Best Canister Filter for Carbon/Phosphate Media

[Marcosreef]

Hi,

I can't decide between the Eheim Ecco, Magnum 350, Eheim Classic, or the Rena Filstar XP.

Anyone with experiences with these would be appreciated. It will mostly be used to run carbon and phosphate media a couple days a month. I would like to stay away from the HOB models. (For a 75 gal.)

Marco

 

[LittleFish1]

I have been using Eheim for 3 yrs now. I trusted it.

 

[smokin reefer]

Hello, I have a mag. 350 and like it a lot. I have no experience with the others though. I use the magnum with the water polishing filter, and can change it out is about 5 min. Pretty easy to dismount and remount.

 

[Anonymous]

I really like the duetto's, I remove the junk it comes with and throw carbon into the main chamber. Not very large though, i've got a mag350 but havent used it in years.. L8r mega

 

[madrefkepr]

I personally like using a Lifeguard media module, inline. Does cut down on the flow of the return a little, but not much, IME.

 

[Anonymous]

Harker had a good article on the duetto a few years ago, url below, he advocates low flowrate for carbon, (definitly NOT inline with your sump return!) see article for details.

http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/mar/product/default.asp

 

[madrefkepr]

Yes, a low flow rate would be better. Julian Sprung has advocated just putting carbon in a mesh bag in the sump. However, I do not have a sump, so options are a little more limited.

 

[Marcosreef]

Thanks everyone. The duetto sounds really good, thanks for the link Mega. That's what I was looking for, and no hoses to empty your reef out on the floor!

But for an emergency carbon run (after a disaster, or failed flat worm treatment) I don't think the 66 gph Duetto is going to cut it.

Marco

 

[Wrassman]

I personally like Eheim canisters. I have been using them for years and they never wear out. It is a very high qualtiy product.

 

[Anonymous]

Again, I agree with Wrasseman. Eheim are QUALITY products.

However, you should know that some activated carbons go through a wash that includes phosphorous, apparently this can leech into your system and give you high phosphate readings (along with stuff like algal/cyano blooms, yay). I can't remember the thread, but it was recently discussed on http://www.wetwebfotos.com/talk/

So, you may want to be careful with it. Are you going to utilize foam fractionation? If not, please allow me to strongly encourage you to go with it, as it will perform many of the same functions as carbon, and then some.

I am familiar with the Magnums, and find that they are not quite as flexible in their design in regards to filtration media. They are EXCELLENT for giving the water a really good polish when you filter with the diatom filters.

Another reasonably good quality canister is Fluval. I have had no troubles with mine, and because they are designed with U.S. standard measures, it's a bit easier to find parts for hose fittings and the such. They are also easier to repair and maintain.

 

[Anonymous]

I have an Eheim 2217 and the smallest fluval. The Eheim is beefy but I have an older one and you have to layer in your media the way you want it. Not a huge deal but. I like the little fluval it has trays for all the different media types and I just put a bag of carbon in one tray, some filter floss/polyfilter in the next and I have LR rubble in the last. The trays lift out for easy changing and disconnecting the hose assembly is a snap.

 

[Marcosreef]

Are you going to utilize foam fractionation? If not, please allow me to strongly encourage you to go with it, as it will perform many of the same functions as carbon, and then some.

Hi,

Yes I have a protein skimmer in use. The canister would mostly be used for a quick water polish, vaccuuming detritus from my sump bottom and overflow chamber and running phosphate absorbing media.

The smaller Eheim Ecco 2231 has media baskets that are removable.
http://www.eheimparts.com/pdf/2231.pdf

Thanks, Marco

 

[Anonymous]

If you're looking to polish the water, then I have to strongly recommend the Magnum.

 

[LA-Lawman]

the eheim ecco or the filstar. I have them both and love them. they both have a shot-off top. the eheim has a failsafe shutoff. u lift the handle and the thing closes the ball valves leaving the bottom for servicing

the filstar is neat too. depending which model you get will depend on the number of trays you get for media.

hth