Best Filter For 70 Litre Tank

Hi Justin,

Hi Justin, well you werent looking for anyone to justify that kind of filter but I'm going to  there is absolutely nothing wrong with undergravel filtration, yes there are different types of system that may work better BUT there are also systems that work a lot worse. I kept corys, khuli loaches, clown loaches and gobies all with absolutely no problems at all with an undergravel filter! if you have filter plates and 2 inches of gravel over it then I assure you that water quality will not be a problem as long as stocking levels are adhered to! I find it unbelievable that U/G gets such bad press these days! without it NONE of us would be keeping fish. I ran loads of freshwater tanks and three marine tanks on it. My uncle who wrote for PFK used U/G in nearly all his tanks and he had in excess of 50 at one time breeding fish that you'd find it hard to believe even now. yes true some tanks had supplement filters but not many. I would advise rather than ripping out the system, supplement it with somethng else. a nice Eheim external (the classic model is awesome and time tested), or if you'd rather Hagen then Fluval are also excellent! I've got a fluval 103 thats been on this tank for nearly 20 years! never even had a new impeller, just 1 new seal! the other route is as you mention internal, there are some excellent models out there by those two previously manufacturers and plenty of others. All design of filters do the same thing, they convert Ammonia (bad) to Nitrite (less bad but still bad) to Nitrate (least bad), most filters are efficient in their own way, its more to do with the media and operation than WHAT kind of filter it is. If you go down the power filter route then you need to aim to cycle all the water in your tank (and this is going to cause arguements) 3 to 4 times an hour so look at the LPH figure on the box and make sure it can achieve that. I personally prefer external canister filters because I like the uncluttered look for the tank but its certainly nothing to do with the quality of internal filters, they can do an excellent job. have a look at my signature to see what I'm running on my setup. Plants arent over enamoured with U/G filtration its true but a planted tank is still easily possible, back to stories of my uncle's experience,  remmember tamks dark with plants, like a rainforrest where he bred fighters, gouramis and other labarynths, hundreds of baby corys everywhere. Technology isnt always the answer, despite all the advertising hype and buzz words, attention to detail and care is. Sorry if this sounds like a rant.......... its not meant to be, but this expensive technology and people pushing it as better, more efficient, the best and poo pooing EVERYTHING that came before it just pushes the hobby from the masses to the selct few that can afford it. I fundamentally think that is wrong, the less people interested in the hobby pushes prices even higher, its a viscious circle. The fish need care and proper management not money thrown at them.   

haha no probs. Good to hear your passionate about this hobby. Its growing on me and the more info I get on it then all the better. A lot to digest there.
Guess I feel a bit tied with the UGF and want to change before I fill up my tank and then change it. I don't want to chuck loads of money at it just something a bit more all rounder than just the one benefit..which it seems UGF has. Should have thought it all through before I got the tank 

So can anyone recommend a good filter for a 70 Litre communal tank.
Thanks

Ok, thanks Sue.