#FluvalU2 #FluvalU3 #FluvalU4 Responging to a viewer's question regarding whether we can place these filters in our aquariums with a few centimetres above the waterline or not.
Thank you so much for this video!! I just bought a U2 and couldn't seem to find any decent information on the positioning of the filter. This answered all my questions.
Oh cool, real glad it helped then. I have another couple of videos on the U2 and U4 in my "product reviews, lisights..." playlist if you think they might also be useful to you. Just my opinions on them of course but I do like them. Think they're great wee filters. Thanks for letting me know you found it useful. Always feels good when someone says it helped out.
Get rid of the two outer plastic cartridges altogether and put a coarse and medium pad in there instead with the coarse pad on the outside so the water hits that first. You can also fill the centre cartridge with a good small medium for a bit of biological filtration. Works a treat for my 40ltr well stocked tetra tank
I have a Fluval U1 for my 20Gallon long tank that has about 5 gallons filled for a musk turtle hatchling. It’s mounted vertical with 3-4 bars showing and works fantastic!
Glad you like yours. Thanks for sharing your experience of them, that really helps other people out if they're considering picking one up for themselves. Bet you're enjoying your wee turtle. They too cute and right good fun hey.
Thanks so much for this really helpful and clear video. I bought this filter recently, and just pulled out my first dead fish. I agree that some of the instructions in the manual do not make sense. Also, thanks for uploading a tutorial video that is not wonky, wobbly and all over the place. How frustrating is it when you need to find out info when the video has been recorded poorly.
dunno if anyone gives a damn but if you are stoned like me during the covid times you can watch pretty much all of the latest series on InstaFlixxer. Been binge watching with my brother for the last days =)
The safety point says the "pump" must be fully submerged, I don't think it means the whole filter just the make sure the impellor is never used out of water
Need advice. My tank is 158-160 litres. U3 filter pumps 90-150 litres. Shall I buy a U4 filter, which pumps 130-240 litres. Tank will 6 coldwater fish, 4 weather loaches and 6 freshwater shrimps. I reckon a U4 is ideal to deal with bigger bio-load? What's your opinion???
Yeah I'd be going the U4. The Weather Loaches will love it. Might be more flow than the shrimp would prefer but they'll deal with it especially if there's plenty of scape, plants, etc.
Think your best bet is to do what you did and add a bit of tube. The tank filter sounded like it was struggling 5cm out the water. I wouldn't cut the sponge because you're making the pump less effective.
Alright mate, can this be used with a 34L tank ? I bought a tank that came with the old 3Plus filter so guessing that this would equate to the new U3 ?
@@i4Detailing no worries bud. I've never got my hands on a U1 but I don't think they're built the same as others in the range. The U2 might not be a problem if you'll be keeping fish that are fine with a wee bit of current but for anything small or with large fins I think it'd be too much.
Thanks for this Daniel, I'm new to fish keeping so thanks for clarifying the confusing instructions. Can I ask you about the sponges and carbon pads. You say that once cycled you rinse them out and use them for years but the maintenance instructions say that they should be changed every 6 months. Is it OK to keep using the same sponges for years or have I picked you up wrong on that? Second question, after a water change how long do you leave the carbon pads in the filter for before removing them? Cheers.
Sure I can help with this. The sponges can be used for years once cycled which is exactly what I do. Just a wee rinse out in tank water every now and then. We don't want to rinse them out with tap water because the chlorine in it will kill off the bacteria which is the basis of your cycle. Bacteria breaks down the ammonia into nitrite which is less toxic to fish then another bacteria breaks the nitrite down into nitrate with is less toxic again. After that we remove nitrates with live plants and water changes. Killing the bacteria in the sponges sets us back to the beginning where the colonies of bacteria will need to build up again and which takes several weeks. As for the carbon pads, they are only good for a month or so before they need to be replaced. Therefore I don't use them and have replaced them with the sponges etc. If it is a new filter I would replace the pads one at a time every six weeks until you have exchanged all the pads for the other media (sponges, floss, biomedia). I hope that makes sense. If not feel free to come back to me with any further questions.
If you leave it sticking out of the water it will run hotter, check it with a temperature gun, when it is under water the water helps dissipate the pumps heat.
Good point bud! I feel like raising it up a cm, enough for the Venturi to work is fine with these but I hope it came across that I don't think any higher is a good idea.
Hello Daniel. I bought a superfish 70l (20 Gallon) tank set and it came with a superfish aquaflow 200 filter. This is my first tank ever. So I'm trying to absorb all the knowledge. But the filter I have makes a lot of vibration noise. Upon a quick search on the internet, this seems to be a common issue with that model. Now I want to buy a new filter that will be strong enough for a 70l tank and noiseless. What do you recommend ? I'm a complete beginner. So it doesn't have to be super high end. Just enough for a basic tropical fish tank.
