I am looking to get 2 rio 300 tanks soon and want to use external filters on both.I have looked at the eheim professional 2 with the integrated heating system.This would be my first time putting external filters in a tank.If anyone has some advice on this filter or some help on what filter would work well in a rio 300 that would be great.

Never go for a internal heater in your external filter,they break down after a while and it is almost impossible to replace them.I speak from experience,the dirt starts to build up around the heaterspiral and burn out. In my case it burst open. This happens very quickly,and when you have to clean it you have scraped the scale off the spiral .Greetings,Cees

Hello Cees here again in response to the second part of your question what filter to use in your Rio 300, I would recommend the Aqua-Pro 3 SP which we sell in our shop in Dungarvan and have in stock at the moment. It is recommended for a tank of 300 to 600L filtering 1350L per hour which is needed to get a good flow to clean out every dirt particle. It is Self-Priming hence the SP, and comes with all the pipes and fittings you need, incuding a very useful spray-bar which you can stretch all across the top of your tank to aid aeration or you can just use one of the other nozzles supplied to return the water to the tank. We are using one of this range of filters on our display tank in the shop and in a year and a half of business we have never had to clean it out!! We have many satisfied customers who are delighted with the operation of these filters. Give us a shout 058 40158 and we can answer more questions

Hello cees.Thanks for the info.Makes sense not to go for the integrated heating system in the filter.It could make it a lot of hard work if it went wrong.I will take a look at that aqua pro 3 and see what it offers.What do you think of the tetra tec ex1200.It seems to offer a lot for the price.

I have a Tetra 1200 and swear by it,brilliant piece of kit.However,it is rated for aquaria 200-500ltrs,I would always tend to stick to the lower part of the rating,but guess it depends on your stocking level,and what species.I just worry about how a filter can do a good job of 200ltrs,and yet is meant to do just as good a job of 2 and a half times that??

Dave

I use an external tetratec ex 700 for my tank (its only 160 litres). The tetratec range is great. Really silent and a good flow rate.
Gavin

pets and ponds wrote:
Never go for a internal heater in your external filter,they break down after a while and it is almost impossible to replace them.I speak from experience,the dirt starts to build up around the heaterspiral and burn out. In my case it burst open. This happens very quickly,and when you have to clean it you have scraped the scale off the spiral .Greetings,Cees

Well I have the eheim 2126 with the integrated heating element and it has worked flawlessly for a year now. To me it means I don't need an unsightly internal heater. What is the scale that your on about? In my opinion you pay extra for the best and that is the eheim.

I am looking to set tank one up as a mbuna cichlid set up and tank 2 as a planted tetra+cory setup.I think the juwel filter takes up a lot of space so have decided to go with an external filter on both.I would hope to get tanks second hand with filters etc being new.Any thoughts on a price for a second hand rio300 with stand.What might i pay?
Thanks for the help and info and keep it comeing.
Eoin.

Eoin, I have to agree with Cees, avoid the Eheim models with the heater built in. Mine lasted 11 months before failing. Too much trouble returning for a replacement so I added a heater to the tank. It is the only problem I have ever had with an Eheim and I have plenty of them, but I only had the one with built in heater.

Ted, I would have a spare heater ready, just in case!!

I don't know the make that Cees mentioned, so I can't comment. I use Tetratec 1200's and various Eheims, for a Rio 300 a Tetratec 1200 would be perfect or a Ehiem 2015 / 2017, I would not bother with the later Professional range of Ehiems (liek 3 and 3e etc), you are paying extra for gizmos you do not need. The Tetratec comes with all the media you need, it is optional with the two eheims I mentioned - but it is only sponges that are supplied if you get teh media included version, I would suggest you replace some of the sponges with ceramic tubes or other biological medium and just keep two or three of the sponges.

Regarding Juwel filters - they come in for alot of stick, which I think is unfair, unless you want them removed to regain the space they take up leave them in. They hide the heater and work well, you would need to add only a smaller external filter too.

If you don't want to have the heater in the tank and you are removing the juwel box you could go with a Hydor external heater. They are a bit more expensive than a regular heater. I have never used one, but I think Platy252 does.

Good luck with the new tanks.


Daragh

Daragh.Thanks for the advice on the filter and heater.I was up in AV yesterday and they have the tetratec filters at a great price.I have never heard anything about the hydro external heaters all i can say is they look great and have read some good reviews about them today.Might you know where you might get one.