Reddit reviews Sunsun HW-304B 525 GPH 5-Stage External Canister Filter with 9-watt UV Sterilizer

You could also do a community. Go as big as possible. Two canisters, each rated for 75 gallon would be more than enough for a 125. Two of these is decent for a 200. Ahttp://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008986EQO?cache=06ba174150f5f99c861821c037a5d14d&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1408501463&sr=8-2#ref=mp_s_a_1_2 I would do two of those with a 150 gallon if you want an aggressive set up with cichlids, as over filtration is a must for them. You could have lots of fancy goldfish, or 5 or so common/comet. No koi. What's your budget?

Yah I wouldn't waste money on that filter turtles are messy and you want to have room for a lot of bio media. That filter didn't have its GPH listed but I am going to guess it isn't very much. I usualy aim for my GPH to be about 10X the size of my aquarium, so 40 gallons = 400GHP (but more is better). Check out sunsun canister filters.

http://www.amazon.com/SunSun-HW-304B-External-Canister-Sterilizer/dp/B008986EQO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422547342&sr=8-1&keywords=sun+sun+canister+filter&pebp=1422547397598&peasin=B008986EQO

$70 and you will have 525 GPH and plenty of room for Bio media. I would also suggest going to Walmart or a craft store and buying a big roll of 100% polyester pillow stuffing (no additives or mold resistance). It is the exact same material as you would buy for a filter pad at the pet store but for $5 u can get a giant roll that will last months. Add your choice of bio media and a heater and it will probably be around the $100 mark.

I would suggest the Aqueon, or better yet get an AquaClear. Actually, for a 75 I would suggest getting a SunSun 304B canister. You'll thank me later.

But yeah, for a 75, you're looking at 650+ pounds. More with rocks and substrate. So you're going to need a heavy duty stand that distributes the weight evenly across the floor- i.e. not on 4 legs.

If you dont give a shit about how it looks, just a simple wall of cinder blocks with some joined 2x4s on top would work and be cheap. If you do care, you're gonna want to not skimp on your stand. Order a high quality stand from Petco, Petsmart, or another online retailer.

You can have the best fish tank in the world but if you put it on a wonky stand, you might as well just spill the tank over yourself and get it over with.

I would suggest this filter. I have them running on all my tanks and it does a really great job, also you dont have to worry about being underfiltered. There is also an identical filter manufactured by pingkay which is sligjtly smaller but comes with all the media. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008986EQO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1416425983&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

I use a Sun Sun Canister filter. It is a cheap Chinese brand that works wonderfully. The instructions are not helpful at all, however, and in very broken English. I had to go on YouTube to figure out how to put it together, but once I saw it done it wasn’t difficult at all.

For filters I'd go with two Fluval FX6's or two SunSun HW-304B's. Either of those will give you at least 8x overturn per hour. Or you could drill it and do a sump system.

The cheapest substrate would be sand from a local hardware store. My favorite so far is a pure white sand in 50 lb. white paper bags from Menards. Other people prefer black blasting sand, play sand, or pool sand. All work equally as well. As cichlids require hard water, you could use aragonite sand to help buffer the water, but a tank that size needs around 200 lbs. of sand and would get expensive quickly. There's also contractor's sand that is actually small pebbles. You can always go with the chunky gravel sold in pet stores. Or, if you're planting your tank, you could go with a dirted tank topped with sand or small gravel.

Throw in some cichlid stones, driftwood, or rocks to spruce up the decor a bit. Good luck!

I use a UV sterilizer in my tank for a few hours a week. I especially turn it on after cleaning the sides of my tank. My water is crystal clear now and I don’t have to put any chemicals in my water. I actually did go the chemical route at first but it did t help me much. My brother had left the lights on in my tank for 13 days straight when I was out of the country and both brown and green algae plagued my tank for over a year. UV is the way to go for sure. This filter has a built in light and it’s top tier (they come in many sizes, this was just the first one that came up on my search).
https://www.amazon.com/HW-304B-5-Stage-External-Canister-Sterilizer/dp/B008986EQO

You are going to need to up your filtration if you plan to get more fish (it would make sense with more space) I would reccomend 2 of these! http://www.amazon.com/SunSun-HW-304B-External-Canister-Sterilizer/dp/B008986EQO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394340840&sr=8-1&keywords=sunsun
That is what i have on my 125 and they are awesome for a fairly good price.