I'm not sure any filter is completely 100% silent, that would be really tricky with moving mechanical parts. Even air driven ones have the sound of the bubbles breaking the surface. If it has to be an internal filter I really like the Eheim Pickup range. They are pretty quiet and do a great job. They do not use biomedia, sponge only but in a sensibly stocked tank I would suggest that is adequate. I have a video about them to get you started. I'll drop it below and you can see if you'd like to investigate further. ua-cam.com/video/0GeATV6FOdY/v-deo.html
Hi, do you find the filter performs well without the poly/carb cartridge? I have the U3, and was thinking I might just replace the cartridges (when they've had their day) with a thin sheet of poly fiber to filter fine particles. I'll keep the course sponge of course. I know you can buy cheap, unbranded replacement cartridges, but I'm trying to keep costs down. I have five tanks and it gets kinda expensive. Thanks in advance.
Yeah this hobby can get expensive without a few hacks here and there. What I did was buy extra sponges and double them up rather than use the polycarbon cartridges. I would imagine thin sheets of poly fiber would do a great job as well.
Looking at getting two U3's to go in a 40g breeder and then a air pump for aeration. I also don't like putting carbon in filters unless there is a actual need for it so would get some pads to improve the filtration. Thanks for the video.
Sorry bud I just saw this message. It was actually given to me by my brother in law. He brought it back from Germany when he moved back over. Think it's 56 litres. It's a pretty typical start up tank you can get from a lot of lfs's here. Pretty sure Eheim do one.
@@DanielKeepingFish that’s no bother bud, thanks for the reply, yes I found it in an online aqua shop in Germany, bought it and it’s super high quality considering it’s price
Thank you for this video it helped me today! I’m not sure which part without watching it all again but I remember this is one that helped in some way! For anyone that wants to use this (u1) as a pump that oxygenates their tank then you will need it slightly peeping out of the water for the Venturi to work. Also…. may need to remove the inside part of the foam (it’s removable and I had no idea why) but removing will increase the flow to get the oxygen flowing. Couldn’t even work out what max flow was without taking the nozzle off to see it shutting off and on. I learnt all this today through searching many many unboxing Videos and reviews. No help from fluvals videos for the U1. The Instructions that came with my filter were terrible and I lost a fish in the process. Glad I’ve got it working now. It’s like a totally different filter/pump to how I originally set it up with the instructions it came with
No it shouldn't need to warm up. I would switch it off, take all the pieces apart that come apart obviously then put it all together again making sure everything is seated properly including the impella. Also open the top once it's in the water and make sure any air trapped in there is released before switching it back on. Hope that sorts it for you.
Great vid, really informative. Maybe a bit off topic but if you're after a filter with an outlet above the water level, then the Newa Cobra does that as the outlet is telescopic.
Thanks very much for the suggestion Ben. I've not had a chance to play with one of those but they look interesting. Definately gives Roberta and anyone else curious about this another option to consider. Very much appreciated bud.
I thought aeration is required for tanks (or am I wrong)... switching to the other outlets shows no air bubbles being formed. Does this mean another piece of equipment is required? any response would be greatly appreciated.
Yes bud most set ups require some form of aeration. Many people use air stones run off of an air pump either on their own or as part of a sponge filter arrangement. For others this may not be their only filter on a tank and the other filter(s) satisfies the aeration demand. I hope that is useful to you.
@@DanielKeepingFish very much so. Thanks so much. I like the idea of the little tube so I can push the filter further into the water. Thanks a lot for your response. very much appreciated.
Yeah I show at the end of the video that it can be fully submerged and horizontally placed if desired but that was not the question. The view wanted to know if it could be raised out of the water and raised 5cm at that. You're dead right about the easy removal of the media. One of the selling points so the horizontal placement isn't ideal right enough. Cheers, take care.
What they really mean is that the motor needs to be submerged. The motor uses water as a lubricant and running the motor outside of water will quickly destroy the motor. The motor is located at the bottom of the U2 and takes up about 2 inches. The sound you are getting is the pump sucking in air and that will ruin your motor.
Had my tank for a year using the same filter but the u3 version and I been cleaning the filter every month in old tap water and was going to ask about the carbon pads is it worth replacing them as I don't even know what they do lol and you mentioned in video you don't like them can you tell me why and give me some advice cheers
Sure. So Carbon is great for getting contaminants out of the water but I only use it after dosing medication to ensure I get it all out (with also water changes, half-life of medication, etc). Apart from that I never use it. The problem is it absorbs contaminants to the point it can't absorb any more then starts leeching them back into the water. We don't have an indication of when that point is and with so many variables it's impossible to pinpoint it. So I can use other media such as sponges that once cycled I can use for years and just squeeze them out in tank water or I can pay a monthly sum to use something I'm not sure is being effective and could even be counter-productive. That said for folk that want to keep things simple, are pretty sure their stocking levels, maintenance regime, feeding amounts, etc are appropriate to the effectiveness of the carbon pads and are happy to pay for them every month for ease of use their probably fine and a good solution. Just not for me. That's it in a nutshell, a brief explanation. Hope it helps.
