Fluval 406 alternative

[sfarkhan]

Hey guys,

I'm looking to swap out my 406 that I've had for 3 years. It's starting to make noise - I called tech support and they are sending me a replacement impeller cover. I've had the intake valves snap and empty my tank. I'm also convinced there is quite a bit of bypass. Aside from Fluval's tech support being pretty awesome, I'm not too happy with the hardware.

My tank is 60G, planted, light/medium fish load. It's got a Hydor 300W inline heater (5/8") and in inline ceramic diffuser (5/8") plumbed on the filter's output.

I've looked at the Eheim 2217 classic which looks indestructible but it may not have enough flow?

What would you recommend as an only filter for this size tank?

[JLW]

I'm not a fan of Eheim. I think they're ridiculously hard to service, have a lot of bypass, and I've found them to be prone to leaks. Others are big fans of the Cult of Eheim, but then again, half of you are using an iPhone.....

I'm a big fan of the Cobalt EXT. It's unique in that the pump isn't attached directly to the filter, but works "inline." You can position it anywhere. This makes cleaning the filter incredibly simple. You just turn a valve to detach the pump line; it keeps running. They're very simple to clean, absolutely silent, and you get very little bypass through the media (if any).

[krisw]

I like the Fluval G series, but it definitely requires you to clean the mechanical filter every couple of weeks. For me, I like this necessity as it keeps me on top of things, but if you're looking for a more hands-off accumulation of putrid sludge in your filter, other options are better.

[Linus_Cello]

I'm not a fan of Eheim. I think they're ridiculously hard to service, have a lot of bypass, and I've found them to be prone to leaks. Others are big fans of the Cult of Eheim, but then again, half of you are using an iPhone.....

I'm a big fan of the Cobalt EXT. It's unique in that the pump isn't attached directly to the filter, but works "inline." You can position it anywhere. This makes cleaning the filter incredibly simple. You just turn a valve to detach the pump line; it keeps running. They're very simple to clean, absolutely silent, and you get very little bypass through the media (if any).

The Cobalt EXT is rated for 55g, not 60. Ok, maybe not that a big of a difference. If I'm interested in a new canister for my 75g, is there a large enough Cobalt canister? 55g seems to be the max Cobalt makes.

[sfarkhan]

I'm not a fan of Eheim. I think they're ridiculously hard to service, have a lot of bypass, and I've found them to be prone to leaks. Others are big fans of the Cult of Eheim, but then again, half of you are using an iPhone.....

I'm a big fan of the Cobalt EXT. It's unique in that the pump isn't attached directly to the filter, but works "inline." You can position it anywhere. This makes cleaning the filter incredibly simple. You just turn a valve to detach the pump line; it keeps running. They're very simple to clean, absolutely silent, and you get very little bypass through the media (if any).

I was doing some research yesterday and saw a video on the Cobalt and it looks interesting. I haven't seen a review on them. Would one of these be good for a 60 gallon tank?

[sfarkhan]

I like the Fluval G series, but it definitely requires you to clean the mechanical filter every couple of weeks. For me, I like this necessity as it keeps me on top of things, but if you're looking for a more hands-off accumulation of putrid sludge in your filter, other options are better.

I would consider a G vs Eheim. Two questions:

Which model for a 60 G planted tank?

Can I use my own filter media like Seachem's Matrix and Purigen?

[krisw]

For the G, you're pretty much stuck with their mechanical filtration. Plus side is I haven't had to replace that for over a year on mine with regular cleaning. You can simply remove their chemical filtration blocks and use Purigen or other medium (charcoal bags, etc) in its place. I do use Purigen in mine.

Personally, I always over-filter my tanks, so I'm running a G6 on my 50g tank -- no regrets with that decision. The G3 is rated up to 80g, so that may be fine. Like I said, I like to go above recommended levels...

[GOT MTS?]

I like the classic eheims but have heard nothing but bad things about the pro series. I do however think it's stupid that eheim uses ceramic impeller shafts that break really easy. Also all their replacement parts are over priced. That being said all my eheim classics are about 7 years old and still going strong.

The cobalt filters look interesting, I like that the pumps are inline. They seem like good filters. I wish they made a model with more capacity though.

[JLW]

Cobalt only makes the EXT; I don't think a 60-gallon planted would be taxing the unit, at all. I've got about 15 of them in service right now, and I like them. They're not perfect, but they're miles above the Fluval, and I like them wayyyy better than the Eheims. The big downside to them is that there is only one model, for up to 55-gallons. I've put a couple of them on larger tanks (I've got a 110-gallon turtle tank using three of them), but... well, I really wish they'd make a bigger unit!

[sfarkhan]

Cobalt only makes the EXT; I don't think a 60-gallon planted would be taxing the unit, at all. I've got about 15 of them in service right now, and I like them. They're not perfect, but they're miles above the Fluval, and I like them wayyyy better than the Eheims. The big downside to them is that there is only one model, for up to 55-gallons. I've put a couple of them on larger tanks (I've got a 110-gallon turtle tank using three of them), but... well, I really wish they'd make a bigger unit!

What are the dimensions of the unit and what size hoses does it use?