Recommended fish tank filter

Zombrex

Hi guys

Just upgraded from my bog standard goldfish blow to a bog standard plastic fish tank, as my goldfish was growing too big for the blow (it was a big proper blow, not one of those stereotypical blows, but he still needs some more room)

Since I don't know much about fish tanks I didn't want to spend too much on something wrong, so I just bought a kids starter fish tank for €60. The only problem with it is that the filter is very loud. The fish tank sits in my sitting room, and it can be a little distracting. Its not surprising considered the filter is probably the lowest of the low given this was a kids starter kit.

Can anyone recommend a quiet filter. It doesn't have to be top of the line, in fact under say €40 is what I'm looking for. Doesn't have to move vast amounts of water (the tank is only 14 L and has only one fish at the moment). It just has to be quiet

Any recommendations would be great, along with where I might pick one up.

jb91

Have you placed the whole filter unit under the water?

Zombrex

jb91 wrote:

Have you placed the whole filter unit under the water?

I have.

There are two noises, first the unit itself vibrates, which caused the tank itself to vibrate and makes a very mechanical vibration noise (like a fan). I imagine this is just because the unit is relatively cheap

The second noise is a sucking noise from the air intake tube, that sticks out of the water. I read on the internet that this noise is supposed to settle down, and it isn't as bad as it was.

It is manly the low frequency hum that the unit gives off that is distracting.

jb91

I got one a few months ago for about €30 in the pet shop in Greystones. I guess you can get them in most pet shops. It does the job fine and makes hardly any noise. It's just the filter though - no air pump.

Zombrex

jb91 wrote:

I got one a few months ago for about €30 in the pet shop in Greystones. I guess you can get them in most pet shops. It does the job fine and makes hardly any noise. It's just the filter though - no air pump.

Would you have the name of the model?

FuzzyWuzzyWazza

My nephew has one of these for his fish tank, which would be about the same size as the one you have. I don't remember hearing any noise from it, apart from when the water level drops and you can hear the water flowing back into the tank.

scorphonic

You say your filter is too loud?

There is a filter called a fry sponge filter. These filters are designed so that baby fish (Fry) cant be sucked in and killed. They are powered by an air pump which you can buy at a low price from www.petshoponline.ie (here: http://www.petshoponline.ie/customer/product.php?productid=1088&cat=577&page=1) (just to point out that I dont work for them, they are a family business and I'm just a regular online customer!! )

The sponge filters that I'm talking about can also be bought off petshoponline. (here: http://www.petshoponline.ie/customer/product.php?productid=1086&cat=574&page=1)

If you have fish you should also have a water test kit. High levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate can kill them (hence why goldfish only live for 2 years in your average household, when they actually can live for 10 - 20 years!!) A water test kit will ensure that your water is of good quality! Its easy to test and only takes 5 minutes, the only drawback is that a full master test kit is about 35 euro.

If you have any questions/problems I would suggest you take a trip to Aquatic Village in Brittas (behind the pub just as you enter Brittas). These guys are experts and can answer any question you may ever have...they were just amazing in teaching me alot of what I know about fish now...and I'm only fishkeeping for 4 months now (and have even started to breed and rear my own baby fish!!)

You will find that your local fish shop (LFS) may tell you things that are totally off the wall. Alot of LFS really dont have a clue based on the answers that I have been given by many stores over the past 4 months. Aquatic village however KNOW what they are talking about and dont try to feed you with rubbish just to get a sale.

PS: a 14 liter tank is WAY WAY too small for a goldfish...maybe you may like to buy a heater and put a single Betta into your tank..they have AMAZING colours and fins. Of course the heater will make your tank a tropical tank...its not difficult..only difference to the coldwater that you have now is the raising of the temperature to 25 degrees.

FuzzyWuzzyWazza

scorphonic wrote:

They are powered by an air pump which you can buy at a low price from www.petshoponline.ie.

unfortunatly air pumps can be quite noisey, specially if you buy the cheaper ones. I have a 'decent' air pump for an airstone in my tank, and an internal and externat filter, and the air pump while still pretty quiet is by far the noisest thing connected to my tank, I think the quieter internal filter would be a better bet for a sittingroom.

(sorry about spelling mistakes, I'm very tired):o

scorphonic

True, an air pump is always going to be a bit loud, I have quite an expensive air pump in my tank and it is loud sometimes.

I have never liked internal filters in a fish tank, firstly they take up too much room which the fish could use otherwise, they get really dirty inside and the filter material tends to get clogged and maintainance is a must every week or two weeks to keep it in top notch condition.

I have a 180L fish tank which is run on an internal filter and an external filter to increase the bacterial numbers that are available to consume the toxins that the fish excrete. The internal requires maintainance regularily while the external only requires it once a month...and maintainance only takes 5 minutes with the external plus you dont get your hands wet!! (putting your hands into a fish tank is not a good idea!!)

Look up Zooplus.ie for a good internal filter Wicknight.

Here is a good filter:

http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/fish/technic_and_accessories/internal_filters/19463

More water flow is good...dont mind that they say from 50 to 200L.