@DanielKeepingFish I did find your video useful, especially the part where you mention submerging the filter. I just have the lid exposed for the air to pass through to create bubbles, so far so good. Thanks heaps.
Hi, how do I add an airstone to the U2? Do I connect a tube from the 2 main outlets to an airstone at the bottom? The tubing size is at least 15mm though. I don't want to extend the Venturi.
@@DanielKeepingFish ok I see, I've been going in circles trying adapters and so forth, it seems the 6mm tube is too narrow to pass the flow to a stone. I was about to purchase a 15mm hose, but I might just put the filter at the bottom and use Venturi then.
Honestly knowing turtles generate a lot of waste I would suggest a filter that can handle a little more. While they're are very small it'll probably be okay but I think they'll soon outgrow this filter.
Nice vid, I'm gonna have a play with my u4 to see if the venturi works the same way, i do use the poly pads purely for the fine particle filtration, i replace when they get nadgered and fall apart rather than every month, think I'm on my second set after 14 months.
That's one of the great things about this hobby that there are frequently several options available to us and we each have our own preferred way of doing things hey?
Hello! I have a Fluval 205, it just started leaking the other day so I might change to something different. Does this one in the video work the same as say the filters with the long tubes going into the tank?
No these are internal filters which means they sit inside the tank rather than outside it. One of the benefits of that is they'll never leak on your floor. A draw back may be that they don't necessarily hold the same amount of media in them. You need to find a model rated for your tank or for some larger aquariums consider more than one filter options if the size of stocking requires it.
@@DanielKeepingFish Perfect! Thank you, but does it do the same job as an external one like does it clean the same but just without the long tubes going out of the tank? My tank is 75 gallons so I have a Fluval 204 & 205 but both ended up leaking!
@@fullsend1056 they're not identical if that's what you mean. It's not like placing the 205 inside the tank and removing the pipes, they are designed differently but they aim to do the sames tasks; capture waste from your water column and promote the growth of beneficial bacteria populatioms. I have a review on them if you would like a closer look: ua-cam.com/video/2Pxyf4Bv0Ww/v-deo.html
Hi I just bought the U4 filter followed the directions with everything submerged in water turned blue nozzle and plugged up and nothing. What am I doing wrong 😕.
You probably have water where the air should be flowing. Try lifting it out of the water (unplug it first). Make sure everything is connected properly. Lower it into the water keeping the venturi clip out of the water and switch it back on. Should do the trick. 👍
Haha that's timing for you. Haven't done a video on these filters for ages but going to be uploading one tonight. Can't have you thinking that's the only videos I make. 😂
@@DanielKeepingFish 😂😂 I shall browse through the vids when I have time ..currently purchased a u4 to run along side a 307 on a 240l Roma tank any input into this being enough or upgrade to a 407 !! Regards again keep up the good work 👍
The instructions from the manufacturer advise to replace them every month. Obviously the more fish in the tank, the heavier you feed and so on the more waste they are absorbing and could possibly have an impact on how long the carbon is effective.
No no, the opposite. I think the work best fully submerged as designed. The only issue is if you're wanting to use the venturi clip system. In that case I'd use a length or air line tubing to keep the clip above the surface.
I have an aqua one AR-620 90L tank with tropical fish, I currently have a U1 and U2, will they be good enough, or shall I get a new different on? I'm new to this setting up stuff
@@DanielKeepingFish they were second hand so I dont know if they work properly, the top nozzle blows bubbles out etc when under the water, but when I turn the switch to use a different nozzle, the very bottom one or the middle 3way one dont have bubbles coming out, is it meant to?
@@oXslothXoYT assuming the filter is submerged it'll probably just be air inside the filter coming out which should stop after a while unless you are using the Venturi clip attachment. That's a part sticking up out of the top nozzel to allow air bubbles to be added but you can remove it if not required.
@@DanielKeepingFish yeah I submerged it to just below the air intake thing at top, but i was thinking of just getting a 2.5mm pipe and air connection and completely fully submerging, im new to this fish tank stuff, just dont want to do it wrong
@@oXslothXoYT sounds like that should be fine. Sometimes it's about trying things and seeing how they go then adjusting if needed but sounds like you have the right idea to me. 👍
Really helpful video so new subscriber here 👍 we have a u2 in a 60l tank , 2 small goldfish, the white sand went grubby in the 1st 2 days, would you say I could slide the filter close to the bottom to help this ? Also would i need to add some tubing and put the venturi back to the top ? Thanks for your help and great content.
