# Fluval 403 on a 50 gal? worth it or not?



## Spar (Aug 7, 2003)

i dumped my 403 for a Eheim last December due to being real noisy with co2 injection. other than that, it did a fine job of filtering. fluval filters are on the lower grade side of canister filters though.


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## Curare (Sep 15, 2004)

Yeah, ok, but to give you an idea of my setup at the moment, I have an internal canister filter hiding behind a forest of combomba, and it seems to be doing fine, I mainly use it for water polishing, (filled with floss) and I change the floss every week

I wouldn't mind having an in line co2 reactor as atm I have a powerhead driven reactor in the tank too.


Is it worth changing?


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## Scout (Mar 30, 2005)

I use both a Fluval 404 and a 403. The 404 is super quiet where the 403 makes a little more noise. Both filters work very well but the 403 hose connections and valves kind of stink.


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## Lorenceo (Jan 29, 2004)

I hate fluvals.. noisy and require constant cleaning.
Get an eheim, you wont regret it. roud:


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## Curare (Sep 15, 2004)

See, the thing is, the price is right.

Nothing.

And I like being on that side of the price. you know.

What I'm really asking I suppose is will and cannister filter do me any favours, and what should I put in it so that I'm keeping things in balance and not stripping the water of nutrients and things.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

A fluval as a gift is better than an eheim at the store... or something like that :icon_bigg 

Why wouldn't you use it? I don't get the "requires constant cleaning" part, I would assume they are similar to other canister filters, no?

Definitely better filtering than an internal filter, looks better too. And you can buy or build a little inline CO2 reactor and get rid of your internal reactor thingy as well.

Go ahead... jam it it :fish:


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## Tino (Jan 9, 2005)

I don't know why everybody looks down on them, but Fluvals '04 are actually quite nice canisters - quiet, good flow rate, easy to maintain. Go for it.


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## aquaphish (Dec 20, 2002)

Lorenceo said:


> I hate fluvals.. noisy and require constant cleaning.
> Get an eheim, you wont regret it. roud:


I have a 403 in a 40 gal. I have a spraybar instead of the supplied surface nozzle. The spraybar comes with only one row of holes and with that it did a job at cirulating the water (too much) so I made two extra rows of holes and it slowed the force the water comes out of the spraybar and now the plants and fish are not being forced around with too much water movement.

But back to the "noise"... I have not had an Eheim because of cost. So I do settle for the Fluvals. Never had one that made much noise. Infact the 403 is so quiet when I open my cabinet I can just barely hear the filter. 

I will not have anything other than a Fluval because they are quiet inexpensive and reliable. Flitration is just as good as the most expensive filters. Everytime I look into the aquarium the only thing I see is nice fish green plants and clear water, now that I have gotten rid of the GW!!!

BTW If someone gets a free filter it is always worth the effort to see if it will provide service you expect. If you just don't use it Well.....

Also to avoid "noise" when injecting CO2 the best thing to do ist to insert a reactor on the hose that goes into the tank not the one that will go into the filter. 

Using the hose prior to the filter is the best way to make a quiet filter noisey.


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## Curare (Sep 15, 2004)

Well after a fun weekend of sorting what goes where and how to do it all, the 403 is in on my 50 gal, with a behemoth injector, and all is well, except for one thing.



The injector leaks! Argh!!! I woke up to a puddle this mornng. It leaks out of the threaded ends.

Even with half a mile of telfon tape!

poooo!!!!!


And I have the same system in miniature on my 10 gal with a 103...

yeeee haaa!!!


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## Thanks (Oct 9, 2004)

Always had fluval, and the new MSF types are really quiet. My 204's Quieter than my PC. 

I also have a 5 year old 304, which is loud. The older ones were loud, so they changed them, and now they're silent. Put it on the 50!


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## Overfloater (Jan 12, 2004)

I am running a 204 on my 75G. Water is crystal clear and circulation is good even with a reactor inline.


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## Marc (Oct 13, 2004)

Hey its free! I say use it.


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## Curare (Sep 15, 2004)

Well, I did.

I ended up having to re do my CO2 Reactor, as it was weeping.

The thread tape doesn't do THAT good a job. So I used something called SWAK by swagelok to seal the threads as well as a fair bit of aquarium grade silicone.

Should work nicely now!


