Fluval is Hagen's aquatics brand and one of the few where you can buy the tank, the filter that runs it and the impeller that eventually wears out, all from the same maker. Our range covers complete aquarium kits, canister and hang-on filters, LED lighting, heating, media, water care and Bug Bites food — but the largest part of it by count is genuine spare parts, which is the reason most people end up on this page.
Choosing a filter
Start with how the filter mounts, not with the flow rate. A canister sits in the cabinet below the tank and holds the most media, so it is the choice for anything from a planted 40L up to a heavily stocked 500L — that is the 07 Series, and the FX Super Filter above it for large tanks. A hang-on-back filter clips on the rim and is far easier to service, which is what makes AquaClear the sensible pick for a first tank or a quarantine setup. An internal filter like the U Series sits inside the tank: it takes up interior space and you can see it, but nothing can leak onto the floor, so it suits small tanks, fry tanks and turtle setups.
Published pump output is measured with the canister empty. Once the baskets are loaded, real circulation is roughly a third lower — so if you keep messy or heavily stocked fish, size up rather than buying to the number on the box.
Buying the right spare part
Fluval's model numbering is the single biggest source of wrong orders. The 104, 105, 106 and 107 are four different generations of the same size of canister, and their parts are frequently not interchangeable; the same applies across 204/205/206/207 and up. AquaClear adds a second trap, because the old names and the new ones both circulate: Mini is AC20, 150 is AC30, 200 is AC50, 300 is AC70 and 500 is AC110. Check the model badge on your filter, not the box it came in, and check the compatibility list on the part before you order.
Media is a consumable, not a one-off. Carbon is exhausted in about four weeks and after that it is doing nothing but taking up basket space; foam and biological media last months, and biological media should only ever be replaced a third at a time so the bacterial colony survives.
Aquariums
The kits divide by shape and by how much you want to see of the equipment. Flex has a curved front and hides the filtration in a rear chamber. Spec is a low aluminium-framed desktop tank with the same idea in a narrower chamber, which looks excellent but limits media volume — it suits lightly stocked planted and shrimp tanks more than a full community load. EDGE is the sealed-top cube; the closed top is the look, but it restricts gas exchange and access, so stocking and maintenance are fussier than an open tank of the same volume. SEA EVO is the saltwater nano. Glass aquariums and cabinet stands are heavy and are sold pickup only.
