FishChannel Forums / Freshwater Forums / Everything but Livestock / Filter help? / Latest Posts

RE: Filter help?

math-only aquarium — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:31:54 GMT

I meant freshwater sharks which, while somewhat sensitive, are not akin to their saltwater counterparts that exhibit the behavior you described.

MOA (Math-Only Aquarium)

RE: Filter help?

Bubbleboy — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 18:28:05 GMT

In reply to Math only's statement about petting his shark on the nose, that's a very interesting thing to mention...

See, sharks have a large cluster of nerves located under their nose that are sensetive to toutch. So, when you toutch this cluster of nerves, even full sized great white sharks go into a "Dreamlike" state and lose temporary consiousness. So, one can literally charm sharks much like a snake charmer charms snakes. It's very cool.

RE: Filter help?

math-only aquarium — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 07:56:40 GMT

morfeeis,

I'm glad that you took my critism so well. Also, here are some stocking lists to consider (I'm not saying they're what you want, but they might help):

List1

5 Cories
4 Skunk Loaches
7 Tiger Barbs
8-15 Cardinal or Black Neon Tetras (the Black Neons are more robust)
1 Honey Gourami
4 Glowlight Danios

List2

5 Rosy Barbs
6 Rainbowfish (perhaps 3 of one species and 3 of another)
4 Larger Swordtails (1 male and 3 females)
1 Dragon Goby
4 Emerald Cories

List3

6 Glowlight Danios
8-12 Cardinal or Black Neon Teras
6 Platies (2 males and 4 females)
6 Harlequin Rasboras
3-6 Flower or Bamboo Shrimp (they can reach over 5" but are filter-feeders and therefore harmless to most fish (except fry))
1 Male Betta (if the tank is well planted and has lots of hiding places

...Just some alternatives.

MOA

RE: Filter help?

GRUBYGUPPY — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:22:14 GMT

morfeeis (9/20/2008)

That is a nice looking tank if your only interest i show off art deco, you do know everywhere tank and tube meet is a potential leak disaster waiting to happen!I bet for what you paid for that tank you could have bought a complete 150gal outfit and probably most of the fish to populate it(the 150).If you read my previous post, my 55 with UGF powered by HOB filters was so efficient I got away with a 10 gal water change per month,my peremiters were always right on and the water was always clear,the fish happy,healthy and breeding.My present 75gal setup is setup the same way and I only have to change 10gal per month..I apologize if this post ofends,but by the look of that tank it shouts to me FLASH and not FINESE.

Not to sound rude myself, but what was the point in your response? if it was just to berate me for my choice in tanks well have fun i love the look of the tank and it will be housed in my backroom where my family alone will enjoy it.

I had no intentions of berating your choice of tanks! My point was that tanks like that are designed for show(of the tank) and not the fish.I was only pointing out that that type of design has areas where there could be potential problems(the leaking) where the tubes join the two tanks.

I should also mention that by the looks of it(being 2 tanks) joined by tubes perhaps a canister filter with the outflow tube in one side and the inflow on the other so as to keep a good cross flow to keep gunk from settling on the bottom of the cross tubes.(this whole thread)was initially about filters.

RE: Filter help?

jsmith11618 — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 19:31:02 GMT

That aquarium is acrylic and it may possibly be built as one unit, plus Sea Clear and other acrylic manufactures have life time warranty against leaks unlike glass aquarium makers.

Acrylic also doesn't weaken at the seams with age, so with this tank it far less of a concern for leaks at the tubes then if it were made of glass.

RE: Filter help?

morfeeis — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:43:22 GMT

[quote]

That is a nice looking tank if your only interest i show off art deco, you do know everywhere tank and tube meet is a potential leak disaster waiting to happen!I bet for what you paid for that tank you could have bought a complete 150gal outfit and probably most of the fish to populate it(the 150).If you read my previous post, my 55 with UGF powered by HOB filters was so efficient I got away with a 10 gal water change per month,my peremiters were always right on and the water was always clear,the fish happy,healthy and breeding.My present 75gal setup is setup the same way and I only have to change 10gal per month..I apologize if this post ofends,but by the look of that tank it shouts to me FLASH and not FINESE.[/quote]

Not to sound rude myself, but what was the point in your response? if it was just to berate me for my choice in tanks well have fun i love the look of the tank and it will be housed in my backroom where my family alone will enjoy it.

