# Aquamanta EFX300 Review



## bigmatt

Hello all,
After recent filter problems i decided to shell out some cash on a filter with ~1000lph flow.  After much checking  of products (and my bank balance) i opted for one of the Maidenhead Aquatics Aquamanta EFX300
http://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/Prodshowroomdetails.aspx?id=255
What really sold me on this (other than the apparently excellent value for money) is that they have the big brother of this (EFX600 - a real beast) running on one of their display tanks in my local MA and it is really, really quiet.  
Having got home and set it up i've got to say i'm really, really pleased with it.    It's supplied with an excellent range of media (most of which i haven't used opting for a simpler layout to maximise flow) and the intake and spraybar are very good.  I'm particularly pleased with the clear spraybar that fits perfectly and very discreetly into a 60cm tank.  Obviously it's too early to say how things like cleaning go, but i'll post again when i know.  
So, on initial impressions it's a good bit of kit - great value and quiet in operation.  I hope this continues and i can post an equally positive long-term review!
EDIT - Forgot to say that it looks great as well - seems to be modelled on the Eheim Pro series (the square ones).  It also has an excellent volume of media as well as a good range
Hope this helps,
Matt


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## magpie

Thanks Matt - I was wondering about the little brother of these for my new nano qube - and if it'll fit in my cabinet, then it seems a good deal... it's that or an Eheim ecco Pro 103, and the Aquamanta is certainly cheaper. 

mx


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## Nick16

i would avoid the eheim ecco series. i believe they were not built by eheim themselves, so they quality is lacking. have heard many reports of them falling apart.
Â£84.99 is not that cheap. i would have opted for 'all pond solutions' filters. the ones that are a TT copy. 

http://www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/aquarium-external-filters-773-0.html

could have saved yourself a fortune. and yes they are quiet


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## Garuf

The all pond solutions are nothing to do with TT at all, they've very poor clones if they are! They're rebranded SUNSUN filters, a lot of US users are reporting failures after around 12 weeks and rumours of noises and massive drops in flow over very short period.

The ecco series are made in china and are of poorer quality. 

The aquamanta series are designed by the same man responsible for the tetratec ex series.


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## Nick16

i have spoken to many aquarists who now swear by the A.P.S filters. even after a year or two of running. 

im not sure you would need a UV light in the planted tank game though!


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## bigmatt

Yeah - looked at the Sunsun filters (started a thread on here) somebody reported very poor build quality on them and dodgy flow through the canister itself meaning flow was ok but filtration wasn't!
Matt


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## Garuf

Yeah, you're right, clear through paths so no water was actually gets properly filtered. A Uv light isn't needed at all, bit of a waste and a flow hindrance. I've read enough about chinese clones over the time I've been in the hobby to know to avoid them. Filters aren't something you can cut corners on since they're the beating heart of your tank.


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## magpie

So.... if I've understood the weight of opinion: Aquamanta>= Tetratect>>Eheim>APS>SunSun

yep? 

mx


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## Ejack

Matt,

Was wondering if you can tell me what the dimensions are of the filter? I've looked over the web and can't seem t ofind that information.

I'm currently toying between the Efx 300 and the Eheim 2217

Cheers


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## Nick16

the better filters to go for are 

eheim 
fluval (newer models fair better, than the old '05 series) Fx5 is awesome. 

tetratec hold the mid ground

then below you have

Atman
Aquapro
all pond solutions filters
Sunsun. 
(basically all the same filters in essence) but if you are on a budget they are perfectly fine. my atmans and aquapros have not leaked in 2 years. in that time my tetratec has leaked and broke about 6 times. im constantly having spares sent.


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## bigmatt

I don't have a tape measure handy but including pipes is stands about 40cm tall and the footprint is in the region of 20cm square
Still really happy with it - biggest problem i'm having is keeping shrimp out it!
Matt


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## Ejack

Thanks for replying bigmatt

Reason I ask is that I'm wondering if it will fit in one of the side of the cabinet. The cabinet enterance in 22cm in width so you reckon it will fit ok?

Also what are the pipe widths?


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## Ejack

Ok, just brought one of these puppies from MA@Bracknell during my lunch break. So thought it would be useful to add the dimensions and other useful info that is in the manual to this thread.

Canister Model: EFX 300
Number of Media Baskets: 2
Dimensions: 22 x 32 x 22cm
Max Aquarium Volume: Up to 300l
Maximum Flow rate&: 1100L/hr
Max Head Height: 1.5m
Filter Volume: 12 litres
Power Consumption 21w

*Maximum flow rates are based on measurements taken as the water exits the filter unit when it is positioned next to the aquarium with no filter media in the canister.


