U Series filter? or Multifunctional Bio-Filter?

[DJ-don]

hey guys
i have a problem in my 180 litre tank.
i have 2 L397 and 2 l104 and soon to be one more L104 (if i can find a female that is) and 2 small bns and one male bn (one of the smaller bns will be removed) they poop so much my filter which is a fluval 205 gets clogged very quickly. and there is a rio 4hf pump in there too.
I know i need another fitler but i dont want to get the expensive canisters i was looking more of the lines of internals


i was wondering which internal should i get?
should i get a Fluval U3 filteror a Multifunctional Bio-Filter???
I like the look of the U3 and it has lower watt usage
I also like the multi bio filter because i heard that the flow rate is actually stronger than it is and it seems to hold more filter media and i have heard i can change the filter padding and such without turning off the filter.

which would you recommend? any experience with any of them?

help is much appreciated.

 

[scatz]

i have a few of the U series filters, and they are OK, i dont think they are as good for flow as the older series, but do have their advantages, i like the ease of maintenence, no need to turn it off, can take out either sponge or the ceramic noodles while its running and much less fiddley than other internals i've had.
i've never had any experience with the other type you are looking at, but it looks pretty much the same as the U series as far as filtering goes, but looks much less user friendly when its maintenence time.

 

[scatz]

i would stick with the U3 looking at the other one, it looks ok, but nothing better than the fluval, the fluval is more economical and probably easier to clean

 

[DJ-don]

thanks for that scatz
btu the problem is that the U3 is 120 dollars while the other one is 10 timese less

 

[Doodles]

I have a fluval u3 but havent got round to using it yet:wb:


How often are you having to clean the filters?
And how do you clean the sponges on both?
How often do you replace any sponges?

You pretty much have the same filtration in your 180 as i do, internal rio filter and fluval 205, the only extra i have is an aquaball( which is for my quarantine tank when needed). The fluval in my tank doesnt seem to need doing very often although the internal is more frequent. You find as sponges get clogged they are harder to rinse out in tank water, but i rinse all the sponges for the internal in a bucket of tank water, not too much, i also completely wash out 1 sponge with tap water every couple of months, so its like new again. This way i don't over clean and remove too much bacteria but also get a fresh sponge back in. I only replace when falling apart. I also don't use any fine filter floss very often but if i do i stick it in the top of the filter so its easily removed/replaced.

I aso stopped using the spraybar for the fluval and went back to the original output thingy, the spraybar gets blocked quite often and ive found when it does it causes enough pressure back in the cannister to make it leak, since changing its been fine:dk:

 

[FF MkII]

You buy cheap, you buy twice.

 

[scatz]

hmmm, toughie, but you'll probably get what you pay for unfortunately.
one thing i've found with fish equipment is there is normally a reason for something being so cheap.
if you can stretch the budget, i'd go for the fluval.
are there other cheaper makes of internal filters in Aus?, i know here there are several, can you get jebo filters there?, they are chinese i think and much cheaper then fluval

 

[DJ-don]

i had a jebo and they broke after a days use. and the place i bought them from dont even sell them anymore

and by the way doodles the rio 4hf is just a power head in the tank

and i clean the filter once a week because the filter wool gets clogged quickly. i us filter wool instead of the fitler sponge provided because the fitler sponge doesnt catch and debris

 

[DJ-don]

forgot to add that the cheaper filter goes for $80 in LFS!!! ( so i've heard from a friend)

 

[scatz]

do you think your parents would lend you the money for the fluval?, or an early b'day present?

your experience with the jebo illustrates the point about cheaper products:wb:

 

[FF MkII]

Or buy a second hand, good quality external?

 

[DJ-don]

really dont think so-they would kill me if i even asked!
i have about 165 bucks but im saving that for a female L104 whcih would be around 120 bucks in australia
i like these filters because they have bigger and more intake holes than other filters available at shops.

even if i did say im paying it for my own money they would go
"its actually my money because i gave you that money"

\but i think i could persuade them to get it

 

[scatz]

ok, well its all going to boil down to your powers of persuasion now then, ultimately, the more expensive filter will serve you better, but it'll have to be a comprimise if you simply dont have the cash.

i'll be keeping my fingers crossed that the puppy dog eyes and the extra cups of coffee for mum and dad pay off for you.

 

[DJ-don]

right now im thinking of asking them would you prefer me to buy a cheap internal on ebay from someone i dont know or a 120 filter which i can get from the lfs our friend owns who probably could get me a discount?

 

[scatz]

right now im thinking of asking them would you prefer me to buy a cheap internal on ebay from someone i dont know or a 120 filter which i can get from the lfs our friend owns who probably could get me a discount?

ask them if they want you to buy a cheap one from ebay, from someone you dont know, and will probably have to replace within 6 months even if it does turn up, or one from your friend in the lfs

 

[DJ-don]

lol i love these kind of questions-they dont know which one to answer!!!

 

[Paul]

Wow fish stuff in Aus is expensive. I have 3 Fluval U4's and I paid £43 each for them, so like $90. I don't have any problems with mine and the cleaning/maintenance is easy as pie.


Paul