Filters with the lowest maintenance

[1commander]

I am wondering what class of filters have the lowest maintenance. And by lowest maintenance, I mean how often to you have to change the media.
Canisters, wet dry, sump, powerfilters, etc.

I know this will likely depend on what type of tank one is running, but that's why I asked for class of filter - the general lowest maintenance filter type.

And if anyone wants to provide some more indepth advice, I am running a 110 gallon tank, overstocked.

 

[rallysman]

IME Wet/dry is the absolute easiest. Once every month or 2 you replace a prefilter while the filter is running. No disassembly, no turning the pumps off, and no mess. Remove old floss, put new floss in. That's it.

 

[AiR foRc3 wUnZ]

Wet/dry by a mile.

 

[MCHRKiller]

Ive never ran a wet dry, guess alot of it has to do with my lack of plumbing skills But my XP canisters are very low maintenace and when I do clean them its really easy to do. About the worst filter Ive ever had to take care of was a Mag 350 Micron...not only are they a ***** to get off the tank to clean but you have to do it often

 

[HarleyK]

I touch my Eheims once every 6-12 months, depending on stock list and model.

HarleyK

 

[Wolf3101]

In general...the more often you need to clean the filter media...the more garbage it's taking out of your tank.

Another concideration is this...If you remove the garbage from the water before it starts to decompose then your bio-requirement is far less than if you leave it in...In other words,,,if the junks still in your filter....it's still in your water....

Larger capacity will always give you longer servace intervals but the same amount of garbage will STILL be in your water. Much like a piece of rotting uneaten food or a dead fish it's better to get it OUT of the system as quickly as possible.

 

[aquatic_wonders]

I touch my Eheims once every 6-12 months, depending on stock list and model.

HarleyK

really when you touch them what do you do change media or just rinse it?

 

[dr_sudz]

Wet/Dry is def the top billing on ease of maintinance. You can see everything and all your changing is the floss. This you can see the dirt on your floss without having to take it all apart. I tend to clean the floss a little more depending on the bio load.

 

[1commander]

Harley, what type of eheims do you have?
And for those who mention wet/dry - can you recommend brands or is it DIY?Wolf - are you saying that matter collected in the filter still hurts your water? I thought the filter was supposed to stop that by definition? Or are you just referring to large objects like a dead feeder fish being sucked up by the filter?

 

[Zeppelin3k]

my ocean clear, without a doubt!!!! it has a hose hookup, so hook up a hose, and turn 3 nobs and it cleans itself right out. beats the wet/dry