RE: Filter help?

morfeeis — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:36:45 GMT

[quote]math-only aquarium (9/20/2008)

Hello

Before you think about filters (which aren't going to be too big a deal so long as you don't overstock), you need to get your stocking list in shape. I know it sounds harsh, but your proposed combination is not good at all. Primarily, the major conflicts are as follows:

Cories, ideally should be kept in groups of at least four.
Tiger barbs can become problematic in some cases due to their fin-nipping tendencies.
Clown loaches grow. In fact, they can exceed a foot if properly cared for and thus are not suitable for most freshwater environments. In a tank smaller than 75 gallons, clown loaches can become easily stressed and will die prematurely(=wasted money).
Rainbows perfer fairly large shoals (6-12 members).
Dragon gobies can be very difficult to feed given their nocturnal and sedentary habits.
"Blue lobsters" or crayfish are adept predators that will eat anything that they can catch. In fact, the crayfish could eat most of the fish you selected.
Glowlights are very small by comparison to some of your fish and are likely to be stressed in the presence of larger tankmates.
Cardinals, depending on the source, can be a little picky.
White clouds are also too small.

My advice would be to select five species and just stick with them. Only five species would allow you to have decently sized shoals and reduce the risk of bad interactions.

MOA[/quote]

I think i may cry just kidding, i posted the list for that very reason, rip apart tear it down and tell me what i am doing wrong and what i'm doing right. thanks for tanking the time to tell me.

Getting rid of the loaches is no problem i heard that they do get big but i thought the tank would be ok guess not.

The Cories i will up in numbers to around 5

I will have to find something to replace the tigers, but boy do i love the look of them and the way they act.

What can i do to help the rainbows as i love them?

I use to have a Dragon and he feed just fine on frozon blood worms i loved that guy but he didn't make it when i moved the tank from my office to my home.

The Blue lobster is out, sad as that things looks amazing, is there anything i can replace him with?

With the upgraded list do you think the glowlights wuld stand a chance?

Thanks for the help i will be looking at the stocking guide now and will post a revised list in another topic.

RE: Filter help?

jsmith11618 — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:44:21 GMT

I have been using canisters now exclusively and without a bio-wheel and have not found it to be ineffective in regards to biological filter. I use 2 trays with ceramic rings and plastic bio-balls and have never had a ammonia/nitrite problem.

The increased flexibility and larger area for media is worth it.

RE: Filter help?

GRUBYGUPPY — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:11:31 GMT

math-only aquarium (9/20/2008)

Yes, sharks are one of the few groups of fish that can be socialized to go against their instincts. They can actually learn to take on other roles to a certain extent and learn from other fish and various situations. In fact, one of my black sharks learned to eat from my hands and would let me "pet" his nose--very social fish.

MOA

Yup,mine too,he knew when I was coming home from work,came to the end of the tank and pellets from my hand. They do seem to learn quite quickly!

RE: Filter help?

GRUBYGUPPY — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:08:28 GMT

morfeeis (9/19/2008)

so after getting my new 55gal i thought hey i need a new filter so i came to the pros,. when i first got started with this hobby all i knew was the HOB filters, i then found out about the canister filters and the UGF's. i stayed away from both of them as i had a small 15 gal tanjk and thought they where over kill and stuck with the HOB. Now with a bigger tank here i have given great thought to the filter debate and have ruled out the canister as it wont provide the biological filtering i desire without adding a bio wheel (at least from what i read). THe UGF from what i have read sounds like a pain in the neck and from an article i just read "TheUndergravel Filter Controversy" i dont want to go near a UGF with my tank.

Anyway i narrowed it down to two filters and had never heard of one of them and wanted to get some inside info.

first here is a list of the residents
FW - Sterba's Cory
5x FW - Tiger Barb
FW - Clown Loach - Small
2x FW - Boesemani Rainbow
2x FW - Assorted Swordtail
FW - Prehistoric Dragon Goby
4x FW - Freshwater Clam
FW - Hammers Cobalt Blue Lobster
2x FW - Glowlight Danio
2x FW - Assorted Mickey Mouse Platys
2x FW - Praecox Rainbow
FW - Dwarf Gourami fish
5x FW - Cardinal Tetra fish
4x FW - Montezuma Swordtail fish
2x FW - White Cloud fish

The filters will be 2x Tetra Whisper EX30
a nice think layer of live gravel
planted (some what thick level)
for those that wonder why i want two filters, i have a "Sea Clear Swim Tube tank" it's two 25 gal tanks combined by two 2.5 gal tubs

Anyway do you think the filters will be able to keep up and would a can offer the right amount of bio clean up for this kind of setup and why the hatred for UGF's

Thank you in advance

Edit
This is the other power filter i was looking at
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=16729
aren't skimmers used more often then not for saltwater tanks ?

RE: Filter help?

math-only aquarium — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 10:59:03 GMT

MOA

RE: Filter help?

GRUBYGUPPY — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 10:52:31 GMT

math-only aquarium (8/20/2008)

Hmm, I also used to keep black sharks, until their size started taxing my budget.