That's good to hear, so they're the same as the SunSun models?
I found this:
http://www.amazon.com/SunSun-HW-304B-External-Canister-Sterilizer/dp/B008986EQO/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

It appears to have a higher flow rate than the Penn Plax Cascade's in
my price range. Seems like a good deal

It seems good but the gph is much less than this one. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008986EQO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1422728300&sr=8-1&keywords=sun+sun+304b&dpPl=1&dpID=31fg9kdaJ9L&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SY200_QL40. This one is more than double the turnover rate and has a uv sterilizer. They both need media since it does not come with any.

Filter http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008986EQO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421121421&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=31fg9kdaJ9L&ref=plSrch

1st level http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B50UPE0

Put this on top of the other floss http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002HBLUE

2nd level http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002Z7VAK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421121104&sr=8-1

3rd level http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000R31KH2

With http://www.amazon.comgp/aw/d/B0006JLVUI inside of http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002X6F7AW put on top of the other media

4th level 2 packs of these http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000NRVLIU

Here is my layout, if I were to redo it I would have made the last 3 eheim pro. For the media I would have used the floss it came with at the bottom just rip it vertically, then foam, then the fine floss.

Overall I rate it 4.5 out of 5, sometimes it is hard to prime.

I got two of these for my 125 G.. overstocked AC tank(and one HOB. I don't need it.. just got one running)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008986EQO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When i bought these it was around 130..each
here
and no.2

That would be the Sun sun hb-304b. Its about $100 and works really well. I have one on my other tank too.

This is true. The only reason I ask is because the Sun Sun canisters come with a UV sterilizer in them. I guess a bucket, motor and UV light is hard to screw up. Was thinking about getting the 5 stage for my 55. the 304B

If anyone wants specifics/parameters, here they are:

125 gal semi planted, PILES of driftwood, Turface Pro League substrate in "natural", plants are giant vallisneria, Cryptocoryne wendtii 'bronze', and an anubias of some sort. Filtration is a SunSun (or Aquatop, Marineland 530 knockoff) and an Aquaclear 110.


We're in Missouri so hard water is a given. PH manages to stay around 7 though. Water changes are usually 25% every week and a half. We actually performed the last water changes two weeks ago, they were 50% and during a thunderstorm.

Tankmates:

• 1 extra large common pleco
  
• 1 pseudoancistrus L056 named Buddleigh Salterton
  
• 3 King Tigers L066
  
• 1 juvenile Vampire pleco L029
  
• 7 Corydoras panda
  
• 4 Corydoras sterbai
  
• 3 Boesemani "Rosario LaCorte" rainbowfish
  
• 3 Melanotaenia utcheensis
  
• ~12 Melanotaenia praecox, the dwarf neon rainbowfish
  
  *edited for shitty formatting skillz

I have the three stage version of This on my 55 gallon tank. They are super cheap and get the job done quietly. The 4 stage should be plenty for 75 gal.

I've been in the turtle game for about a year now, recently I've upgraded my 55 gallon canister filter to 150 gallon one called Sunsun HW-304B and wow has it been an improvement. Turtles need 3x the filter so if you have 55 gallon tank you're going to need one rated for 150-200 gallons which canister filters are preferred since they can last a long time without cleaning and provide better suction.

If you do go the canister filter route I would get this media kit that has everything you need to started.

As far as chemicals go I would stick with TetraFauna Aquasafe and API Sludge Destroyer, use only a little bit since that will make your water cloudy if you use too much.

To pick up food waste and whatever else get this long pole fishnet instead of those short ones that they sell at pet stores so you can get in there really deep without shoving your arm in.

Turtles also need 2 types of light UVB and heat, I found that this combo lamp works fine.

I'm probably going to go with this.

so if i get this

http://www.amazon.com/SunSun-HW-304B-External-Canister-Sterilizer/dp/B008986EQO

ill be set?

