Alternatives to Eheim and Fluval canisters

[bigignatz]

I'm absolutely fed up with the Eheim filters I've been using on my tanks, both planted and unplanted for the past several years. I have similarly given up on Fluvals because they were even more cheaply built (all that plastic) and am now looking for alternatives. The industry seems to have trained us all to believe that it's OK for a filter to cost hundreds of dollars and then slowly lose power and eventually fail (and yes I keep the impellers clean and otherwise maintain the filters) after a year of use. I'm generally fed up with all of this overpriced Chinese made crap in the aquarium industry (including lights - another topic altogether) and am looking for alternatives.

I've noticed on a couple of videos, generally from Asia, that there seems to be a stainless steel canister filter that is being made somewhere...and am wondering if anybody here has seen these or know what brand they are. I'm assuming that if the canister is stainless the motors/design will be better too, and probably just as expensive as can be imagined. Ideas, anybody?

[Jeff5614]

http://www.adana-usa.com/index.php?m...cPath=76_26_43

http://www.adana.co.jp/en/products/n...er_jet_filter/

[bigignatz]

I guess I shouldn't be shocked by the facts: these start at $550 for the "entry" model, about which I can't find out much except that they're out of stock everywhere I checked. Is this the only alternative to the aforementioned plastic junk?

[Jeff5614]

ADA is basically going to be the benchmark as far as a stainless canister filter. I've seen a few knockoffs posted from time to time but can't think of the brands. It also seems like the knockoffs are usually on a European or Asian site, not available or, at least, easily available in the US.

If you're seriously interested in one contact Frank at Aquarium Design Group. I think they're expecting a container order sometime soon and may have some in their order. The guys at AquaForest are good to deal with also and could let you know when they expect to be back in stock. Those are the only two ADA dealers in the US.

[bigignatz]

AFA is similarly out of stock on these, price for the "entry model" with them is over $800. Has anybody used them? Are they THAT good?

What sort of filter media do they use? Are replacement media/parts similarly hard to get and expensive?

[HolyAngel]

There are always sunsun filters.. I have 3 and love them. Two 302's and one 403b. At least they are worth their price.. Which is roughly half or more off eheim/fluval prices.

[Jeff5614]

The variation in pricing on the entry model is probably due to different canister sizes being available with each model. The ES600 has 2 or 3 different canister sizes. The prices also include lily pipes. They use any media you want but ADA is going to recommend their carbon and BioCube for a new filter and finally transitioning over to BioRio ( biomedia ) after the filter has matured.

[Jeff5614]

Originally Posted by HolyAngel

There are always sunsun filters.. I have 3 and love them. Two 302's and one 403b. At least they are worth their price.. Which is roughly half or more off eheim/fluval prices.

Don't take this the wrong way but I think the OP is looking for something other than the usual plastic canister. Half price or not, plastic is plastic.

[dubvstudent]

If you are unsatisfied with your ehiems I seriously doubt anything (available at a reasonable price) is going to satisfy you in terms of filter quality. You might want to try looking into building your own, or, building a sump.

[Bushkill]

Originally Posted by dubvstudent

If you are unsatisfied with your ehiems I seriously doubt anything (available at a reasonable price) is going to satisfy you in terms of filter quality. You might want to try looking into building your own, or, building a sump.

+1 on this one. Although Aquaclears are also plastic, you get to pick the pump. However there's a bit of sticker shock there also when the whole package is considered.

[Booger]

Short answer - no. Eheim and Fluval are about as good as it gets, unfortunately. I agree that value is not what it should be, and after my past couple tries trying to warranty a broken part (and being told to pound sand), I'm done with that noise.

My next tank > 40 gallons will have a sump.

[bigignatz]

You folks have me thinking that even with my limited technical skills I might be better off thinking about some DIY. Pointers to old threads or other sources of info on DIY/sump making would be much appreciated.

I'd be willing to put up with the plastic if the motors and basic design were reasonably good. I don't care what the manufacturers say about "German design", either the designs of these canister filters are junk or the execution/parts are terrible. And I just can not afford that Amano design stuff...I know it's probably great but not until I strike oil in the backyard will I be able to afford over a grand per tank just for filtration. Does anybody buy their contention that having the motor on the outside results in more bacterial activity inside the canister? Has this been empirically proven?

[bigignatz]

And here's another idea that's liable to get me into trouble...given that there's no shortage of PVC and polycarbonate fixtures for plumbing and I'm sure that reasonably high (better than the crap they use in the aforementioned brands) pump assemblages must be available somewhere, why can't you just make your own canister filters from stock parts and a bit of shop time? Really, what's in these things but a bunch of plastic holding together some tubes and a pump?

[Al Slick]

You totally can build your own canisters with all pvc plumbing and a high quality external pump.

[bigignatz]

...tell me more...designs available somewhere?