Thank you very much for saying so. Yes if you place the filter lower than the tank you would need to extend the venturi tube to the surface if you want to use it or do away with it as you wish. I doubt it will make much difference though unfortunately. White sand is notoriously difficult to keep white. Even with the best filtration it collects micro-particles of organic matter, bacteria grows on it, algae grows on it etc. In my experience the best way to keep it as clean as possible is good filtration, regular maintenance, being careful not to over stock or over feed and stir the sand as frequently as you are able.
@@DanielKeepingFish wow , thanks so much for all that advice, really helpful. I think will try it lowered but fully understand what you say . We also have a fluval 123 which has the white sand but stays cleaner . Really impressed with the 123 but the 60l with 2 smaller fish struggles, thanks again top bloke
@@mrforeman7443 oh hey, no worries. Also the strength of your lighting and the lighting period each day will have an impact. Sometimes managing that but finding a balance with what your plants need or when you want to enjoy your tank can help. Obviously the taller the tank the less able the light is able to reach the bottom if you follow my thinking there. Good luck with it. 👍
@@DanielKeepingFish thankyou, sorry i didn't realise you'd replied. Yes good points again, the 60l is in more sunlight than our 123 but not directly. Cheers
It's rated for up to 110L so theoretically yes. It's at the top end of what it's rated for and we normally over filter so you might consider the U3 if you are heavily stocked. That said you may not want the extra flow rate from the GPH that the U3 puts out if you have plants or fish that won't appreciate stronger current. So either the U2 or the U3 depending what you're keeping in the tank I'd say.
It may be too much to ask you this, but as beginner may i humbly request you to publish a step by step video about doing a full water change?? Lot of my friend's told me that all thier fish died when they do full water change, and i am bit nervous about it. Can you help??
@@desigan2191 I would never recommend doing a 100% water change. There are too many risks with water parameters drastically changing and the fish not being able to tolerate that. I would be happy to do a video about routine/partial water changes if that's what you mean and if that would help?
That's part of the beauty of our hobby isn't it? There are so many options of methods and equipment for us to try that it gives greater scope for trying things out and figuring out what works best for us. Not everything will appeal to all aquarists but we have plenty of other opportunities to explore.
great video love how thurough you have been on this filter ... i am going to message you tomorrow on instagram to pick your brains over a problem i am having with a new filter i got hope you will beable to help
The instructions from the manufacturer advise to replace them every month. Obviously the more fish in the tank, the heavier you feed and so on the more waste they are absorbing and could possibly have an impact on how long the carbon is effective.
Thank you so much for this video!! I just bought a U2 and couldn't seem to find any decent information on the positioning of the filter. This answered all my questions.
No worries Steve. Glad it helped. Enjoy your new filter.
Thank you so much! I was extremely hesitant about setting up this filter. Frankly the directions bite. Your vid put my mind at ease 💓 thank you!
Oh cool, real glad it helped then. I have another couple of videos on the U2 and U4 in my "product reviews, lisights..." playlist if you think they might also be useful to you. Just my opinions on them of course but I do like them. Think they're great wee filters.
Thanks for letting me know you found it useful. Always feels good when someone says it helped out.
Get rid of the two outer plastic cartridges altogether and put a coarse and medium pad in there instead with the coarse pad on the outside so the water hits that first. You can also fill the centre cartridge with a good small medium for a bit of biological filtration. Works a treat for my 40ltr well stocked tetra tank
I have a Fluval U1 for my 20Gallon long tank that has about 5 gallons filled for a musk turtle hatchling. It’s mounted vertical with 3-4 bars showing and works fantastic!
Glad you like yours. Thanks for sharing your experience of them, that really helps other people out if they're considering picking one up for themselves. Bet you're enjoying your wee turtle. They too cute and right good fun hey.
This is what I needed to know! My hatchling says thank you!
Finally!!!! Been looking for that answer regarding the venturi bit and whether or not it should be submerged. Thank you for making this.
No worries Anik. Glad it helped.
Thanks for this video mate, I am looking into a group of U series filters, glad I have found this.
Hey Cam. Hope it helps then.
I answered a wee bit more fully on your other comment. 👍
A very descriptive video looking at all aspects. You have covered all aspects including the confusing manual I hope Fluval looks at this.
Thanks Robert. I tried to answer Roberta's question as well as I could. Hopefully I achieved that.
Thanks so much for this really helpful and clear video. I bought this filter recently, and just pulled out my first dead fish. I agree that some of the instructions in the manual do not make sense. Also, thanks for uploading a tutorial video that is not wonky, wobbly and all over the place. How frustrating is it when you need to find out info when the video has been recorded poorly.
Ah that's really great if you found it useful. Really good feedback for me too so thank you very much.
