Help! Lost in filter hell! New Tank 650L/170G

[JunkedOnNancy]

Hi People,
So I finally bought my dream tank. A 60 x 24 x 28 that holds approx. 650L or 170G and now I have officially entered filter hell. I have been reading everything and anything I can get my hands on. Originally I was going to run a Fluval FX5 along with 2 x 2200L/H internal power filters, and that seemed all good until I found out that Fluval doesn't have a great reputation for longevity. So I started looking into Eheim only to find out they cost an arm and a leg, which means its going to push setting up my tank back by about 2 months while I find the extra money. But if they are going to last longer and filter better I guess its worth it.
Okay so I'm really lost people as to which filter is going to better I have a couple set ups in mind but really wanted to get some opinions. I want to go with the over filtration kinda route instead of just what i need...anyway here goes...the ideas are:

1 Fluval FX5 + 2 x 2200L/H internal power filters
or
2 x Eheim 2217's + 2 x 2200L/H internals
or
2 x Eheim 2228's + 2 x 2200L/H internals
or
1 Eheim 2080 x 2 x internals...

someone help...they range from least expensive to most...

would 2 canisters equal more work in filter maintenance?

Thanks, Sarah

 

[Dr Joe]

2 x Eheim 2217's and see if you really need the 2 x 2200L/H internals (redundancy is good on a large tank). Use a couple of powerheads to mix things up.

Didn't want to go the Wet / Dry route?

Dr Joe

.

 

[JunkedOnNancy]

I don't really understand the whole wet dry thing...whats the difference?
and to sound like a noob what's a powerhead do?

 

[WyldFya]

Personally I wouldn't run any of those setups. I'd go for an eheim 2260, 2262, 2080, or 2078, and 2 AC110 filters. That way you will have 3 filters, great mech, and great bio filtration.

 

[12 Volt Man]

I'd have a Rena XP3 on there somewhere

 

[Dr Joe]

Personally I wouldn't run any of those setups. I'd go for an eheim 2260, 2262, 2080, or 2078, and 2 AC110 filters. That way you will have 3 filters, great mech, and great bio filtration.

Good choices.

.

I don't really understand the whole wet dry thing...whats the difference?
and to sound like a noob what's a powerhead do?

http://www.aquatichouse.com/FILTRATION MENU_files/clearchoice.asp

Do some research on here too. DIY's are cheap.

Power heads just move water around the tank, they have no head pressure to speak of.

http://www.aquatichouse.com/FILTRATION MENU_files/clearchoice.asp

http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store...1&ps_session=a0ad5ff2852ec3a4cdcd2426ab46e5c0

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium..._ecotech_marine_vortech_propeller.asp?CartId=

Dr Joe

.

 

[bigcichntwisted]

Hi People,
So I finally bought my dream tank. A 60 x 24 x 28 that holds approx. 650L or 170G and now I have officially entered filter hell. I have been reading everything and anything I can get my hands on. Originally I was going to run a Fluval FX5 along with 2 x 2200L/H internal power filters, and that seemed all good until I found out that Fluval doesn't have a great reputation for longevity. So I started looking into Eheim only to find out they cost an arm and a leg, which means its going to push setting up my tank back by about 2 months while I find the extra money. But if they are going to last longer and filter better I guess its worth it.
Okay so I'm really lost people as to which filter is going to better I have a couple set ups in mind but really wanted to get some opinions. I want to go with the over filtration kinda route instead of just what i need...anyway here goes...the ideas are:

1 Fluval FX5 + 2 x 2200L/H internal power filters
or
2 x Eheim 2217's + 2 x 2200L/H internals
or
2 x Eheim 2228's + 2 x 2200L/H internals
or
1 Eheim 2080 x 2 x internals...

someone help...they range from least expensive to most...

would 2 canisters equal more work in filter maintenance?

Thanks, Sarah

If you read everything there is to read out there & I mean everything, you'll find just as much bad to be said about every brand there is, just like car's, computer, camera's etc. If you take care of your equipment correctly you will most likely find that you will have good longevity out of most all of it, except for the most part the really cheap crap. I, like many other's swear by Hagen, Fluval, they are not crap by any means. I've got filter's HOB's, internal, CAN's etc that have been running non stop for 10-25 yr.'s & no I'm not exaggerating. The only time a Fluval has let me down was really my fault for being a slacker & not maintaining it correctly. I'm sure there will be plenty of people to line up & swear by their fav. & that says something itself. As long as a human touched something, there is the chance it will be a lemon, but that's not to say that all of anything should be considered such. Hagen/ Fluval would not still be in business if it really was as some would have you believe. It's your $$$ go w/ what ever you think you can handle, remember there are warranties to all these product's & we really shouldn't expect to get 10+ yr.'s out of anything these day's, it's great when we do, but..................

 

[JunkedOnNancy]

thanks bigcichntwisted thats food for thought...i've only ever run smaller tanks and as i'm new to the whole big tank/canister filter thing so I am pretty much running on other peoples information which well can be really confusing. the only thing id love to avoid is setting up my tank (which is draining the piggy bank dry) and buying a filter only to have it pack up in 6 months when i'm broke...any idea how the FX5's are?

 

[JunkedOnNancy]

I had a look at the wet/dry filters and damn they look confusing...does any one want to explain to the noob how they work and the whole how many times would it cycle my tank in an hour thing? Found one here: http://www.thereefshop.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22&products_id=670
is it the same thing? and what else is needed to run one?

 

[bigcichntwisted]

thanks bigcichntwisted thats food for thought...i've only ever run smaller tanks and as i'm new to the whole big tank/canister filter thing so I am pretty much running on other peoples information which well can be really confusing. the only thing id love to avoid is setting up my tank (which is draining the piggy bank dry) and buying a filter only to have it pack up in 6 months when i'm broke...any idea how the FX5's are?

Miss Sarah, you budget minded Sheila, I wish I could say my fx5 is up & running, but it's not, so that would be a lie & I try to save up all those for the really big ?'s, like who ate all the ice cream LOL, so here you go, as has been posted B4, this is the next best thing or even better than anything I or any 1 persons opinion could say. Make of it what you will, it is the truth as told be the reviewer & I will say possibly the best review of it's kind that I may have ever read. Will you be any closer to answering the ?'s you are concerned w/ now, I hope so, cause I don't think you're going to get any more honest, mostly unbiased opinion about the dilemma that stirs you now. MOST OF ALL make sure you & all others that read this, READ ALL OF THE REVIEW, which I know is like reading iiiinnnnsssssttttructions, but they do serve a purpose, right Ewok , LOL. http://www.discusforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7080&highlight=fx5


Also, these are the searches that yielded this link http://www.google.com/search?q=fluval+fx5+bad+no+good&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=fluval+fx5+had+no+good&spell=1