namehater

hey everybody, finally got my tax money so now im ready to buy some new tank hardware. im needing a filter and a heater, but im not really sure whats the 'best'. i know the 'best' if going to be heavily opinion based, but thats what im looking for. please take a look at my requirements and tell me what you think is the 'best' for my needs.

the tank is a 55gallon, with currently nothing for a heater and a single emperor 280 for filtration.

im pretty lost on filter selection, but i do like the idea of either adding a canister filter along with the emperor, or even better removing the emperor and just running a canister.

for heaters i like the ones with a remote thermostat and are not (easily) breakable.

please help, im looking to make this order tonight!

Angela_96

I love my eheim eccos they are great filters. I have hardly no maintence to them I take them down every month to change the white filter, rinse the rest of the media, and scrub the tubbing (algae will build up in them)... it takes about 5 min a filter.

Then for a heater, I like the stealth heaters they are wonderful. You can set the temp on and they are acurate.

agabr123

i don't have experience with canister filters, but i second the stealth heaters by marineland. i trust just about anything that they make

namehater

what size ecco do you have and what size your tank? is your bioload very much?

namehater

anybody else having thoughts?

Lucy

I can't comment on the filter. I really like visi-therm stealths and use them in my tanks. Unbreakable, fully submersible and guaranteed for life

AlyeskaGirl

I don't know anything about Canisters.

For a heater I use the Via Aqua; Titanium and submersible with "out of aquarium" thermostat. I really like the thermostat box, I have it mounted on the wall, no sticking hand in tank for temp adjustment if needed. It's very accurate too.

http://www.americanaquariumproducts....um_heater.html

Speedy

For a canister filter if you have the money Eheim all the way. The best filter ever but if you don't have that kind of money the next one I would recommend is the Rena filstar it is a good filter the only thing I didn't like about it is the priming but for the money it is a good filter. I can't comment on the visi-therm stealths heaters because I have never used one before. I have Ebo Jager heaters in all my tanks and I have never had a problem out of them. But I have heard that some people talking about some of the Ebo Jager heaters having some seal problems and would leak inside after a couple of years of use but I have never had this happen to me. I have also read about some problems out of the visi-therm stealth heaters as well that the control messed up and fried there fish but I have not had personal experience with this I just read it on the computer.But just remember there is no perfect heater and they all can mess up sometimes. Good luck I hope this helps.

aquarist48

I suggest an overflow, trickle down filter system. It's what I use on my 155 gallon bow front tank, with a 950 mag drive. Too, I use a Diatom XL filter every 10 days when I do a water change. It filters parasites, algae and I haven't had an algae bloom in 8 years and my tank has never had ICK. If you have the means....you won't be sorry.

namehater

has anybody seen these yet?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...m?pcatid=19310

im likin it, but hate to be a pioneer

lew2000

I use a hydor in-line heater on on of my tanks - going on 2+ years and using a digital thermometer i set it at 79% - no prblems so far and its out of the way.

As for a canister - i use the eheim 2227 - i like that it is essentially fills up then pumps most of the water out - then trickle fills and repeates the process. Secondarily,it seems as if this type filter versus a canister has less dead spots in it becuase of how it is designed, and with the trickle fill it is good for oxygenating the water as well. I aslo us an ehiem 2229 with built in heater for one of my tanks as well. I have stayed away from the type of integrated filter "namehater" put a link out for - with integrated uv - i just like to have components seperate in case of a failure or maintenance (though of course i went with 2229 with a heater - becuase of ehiem construction.

namehater

well, i made the order right before your post, i ended up going with the Reaction EFU-35, the Hydor In-Line 300w heater. the reaction filter seemed to have pretty solid reviews so i thought i would give her a whirl, hopefully i wont be making a big mistake!

lew2000

there is a good review of the filter at drs F&S - so its probably going to work very well. Would you mind letting me know how it works for you?

namehater

Ill post a little review of it once its all setup, ill probably put up a video on youtube as well, there's nothing on there about it

cerianthus

Although I am familiar with JBJ's lighting and would recommend, was not impressed with their impeller assembly on their pH. Dont actually have experienced this canister w/ UV, but my thoughts on any combined equipments are not positive. Would rather run them independently ( in case filter stops, does UV shut itself off auto, etc).
I would recomend Eheim Classic Series w/o any hesitation but not Ecco personally.

I would recommend to run both filters (canister and Emperor) as you've mentioned as a back up to each other. Sometimes filters will fail, especially when you are away and you can alternate the maintenace on filters thus less disturbances to bio-activities at one time. Since have both, why not use both?

I would recommend Stealth as other have done so.

Depending on type of fish you wan to keep, W/D filter w/ Overflow may not work. If trying keep Live plants and small community fish, bad idea. Firstable, water cascading down the tube will remove much needed CO2 ( for plant)from water. Secondly, seen floating/dead leaves blocking overflow thus decreasing draining capacity causing overflow from the tank. Thirdly, seen small fish get suck/swim into Overflow and end up on back of overflow or on top mechanical media in WD/sump.

Angela_96

I have a 90g ecco on my 58g, a 60g on my 36g and 55g tanks.
I have a lot of bioload where I have malawi cichilds.

Speedy

I haven't seen that one. It looks pretty good. But I have never used any of there products so I don't know anything about it. Good luck. I hope it works great for ya.