Way to go Fluval, perfectly confusing! lol. Well done Daniel
Thanks very much bud. Hope it made sense.
dunno if anyone gives a damn but if you are stoned like me during the covid times you can watch pretty much all of the latest series on InstaFlixxer. Been binge watching with my brother for the last days =)
@Armani Ruben Definitely, I've been using Instaflixxer for years myself :D
The safety point says the "pump" must be fully submerged, I don't think it means the whole filter just the make sure the impellor is never used out of water
Need advice. My tank is 158-160 litres. U3 filter pumps 90-150 litres. Shall I buy a U4 filter, which pumps 130-240 litres. Tank will 6 coldwater fish, 4 weather loaches and 6 freshwater shrimps. I reckon a U4 is ideal to deal with bigger bio-load? What's your opinion???
Yeah I'd be going the U4. The Weather Loaches will love it. Might be more flow than the shrimp would prefer but they'll deal with it especially if there's plenty of scape, plants, etc.
Think your best bet is to do what you did and add a bit of tube. The tank filter sounded like it was struggling 5cm out the water. I wouldn't cut the sponge because you're making the pump less effective.
Agree with you there. 👍
Can any foam be cut to fit cartridges or must branded foam be used?
Alright mate, can this be used with a 34L tank ? I bought a tank that came with the old 3Plus filter so guessing that this would equate to the new U3 ?
Hi. I feel like it may be a little too much for a 34 litre tank if I'm honest.
@@DanielKeepingFish legend mate thanks for the reply, I will go for the U1 then, I’ve read a few reviews that’s it’s not the best.
@@i4Detailing no worries bud. I've never got my hands on a U1 but I don't think they're built the same as others in the range. The U2 might not be a problem if you'll be keeping fish that are fine with a wee bit of current but for anything small or with large fins I think it'd be too much.
Very informative - thank you!
Hey no worries. Glad you found it useful.
Thanks for this Daniel, I'm new to fish keeping so thanks for clarifying the confusing instructions. Can I ask you about the sponges and carbon pads. You say that once cycled you rinse them out and use them for years but the maintenance instructions say that they should be changed every 6 months. Is it OK to keep using the same sponges for years or have I picked you up wrong on that? Second question, after a water change how long do you leave the carbon pads in the filter for before removing them? Cheers.
Sure I can help with this.
The sponges can be used for years once cycled which is exactly what I do. Just a wee rinse out in tank water every now and then. We don't want to rinse them out with tap water because the chlorine in it will kill off the bacteria which is the basis of your cycle. Bacteria breaks down the ammonia into nitrite which is less toxic to fish then another bacteria breaks the nitrite down into nitrate with is less toxic again. After that we remove nitrates with live plants and water changes. Killing the bacteria in the sponges sets us back to the beginning where the colonies of bacteria will need to build up again and which takes several weeks.
As for the carbon pads, they are only good for a month or so before they need to be replaced. Therefore I don't use them and have replaced them with the sponges etc.
If it is a new filter I would replace the pads one at a time every six weeks until you have exchanged all the pads for the other media (sponges, floss, biomedia).
I hope that makes sense. If not feel free to come back to me with any further questions.
Great video, very helpful thanks
Thank you. Glad it was useful to you.
If you leave it sticking out of the water it will run hotter, check it with a temperature gun, when it is under water the water helps dissipate the pumps heat.
Good point bud!
I feel like raising it up a cm, enough for the Venturi to work is fine with these but I hope it came across that I don't think any higher is a good idea.
the pump is below the filter , it can,t get warmer iff filter sticking out e bit ;-)
Hello Daniel. I bought a superfish 70l (20 Gallon) tank set and it came with a superfish aquaflow 200 filter. This is my first tank ever. So I'm trying to absorb all the knowledge. But the filter I have makes a lot of vibration noise. Upon a quick search on the internet, this seems to be a common issue with that model. Now I want to buy a new filter that will be strong enough for a 70l tank and noiseless. What do you recommend ? I'm a complete beginner. So it doesn't have to be super high end. Just enough for a basic tropical fish tank.
I'm not sure any filter is completely 100% silent, that would be really tricky with moving mechanical parts. Even air driven ones have the sound of the bubbles breaking the surface.
If it has to be an internal filter I really like the Eheim Pickup range. They are pretty quiet and do a great job. They do not use biomedia, sponge only but in a sensibly stocked tank I would suggest that is adequate.
I have a video about them to get you started. I'll drop it below and you can see if you'd like to investigate further.
ua-cam.com/video/0GeATV6FOdY/v-deo.html
Hi, do you find the filter performs well without the poly/carb cartridge? I have the U3, and was thinking I might just replace the cartridges (when they've had their day) with a thin sheet of poly fiber to filter fine particles. I'll keep the course sponge of course. I know you can buy cheap, unbranded replacement cartridges, but I'm trying to keep costs down. I have five tanks and it gets kinda expensive. Thanks in advance.
Yeah this hobby can get expensive without a few hacks here and there.
What I did was buy extra sponges and double them up rather than use the polycarbon cartridges. I would imagine thin sheets of poly fiber would do a great job as well.
Been searching for this Thank you I knew that it isn't fully submergible.