MOA

Mine was stupid shark,19.5in long and because he grew up with the smaller fish(neons) he thought he was part of the school,it was the funniest damn sight wathing him and 10 neons swiming back and forth together

RE: Filter help?

math-only aquarium — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 10:23:13 GMT

P.S. In the pinned topics there is a thread titled "Freshwater Stocking Guide" that would be helpful in determining which fish are suitable for your environment and filter capacity.

RE: Filter help?

math-only aquarium — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 10:13:36 GMT

Hello

Before you think about filters (which aren't going to be too big a deal so long as you don't overstock), you need to get your stocking list in shape. I know it sounds harsh, but your proposed combination is not good at all. Primarily, the major conflicts are as follows:

Cories, ideally should be kept in groups of at least four.
Tiger barbs can become problematic in some cases due to their fin-nipping tendencies.
Clown loaches grow. In fact, they can exceed a foot if properly cared for and thus are not suitable for most freshwater environments. In a tank smaller than 75 gallons, clown loaches can become easily stressed and will die prematurely(=wasted money).
Rainbows perfer fairly large shoals (6-12 members).
Dragon gobies can be very difficult to feed given their nocturnal and sedentary habits.
"Blue lobsters" or crayfish are adept predators that will eat anything that they can catch. In fact, the crayfish could eat most of the fish you selected.
Glowlights are very small by comparison to some of your fish and are likely to be stressed in the presence of larger tankmates.
Cardinals, depending on the source, can be a little picky.
White clouds are also too small.

My advice would be to select five species and just stick with them. Only five species would allow you to have decently sized shoals and reduce the risk of bad interactions.

MOA

RE: Filter help?

morfeeis — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 23:50:07 GMT

RE: Filter help?

math-only aquarium — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:13:44 GMT

I like to keep black sharks in tanks of around 150 gallons or more. As such, shark keeping is expensive if you're an idealist like me.

MOA

RE: Filter help?

GRUBYGUPPY — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:59:28 GMT

I too have a new 75gal. set-up. I use Eheim 200,easy to clean, many filter material options and only $19.99(CDN) 2 power my UGF and the third is just used normally.Each one is rated for a 50gal. tank and has a flow rate of 200GAL/HR. If you do not run a UGF two wolud sufice and with tax run you about $45.00.Changing filter mediums in the is so simple,lift the top pull out the cartrige(each ha a small handle attached),slip in the new cartrage and replace the top...no need to shut the filter off,it can be done on the run.

RE: Filter help?

math-only aquarium — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:49:17 GMT

Hmm, I also used to keep black sharks, until their size started taxing my budget.

MOA

RE: Filter help?

GRUBYGUPPY — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:26:11 GMT

I have been out of the hobby for 20yrs and am now back into it,I can understand this new system workings.Why? because I work my filtration on the way nature does,same as this new system does.......Run water over something and it breaks down into smaller and smaller particals until they are so small the bacteria has no problems breaking it down even more, the plants can absorb it faster and thus less pollution in the tank, less water changes. my set-up then as now is as follows.......

the UGF

1.5" coarse gravel

a layer of filter material

2.5" of smooth gravel

20yrs ago we only had airstones to power the UGF and hang on the tank power filters..The air wasn't enough so I drove my UGF with my ouside filter,it was a 55 gal. tank,in it I had 29 fish,from neons to a 19.5" black shark.The only fish I lost(3) were because one of my kids left the top open and the fish jumped out........I only had to change 10 gal. of water a month while also cleaning the sponge filter block....You can get as scientific as you want,fish come from nature in water maintained by nature......so who better to learn from than NATURE!

RE: Filter help?

justin30 — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 10:30:01 GMT

I dont know what kind you are looking at but I am looking at the aqueon hob filter it pumps 325gph and its 41.99 this is the best deal and one of the hot filters on the market as I see it.

RE: Filter help?

GRUBYGUPPY — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 23:58:35 GMT

I also have a brand new 75gl set-up. I went with the Eheim 200 HOB filter.I bought two of them(18.99 CDN each) and each is rated for a 50gl tank. The two of them power my UGF and draw 200gl/hr.This is a total of 400gl/hr and for a 75gl tank it means all the water is drawn through the filters 5 times per hr.I also like the way the filter mediums are,they remove and insert easily and can be cofigured dozens of ways,dpending on your filtering needs via different filtering mediums.

RE: Filter help?

math-only aquarium — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:08:18 GMT

Not sure, but I bet you could make your own system for cheaper. Algae scrubbers work pretty well as do some of the anaerobics, but I still advise at least 10% monthly water changes with even these highly efficient systems. IMO.

RE: Filter help?

JCHAMPAGNE — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:48:41 GMT

I think the Hi-Q Eco Magic system sounds great. I agree that people don't do what they always should, so why not let technology help them? If this product truly can make caring for fish easier, there is the possibility of bringing in more people to the hobby.

