External Filter

Now thanks with Alisons help I know know how i can modify my tank to use an External Filter

Any suggestions for a 120L 'ish tank? also does the height the water has to be pumped up to the top of the tank effect which size i would need? I assume it would.

If anyone does offer advice maybe a link would be nice too

You might find some useful info here -

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/filters.htm

http://www.lifeforceonline.co.uk/aquarium_filters.html

As far as which to get, I dont have any personal experience with them but would imagine that the well known brand names - fluval, tetra etc, would make good quality ones.

what exactly is priming?

you prime a filter when you set it up its to get the air out of the filter on the rena xp3 i have its a self prime once you put down the grey handle you can see the air being ejected into the tank as the filter fills with water some filters you have to pump a button to get rid of the air it all depends on the make of filter

alison, i am sorry to be a stupid nooby, but what is the difference between these types of filters. I know you have to have a filter to clean the tank, but dont they all do much the same thing?

Is one better than the other?

Externals are a LOT easier to clean and maintain i believe.

I just need peoples diferent opinions of makes/brans/prices etc

An external filter tends to be more powerful, hold more media and of course look nicer because you can hide it away under the tank.

I have a tetratec ex1200 on my 330l tank and it is fantastic. You can get smaller ones of the same make but to be honest you could use the ex1200 and then you have a filter big enough for when you upgrade to a bigger tank (LOL)

What size tank have you got GD? Are these for bigger tanks mainly?

I got a 120L tank STILL not set up lol it wil be happening in a week tho

indigoj wrote:

An external filter tends to be more powerful, hold more media and of course look nicer because you can hide it away under the tank.

I have a tetratec ex1200 on my 330l tank and it is fantastic. You can get smaller ones of the same make but to be honest you could use the ex1200 and then you have a filter big enough for when you upgrade to a bigger tank (LOL)

Erm a bigger filter would it not blast things around my tank? forgive my ignorance

cant help you on this GD, never had an external filter although I am thinking of getting a bigger tank and so would like to get one then. good to read all your questions coz it help me too - keep asking! :lol:

i have a fluidised sand bed filter in my 400l tank cos of my piranhas being VERY messy eaters and they require NO maintainance but if you have "normal" fish that eat normally rather than like pigs you probably wouldnt need one but NO MAINTAINANCE is a plus for me!!

is that working out ok then phishy, i remember you saying that you had ordered it. was it easy to set up and get running?

tbh...its still in the box lol!!

But they said as long as you READ the insturctions (which men find difficult, i know!!) then you shouldnt have trouble with getting an air lock in it...gunna set it up tomorrow and will update then...but i KNOW there's no maintainance with them, lol and now im feeding them prawns every other day ive noticed how messy they actually are!

i have an external on my 60 l tank i was worried that i would be over filtering there is a thread here somewhere and everyone said no you cannot overfilter i have an outlet tube with small holes in it and i have angled it to hit the glass not the gravel it is a lot easier to clean and where i was cleaning the internal filter every other day (plecs are messy even baby ones) now i do the external once a month

Ok im gonna buy a Tetratec EX1200 External Filter However before I do it says it does 1200L a hr yet my tank will only be 120L will that cause a lot of pressure from the water going round to blast fish and plants around or am I think about it too much?

I want to have it blowing across the surface to create plenty of oxygen rather than have it hitting the tank side.

Anyone with suggestions/ideas? Well Im off to the LFS to check out external filters and buy gravel LOL but i know how much I can buy online for from Ebay £62.95 + £7.95 postage which i assume is a good price?

the external i have got on my 60 l does 1200l an hour and as i said before its fine some of the tetra in there play in the flow

great thanks alison

I just didnt want to find them stuck to the front of the tank one day

have u got any siamese fighters?? these dont like fast water flow

Tank empty atm Phisy, no i will not get fighters not my type of fishy

ok then, filter away

but i will not experience fish stuck on the front glass of the tank. Thats all im concerned about.

no lol fish arent generally bothered about the water flow in a tank. When you think about it wherever they naturally live there's going to be a current anyway.

You also cannot OVER filter a tank either so dont worry about that

ah! thanks Phisy

we need a smiley with a kiss

*mwah* best i could do lol