No worries. Glad it helped you get a confirm.
@@DanielKeepingFish Yes it did help me Thanks again
Looking at getting two U3's to go in a 40g breeder and then a air pump for aeration. I also don't like putting carbon in filters unless there is a actual need for it so would get some pads to improve the filtration. Thanks for the video.
Sounds like a solid plan. They're great wee filters right enough hey.
Hey bro, great vid, what is the size of ur tank, and where did u buy it?
Sorry bud I just saw this message. It was actually given to me by my brother in law. He brought it back from Germany when he moved back over. Think it's 56 litres. It's a pretty typical start up tank you can get from a lot of lfs's here. Pretty sure Eheim do one.
@@DanielKeepingFish that’s no bother bud, thanks for the reply, yes I found it in an online aqua shop in Germany, bought it and it’s super high quality considering it’s price
Nice video mate! Keep up the good work...
Thank you very much Michael.
Thank you for this video it helped me today! I’m not sure which part without watching it all again but I remember this is one that helped in some way!
For anyone that wants to use this (u1) as a pump that oxygenates their tank then you will need it slightly peeping out of the water for the Venturi to work. Also…. may need to remove the inside part of the foam (it’s removable and I had no idea why) but removing will increase the flow to get the oxygen flowing. Couldn’t even work out what max flow was without taking the nozzle off to see it shutting off and on. I learnt all this today through searching many many unboxing Videos and reviews. No help from fluvals videos for the U1. The Instructions that came with my filter were terrible and I lost a fish in the process. Glad I’ve got it working now. It’s like a totally different filter/pump to how I originally set it up with the instructions it came with
Glad it helped and thank you for sharing the additional information for others.
Bought it new...but can't get it to work...the impeller makes a rattle, cleaned it several times..?.?
Another great informative video Brother !👍💪
Thank you very much mate. Hope it answered the question that was asked.
I bought this today plugged it in it’s making a rattling noise is this normal does it need too warm up or ?
No it shouldn't need to warm up. I would switch it off, take all the pieces apart that come apart obviously then put it all together again making sure everything is seated properly including the impella. Also open the top once it's in the water and make sure any air trapped in there is released before switching it back on. Hope that sorts it for you.
Great vid, really informative.
Maybe a bit off topic but if you're after a filter with an outlet above the water level, then the Newa Cobra does that as the outlet is telescopic.
Thanks very much for the suggestion Ben. I've not had a chance to play with one of those but they look interesting. Definately gives Roberta and anyone else curious about this another option to consider. Very much appreciated bud.
I thought aeration is required for tanks (or am I wrong)... switching to the other outlets shows no air bubbles being formed. Does this mean another piece of equipment is required? any response would be greatly appreciated.
Yes bud most set ups require some form of aeration. Many people use air stones run off of an air pump either on their own or as part of a sponge filter arrangement. For others this may not be their only filter on a tank and the other filter(s) satisfies the aeration demand.
I hope that is useful to you.
@@DanielKeepingFish very much so. Thanks so much. I like the idea of the little tube so I can push the filter further into the water. Thanks a lot for your response. very much appreciated.
These can be fully submerged but best to keep the lid out the water for easy change of the cartridges
Yeah I show at the end of the video that it can be fully submerged and horizontally placed if desired but that was not the question. The view wanted to know if it could be raised out of the water and raised 5cm at that.
You're dead right about the easy removal of the media. One of the selling points so the horizontal placement isn't ideal right enough.
Cheers, take care.
@@DanielKeepingFish Indeed great content
@@AQUAGUYUK thanks very much Alan.
What they really mean is that the motor needs to be submerged. The motor uses water as a lubricant and running the motor outside of water will quickly destroy the motor. The motor is located at the bottom of the U2 and takes up about 2 inches. The sound you are getting is the pump sucking in air and that will ruin your motor.
Had my tank for a year using the same filter but the u3 version and I been cleaning the filter every month in old tap water and was going to ask about the carbon pads is it worth replacing them as I don't even know what they do lol and you mentioned in video you don't like them can you tell me why and give me some advice cheers
Sure. So Carbon is great for getting contaminants out of the water but I only use it after dosing medication to ensure I get it all out (with also water changes, half-life of medication, etc). Apart from that I never use it.
The problem is it absorbs contaminants to the point it can't absorb any more then starts leeching them back into the water. We don't have an indication of when that point is and with so many variables it's impossible to pinpoint it.
So I can use other media such as sponges that once cycled I can use for years and just squeeze them out in tank water or I can pay a monthly sum to use something I'm not sure is being effective and could even be counter-productive.
That said for folk that want to keep things simple, are pretty sure their stocking levels, maintenance regime, feeding amounts, etc are appropriate to the effectiveness of the carbon pads and are happy to pay for them every month for ease of use their probably fine and a good solution. Just not for me.
