AQUAMONSTER;4883108; said:
I'm really not familiar with those fishes. Whats the most you're willing to spend since you seem to be tight on cash?
WHY ARE CANISTER FILTERS SO GREAT?
- Thread starter AQUAMONSTER
- Start date
I'm really not familiar with those fishes. Whats the most you're willing to spend since you seem to be tight on cash?
no im far from tight on cash i can buy what i want im just a guy who wants reason behind spending. after looking over some stuff i like the fluval 405 and the marineland 350 pro system
AQUAMONSTER;4883137; said:
I've never heard of the marineland 350 but i've heard from many people that the 405 is a great filter. You want a 3-4x turnover rate and with the penguin and the 405 you should get that.
Maybe if your a diy kind of person you can build a sump, would be more efficient and you can alter the media however you'd like as well as make it the way you want. and in most case's save you some money and you would have something that would stomp a Fluval 405 or even a Fx5 for less money. just my 2 cents and Fx5's are good bang for you buck canister's probably better than anything out there for what you can get them new on ebay for.
this is the marineland 350 pro
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+3595&pcatid=3595&r=518
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+3595&pcatid=3595&r=518
AQUAMONSTER;4883157; said:
That is one unique looking filter. Maybe somebody who has used one before will chime in on it
Just remember with marineland you get what you pay for. As you stated befor you had one that leaked all over the place.?
That magnum 350 is a great filter and has been around for about 20 years. They are powerfull and quiet.
The point of the canister filters is that they have more powerfull motors and much more room for media. In the same lightly stocked tank you can run a large canister like the fx5 or mag 350 for several months before you need to clean it and rinse the media. There is no cost involved in that since the media can be rinsed many times and only needs to be replaced when it starts to fall apart. In an Emporer or other HOB that uses the flimsy filter pads you need to clean them once a month in the same lightly stocked tank, maybe more, and when the filter pads gets clogged all the water goes out the bypass and is not filtered at all. That does not happen in a canister, they don't bypass.
In the end it is all personal preference. The costs are pretty much the same. Large canister equals better filtration and less maintenance with just one inlet and return. You also can run a heater inline and inject co2 in the return line as well as UV. HOB filters can't hide your heater and you will have several inlets and returns to do the same amount of filtration plus cleaning more filters more often.
And yes, a sump can be even better at all those things but not nearly as easy to setup.
If you are comfortable with your HOB filters there is nothing wrong with them but there is a reason they only make them so big. Once you get to larger tanks they are not a match simply because you would need too many of them.
The point of the canister filters is that they have more powerfull motors and much more room for media. In the same lightly stocked tank you can run a large canister like the fx5 or mag 350 for several months before you need to clean it and rinse the media. There is no cost involved in that since the media can be rinsed many times and only needs to be replaced when it starts to fall apart. In an Emporer or other HOB that uses the flimsy filter pads you need to clean them once a month in the same lightly stocked tank, maybe more, and when the filter pads gets clogged all the water goes out the bypass and is not filtered at all. That does not happen in a canister, they don't bypass.
In the end it is all personal preference. The costs are pretty much the same. Large canister equals better filtration and less maintenance with just one inlet and return. You also can run a heater inline and inject co2 in the return line as well as UV. HOB filters can't hide your heater and you will have several inlets and returns to do the same amount of filtration plus cleaning more filters more often.
And yes, a sump can be even better at all those things but not nearly as easy to setup.
If you are comfortable with your HOB filters there is nothing wrong with them but there is a reason they only make them so big. Once you get to larger tanks they are not a match simply because you would need too many of them.
Whats the replacement cost monthly on your media for the Emp 400?
I have one 90 that I run an emp400 and an a fluval 405 .
That tank is stocked with angelfish, congo tetra's and a small black aro........
In my emp 400 I used some extra matala material and cut them to fit the emp 400 and then I use no carbon pads from kens fish.....there about a 1.40 each.
http://www.kensfish.com/kensfilterinserts.html
Try craigslist in your area, people are getting in and out of this hobby all the time. In my area I picked up fluval 405's used for 50.00 or under....
myself I stay away from the marineland canisters you stated. To me they are no different than a HOB. They have limited bio capability. if your already running an emp 400 . I would think increased BIO capacity for your tank would be your goal?
and if money is really tight , though they don't look the greatest "Sponge Filters" are highly overlooked in todays marketplace.. However bio bang for the buck I love them .. I keep multiples running in my sumps and singles in my tanks. Power goes out you still have bio backup!
I have one 90 that I run an emp400 and an a fluval 405 .
That tank is stocked with angelfish, congo tetra's and a small black aro........
In my emp 400 I used some extra matala material and cut them to fit the emp 400 and then I use no carbon pads from kens fish.....there about a 1.40 each.
http://www.kensfish.com/kensfilterinserts.html
Try craigslist in your area, people are getting in and out of this hobby all the time. In my area I picked up fluval 405's used for 50.00 or under....
myself I stay away from the marineland canisters you stated. To me they are no different than a HOB. They have limited bio capability. if your already running an emp 400 . I would think increased BIO capacity for your tank would be your goal?
and if money is really tight , though they don't look the greatest "Sponge Filters" are highly overlooked in todays marketplace.. However bio bang for the buck I love them .. I keep multiples running in my sumps and singles in my tanks. Power goes out you still have bio backup!
