Suggestions on internal filter

[Elroy]

Hello,

I’m looking for a new internal filter for my 350 liter tank. I have this one (River Stone Modul K incl. filtermateriale)
but, although its a very nice filter, its quite big and takes up a lot of space - 49*35*17 cm.

Im wondering which one(s) to pick. Have been looking at theese (U4 Underwater Filter, up to 240 L (65 US Gal) - Fluval UK) and (Magnum Polishing Internal Canister Filter | Marineland®)

Does anyone else have any other filter suggestions for a tank this size? It must be internal and it got to be fully submersible and underwater.- or, should I just stick with the one I already got, and dont mind the lack of space?

Thanks

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

Is it just a planted tank or do you have fish or shrimps in it as well? If so, some idea of stocking level would be useful.

 

[Elroy]

Tank is well planted. It contains 12 five banded barb, 12 red phantom tetra, 9 Siamese algae eater, 9 Corydoras sterbai, 4 Bolivian Ram

 

[_Maq_]

If it were me, I'd use any cheap tiny internal "filter" without sponge with the aeration at the outgoing flow of water. The tank itself, particularly it's substrate, would be my filter. Perhaps two of them for a tank this size. Just to make the water flowing with thousands of very small air bubbles.

 

[PARAGUAY]

I have a couple of Fluvels U3 and U4 and find they are ok. A few settings for flow direction even a substrate level one. Sponges on the intake and media of what you want in the middle section

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Does anyone else have any other filter suggestions for a tank this size? It must be internal and it got to be fully submersible and underwater.

<"Power head"> and a <"big sponge block">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Elroy]

Thanks for your replys.

I thought I'd go with the Fluval U4, but then I suddenly stumbled upon this one: JUWEL Aquarium | Bioflow Filtersystems | purchase online which I find very promising - not least when I've seen this video with upgrades:





At approx 4:57 min. in the video he talks about "Bio media" - "Bio gravel". Dont really know where to buy that where I live, but I found this one: BioHome - Det bedste akvarie filtermateriale - kun hos Tropeland - which reminds a little bit of the one he is showing. Can I use the long "Bio media" instead of the small ones he uses? If not can you plz post a link to where to buy the small "Bio Gravel balls" - in UK, Germany, Holland etc.

Cheers Elroy

 

[sparkyweasel]

You might find this interesting;
Bio-media

 

[jaypeecee]

Hi @Elroy

It may also be worth adding the following to your list of candidates:

Shark PRO - FILTERS - Products

www.sicce.com

Although I cannot comment specifically on the above filter models, I own other Sicce filters and I've been very pleased with them. I seem to recall that the Seachem Tidal filter is actually produced by Sicce.

JPC

 

[hwscot]

<"Power head"> and a <"big sponge block">.

cheers Darrel

aka the Aquael Mini Pat with the replacement sponge block from envobee .. well, ok, the sponge block isn't that huge, but enough for that bioload in a well planted tank and it's very easy to clean. Have two if you're concerned about capacity.

Or a typical two-sponge filter with a power head on top (Mini Pat?) or there are the two-sponge filters with a built in pump (there's a 3w and a 5w version: my 5w has run like a soldier for six months but all three of the 3w versions I tried failed).

 

[Wookii]

Agree with @dw1305 and @hwscot - if you absolutely have to have an internal filter, then a large sponge block on a powerhead is by far the best option - it also happens to be the cheapest, and the easiest to maintain. The sponge filter in my shrimp tank takes less than a minute to clean in a jug of tank water. If you have shrimp, its also a great grazing surface for them.

Here is Darrel's image, and this really is all you need (or two of them if you want more flow):

 

[Elroy]

You might find this interesting;
Bio-media

Thanks - yep, it looks quite interesting at first glance. Hope I can cet something out of it, despite my broken English

 

[Elroy]

Wow, lots of input to digest during 10 pages.

I think Ill go for either Fluval U4 or Juwel bioflow filter L - despite of the very interesting Italian Shark Pro filter. I cant find a retailer who sells it.

Another one I got to turn down is the one @dw1305, @hwscot and @Wookii mentioned. Although it is both cheap and easy to maintain I do not find it very picturesque. Not that the filters I am going to pick are less eye poop than this, but I find them more easy to hide. Hope you understand but thanks for the input.

And now for putting the different filter media in place in the filter. Hope you can guide me here, plz. If I pick, lets say, the Juwel bioflow filter and would use the Pondgurus way to put the filters back in place - just without using the "Bio media", what would you place there instead - Could it be something like: Oase Hel X 13 Biomedia (Hel-X 13 Biomedia 800 ml) - or another plastic Bio element, like this: (Bioelementer 1 L)? And what would you put in the "empty" space in the bottom cage?

Bottom cage - Seen from bottom and up: For example 3 bags of Oase Hel X 13 Biomedia then a empty space (What to put here?).

Top cage - Seen from the top and down: For example 1 x Carbon Foam, 1 x Coarse Foam, 1 x Medium Foam, 1 x Fine Foam and one bag of Oase Hel X 13 Biomedia

What is your opinion on this setup?

Cheers Elroy

​

 

[_Maq_]

Could it be something like: Oase Hel X 13 Biomedia (Hel-X 13 Biomedia 800 ml)

I think this one and similar ones are made to support nitrifying microbes in particular. Do you need to support nitrification?

 

[Elroy]

To be honest, I dont know. When I measure/test the water, there is neither nitrate or nitrite. Guess plants use all the fertilizer I put in the tank.

 

[hwscot]

Elroy, appreciate your concerns r.e. visuals. FWIW, a couple of photos. Both are the Aquael Mini Pat with the envobee replacement sponge. Total height of power head plus sponge = c. 14cm. I suspect it can be a lot less conspicuous than you might fear. The Pat has a small adjustable flow director which you can remove if you want.

35L / 45cm growout tank, plus breeder tank. As you can see, water volume much less than 35L. Normally there are maybe 6 - 10 adult / adolescent platys and c. 20 young platies around the 1cm stage. Feeding is heavy. It handles the bioload comfortably. Nitrites consistently zero. No particular attempt to hide the filter .. shifting it or one of the java ferns a few inches would do it.

Lurking behind the back slab of the 90L slate cube (45cm x) which is currently undergoing a reworking (adding an external filter plus CO2). The filter is providing filtration plus I'm using it to play with flow. Again, not currently making any real attempt to hide it.

I have another in a 75cm stock tank, also with little planting / scaping apart from java fern. I'd photograph the tank but you literally wouldn't see the filter as it's in a back corner.

 

[_Maq_]

Tank is well planted. It contains 12 five banded barb, 12 red phantom tetra, 9 Siamese algae eater, 9 Corydoras sterbai, 4 Bolivian Ram

When I measure/test the water, there is neither nitrate or nitrite. Guess plants use all the fertilizer I put in the tank.

I think you don't need any filtration. What you need is a circulation pump.