Equipment Review and Discussion :: Fluval AquaClear 110? U4?

[color-me-envious]

I'm looking for a filter upgrade for my tank. It currently holds 14 gallons and can (and eventually will) hold up to 22 gallons. I want a good, strong filter that is within my price range (~$100) and that I can carry over, at least short-term, when I upgrade his tank next year to a 30-40 gallon tank. I was recommended the Fluval 305 but it's a bit too expensive for me currently, especially since I'll ultimately have to upgrade the filter next summer when I upgrade the tank.

I've narrowed it down to two different filters, based on what I've heard here about the Fluval brand and what I've read in customer reviews on the individual products, and I'd like some insight.

The first was a Fluval U4, which is an internal filter for 34-60 gallon tanks and has a 260GPH filtration rate. My current filter is an internal filter (ExoTerra ReptiClear 350) and so it'd be somewhat familiar to me.

The second is the Fluval AquaClear 110, a H.O.T. power filter. It's for 60-110 gallon tanks, and has a maximum output of 500GPH and a minimum of 166GPH. It's intake is adjustable which was the most appealing thing for me because it'd make it easier to switch it between relatively drastically different sized tanks.

I want a decent filter that would keep his current tank sparkling and his future tank good and clean until I can upgrade to a good canister filter. I've heard good things about the U4 but I know fish habitats =/= turtle habitats and what might work great fo a fish hobbyist may not be quite so dazzling for me and my little guy.

[rsour24]

just a suggestion, why not wait until ur upgrade and just get an even bigger filter?
you could get a fluval 405 or rena xp3, maybe even bigger than that

[steve]

I don't know about the U4, but the 110 is kinda big. So I'm not sure if I would want to hang it on a 22 gallon... but I agree with rsour. You're looking for a big upgrade not incremental, so do that together.

[color-me-envious]

Well I'm backed in a corner and need to upgrade because his ExoTerra ReptiClear 350 is not nearly powerful enough for 20 gallons. It's going to be 11 months before I upgrade his tank and 11 months is a really, really long time to house him with an inadequate filter. :/ I know you guys mean well but instead of telling me not to get a filter at all, why not suggest then another filter that would be a better option? There's downgrades for both the AquaClear and U-series. Is the AquaClear 70 any smaller?

If I'm looking for a filter, that means I need one NOW; being able to carry it over when I upgrade would just be a bonus and I should never have mentioned it at all, geez.

Edit: Sorry I got snippy; I've been getting a lot of flack from friends lately who think I'm spending too much time or money on Enbi and the last thing I want to hear from anyone is 'Don't buy that.' when it's not a frivolous expenditure. His filter, while great for the water volume when I bought it, is inadequate now that it's nearly doubled. I need a filter now; being able to carry it over, like I said, would just be a really great bonus.

What do you know about Eheim filters? I found a comparably powered Eheim canister filter that's about $30 cheaper than the Fluval 305. (93 gallons/163GPH/$111 vs 70gallons/260GPH/$144)

[steve]

You can use a lower-end canister model, and it could carry over, though I'm not sure you want too. If anything, you can keep that filter paired with that tank. Which Eheim are you looking at? They are a good brand, I would choose that over that Fluval.

[color-me-envious]

Geez I feel so bad about getting snippy. DX I really am sorry.

It's an Eheim Classic Canister 2215-37. At 93 gallons I could carry it over to a 30-gal tank, and I think at least use it on a 40-gal as a temporary thing until I could buy bigger. I think it even comes with an aerator although I could be wrong; even so an aerator for this specific filter only costs like $7 from Foster & Smith, and I really like the affordable upgrade options like a pre-filter at a later date. If you think it's a good filter then I think it's the one I'm gonna go with.

On a bit of an unrelated topic, I'm also upgrading his heater from a 50 to a 100 watt (again, doubling his water volume). Eheim also makes a full-submersible, programmable (as opposed to Enbi's current heater which is pre-programmed) heater which is affordable, but it's housed in safety glass. I've heard of turtles breaking glass thermometers and things; Envy has yet to prove to be destructive to his tank equipment, but I still worry. Should I look for another heater or would safety glass be okay?

[steve]

No worries

Just to be certain, you plan to run this in with 22 gallons of water?

[color-me-envious]

Probably 19 gals to start, and I'll move up to 22 gals after I build Enbi his ATBA, which should be finished by the end of July.

[steve]

I've used the Fluval 304 in about 20 gallons of water in a plastic storage container without a problem, but I'm not sure how it will handle in your cube shaped tank. My initial feeling is that it or a similar filter would cause too much circulation.

For heaters, I've used Ebo Jagers (tempered or Pyrex glass) and the Visitherm Stealth (plastic) heaters. Both are adjustable and the Ebo Jagers are generally well regarded. You should be looking at a 75Watt heater.

[color-me-envious]

The Eheim 2215 has a lower rate of circulation than the Fluval (Eheim = 163GPH and the Fluval 305 = 260GPH). Wouldn't that suffice?

[steve]

Oh, did not see that part. If anything, but it from someplace with a good return policy

[color-me-envious]

I plan to buy from Fosters & Smith. They have a 60-day return policy. C:

Here's a better picture of his tank, without the turtle cliff, and essentially the same set up he'll have when I switch filters and heaters. As you can see his water is incredibly murky (despite having done a partial water change less than two hours before) and I think it's a mixture of an incomplete nitrogen cycle and stirred up substrate.



It's also a good indicator of water level since this is what it's going to stay at until I build an ATBA/cover. It's roughly 19 gallons full right now. Enbi doesn't swim deep too often so I was thinking if there is a bit of an excess flow, I could put the outflow lower?

[color-me-envious]

Thought I'd follow up on this--I got my Eheim today. Set up was a breeze, at least compared to what I expected; so much so that while the instructions were far too simple--they print it in every major language which actually costs them quality and depth--I could figure it out using my own wits and the back of the box. It's INSANELY quiet, and the current is strong enough to trap debris but doesn't seem so strong that it's harmful to Enbi. I'm gonna watch it the next couple of days to be sure of quality and function but my first impression? Utterly satisfied. 100% worth the cost.