Canister Filter Question...

[SOULJAA]

How would you guys (ladies included of course) rate the following filters:
(***Note: It will be used on a 135 (maybe 150) gal. set-up. 8-10 fish (biggest 3-4")).

1) Rena Canister Filter xP4

2) Fluval FX5

3) Jebo External 829 5 ply

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

1) Rena, I like them....I have a few xp3's and think if I had a choice I would go with this one again.

2) Fluval, Never used one but have seen a few in action and tore one down...not the best design(impeller at the bottom) but the GPH's are there.

3) Have never used a Jebo product before but I rate them along the lines of Odyssea....they are cheap but worth what you pay for them.

[mrairportjunke]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

i like my renas.  never had any of the others but i like the media trays.  i make my own.

[armthehomeless]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

I've got an XP3 and FX5 on my 210. Both have been great for me.

Keep in mind that I placed the fish in this order based upon the typed of fish you mentioned (3-4"). I you were to put larger  SA cichlids in the tank, I would flop the top two.
For your needs:
1)XP4
2)FX5

4)Jebo

[MikeWhoTruong]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

A WETDRY would be your best friend

[SOULJAA]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

Okay, so far we got....2 for Rena  and 1 for FX5...

The tank doesn't give me too too many problems...just seems to always be the can.filter, which is actually an Eheim...Model  2250 maybe. It's identical but noticably smaller than the Model 2260 I have on my 200 gal. The discharge has decreased to about a 25-30% efficiency thru the spraybar; in addition to it's been getting airlocked quite a bit over the last couple of months. I've cleaned it, changed media, and checked for leaks (i.e. making sure it has been properly sealed tight after internal cleaning/media change). I don't know how old the filter is, but I'm thinkin' that it may just be time to change it out. Has anyone ever heard of a canister filter losing its "suction capacity"?

[mrairportjunke]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

i noticed mine loose there discharge capacity if that makes since.  they decrease fast. if i had the money and space and all that id switch all mine to wet drys.

[wvgdiscus]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

1st thing is canisters do not have a suction. The return to canister is equal to amount of flow going to the tank from the canister.
If the motor. or if the lines are getting plugged up the the return to the canister will slow down.
This is why it is best to clean out the hoses when cleaning out the canister.

[mrairportjunke]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

i clean all parts of mine and still it dies off

[SOULJAA]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

I understand the "what goes in must come out" principle. However, I don't know how else to explain the decrease in intake efficiency (i.e. suction) and therefore the outtake deficiency (i.e. discharge) if the canister unit (hoses included) is clean/clear of all obstructions. I can only deduce the problem to be w/ the pump not "pulling or sucking" water from the tank into the filter and "pushing or spitting" it out back into the tank w/ the same level of efficiency it once had. I can see it "sucking" at a comparable rate to which it is "spitting".

I can see air trapped in the intake line, so I hooked up my Python to the return line (where the spray bar hooks into) to "pull" water thru the filter (and also to pull the air out)...ya know to get things flowing. But this lil' technique of mines didn't work, which was shocking b/c this has been a Trump card of sorts for me whenever I come across a canister filter that doesn't have the self-priming feature.

So, I'm thinking the pump may be going out in some way or another  

Does that make sense ya'll...what do ya'll think???

[Fire_chair]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

Rena

[mrairportjunke]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

i understand what your sayinabout the reduction of flow.  i have the same problem and i dont like it. but i think thats just the pumps get weeker.  wear on the motor.  other than that.  im not sure i understand your problem. sorry

[Philbert]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

Something seems to be overlooked, when cleaning the hoses and to some extent the intake tubes on filters.
The brown slime cuts flow tremendously...you can run water thru the hoses on my Eheim and it doesn't seem obstructed. When I take a wad of wet paper towel and ram it down the hose with a rod, a lot of slime is cleaned out. My water flow doubles when I do that, and the same for my HOB intakes...I run a chain through the tube, with a paper towel tied to the end, and a lot of slime comes out with it. My flow increases tremendously.
That may be the problem.

[mrairportjunke]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

i know what hes talkin about though cause on my rena i replaced the hoses and still flow wasnt what it use to be.

[CichlidFan]

Re: Canister Filter Question...

I recently bought a used FX5 with the 210 I bought, and I have to say I'm not really to impressed with it. It does not seem to move the water as much as I thought it would.

I think I will buy some new filter pads and media and see how it performs with new componets and then see...

CF