New Filter Upgrade - Switching To Fluval Canister

[Kustrud]

I am going to pickup a Fluval 307 Canister filter tonight to go in my 20 gallon tank. I'm going with the 307 because it will eventually go into my tank upgrade which will be around 55-65. I have an Aquaclear 50 right now and I just cannot help but watch things float right by the intake. I keep it clean and maintained and the outflow is up 100%. It obviously works as it's full of crud when I rinse the sponges in tank water/etc.....I just firmly believe after watching all of the Fluval videos that this will be a much better filter vs. any HOB style. I also like all of the open space for different media and floss and stuff. I like the infinite adjustment of being able to adjust the current in my tank as well to help with filtration.

What are the best ways to position the intake and output depth-wise? How far off the bottom should the intake sit? Should the output be barely above the surface so that it disrupts the surface to help with oxygenation if I do not have a bubbler?

Any tips appreciated, excited for an upgrade to a clearer tank and then soon....a bigger tank!

 

[Kustrud]

Got the Fluval setup and going! What a nice unit! Very happy with it….think that was a good move.

So much more filtration!

How do I get rid of the micro-bubbles? It’s always something lol….output is about half of it under and half of it above the actual surface.

 

[Cal Amari]

Theres as many opinions about filter position as there are different filters. I've used fluval for years, HOB, 307/407/ and now an fx4, all on different tanks, but have always been pleased. My preference is sand substrate, so I keep the intake 2-3 inches above the substrate so and doesn't get sucked in. If you have gravel or bare bottom, I'd go right above the substrate. As far as output, a lot of people talk about above or on the water line for oxygenation, but i prefer just under the surface maybe an inch or so, and tilted up a little to swirl/agitate the surface. I've found this to be the quieter option and never have micro buble issues. No wrong way to do it as long as water is circulating though.

 

[Kustrud]

All good points...thanks!

My big question about this, is if we are traveling and there is a power outage or something....will this thing flood my house? Did not even realize that was a possibility until I did some reading. Really hope not because that is quite scary....we have a nice finished basement with a recently re-finished bar under where the fish tank sits upstairs on the main level.

 

[Cal Amari]

If set up properly, there should be no worry of that, any siphon created by one hose would be returned by the other. Easy way to test though, don't go anywhere and unplug it for awhile.

 

[Kustrud]

If set up properly, there should be no worry of that, any siphon created by one hose would be returned by the other. Easy way to test though, don't go anywhere and unplug it for awhile.

True, and I get that. I guess I have read stories of the housing cracking thus letting water siphon out through the broken housing and onto the floor until the water in the tank reached the depth of the intake (which is close to the bottom). I love the canister, and I cannot see how even 2 HOB filters would filter as well. But after reading this it has me freaked out enough to consider going to 2 HOB's lol. That would be an absolute disaster lol. Am I overthinking this?

 

[Cal Amari]

Well, you've gotta be comfortable in your own system, but from where i stand housings don't spontaneaously crack, unless they're old, been moved and stored and reused, bought used and cleaned up, some time in which they could have been dropped, crunched, bumped etc, then new units fresh out of the box should be just as reliable without you present as with you present. There's any number of flood stories on the internet and you could probably find one for every model of filter, but you don't know the whole story.

 

[LukeOscar]

i always put canisters in a container. my moms tank runs 2 canisters and they are set in a 20 gallon rubber maid storage bin in the stand just incase. you probably wont have any issue with literal floods. but its not uncommon for canisters to have a drip when they shut off but wont drip while running.

 

[Kustrud]

Well, went with my gut and what I was most comfortable with. Two AquaClear 70's! Obviously overkill on my 20 lol, but will be transferred to my larger tank once I get it. Going to order double sponges since I do not use carbon and add some sort of finer stuff as well. I'm more comfortable with this vs. the canister being upstairs and should be plenty when I go to a 50-60 gallon size tank. I also like the idea of two areas of output + 2 points of intake. (Tanks a little cloudy from all the switching/water change.) Stuffed all of my old media in one of the new ones of course.

 

[scalareson]

I tend to use HOB's over canisters for my tanks, out of preference and just having an abundance of unused "starter kit" units. I think HOBs can do an excellent job if you use multiple units and tweak the inside with foam/floss/gravel/etc. The stock internals on most HOBs are definitely mediocre out of the box though