WhoaitsZ

it's been almost ten years since I've had fish. I am wondering what to look for in a good, reliable filter.

when I had fish I actually had great success with a 150 gl tank filter but have no idea what has changed or what have you.

Tips please!

---------- Post added at 07:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:00 PM ----------

Oh, I am on an uber tight budget.

Hektore

I have a penguin biowheel (330) that I got second hand on craigslist. I have no idea how old it is but it's been running for 6 months and despite looking like its been heavily abused still runs like a champ. Although I will say my tank is only about 60% stocked. This is the new version.

If you're on a tight budget I would check into craigslist. So many people get aquariums and end up hating them and unload them for cheap. It's one of those things like exercise equipment that so many just want to get rid of. I got that filter, a 55 long, a stand, some tubing, magnet cleaners all for $40.

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RogueGypsy

Plants are the best filters around and don't cost a dime to run. Just add a Coralife circulator for some water movement and do a 25%-40% water change weekly. I have 4 tanks. Three with filters and one planted as above. The planted tank is clearer, healthier, looks better and requires less maintenance than the others. Don't believe all the hype about watts/gallon for plants either. There are a ton of plants that do very well in low light tanks. 1 watt/gallon will grow just about anything that's not a low growing ground cover type of plant like 'baby tears'. But it's still enough to grow some low growing Crypts very well.

If you really want to go with a filter I've had good luck with:

Marineland canister filters; they're a little bit of a pain to clean, but I've never had one fail.
Marineland HOB (hang-on-back) filters; good filter for the money, but only seem to last a couple of years.
Eheim Eco Canister filters; I use one of these on my Goldfish tank -read tons of debris to filter- and it works like a champ. The design is almost identical to the Marineland canister.
Ehiem Pro Canister; this is by far the easiest to clean and reinstall. Has a huge volume so cleaning is a semi-annual event instead of monthly and it runs silently. This is, however, the only filter I've ever had any real problems with. Nothing mechanical, just a seal that likes to leak. I may have just gotten a bad seal in mine. Everyone else raves about these filters, for both their effectiveness and ease of use.


Knowing a little more about your set-up would be helpful. What kind of fish, how many, type of lighting.............

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Hektore

I'm not telling you not to use plants, in fact, if I had 50 bucks I didn't have anything to do with, I would convert my 55 to a low tech planted tank right now. But you need make sure your fish are compatible with plants, some kinds will tear up everything green and leave you with a dent in your wallet and nothing to show for it.

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WhoaitsZ

thanks much for the info, guys.

---------- Post added at 11:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:14 PM ----------

i have no fish at the moment to tel you about. I am still fairly unsure about what I want atm. I'll either just do easy community fish or a type of cichlid.

RogueGypsy

If you go with Cichlids, they will tear up plants like Hector is talking about. If you go with a community tank, plants will probably work.

I have: Dojo Loaches, Kuhlii Loaches, Zebra Loaches, Ottos, White Cloud minnows (great tank starters), Harlequin Rasboras and Cardinal Tetras in my planted tank. The Dojo's like to rearrange plants, but leave them alone once they're established. Everything else leaves the plants alone.

This is my 55g a few months ago. I'm in the process of setting up a 135g using plants and fish from this tank, so right now it looks like a amazonian jungle under water.

__________________
Methods, application and intensity of application vary by the individual. All legal wavers must be signed before 'treatment' begins. Self 'Medicating' is not recommend. However, if necessary, it is best to have an 'assistant' or 'soft landing zone' nearby. Any and all legal issues resulting from improperly applied techniques should be forwarded to: Dewy, Cheatum & Howe, Intercourse, PA 17534. Attn: Anonymous.

MiSo

i've spent so much money on planted aquariums! commitment is when you spend $200 on substrate for your tank. i'm glad i joined the military and got out of it. i do miss scaping though.... having a full lawn of dhg just looks amazing.

one of the most important parts on an aquarium is the filter. you don't want to go cheap here and risk having a leaky/under performing filter.
if you're really hurting for money, get a HOB.
if you're want an amazingly quiet filter that pumps like a champ, get like an eheim 2217.
eheim's are super quiet, super realiable. i used to clean out my filter like every 3 months.

the thing i've learned about fish keeping is don't go cheap on your equipment. you'll end up saving yourself more money in the long run by buying the right stuff and not having to replace the crappy stuff you bought.

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- this space for rent -

chinese crested

Look out for aquatic shows. I once bourgt myself a 4ft x 2ft x 2ft for about a quarter of shop price - water damaged box, one of a load that had been donated. Its also a good place to look for fish too, as they are hobby breeders surplus - once again, massive difference in prices - and the people are always friendly and helpfull.
The external filters seem pretty good - I had one of those, but my hands could not manage the fittings - I now have a 2ft tank with a fluval, and a stingray, and a foam filter that runs on the air hose. I have coolies, salt and pepper cat fish - many of which are from fish breeding whilst with me. Have loads of guppys - so many so that I introduced a siamese for population control - and some octos. Also some cherry shrimps - which are good gardener/caretakers.
Miso - I love the tanks that are like mini landscapes - although I would be tempted to put a few small fish in, so they would look like birds flying overhead. I think they take a lot of patience though.

forhuskers

I just wanted to throw something in, hopefully not off topic. I had a beautifully established 75 gal community tank with many different types. I can't remember the little fish I used to establish the tank, but some of them were still living 4 years later. I had a pleco that started off about 2" and was about 10". What happpened is that I got a new job in a different state and I didn't see any possible way to move the tank and fish, so I included it and all of my accessories with my house when I sold it. I'm still sick that I had to do that. One of these days I'll start up a new one. Unfortunately, I'm kind of in the middle of nowhere with the closest fish store 150 miles away.

Anyway I had a lot of live plants that I actually had to cut back as they would grow very well. I used an Emperor bio-wheel filter that worked very well as long as you did your water changes and tank cleanings like you are supposed to do.

Man, I miss my tank. I hope the people that got it took care of it like I did.