orxe87
Member
Hello. First post after introducing myself on the intro board and I'm off on a rant...
I've been getting very frustrated with external canister filters recently. I've had three or four types only over the years, and researched loads - none of them seem to meet what I think are sensible mechanisms for operation.
1) Filter media order. WHY do manufacturers just get this so wrong? Particulates first, then biological, then chemical if you need it. What is the reason manufacturers don't do this? I can't believe they just throw them together without research, so why not get it right?
2) Prefilters. Why do manufacturers insist on making the coarse foam the easy one to clean? In my experience the fine pad is ALWAYS the one to block flow, and always blocks first. I want a filter where that one is the first one to access, not the coarse foam. Fluval FX seems to get it closest - (flow is outside to top via coarse sponge, then down through an area for fine pad and out - but way too big for my setups. Wish they did an FX2...
3) Bypass - what's that about then? Why would I ever want a filter that bypasses the media? if it blocks I want to know about it, so don't allow water to go through unfiltered ever.
SO, what would we want as a perfect filter? Here's my list:
1) Water flow initially from bottom to top in a stack of mechanical filtration, course to fine. Separate lid to open, pull out the fine pad, replace. In a tray so all can be removed if needed without taking the head off.
2) Water flow next to go through a single big tray/compartment of bio media.
3) Pipes individually removable, individual taps, in/out at the top, closing off both pipe and filter when either is removed. Less leakage, no chance of leaving one tap open when removing the other and flooding.
4) Intake pipe larger than outlet to redice cavitation and noise. I think only Hydor and some Eheims classics do this.
5) No bypass!
6) I'm ambivalent on built-in heaters, kind of like the idea but not the implementation so far - I want one power cable to a filter not two, and I don't want the heater channel to bypass filtration again (Oase?). The Eheim I had a long time ago did good for that, kettle-like element in the bottom, but had yet another wire out for the temperature probe and controller. I think the later Eheims have everything built in but still need a second power cable. Inline heaters just seem easier at the moment.
Anyone know of a filter meeting those requirements, or getting close? What would you like to see on a filter? Am I being unreasonable, what have I got wrong, and why?
Thanks for reading and letting me get that of my chest. Interested to know if I'm alone in being frustrated...
Colin
I've been getting very frustrated with external canister filters recently. I've had three or four types only over the years, and researched loads - none of them seem to meet what I think are sensible mechanisms for operation.
1) Filter media order. WHY do manufacturers just get this so wrong? Particulates first, then biological, then chemical if you need it. What is the reason manufacturers don't do this? I can't believe they just throw them together without research, so why not get it right?
2) Prefilters. Why do manufacturers insist on making the coarse foam the easy one to clean? In my experience the fine pad is ALWAYS the one to block flow, and always blocks first. I want a filter where that one is the first one to access, not the coarse foam. Fluval FX seems to get it closest - (flow is outside to top via coarse sponge, then down through an area for fine pad and out - but way too big for my setups. Wish they did an FX2...
3) Bypass - what's that about then? Why would I ever want a filter that bypasses the media? if it blocks I want to know about it, so don't allow water to go through unfiltered ever.
SO, what would we want as a perfect filter? Here's my list:
1) Water flow initially from bottom to top in a stack of mechanical filtration, course to fine. Separate lid to open, pull out the fine pad, replace. In a tray so all can be removed if needed without taking the head off.
2) Water flow next to go through a single big tray/compartment of bio media.
3) Pipes individually removable, individual taps, in/out at the top, closing off both pipe and filter when either is removed. Less leakage, no chance of leaving one tap open when removing the other and flooding.
4) Intake pipe larger than outlet to redice cavitation and noise. I think only Hydor and some Eheims classics do this.
5) No bypass!
6) I'm ambivalent on built-in heaters, kind of like the idea but not the implementation so far - I want one power cable to a filter not two, and I don't want the heater channel to bypass filtration again (Oase?). The Eheim I had a long time ago did good for that, kettle-like element in the bottom, but had yet another wire out for the temperature probe and controller. I think the later Eheims have everything built in but still need a second power cable. Inline heaters just seem easier at the moment.
Anyone know of a filter meeting those requirements, or getting close? What would you like to see on a filter? Am I being unreasonable, what have I got wrong, and why?
Thanks for reading and letting me get that of my chest. Interested to know if I'm alone in being frustrated...
Colin