Review: aquatech 5-15 and 20-40

I have had these 2 filters for about 5 months now and I would not wish them on my worst enemy unless I wanted to kill his fish. I would say the best use for these is to rip out the filter media and replace it with something else as neither one with the media provided can filter without bypassing the media. Fresh media not enough flow can get through the floss and carbon and plastic grate. Additionally I would say the best thing you could do is pull all the media out and toss a bag of biomax in which mind you is all that will fit in the 5-15 and use a secondary sponge filter for mechanical filtering.

It has convinced me to either try an aquaclear hob or skip getting a hob ever again and going with a canister...

Overall if you already have them don't buy the replacement media it sucks go with an alternative

if your in desperate need of a filter at 12 am well I think your fish could survive 8 hours with no filter rather than put up with this filter...

the 20-40 with just the normal filter as sold the pump pushes too much water in and will constantly have the over flow going with a prefilter sponge enough resistance is provided by the sponge to lower the flow just enough for the filter to pass enough water...

the 5-15 can't hold enough media and bio media to not have a cycle if you change the media like directed all and all I don't feel either of these filters have enough filtration power for anything more than a snail or perhaps a school of tetra. I recommend looking elsewhere and if you already have one think of doing an alternative media perhaps using it just for bio filtration...

 

I have used both of these, and am actually using them now on my 20 gallon tank. The 20-40 works great for me, as it can fit plenty of different filter media in it, so options are available for that one.

The 5-15's do work ok, but I only use them as filter for my small betta tank and as a secondary filter for my 20 gallon. Being as they have no extra room for added media, they would not be a good choice as a single filter. I fortunately have a 29 gallon tank with large filters that I can seed all of my new media before replacing the old cartridges in my 5-15's.

 

All you have to do is go to the WalMart website (this filter is made specifically for WalMart) and you can see all the awful reviews. I wouldn't touch these based on those reviews alone. That many people can't be wrong.

 

I have used the 5-15 and as you noted, not very much room for extra media. I ended up making my own cartidges from cut to fit carbon pad and poly batting. When my 55 is set up in the next week or so I plan on leaving the 5-15 on it to keep it cycled as a hospital/quarantine filter. Though it was very quiet, I would say aquaclears beat it on all other fronts.

 

What kills these filters is the cartridge they are meant to use if aquatech would go back fix the media it could be OK but as sold they are junk 5-15 can't do 5 gallons let alone the 10 mine came on.

 

My parents have had trouble with their 5-15s. Their first one just randomly quit less than 6 months after buying it, and when they tried to move the biomedia thing over to the new one, they discovered that AquaTech had decided to update their design and the biomedia insert wouldn't fit correctly. I've tried to get them to switch over to an AC, but they don't want to spend the money.

 

I have been really happy with my fluval 106 canister but I haven't been able to find a deal on a 206 or 306 for my 29 gallon I was thinking about an ac 50 or 70 for my 29 gallon to replace the useless 20-40 but I am thinking I might just mod the 20-40 to be biofiltration only remove the carbon and floss material and put some bags of biomax rings in then either make my own canister or perhaps just buy canister.

 

I have a 5-15 in my 10 gallon and occasionally when it loses power the impeller doesn't restart and I have to give it a good thump to get it going again. Money is too tight at the moment to replace it but I wouldn't want another one.

 

well I had one not start for the first time on me one day when I was cleaning it what I did was take out the impeller wipe off the shaft pull any plant matter off then wipe out the hole it fits in then when I put it back together worked like new...

I have the following
2x aquatech 5-15 paired they might to all right in a 15 gallon but alone one can't keep the 5 gallon it is on clean...
1x aquatech 20-40 piece of flows water past the media with a prefilter sponge on it
1x fluval 106 canister I got for $32 on amazon best filter I have had the pleasure of using.

I am thinking about ordering either a aquaclear 50 or 70 or a fluval c3 or c4 for my 29 gallon the 20-40 will probably be junked or filled with biomax and kept as a spare I wonder if I could fit both the 20-40 and the ac 50 on my 29... or my 20 with the fluval canister...

I spoil my fish more than my cats...