# Filter choice...



## bugs (19 Jun 2008)

350 litre tank...
Planning to be low-tech (Diana Walstead esque)...

Use the Rena XP3 that goes with the tank...
Or...
Use my Eheim 2324 Thermo (backup up with an in tank heater to provide full heating capacity). Designed for up to 150ltr tanks.

I favour the latter because it's cheaper to run than the Rena and seems to be more in the spirit of low-tech. It also means I only need one in-tank heater.

Thoughts?


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## ceg4048 (19 Jun 2008)

Gosh, I have no idea what the spirit of low-tech means but why spend more money if the Rena comes with the tank? Even at half the pump power consumption how long will you have to run the Eheim in order to recoup that extra Â£140?

I like thermo filters though because I hate looking at heater tubes in the tank, although you might want to use some of that Â£140 to buy a Hydor external heater instead.  

Cheers,


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## Egmel (19 Jun 2008)

ceg4048 said:
			
		

> Gosh, I have no idea what the spirit of low-tech means but why spend more money if the Rena comes with the tank? Even at half the pump power consumption how long will you have to run the Eheim in order to recoup that extra Â£140?
> 
> I like thermo filters though because I hate looking at heater tubes in the tank, although you might want to use some of that Â£140 to buy a Hydor external heater instead.
> 
> Cheers,


@Clive - reading the OP I think Bugs has both on hand so it's not an economics question for once!


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## bugs (19 Jun 2008)

Egmel said:
			
		

> ceg4048 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Correct!

Also, the spirit of low-tech (Diana Walstead) is negligible filtering - just something to provide some movement and oxygen exchange.


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## George Farmer (20 Jun 2008)

If I had to chose one it would be the Eheim thermo.

Sounds like an interesting project, Matt.  It'll make a refreshing change to see a nice big low-tech set up.

Will you be running a journal?


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## bugs (20 Jun 2008)

Progress is slow (major decorating works) so I may knock together a journal once it is up and running.


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## JamieH (24 Jun 2008)

Just to add my two pence....


My el natural uses an eheim aquaball 2012.... diana reccomends a 'sponge filter' ....

I've found that the small filter is doing fine in terms of keeping the water quality OK... but once the flow starts to slow down it simply can;t cycle the tank often enough to keep the water clarity up to scratch... you can see the particulate matter in the water - nothing major, but a slight haze nonetheless. 

It's personal preference but i can't stand water that's not clear, so I will be adding a filter with more oomph back to the tank... not sure if that's in line with the 'ecology' of the tank, but i don't see it hurting!

if you have both filters on hand i'd use the eheim... but i say that never having used a rena external...

(remember those old green / blue rena internals that fitted into the corner of the tank? - they rocked)


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## bugs (31 Aug 2008)

JamieH said:
			
		

> ...(remember those old green / blue rena internals that fitted into the corner of the tank? - they rocked)



I used to have a small hexagonal Eheim with a sponge filter - about the smallest one you could get at the time. It was the best internal filter I have ever owned.


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## altaaffe (1 Sep 2008)

I've got both those filters running & both are good.  Got the Rena on my Malawi tank, but there's plenty of places to hide the heaters.  The Eheim is on my planted, so no heater or cable in sight.


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