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Recommend a filter for aquascaper 900 90cm

David Shanahan

David Shanahan

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Joined
12 Aug 2013
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267
Location
Northern Moor, Manchester
To save me going through lots and lots of threads, can anyone recommend a filter for an aquascaper 900. I think a Eheim 2078 (700T)will do the job, but the £380 price tag is putting me off.

Does anyone have any recommendation of a good value for money alternative? I guess the benefit of the 2078 is that it has an internal heater, but I can quite happily buy an in line heater. I have one of these on my other tank.
 
Depends if you are aiming for a low or high tech tank. For low tech any filter in 1000l/hr range will do.

For high tech you are looking at 2000l/hr flow rate (x10 tank volume), so might be better with two filters, rather than one monster. I use a JBLe1501 on my tank. Two of those ( @ £140 each) and 1400l/hr flow rate would do the job nicely. Obviously there are the same sized Eheim equivalents.

There is also the JBLe1900 (1900l/hr) available, but be careful pipe sizes are larger than standard 16/22mm and adding things like in-line heaters, CO2 diffusers becomes quite a plumbing challenge.

If you use two filters in high tech (ie CO2) plumb it in as below is one option.

upload_2017-1-16_11-58-54.png
 
Planty said:
Sounds like typical JBL that. Not happy with the standard fitting
Click to expand...
No nothing special with JBL all filters generally above about 1500l/hr use bigger than 16/22 piping. JBL use 19/25 for e1900 and Fluval 25mm for FX6. You certainly wouldn't be able to maintain the flowrates JBL1 1900l/hr and FX6 2100l/hr using "far too small" 16/22 pipe :D
 
Planty said:
Sounds like typical JBL that. Not happy with the standard fitting :banghead:
Click to expand...
??? Nothing special about JBL's choice of 19/25mm for their larger filter. Fluval FX6 is 25mm ribbed. All filters above about 1500l/hr use bigger than 16/22 piping so as to not restrict filter flow. No point in buying a powerful filter then reducing it's flow by having tubing too small.

Actually without even looking up the details I can tell you that the 2078 is going to be too small for your tank, as it uses 16/22mm piping and therefore the flow rate will be too small. You need at least 2000l/hr manufacturers quoted filter rate which you will not get down 16/22mm pipe.

Digging deeper, the required figure is not on Ehiems website, but on page 5 of the 700e (2078) users guide, buried in a small table are the figures you need that other manufacturers normally put on the box and in the product name. JBL e1901 guess the filter flow rate oh 1900l/hr. Done.

Anyway the 2078 is a 1850l/hr pump (for what ever use that is as no one will ever run just the pump !!!) but is actually only a 1100l/hr filter, thus this is why they use 15/22mm pipes.

So you will need two off 2078's for a 200l tank.
 
Planty said:
Though it does beg the question on how ADA get a ES900 with 16/22 mm pipes to work on a 90p.
Click to expand...
Because it is rated only at only 700l/hr and if you run at lower light levels not so much filtration is required.

If I had a tank like yours I would certainly go for the two filter and two spray bar options like in my diagram. It looks like the space in the cabinet is way big enough to easily accommodate two filters and associated pipe work and gubbins....
 
There is always All Pond Solution filters. Be careful larger rated filters start moving to non standard 16/22 piping. Some APS filters use 15/22mm piping & 18/25mm. Some people love these filters as great litre per hour per £ and others think they are not all that good.
https://www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/aquarium/filters/external/

Again if you stick with two smaller filters they use standard 16/22mm tubing to no issue. If I had such a nice tank (and matching wallet) it would be 2 off JBL or Eheim for me....

Many people have got larger tanks running using a single FX6 and clever DIY piping to allow connection of standard 16/22mm heaters, CO2 diffusers etc. Basically you split the flow through the 16mm item but have a bypass to allow a flow around the 16mm restriction, like this.
upload_2016-8-17_11-42-45-png.89053.png

Another route is to use a 1500l/hr filter (say JBLe1501) with 16/22mm piping and get additional flow using power heads suitably placed in the tank.
 
Gone done the FX6 route myself and getting the inline heaters/diffusers in with the extra piping has been a pain plus costly too, plus more connectors mean more potential points for leaks. Two smaller filters if you can fit them in could be the best option cost wise and filter media volume too.


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