The Hagen Fluval Canister Filter is a Silent, Amazing Filter, Especially with a Turtle!
Written: Feb 22 '04 (Updated Feb 22 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very quiet, lots of filter media, keeps water clean and clear, powerful, well-designed, price
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: This filter does an amazing job of filtering. It is extremely quiet, and very easy to maintain.
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| Javelina's Full Review: Hagen Fluval 104404 |
We have had aquariums for years. Most recently, we acquired a painted turtle. Boy, are turtles messy critters. Tommy, as he’s called, has also grown quite a bit. When he was a baby, I was cleaning his 20-gallon tank every week or two, despite the two Duetto filters I had running in it. What a chore. Recently, we upgraded to a 46 gallon bow-front aquarium. The aquarium is beautiful, and a wonderful home for our turtle, several fish, and several snails. But also, a lot of work. We knew we would need a canister filter, which is how we came upon the Fluval.
The Hagen Fluval 104-404
For starters, I didn’t know that Hagen made aquarium filtration. “Hagen” brings to mind such things like hamster treats and water bottles. This Fluval 404 is recommended for tanks not larger than 100 gallons (so it’s perfect for a 46 gallon). It has an output of 340 U.S.g. (1300 l).
Anyway, this is a canister filter. It’s big. It stands 15.5” tall, 9.5” wide, and 6.5” deep. This is a big filter, but also not a problem when you’ve got a 46-gallon aquarium with stand. The reason they leave a lot of room in these big aquarium stands (and don’t block it all with shelves) is so that you can fit a canister underneath.
Apparently, the rectangular configuration/shape increases filter volume capacity by 25%. I like the shape, because along the same idea of a round pitcher in a fridge, the squarer shape allows for better use of space.
There are two tubes that run to the canister. One pulls water out from the tank, in to the filter, and the other puts water bank in to the tank, after filtering it. They are gray, flexible tubes that are suctioned to the back of the tank. The intake has a little plastic, cone-shaped grid over it (so it doesn’t suck up, say, a guppy), and water flows in to the tank in a sort of spout. The shape is slightly flat, and I think it helps propel the water because of its shape.
The water flow is nice and strong, and is adjustable. The water “spout” can be adjusted horizontally or vertically, which is useful in terms of choosing placement. We have it situated so that it keeps the water moving throughout the tank, with none of the water becoming stagnant.
Assembly
There are about 25 parts to the Fluval 404. Fortunately, it comes with a nice thick instruction manual. It isn’t difficult to assemble, nor does it take a lot of time. You just need to follow the step-by-step instructions to get the parts together. Some of the steps are also ridiculously simple, like putting the filter media into the cartridges.
To actually start the filter, there is a self-priming feature. You pump a little lever on the top of the canister, and when it is filled with water, you can plug it in. The Fluval 404 is also designed to get rid of any air that is trapped in the canister, so that it is most efficient and the motor isn’t damaged.
Noise Level (Non-Existent)
When you look at a filter like the Fluval 404, you would think it would make a lot of noise. The thing has a powerful motor and moves a lot of water… yet it is virtually silent. I can’t hear it running, unless I turn off all of everything that makes noise and sit down next to the aquarium stand, listening carefully. I never notice the sound, and it is amazingly quiet. I was surprised when we first turned it on.
The canister also has non-slip rubber feet, which means that a lot of sound and vibration is absorbed. You won’t run the risk of the canister shifting or “walking”, and the vibration isn’t a problem either.
The amazing thing is that this canister filter is quieter than my air pumps, such as the Hagen Elite 799 Air Pump.
Filter Media
This is a Multi-Stage filter, and there is a lot of filter media. There are four filters, which are a plastic, sponge-y material. They go on to a long cartridge that runs along the whole side of the canister. I read that “Water must pass through all media before it returns to the aquarium. Instead of traveling in a direct path through the media, the water current is actually directed in a complex flow path. This increases the time the water is in contact with Fluval's many filtration media modules. The squared design provides 35% to 50% increased volume over traditional round containers while improving the water flow characteristics.”
Then, there are four stacking compartments. The Fluval came with 2 bags of carbon, and two of ceramic media (they look like little, hollow cylinders).
This media can be washed periodically, and also changed as needed with replacement parts. After three months of running the filter straight, we were curious to see what damage Tommy had done. What makes me love this filter is how easy it is to clean the filter. You pull on a “Aqua-Stop” lever, which stops the water flow between the filter tubing and the canister. Then you can pick up the canister and take it wherever to be cleaned.
Warranty
Warranty Information (from Petco.com)
Manufacturer's Guarantee: The Fluval motor filter is unconditionally guaranteed for defects in material and workmanship for a one-year period from date of purchase. This guarantee is limited to the repair or replacement of the motor unit only, and excludes damage to any animate or inanimate matter in contact with the filter. For guarantee service or spare parts contact your Fluval dealer or write to the Fluval representative in your country.
My Thoughts
This is a great filter. Turtles are messy, and when we had Tommy in a smaller, non-canister tank, it was a nightmare. The water was a mess, and I was sick of cleaning it. I can’t imagine having to clean a tank this size on a regular basis. Even when we cleaned the tank after running the Fluval 404 for three months straight, it really wasn’t that bad at all.
After doing a tank change (maybe every 2-3 weeks) to get rid of all the particulates that have settled into the gravel, the water is pretty murky. All kinds of stuff are floating around, and the water is cloudy, even though we drained the tank to the last inch or two of water. We turn the Fluval on, and within an hour or so, the water is clean and crystal clear. It keeps it that way all the time, and it cleans the water right up when we stir up a mess (or the turtle does). We also keep an ammonia meter on the inside of the tank (it suctions to the glass under the water), and the levels are always just right.
There is only one thing that I wish could be different, but can’t possibly be. There are two tubes (intake and outtake) for the water. They are very obvious in the back of the tank, but that’s just the way it has to be!
This filter has saved me a lot of time, energy, and stress. I’m sure it keeps all of our aquarium life happy as well. Whereas I was a little reluctant to put fish in the tank with Tommy when he was in a smaller tank without this filter, I have no qualms that they will be fine in this tank, because the Fluval will keep them all happy and healthy.
If you decide to purchase this filter, I suggest shopping around for a low price. We got our filter for $99 at petguys.com, whereas we've seen it at PetSmart and Petco for $199!
Hagen: http://www.hagen.com
My other related reviews:
Hagen Elite 799 Air Pump
Hagen Mist Airstone
Tetra Whisper Power Filter
All-Glass Bow Front Aquariums
Mini Kritter Keeper
Recommended:
Yes
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