> Well, if the husband doesn't want to be Aquarium Robert Smith, just wait.

Cure reference, nice.

> The cheapest way would be to purchase a good HOB filter like an Aquaclear 70 or a fluval C5, though you can get a SunSun canister through amazon at just barely a little more. You're definitely going to want both filters on as you're cycling.

Is this one appropriate? Then to confirm, you are saying run both the 220 that we already have and the SunSun?

> Speaking of which, you've mentioned you're cycling your tank currently--what method are you using to cycle it and do you have a testing kit for your water parameters?

The tank has been filled & there are some cherry shrimp in there right now (We'll find them another home before the cichlids hit the tank.) My husband was in charge of the cycling process, but I can tell you he did some minimal reading & then winged it LOL. He put a used filter from our other tank in there for a week or so in a mesh bag, along with a decent amount of gravel from an active tank. We have since removed all of that so we could put in the sand to prepare for the cichlids. Other than that, cycling has mostly just been waiting (2-3 weeks so far). We tested for ph & ammonia. Ammonia is 0 and I don't remember what the ph was offhand (but it was within range of the cichlids I was considering at the time). We'll need to test that again anyway since we pulled the gravel & put in the sand this past weekend. I also ordered a water hardness test that hasn't arrived yet after reading that cichlids seem to like hard water.

wondering this too.

or a brand new SunSun 304B for 78 bucks. sure, you might be able to DIY a can for a bit less than 78 bucks. but how much less really AND have the piece of mind of no leaks and a proven design?

Weelllll...the best setup is the biggest you can afford. The bare minimum for 2 fancies would be a 40 gallon breeder, but the more space you can give them the better. If you live in the US you can get a pretty awesome discount on aquariums up to 75 gallons (varies by store) fairly often when they do "Dollar Per Gallon" sales. Petco does the most frequent DPGs but Petsmart and Pet Supplies Plus also do them. Petsmart sometimes just has heavily discounted sets also. Anyway, $40 is the least it will cost if you buy a new tank, but maybe you can find a great deal for a secondhand tank on a resale site if you prefer that route.

Filter...maybe go with a SunSun as they're quite cheap for their quality. I use this one and while the UV sterilizer is generally unnecessary I guess it might be helpful in an ich outbreak or something. It's actually slightly below the 10xph flow rate for my 55g so I supplement it with a HOB filter that I keep spare media in in case it's ever needed. For media in the canister I have sponges of varying coarseness, generic ceramic rings (for nitrifying bacteria), and Seachem Matrix (for nitrate-consuming bacteria).

The best water tester is the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. It may seem expensive at first glance, but it's actually cheaper over time - AND more accurate than strips. For water changes, since I don't have a faucet that can support a Python auto-changer, I use a pump stuck to the bottom of the bucket to push water up through spare tubing. Saves me the trouble of lifting heavy buckets or trying to gradually scoop the water out.

The best foods are New Life Spectrum, Repashy, Saki-Hikari, and if you need a cheaper option Omega One. You should also supply plenty of leafy greens; the fiber is very good for their digestive tract.

I have smaller aquaclears that I love, they have the advantage of being easy to clean (no cracking open a pressurized canister) so I find I do it more. I have this sunsun that I run on my winter goldfish tank that I like and you could probably get away with just one on a lower bioload community tank. Again the disadvantage of any canister is taking it apart to clean but honestly it's not that hard, especially if you aren't running it on a super high bioload fish like me so it needs to be cleaned once a week.

I am running a Sun Sun HW-304B in a 55 gal and its been going strong for over a year, friend of mine has 3 of the same filter with no issues and he got his first 2 years before me. I don't know if it will last as long as an Eheim but it keeps my tank clean through overstocking and light maintenance schedules when i get busy. At the price i dont know if you can really do better unless you spend at least twice as much.

I will recommend a Sun Sun 304b. Easy to set up, easy to maintain. This is cheap but works just like those 300$ filters you see in the pet stores (which are market up crazy expensive).

I actually use the 304b on my decently heavily planted 75 and it's doing great. I love the 5 trays for media and how it's completely silent. The only problem I've noticed is that water flow all that great in the corner opposite to the spray bar.