Fluval G3 Advanced Filtration System Review 2024: Pros, Cons & Verdict
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Are you tired of having subpar filtration systems in your aquarium? Yeah, it can be a real pain in the butt when you buy an aquarium filter and it does not live up to its expectations. On the other hand, maybe you have never had an aquarium or a filter before, in which case, you are probably looking for a bit of guidance.
Well, today we have a pretty decent filtration system that we are taking a closer look at, one that has a lot of good features, and only a couple of drawbacks. Keep in mind folks, filtration units for fish tanks can be a little testy, so finding one with only a couple of drawbacks is actually quite impressive.
This is our Hagen Fluval G3 advanced filtration system review and if you are on the hunt for a good filtration unit, you might want to stick around to hear what we have to say about it. It’s a neat and advanced little filtration system that looks cool and actually works quite well.
Our Fluval G3 Review
Our Fluval G3 Review
First off, let’s talk about the various features that the Fluval G3 comes with. There are quite a few of them, so hold onto your hats folks. Although we don’t want to sound too excited, there are some pretty advanced features here that you might like.
Sure, it has a couple of drawbacks, but personally, we think that they are nothing major, although you might think differently.
The 7 Fluval G3 Features That You Should Know
1. Self-Priming
Right off the bat, one useful feature that the Fluval G3 comes with is the self-priming feature. Many aquarium filters force you to endlessly pump water through them to get them started and to keep them from breaking.
This filtration system has a simple one-push button priming system to do away with pumping and sucking on tubes. The button itself is not the most durable and it can be a bit sticky, but it gets the job done in the end.
2. Capacity & Water Flow Rate
The Fluval G3 has quite an impressive water flow rate. It is rated for aquariums up to 80 gallons in size, so it does well for pretty large home aquariums, not huge ones, but decent-sized ones nonetheless. In terms of the flow rate, this thing can process up to 185 gallons of water per hour. While this is definitely not the most impressive flow rate and processing power we have seen, it is good enough for lightly and medium-stocked tanks.
It can process the water in any tank around 2.5 times per hour, which is not great, but not terrible either. As long as your tank is not too heavily stocked, it should work just fine.
3. Touchscreen Controls & Information
The Fluval G3 comes with a nice touchscreen display. Now, this is not something that we would usually look for in an aquarium filter. Touchscreens are sensitive, especially when it comes to water damage. We do have to say that there are a couple of issues with the touchscreen on this thing suffering from light water damage. However, when it works, it makes this filtration unit really easy to control.
One neat aspect is that the display informs you of the water temperature, conductivity, and current flow rate. This is not something that can be said for many other filtration units, hence why this one is labeled as being advanced.
On a side note, the display does actually allow you to change the flow rate, which can come in handy depending on the level of water pollution in the tank as well as the number of fish you have got in there.
In other words, this thing comes with an intelligent monitoring system that informs you of water parameters. It is beneficial because it does away with many water testing and temperature testing supplies that you would otherwise have to purchase separately. This monitoring system is the reason why this thing is classified as being advanced.
4. Filtration
To be clear, the Fluval G3 is a filtration unit that engages in all major types of filtration as it should. It has ample space for filtration media within the baskets.
This is beneficial because depending on the needs of your aquarium, you can pick and choose what kind of filter media to house in the baskets for the best results and the cleanest water. However, with that being said, you do actually get a lot of media included here. This includes the 3 most important kinds of media. These are mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration media. All 3 types come included here, and we do have to say that they are fairly high-quality.
Once again, the media included here is not the best in the world, but it gets the job done, especially for lightly stocked tanks. While the media is not the best, the real attraction here is the Fluval G3 itself. You can always go out and buys some different media if you see fit (we have covered some good options here).
On an important side note, something that we need to mention about this particular filtration unit is that it can actually be used for both freshwater and saltwater applications. While this is slowly becoming the norm for many filtration units, it still deserves a quick mention as it tends to be quite useful.
5. Size
One of the things that we personally like about the Fluval G3 is that it does not take up much space. First off, this is an external filtration unit, so it takes up no space within the aquarium itself. At its largest, it is 10 inches in height and width, which is honestly not too bad.
If you have enough room for an 80-gallon fish tank, you should have more than enough space for a 10 x 10 x 8-inch filtration unit. It’s not the smallest in the world, but in terms of advanced filtration systems, it’s actually quite compact. However, with that being said, this thing weighs close to 20 pounds, which does seem a bit on the heavy side of things.
6. Ease Of Access
The Fluval G3 is designed to be quite easy to access. It features quick-disconnect tubing, a locking lid with hinges, and easy-to-remove media baskets. Indeed, this particular filtration system is designed for newbies and beginners, and for people who just don’t want to do much work.
While it is a little bulky and you need to find space for it, as well as the proper length of tubing, setting this thing up and maintaining it is made fairly easy. Personally, the locking levers seem like a good addition because it keeps everything where it is supposed to be.
7. Durability
The canister wall on this particular filter is actually a double wall, which as far as we can tell does help increase its level of durability and overall longevity. The motor included here is not bad either. Once again, it’s not the best, but it should last for at least a couple of years. The special gaskets used here are quite good, however, as they do stop leaks from happening.
- Locking lids for safety.
- Hardshell for high durability.
- Easy to access the interior.
- Easy to set up and maintain – self-priming.
- Can be used for salt and freshwater.
- Comes with media included and ample media basket space.
- Easy to control display.
- Displays all kinds of water parameters – reduces the need for water testing equipment.
- Fairly space-friendly – doesn’t take up room inside of the tank.
- This filtration unit is fairly loud.
- The touchscreen display is sensitive to water damage.
- Filter media included is not the best.
- The unit itself is quite heavy.
Verdict
When it comes down to it, the Hagen Fluval G3 Advanced Filtration System is a pretty neat aquarium filter. It is definitely advanced in terms of its water parameter monitoring capabilities.
While it is a little loud, heavy, and the touchscreen is susceptible to water damage, it does have some other cool features and an overall decent level of function. It should be more than good enough for most smaller and medium-sized aquariums.
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