That's it in a nutshell, a brief explanation. Hope it helps.
Awesome video!!
Glad you found it useful. 👍
@DanielKeepingFish I did find your video useful, especially the part where you mention submerging the filter. I just have the lid exposed for the air to pass through to create bubbles, so far so good. Thanks heaps.
Hi, how do I add an airstone to the U2? Do I connect a tube from the 2 main outlets to an airstone at the bottom? The tubing size is at least 15mm though. I don't want to extend the Venturi.
They're not really designed to have an air stone added. If you want it to pump out air you just let the venturi do it's job.
@@DanielKeepingFish ok I see, I've been going in circles trying adapters and so forth, it seems the 6mm tube is too narrow to pass the flow to a stone. I was about to purchase a 15mm hose, but I might just put the filter at the bottom and use Venturi then.
Thank you, really informative x
No worries Claire. Glad it was useful.
Can this be used for turtles in a 40 gallon?
Honestly knowing turtles generate a lot of waste I would suggest a filter that can handle a little more. While they're are very small it'll probably be okay but I think they'll soon outgrow this filter.
Is it a quiet filter?
Nice vid, I'm gonna have a play with my u4 to see if the venturi works the same way, i do use the poly pads purely for the fine particle filtration, i replace when they get nadgered and fall apart rather than every month, think I'm on my second set after 14 months.
That's one of the great things about this hobby that there are frequently several options available to us and we each have our own preferred way of doing things hey?
We do, no one way is the right way. Have you seen Ben O'charts vid today? I may have opened a giant can of worms 😂.
@@sharpiesfishandphantoms I haven't mate. I'm at work just now but I'll have a look later.
@@sharpiesfishandphantoms took a wee break and watched it there. Interesting discussion you raised. Left a comment on the video.
Hello! I have a Fluval 205, it just started leaking the other day so I might change to something different. Does this one in the video work the same as say the filters with the long tubes going into the tank?
No these are internal filters which means they sit inside the tank rather than outside it. One of the benefits of that is they'll never leak on your floor. A draw back may be that they don't necessarily hold the same amount of media in them. You need to find a model rated for your tank or for some larger aquariums consider more than one filter options if the size of stocking requires it.
@@DanielKeepingFish Perfect! Thank you, but does it do the same job as an external one like does it clean the same but just without the long tubes going out of the tank? My tank is 75 gallons so I have a Fluval 204 & 205 but both ended up leaking!
@@fullsend1056 they're not identical if that's what you mean. It's not like placing the 205 inside the tank and removing the pipes, they are designed differently but they aim to do the sames tasks; capture waste from your water column and promote the growth of beneficial bacteria populatioms.
I have a review on them if you would like a closer look:
ua-cam.com/video/2Pxyf4Bv0Ww/v-deo.html
Hi I just bought the U4 filter followed the directions with everything submerged in water turned blue nozzle and plugged up and nothing. What am I doing wrong 😕.
You probably have water where the air should be flowing. Try lifting it out of the water (unplug it first). Make sure everything is connected properly. Lower it into the water keeping the venturi clip out of the water and switch it back on. Should do the trick. 👍
New sub ... fantastic video pal 👍
Haha that's timing for you. Haven't done a video on these filters for ages but going to be uploading one tonight. Can't have you thinking that's the only videos I make. 😂
@@DanielKeepingFish 😂😂 I shall browse through the vids when I have time ..currently purchased a u4 to run along side a 307 on a 240l Roma tank any input into this being enough or upgrade to a 407 !! Regards again keep up the good work 👍
I just installed one of these. The print is so tiny and the directions are so confusing. 😭
Is it a good filter for aquatic turtles?
Hi. I answered your question on the comment on the other video. Hope it helps.
For how long carbon pads in fluval u2 last? In how many days it needs to be changed?
The instructions from the manufacturer advise to replace them every month.
Obviously the more fish in the tank, the heavier you feed and so on the more waste they are absorbing and could possibly have an impact on how long the carbon is effective.
I just bought U3 so u suggest to leave a but above water ?? Not fully under water ??
No no, the opposite. I think the work best fully submerged as designed. The only issue is if you're wanting to use the venturi clip system. In that case I'd use a length or air line tubing to keep the clip above the surface.
Nice video Dan.👍✌
Thanks man.
Hope it answers her question.
@@DanielKeepingFish 👍
Can bubbles come out from the middle bar and bottom? I can only get bubbles from the top
Middle top or bottom, you can only choose one out of the three.
Could that build up be a calcium buildup?
I have an aqua one AR-620 90L tank with tropical fish, I currently have a U1 and U2, will they be good enough, or shall I get a new different on? I'm new to this setting up stuff
You are running both of those? I think that should be plenty for reasonable stocking levels and feeding. 👍
@@DanielKeepingFish they were second hand so I dont know if they work properly, the top nozzle blows bubbles out etc when under the water, but when I turn the switch to use a different nozzle, the very bottom one or the middle 3way one dont have bubbles coming out, is it meant to?
