Tropical Fish Forums

[piranha]

Does anyone have a recommendation for an external filter.I want something easy to service and possibly one that could be buried and will do an excellent job.

[dale]

Hi Piranha,
I'm in Vancouver Canada and you are in New York so mentioning brand names probably wouldn't help but perhaps some Q's may help you make a good choice.
How big is your pond and what kind of fish load do you have?
Do you want an "off the shelf" unit, or do you like "do it yourself" projects?
Are you stuck on the external idea?

Dale.
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Intelligence is not having all the answers; it's knowing how to think!

[piranha]

Hi Dale,I've been doing a bit of research on the different types and brands.The pond is small-100 gallons and has (4) 6-inch commons.Currently using an internal box type filter with a UV sterilizer and would like ease of maintenance;tired of going into the pond to service the filter.I thought the pressurized cannister type that gets submerged in the ground would be a nice idea,but not sure if it will handle the load.What do you think of Cyprio Bioforce or Fishmate brands? Thanks for any help.

[dale]

Hi piranha,
Sorry, I'm not familiar with those brands so I can't comment there. Here's some things to consider though.
If the pond is outside and not sheltered then you may get more debris than an indoor tank would so you have to consider how much "gunk" a filter can handle. Also take into account the algae blooms. Will a cannister type filter handle the load. The main draw back with cannisters is that flow rates decrease as the sieve insert gets plugged. You may have to buy an oversized unit. If you are a diligent person then it should be OK but if you are like me and "forget" then you may want to consider something more foolproof (in my case idiotproof). Most pond filters are of the simple flow through sponge variety and have relatively large porosity so they don't plug as fast. Some of my clients have plastic external box filters that are fed, and return, water via pvc piping. They have compartments for sponge inserts and bio media. These boxes can be partially buried or hidden by plants or even plumbed some distance away and covered by something like an end table.
Also, if you bury a cannister filter but then have to service it often (to clean the insert) will this be hard to do or does the cannister you are looking at slip in and out of a sleeve?
Just some thoughts I had. Perhaps someone else has experience with the filters you mentioned.
Hope this helps,
Good luck.
_________________
Intelligence is not having all the answers; it's knowing how to think!