It's near time to move my fish to a larger tank. I found a good deal on a 55 gallon tank, and I need recommedations on a good filter for this monstrosity. Simplicity and reliability are key since i will be away quite a bit this summer, and my wife will be taking care of the fish, and she isn't as familiar with the fish care program as I am. Any advice is appreciated.

Dean

Hi Dean, congrats on the new tank. A filtration with a bio wheel is best. I personally have an Emperor 400. When you get a filter just make sure it filters 10 times the water an hour (for example...a 30 gal tank you want the filter to do 300 gals an hour.) She shouldn't have to much trouble. I went from a Whisper to the Emperor and I find it just as easy. Maybe easier. Have her watch you a few times and she should do fine.
Also bring her to this forum and while you are away if she has probs, we can help her.

Laurie

hi i have a 46 gal with a xp3 and a hob ac300. i got bio stars in my cannistor. having no trouble with mywater tests been up about 6 months

Eheim canisters are great. I have classic 2213 (which was the biggest one I could afford, they are expensive filters but worth it) on my 50 gal, along with 2 aquaclear 300's. This combination of filters does a great job. The aquaclears are easy to clean and run, and the canister doesn't need to be cleaned as often as a HOB type filter, so unless you will be away for months your wife won't need to clean it. Both the eheim and aquaclears have been reliable and trouble-free for me. Congrats on your new tank, and good luck with it!

for simplicity a hang on the back filter with bio wheels is the best I think, as LourieP suggested. You can be reasonably certain that your wife won't wipe out the bio bugs (tell her never touch the wheel!) And all she has to do is lift up the cover, pull out the filter pads, give them a rinse, and pop them back in when you are not there. Easiest to do I think.

Normally I would say go for a canister. But if your wife is going to be the one cleaning it and isn't really into fishy stuff, mkinga is probably right about the biowheel HOB type.

congrats on the 55. it"s a good size to work with. I have an emporer 400 and penguin 170 on my tank. The water is allways crystal cear and filter maintanence is easily done on these filters.Hope this helps and good luck.

Let me start by saying that I'm a total newbie so you know how seriously to take my advice

I have a Fluval 304 cannister and an Aqua Clear 300 on my 55 gallon (200 litre) tank.

I bought the Fluval rather than the Eheim Pro because it was half the price... I was a bit wary because a few people on here were saying that they can be difficult to service and I am (how can I put this nicely) "technically challenged".

Well I rate the Fluval as idiot proof - I've had no problems setting it up, starting it, restarting it after water changes (it does that itself) or cleaning it.

If you did buy a cannister and serviced it before you went away, your wife probably wouldn't have to touch it other than turning it on and off for water changes. So service intervals is something else to consider in your decision.

The Aqua Clear has to be manually refilled after water changes but again that's a no brainer...