# Recommendations for canister filter



## Nomad67 (Apr 2, 2010)

I am looking into a canister filter for a 70 Gal tank. This is going to be a african cichlid tank once completed. I Came across a great deal on a 
Fluval FX5 but think it may push way to much water and be way more than i need. I have a RENA XP2 on another tank and like it so far. Any suggestions 
would be appreciated.

Thanks


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Nomad67 said:


> I am looking into a canister filter for a 70 Gal tank. This is going to be a african cichlid tank once completed. I Came across a great deal on a
> Fluval FX5 but think it may push way to much water and be way more than i need. I have a RENA XP2 on another tank and like it so far. Any suggestions
> would be appreciated.
> 
> Thanks


There's no such thing as a pump that pushes too much water. As they say in nuclear engineering, dilution is the solution. And that's the only nuclear engineering I know.

Shoot the output into a sponge. Or through a sponge. That'll diffuse the flow.

I had a 55G Malawi tank with 2 AC70's (600GPH), a 2215 (250ish GPH) and a 150GPH powerhead. Quite the surface movement. Fish were fine. If I'd had all that flow coming out of one nozzle it'd have been too much current. Diffuse. Lots of ways. Seven spraybars linked together. Sponges, etc etc.

I think people should refrain from the term 'african tank' as African Cichlids fall into several diverse groups-- Madagascar cichlids, Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi, West African Riverine, Lake Tanganyika, and all of these have different preferences and needs.


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## Nomad67 (Apr 2, 2010)

Well i have read mixed reviews which is why i asked. Some say to much of a
pain to change media others say it is awsome. i have also been told to put 2 canisters on it that way i can play with different media.It was brand new for 
$275 which is why it caught my eye. I have a Rena XP2 and a fluval 304 on another 70 Gal but thought with one filter i could reduce the overall space required for 2 canisters....


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

I would suggest a Eheim 2217 classic

Will be more than enough flow but not too much that it will be over whelming. If you can believe it most fish like a strong current in the tank.

you could get 2 Eheim 2213 classic and it would be like $15 more. This would be ideal and you could create a great flow and if you bought another tank soon you can always get away with one 2213 on a 70 gal

I think of canister filters as a biological holder and a water polisher.

Any filter can only do so much for your water quality.

Feeding and water changes are the key to keeping a healthy tank. Along with getting healthy stock and researching what you want to keep instead of doing the LFS tour and spying something you think is cool and just adding it to your tank without thinking how will this effect the balance of the tank?

Good luck with your search.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

TBemba said:


> I would suggest a Eheim 2217 classic
> 
> Will be more than enough flow but not too much that it will be over whelming. If you can believe it most fish like a strong current in the tank.
> 
> ...


Eheims are NOT water polishers, especially 2213.
Eheim will tell you this.

Running a 2213 by itself on a 70 is insane. Even on a 65 by itself is pretty crazy unless the bioload is super low (it is rated to 65. Personally I'd use a 2217 AND supplementary HOB on a 70)


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

AquariAM said:


> Eheims are NOT water polishers, especially 2213.
> Eheim will tell you this.
> 
> Running a 2213 by itself on a 70 is insane. Even on a 65 by itself is pretty crazy unless the bioload is super low (it is rated to 65. Personally I'd use a 2217 AND supplementary HOB on a 70)


Eheims are not a water polisher but if you could read, I said I think of them as (a water polisher) not the Saviour of your tank.

every time you post it proves how little you actually seem to know about the hobby.

I unlike you will admit I know little about the hobby i have been in for over 20 years (I am constantly learning new things) the more i know the realization the less i know. I do know what works for me and am willing to share my experiences with others. 

Tim


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## Nomad67 (Apr 2, 2010)

TBemba

I asked for comments not arguments. This site is for all to help others and give there opinins and not to be rude and questions others abilities to read or not. Maybe you should leave a PM to the person you are questioning rather than slamming someone in the open forum for everyone to read.


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## Aquatic Designs (Apr 2, 2006)

Eheims are not high flow filters like fluval. Fluval polish water well with filter floss yet suck when it comes to actually filtering water on a biological level. When it comes to ideal filtration water retention time is the important factor. The longer the water is in contact with the media the better. Eheim filters are the best when it comes to bio filtration in a canister. Fluval filters have far too high a flow rate to be efficient bio filters.

I recommend a 2213 if you have supplemental filtration like a HOB. Or a 2217 on it's own.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Nomad67 said:


> TBemba
> 
> I asked for comments not arguments. This site is for all to help others and give there opinins and not to be rude and questions others abilities to read or not. Maybe you should leave a PM to the person you are questioning rather than slamming someone in the open forum for everyone to read.


Those 'arguments' are differing opinions that you should be using to decide which filter you want. If you don't want information that will help you out of the desire to be militantly politically correct, what's the point?


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

I run an EHEIM 2217 plus a FLUVAL 304 on my 75 gallon CIchlid tank, plus a third hang-on-back filter to use so I can use active carbon and change it frequently without fiddling with cannisters. I find this three-filter approach excellent. My EHEIM 2217 is the favorite filter I have ever owned. I load it like this:

1. bottom plastic circular bit
2. layer of course material as a mechanical pre-filter
3. sponge as second layer of mechanical filtration
4. layer of biomedia (eheim media)
5. floss.
6. second layer of biomedia.
7. second layer of floss.

Everybody has there favorite way of loading up their cannisters. I replace the floss each time I service, but I reuse the media indefinitely, and just squeeze the sponge out each time the flow is reduced. Because there are three filters on the 75g, one of them can be reduced in flow and effectiveness without causing any ammonia spikes. Two out of three not working well, and I've got a problem (overload! bzzzzzz!). 

So, if you've got the money, I'd run a dual EHEIM 2217 on a 70+gal tank.
I would not run a single FX5, because you have no redundancy. Dual or triple filters on a tank totally rocks.

W


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