@@oXslothXoYT assuming the filter is submerged it'll probably just be air inside the filter coming out which should stop after a while unless you are using the Venturi clip attachment. That's a part sticking up out of the top nozzel to allow air bubbles to be added but you can remove it if not required.
@@DanielKeepingFish yeah I submerged it to just below the air intake thing at top, but i was thinking of just getting a 2.5mm pipe and air connection and completely fully submerging, im new to this fish tank stuff, just dont want to do it wrong
@@oXslothXoYT sounds like that should be fine.
Sometimes it's about trying things and seeing how they go then adjusting if needed but sounds like you have the right idea to me. 👍
Really helpful video so new subscriber here 👍 we have a u2 in a 60l tank , 2 small goldfish, the white sand went grubby in the 1st 2 days, would you say I could slide the filter close to the bottom to help this ? Also would i need to add some tubing and put the venturi back to the top ? Thanks for your help and great content.
Thank you very much for saying so.
Yes if you place the filter lower than the tank you would need to extend the venturi tube to the surface if you want to use it or do away with it as you wish.
I doubt it will make much difference though unfortunately. White sand is notoriously difficult to keep white. Even with the best filtration it collects micro-particles of organic matter, bacteria grows on it, algae grows on it etc.
In my experience the best way to keep it as clean as possible is good filtration, regular maintenance, being careful not to over stock or over feed and stir the sand as frequently as you are able.
@@DanielKeepingFish wow , thanks so much for all that advice, really helpful. I think will try it lowered but fully understand what you say . We also have a fluval 123 which has the white sand but stays cleaner . Really impressed with the 123 but the 60l with 2 smaller fish struggles, thanks again top bloke
@@mrforeman7443 oh hey, no worries.
Also the strength of your lighting and the lighting period each day will have an impact. Sometimes managing that but finding a balance with what your plants need or when you want to enjoy your tank can help. Obviously the taller the tank the less able the light is able to reach the bottom if you follow my thinking there.
Good luck with it. 👍
@@DanielKeepingFish thankyou, sorry i didn't realise you'd replied. Yes good points again, the 60l is in more sunlight than our 123 but not directly. Cheers
You shouldn't touch the filtr or water if it's working. There's a risk of electric shock. Please check the manual.
This is true. Always best to switch off all electrical equipment before putting hands in the water or handling it.
Hi,. Is U2 effective for 100L tank???
It's rated for up to 110L so theoretically yes.
It's at the top end of what it's rated for and we normally over filter so you might consider the U3 if you are heavily stocked. That said you may not want the extra flow rate from the GPH that the U3 puts out if you have plants or fish that won't appreciate stronger current.
So either the U2 or the U3 depending what you're keeping in the tank I'd say.
@@DanielKeepingFish thanks mate
@@desigan2191 no worries bud. Hope it helped.
It may be too much to ask you this, but as beginner may i humbly request you to publish a step by step video about doing a full water change?? Lot of my friend's told me that all thier fish died when they do full water change, and i am bit nervous about it. Can you help??
@@desigan2191 I would never recommend doing a 100% water change. There are too many risks with water parameters drastically changing and the fish not being able to tolerate that.
I would be happy to do a video about routine/partial water changes if that's what you mean and if that would help?
Nice fluvel info
Thanks bud. 👍
Can i use this filter un marine aquarium?
I don't keep marine so I've never used it in that scenario but it is advertised as being suitable for marine.
Ummmm, I bought an Eheim Pickup , simplicity seems the best way .
Love Eheim Pickups. I have a few videos on them also. Great filters.
Ive got one of these for my tank and ive got to say im not impressed by it
That's part of the beauty of our hobby isn't it? There are so many options of methods and equipment for us to try that it gives greater scope for trying things out and figuring out what works best for us. Not everything will appeal to all aquarists but we have plenty of other opportunities to explore.
What?!? A contradictory user manual?!? Well I never!!
Haha, I know right?
I was shocked too mate.
@Dunken the Drunken Discus Fish for sure bud. Or not the way experienced tinkerers would choose to set them up hey?
cool review...don't like these....may as well use a sponge...much simpler and easier to maintain and cheaper....
great video love how thurough you have been on this filter ... i am going to message you tomorrow on instagram to pick your brains over a problem i am having with a new filter i got hope you will beable to help
Ah thanks very much. I try to answer people best I'm able if I can.
Cool, aye message away. I'll do my best.
Complicated. Solution. Swap it for an Eheim Pickup.
Write fluval
Good idea bud. 👍
For how long carbon pads in fluval u2 last? In how many days it needs to be change?
The instructions from the manufacturer advise to replace them every month.
Obviously the more fish in the tank, the heavier you feed and so on the more waste they are absorbing and could possibly have an impact on how long the carbon is effective.