you want one!!

Or you could go for a cannister filter even more room.

Some of you have read my articles on canister filters...

For those of you with small bio loads they can pass the test, but for those of you with large fish I would suggest you pass on canister filtration.

One of my pet peeves is the very good possibility that the O-ring seals, the seals in the top of the canister that prevent water from leaking out from between the top and bottom of the canister, begin to crack and fail allowing water to escape all over the floor.

Even the retaining clamps on the top of certain canisters may crack, breaking the water seal and forcing an overflow out the top.

It's happened to me, twice, and that was the last time I ever used a canister. I have three of them sitting empty.

Be aware. If a seal is ever broken or a clamp cracks while in operation and you were not present, the filter will drain out the whole tank into your room.

--garyroland.

yea canisters can drain all of ur water, only if ur intake tube is all the way in the bottom, i think.

i recommend a penguin 330 or a emperor 280 which i own.

is it possible to add one-way valves on the canister tubing so it wont leak water all over the floor in case of such a failure?

You'd have to fashion one if possible...

The strange thing is the valve should be in place from the factory.

--garyroland.

Go with an aquaclear.

I have never had a problem with a canister filter... I have four, all different brands, one of which I got used. The majority of problems from them stem from user error, in my opinion.

Also, I'm not sure where this canister filters are for small bioloads and not for large fish thing came from, but I would like to see the scientific studies/research/facts on that.

Large bio loads can be handled by canisters if...

The canister is large enough.
The canister is cleaned every week.

I have large fish, Jake. I don't require a "scientific" study to tell you that canisters gunk up real easy trying to filter large bio loads.

And, apparently you haven't read my articles that mention the tank water is filtered through dirty sponges and bio media over and over again.

Canisters are closed environments where polluted water, due to gunky sponges and other contents, is trapped and recirculated over and over again unable to be filtered clean when the canister is full of dirty water.

How's that for "scientific" reasoning??

I should add that every one of my Fluval canisters have cracked o-rings in the top cover. Every one.

--garyroland.



[span class="edited"][Edited by garyroland 2004-07-19 14:03][/span]

every one of my Fluval canisters have cracked o-rings in the top cover. Every one

No kidding... Buy a decent canister filter. I could run out and buy a tetra/whisper/aquatech filter and when it messes up say that all HOB's suck and then write an article on why you shouldn't use them, but that doesn't prove anything.



I clean my canisters once a month of less, some of them on a tank with heavy bioloads. It depends on the canister filter and the media used in the filter. All filters and biofilters have tank water going through them over and over, so I don't know what you're talking about when you say :

And, apparently you haven't read my articles that mention the tank water is filtered through dirty sponges and bio media over and over again

And no I haven't because if you do not have any facts with which to back up your opinion on canister filters , then that's all it is... an opinion... and I can get your opinion by reading threads so there is no need to read an article filled with it.

If you make a blanket statement about canister filters, I would like to see the data to back it up, as in control tanks with canister filters, and control tanks with HOB's or whichever filtration it is that you love..different brands of filters...same bioload for all. That is worth writing an article on, and would make it worthwhile reading.

I respect your experience, Garyroland. This does not make your opinions fact, however.

I don't own a cannister filter, I thought they were meant to be the best filters you could buy, obviously from what I have read on here they have problems too.

all filters have problems, its just that some filters have more problems than advantages and vice versa.