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## magpie

I just had one delivered - the ex600, flow rate up to 600l/hr, for my 40 litre nano

there are two small 'O' rings left after I assembled it, with no obvious reason for their existence...   They're of the same diameter as the inlet/outlet tubes, but there was no indication that they should go in the valves...

have I screwed up mightily?  Where should they be? 



m


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## ghostsword

I got no idea why they are for as well.. the documentation is not the best.. the kit is good, and cheap..


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## magpie

and delightfully silent - I've got it running in a bucket alongside an Eheim 2078, waiting for the DSM to run its course on my big tank - and standing beside them, it's joyfully silent...

glad we're together in not knowing what the 'o' rings are for - I have a horrible suspicion we'll find out with leaks in a day or two... 



m


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## sanj

I have the 400 model to replace a leaking Tetratec ex1200. The rating for the 400 model is 1,400 lph. So far pretty good and quiet, at least as quiet as my other filters.


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## ghostsword

magpie said:
			
		

> and delightfully silent - I've got it running in a bucket alongside an Eheim 2078, waiting for the DSM to run its course on my big tank - and standing beside them, it's joyfully silent...
> 
> glad we're together in not knowing what the 'o' rings are for - I have a horrible suspicion we'll find out with leaks in a day or two...
> 
> 
> 
> m




No leaks. I got mine last year I think, and no issues whatsoever with it.


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## pauld

ive got one of these comeing tomorrow anyone tried this make yet ?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AQUARIUM-BIO-FILT ... 53e14be004


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## magpie

pauld said:
			
		

> ive got one of these comeing tomorrow anyone tried this make yet ?
> http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AQUARIUM-BIO-FILT ... 53e14be004



nope - but it looks interesting - be interested in a review when you've had it going a month or three... 

and at the start, of course - how quiet it is. Or isn't... 

brave man

mx


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## Themuleous

Thanks for the review, been looking at the 600 for a while but my local MA don't seem to be able to run on eon a tank at the shop, so I was left wondering how noisy it was for a 2200lph filter.  If its as quite as you say, it could be a real contender, as more filter in that range are to noisy to use in most situation.  Bargain price too.

Sam


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## bigmatt

If you're up north at any point they run a 600 on their cichlid display tank at MA South Leeds (just off junctn. 41 M1).  I can't guarantee exactly how quiet it was as they have their stock tanks burbling away in the background but it certainly didn't sound like a 747 taking off!
Cheers!
Matt


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## toadass

Hi Matt. What's the latest mate? Still running superbly?.... Got two of the 400's on the xmax list. Just wondering if it's still the way to go???


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## dannydee

Alright Matt, so what's the latest? As I'm about to fork out for my first external filter, and the EFX300 is a real contender, I'm eager to hear your verdict.

Cheers mate,

Dan


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## jasoneales

Hi all,

I work for a MA outlet and can reliably inform you that these filters are actually derived from Aqua One. They are an excellent product especially for there money. I find that they are very soild in their build although some of the media isnt as good as i would like.


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## ghostsword

I got a EFX 400, and it is a fantastic filter. The media was long changed for eheim and some peat added.


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## Keith Puleston

As part of a good value package, I was provided with an Aquamanta EFX300 by MA. I found that there is considerable media bypass, even after thoroughly checking that assemby was correct.  Consequently, the water was not perfectly clear, and tiny snails could bypass the media, causing blockage of the spray bar holes.  Also, the end stop on the spray bar kept popping off as the holes became blocked, and on one occasion it disappeared into the heavily planted aquarium.  I went on to MA website for spares.  They have spares pages for many different items, but NOT for the Aquamanta range - exclusive to themselves.  I used their 'contact us' box three times requesting this tiny part be sent urgently.  I was totally ignored.  So I purchased an Eheim Professional 3 filter.  The water is now 'gin clear' and the spray bar does not get blocked, and you can get spares from numerous sources.


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## bigmatt

So...
I've been away from UKAPS for a while (kinda had to concentrate on losing 4st in order to give my dad a kidney - now much less fat and a kidney lighter!) but in the time off form work i've got my planting mojo back so it's time for an update!
Been using the filter with a sponge pre-filter (to prevent shrimp mashing!) and a low bio load in the tank.  Really happy with it's performance - didn't clean it for a good while and still ran well, though this could probably be attributed to the pre filter catching a lot of the gunk.
It's maybe not as quiet as i once thought - set up an Eheim Professional on one of my new setups and there's no doubt that the Eheim is quieter, but it's also much, much more expensive and i still have the Aquamanta in our living room so it can't be that bad!
Can't really comment on the bypass as the pre-filter effectively scrubs the water
Hope this is useful!
matt


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## Themuleous

Cheers for the update  

Also, much respect on the kidney donation, that's proper really life stuff 

Sam


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