# External filter opinions



## Ollie s (16 Mar 2021)

Hello everyone, I'm currently preparing to setup a 220 litre in my lounge which will be heavily planted, co2 ect, after months and months of research I'm finding it impossible to make a decision on which filter to go for. I have max 300 to spend and have looked at the aquael ultramax 2000, fluval 407,oase BioMaster Thermo 600 what would you lot suggest and why? 

Thanks for your time


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## John q (16 Mar 2021)

Got a fluval 407 on a 240L tank and it still needs a boost with a circulation pump. I would have gone with the fx4 but the 22mm id pipes put me off.
I think for the ~ £200 price tag (if you shop around) the fluval fx4/fx6 is definitely the best bang for buck for larger tanks.


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## Ollie s (16 Mar 2021)

I just looked and I like the idea but no prefilter slightly puts me off but like you say power wise it's the best bang for buck


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## John q (17 Mar 2021)

You might find some useful info in this thread @Ollie s 





						High-flow filter options for >200l tanks (2021)
					

Hi everyone, I've been researching filters for the last few weeks for my upcoming 240l and seeing how some other people are in the same boat, thought to open this thread to have my findings and considerations in one place. Things I've considered:  advertised (and real-life) flow rate filter...



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## Ollie s (17 Mar 2021)

Made me more Confused than before,basically I just need to prepare myself for issues with any of the filters I buy, clearly build quality is not what it once was


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## John q (17 Mar 2021)

Well I can only comment on fluval and for me I've had no reliability issues, admittedly they've only been running 6~7 months.
@Zeus. Is running two canister filters, one of which is a fx6 and I don't believe he's had any reliability issues with his.


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## Zeus. (17 Mar 2021)

FX6 great output for price, hard to get outputs off shelf, tubing ribbed but bends easy without kinking, quite heavy when full


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## linkandnavi (18 Mar 2021)

Ollie s said:


> Hello everyone, I'm currently preparing to setup a 220 litre in my lounge which will be heavily planted, co2 ect, after months and months of research I'm finding it impossible to make a decision on which filter to go for. I have max 300 to spend and have looked at the aquael ultramax 2000, fluval 407,oase BioMaster Thermo 600 what would you lot suggest and why?
> 
> Thanks for your time


I have an Ultramax 2000 and an Ultramax 1000 running at opposite ends of 450l. I love them. Low power consumption, dead silent and the built in pre-filter is genuinely brilliant.

I think you'd be fine with a 2000 on the 250. I have the two running at either end of the 450 because I wanted flow throughout the whole tank but low. So I have the outflow of both turned down and running through spray bars. At that low setting, the flow would drop off just over half way across the tank with the 2000. If you turned the outflow to max, wouldn't have that problem. So it was a choice on my part (and I never mind the extra filtration capacity should it be required).

My only warning with the Ultramax 2000 is the hose size. The 1000, 1500 and 2000 all used to use the same 16/22 hoses. Sometime in 2020 the 2000 was changed to use 19/25 hoses. I have in-line equipment (heater, co2) that only works with 16/22 and spent weeks contacting every store in the UK asking them if they had any of the "old stock" 2000s. Most didn't know it had ever changed, some referred me to the specifications on Aquael's website (missing the point) and some said they only had the new ones. In the end I gave up and ordered from one which said they only had the new 19/25. Figured I'd buy new equipment. Turned up and it was an old 16/22...

So in short, I highly recommend the Aquael Ultramax, grab a 2000 if you can but just be careful on hose size and try and get one where you can see it in store if hose size matters to you. If it doesn't then great.

Like with all filters, turnover rate is of course significantly reduced from the amount stated on the specs, once it's actually full of media and below the tank level. But a 2000 on a 250l should be fine.


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## Ollie s (18 Mar 2021)

linkandnavi said:


> I have an Ultramax 2000 and an Ultramax 1000 running at opposite ends of 450l. I love them. Low power consumption, dead silent and the built in pre-filter is genuinely brilliant.
> 
> I think you'd be fine with a 2000 on the 250. I have the two running at either end of the 450 because I wanted flow throughout the whole tank but low. So I have the outflow of both turned down and running through spray bars. At that low setting, the flow would drop off just over half way across the tank with the 2000. If you turned the outflow to max, wouldn't have that problem. So it was a choice on my part (and I never mind the extra filtration capacity should it be required).
> 
> ...


I appreciate your comments and it will help me decide, I started looking at the biomaster 850 Thermo but it's pricey and less flow than the aquael but it's oase.. If only one filter company could put all of the ideas together we would have the perfect filter.. If only we was all rich and could fund it I reckon we would be on a winner

Totally different question but I haven't decided my light yet but I have a few restrictions 1- can't be open top due to 3 kids (ill find all sorts of nastys in there) 2- the tank is 24.8 inches high 3-i do have a limit to Spend partly due to the other half and partly due to me currently converting my garage into a fish room (well just under half the garage)
I was looking at a fluval 3.0 as it can be under the hood but I'm worried it's not going to be powerful enough for carpeting plants

What do you guys suggest?


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## John q (18 Mar 2021)

Sounds like we have similar sized tanks and wife's that curtail our spending. Lol.
Only constructive advice I can give is you'd probably have difficulties with the spread of the light with it being so close to the water.

My tanks are 400mm wide (550mm high) and originally had a fluval aquasky fitted, you either have to position it  towards the back so the plants at the rear get decent coverage and then the plants at the front suffer, also turning it up to compensate for the front plants gives you to much intensity to the back ones.
I've ended up adding an aquasky 2 to each tank which seems to have given a noticeable difference to plant growth and also an even spread. The light at the back is on about 40% and aquasky 2 at the front about 50%.
Quite low powered lights but they're only low tech so seems to work out ok.

Some good information for you here.








						Light height - Fluval plant 3.0
					

My fluval 3.0 sits very close to the water, meaning light is much stronger in the central strip than at the front and back of the tank    Has anyone experimented with raising the height of a unit like this? Is it worthwhile? Easy to do?   I've got a bit of BBA forming in the centre, where the...



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## Ollie s (19 Mar 2021)

John q said:


> Sounds like we have similar sized tanks and wife's that curtail our spending. Lol.
> Only constructive advice I can give is you'd probably have difficulties with the spread of the light with it being so close to the water.
> 
> My tanks are 400mm wide (550mm high) and originally had a fluval aquasky fitted, you either have to position it  towards the back so the plants at the rear get decent coverage and then the plants at the front suffer, also turning it up to compensate for the front plants gives you to much intensity to the back ones.
> ...


Thats what worries me, even with more spread I'm not sure the fluval 3.0 will give enough light at the bottom, haha yes we do.. My tank is 630mm high so I'll have even more problems, only thing I could do is build a floating canopy to the front and lhs, rear and rhs will stay open due to being againest walls


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