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## Tony C (Mar 2, 2014)

Spar said:


> i dumped my 403 for a Eheim last December due to being real noisy with co2 injection. other than that, it did a fine job of filtering. fluval filters are on the lower grade side of canister filters though.


hummmm I disagree on any and all level of the comment that " fluval filters are on the lower grade side of canister filters "

. On the contrary! They are now and for the past 30 years have been at the very top of all canister filters on the market. Eheim has been too but make no mistake, Fluval filters are right up there with the Eheim. Making a statement like the quoted is about the same as saying a Ferrari F12berlinetta is at the lower end of the car market. 

Now having that out of the way, The answer to the Op's question. Yes the 403 is more than enough for a 50 gal aquarium. It moves 317 U.S.gal per hr. with it's stock hoses and impeller.Which means it cycles all the water in a 50 gal aquarium 6 times an hour. Hardly a slump in any canister dept.

I purchased my fluval 403 over 30 years ago. I've used it on both saltwater and freshwater aquariums ranging from 55 gal , 75, gal and 110 gal. It was specifically purchased for the time 30 years ago when I was breeding discus. It was first used on my 75 gal which housed my discus adult pairing tank. Meaning when I got a new bunch of breeding aged discus in, I'd put them in the 75 until I saw a pairing off between two. 

Today and after changing the impeller and seals only once in that 30 + yrs, it runs non stop, completely quiet on a 55 gal. tetra tank sitting right next to my bed. I use fx5 filter media in it as far as polishing filter media and debris filtering since I can't seem to find the sponge type it came with so many years ago. The FX5 filters work perfect. Use plumbers silicon grease on the O-rings and they never get hard or loose their sealing. 

Though I didn't design the Hagan Fluval, nor have I gained any monetary amount for it's engineering or have any affiliation at all with company;I certainly, after 30 years of almost non stop service from my Hagan Fluval 403, take offense at any statement which states they are at the low end of the canister filters. 

It's out lasted 3 Marineland magnum 350's that are now sitting in my closet in my spare parts box. They just never did as good a job as the fluval. By the way. Last time it needed cleaning was last June. It's been going non stop since then. Bet it could go a year still, if at some point I didn't need to clean it. 

Bite your tongue you nay Sayers and detractors of the Hagan Brand. You'll be hard pressed to beat it. Take care of them and they pay for themselves many times over.


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

Welcome to TPT.
A great first, civil post (sarcasm) to a 9-year old cobwebs thread.

v3


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## ctaylor3737 (Nov 14, 2013)

I am not sure why people think the Fluvals require more maintenance, I do my cleaning on time with my Eheim and most of the time my Eheim requires more attention. I havent really cleaned my Fluval in a long time. Still does and awesome job,


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## Subtletanks91 (May 29, 2013)

I'm not sure why a lot of people have bad experience with fluval canisters, I've had my 405 for 8 years now since I was a freshman in high school. I've not had one problem with it so far. It's never been noisy. Never leaked. Never needed a part replaced aside from the aquastop because my daughter broke it...water everywhere form that one. 

I would recommend a fluval over marineland or API. But I would get a higher end eheim given the money. I don't need to clean it often either.


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## Tony C (Mar 2, 2014)

OVT said:


> Welcome to TPT.
> A great first, civil post (sarcasm) to a 9-year old cobwebs thread.
> http://ads.verticalscope.com/www/de..._cb=cb863b535e__oadest=http://www.acurel.com/
> v3


Well ty an incredible amount (sarcasm). The matter of the age of a post is no concern nor consequence. Especially if while goggling a question for an answer or for some insight, (you know! doing a search on an internet web search engine [again sarcasm]) a link puts you on a page. Then again, the age of a forum thread is of no importance. Add to that though, that once in said place one sees and reads a complete bogus and inaccurate post! especially about something that has a 30 year + impeccable record! Well then again, the age of any post is of no consequence, if the wrong information in that post that was given, can be corrected or better embellished on. But good try with your sarcasm over being butt hurt over a very well written forum post.

Be well 

P.S. Just some advise. It's probably not a good idea to get your nickers in a twist so easy. Oh and I and others also noticed that you too came to a 9 year old post as well. Guess I was correct. The age of a post is of no concern then huh. (rhetorical comment.... no reply needed or required)



always has to be one...


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

My 2-year old Fluval 404 is by far the loudest filter in the house, even after impeller replacement.

Fluval FX5 and G3/G6 are in a category by themselves though.

Sarcasm wise, we had our pot shots, now back to our respective corners. Yours just happens to be on my Ignore List.

v3


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## NYCaqua (Dec 26, 2013)

I think fluvals tubing is the ugliest intake/outtake. That alone makes me not want to use them at all. Eheim is the way to go. They truly are worth their price.


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