Any one know what the cost might be for this product?

RE: Filter help?

David Lass — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:57:45 GMT

Since I am testing the Hi-Q Eco Magic system specifically to see what happens if no water changes are being done, I haven't done any water changes. I would think that the bacteria that are turning nitrates into nitrgoen gas would be just like the other beneficial bacteria of the Nitrogen Cycle -- that their population goes up and down according to the amount of "food" available.

Other than with some African cichlids, I cannot think of any way in which doing a partial water change wouldn't benefit any tank.

RE: Filter help?

filipem — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 02:38:00 GMT

math-only aquarium (7/29/2008)

Good point, filipem. Whenever I used freshwater algae scrubbers, it was because I wanted a little "wiggle" room.

Yet another reason I like canisters.

RE: Filter help?

math-only aquarium — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:33:09 GMT

Good point, filipem. Whenever I used freshwater algae scrubbers, it was because I wanted a little "wiggle" room.

RE: Filter help?

filipem — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:29:56 GMT

I would like to give this filter a try. I strongly believe that all tanks should have two filters running all the time. Just in case one stops working and for better water flow/current.

David, This might seem like a silly question by now knowing anything about this product I thought I would ask. Do you know if doing a weekly water change with this filter mess up it's ability to remove nitrates?

It would be nice to have a filter like this when life gets crazy and you miss a water change here and there or if you go on vacation.

I know the importance of water changes but if there is a product that will allow the removal of nitrates it's worth looking at, and trying for ourselves before we form an option on wether it's a good or bad. Unless you test it for yourself how do you know if it works or not?

BTW. I think canister filters are the best.

RE: Filter help?

David Lass — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:45:03 GMT

The fact that we have a number of us who have kept fish for awhile here on FishChannel.com is what makes it interesting. There is definitely not any absolute one way to keep fish -- and certainly the way that I do it is just what works for me.

RE: Filter help?

math-only aquarium — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:52:52 GMT

Well, I still don't agree, at all, but it's not worth arguing about. As always, opinion tends to be inseparable from this great hobby of ours. As such, I guess I'll just have to be satisfied with the fact that you were willing to hear our case and that we can agree that fish's lives should at least be made "better." Thanks for listening.

RE: Filter help?

David Lass — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:50:19 GMT

In the best of all possible worlds everybody who has an aquarium would do a 25% water change every week. The problem is that reality rears its ugly head. It turns out that the vast majority of hobbyists don't do water changes, for whatever reasons -- don't like to get their hands wet -- too messy, etc.

Given that the reality is that folks don't do water changes, rather than screaming into the wind that they really should do them, it's nice to know that there are some products out there that can make it much easier on the fish in a tank where there are no, or minimal, water changes. Please understand where I am coming from here -- I absolutely would like to have folks do water changes, but given that they are not going to do them I appreciate that there are things to make life better for the fish in the tanks that are not getting any water changes.

RE: Filter help?

maonaqua — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:37:18 GMT

"Mimics natural conditions" is a nice way to phrase it, but the bottom line is that nearly every natural freshwater system is dynamic. In other words, water is always flowing into and out of them: from tributaries to main rivers to the esturaries--its a cycle of replacement. As such, there is nothing "natural" about an aquarium fish that don't enjoy water changes.

Opinion, of course, but fundamentally that filter and ones like it aren't natural in any sense of the word.

RE: Filter help?

princessotfu — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:48:54 GMT

I'm actually kinda in agreement with MOA here, although it is nice to see that it does work.
And yeah, those nitrate levels would definitely make very squirmy. Nitrates should be 0 in the wild, ideally, and even though almost all these fish have been aquacultured so long they are much more tolerant than their wild counterparts, I never see it as a bad thing to keep nitrates as low as possible. For me, that means no higher than 20ppm, and usually at 5-10. But then, I know many goldie-keepers that simply can't get it to stay below 80ppm for more than a day, so to each his own.

I don't see it as necessarily a bad thing to set up a filtration system that mimics natural bacterial processes as much as possible, and in that way, I like the concept of this filter. But with the natural human tendency to overstock fish in these closed systems, I don't think we'll ever really be free of water changes. Not that I mind.

RE: Filter help?

math-only aquarium — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:39:49 GMT

I'm not saying that the N-compounds will rise--anaerobic filters/silent cycles have been tested and tried for the last half a century and their effect with regard to N-compounds is undeniable--I'm saying that there are wastes that there aren't test kits for that an aquarist has to consider. The effect of many of these "hidden" chemicals is still unknown over long periods of time and thus it is safer to do water changes. Like I said, if you use anerabic or silent filtration, then your RWI shouldn't exceed 300. This is the equivalent of 10% once a month. It doesn't have to be huge or exhaustive, just keep the "hidden" chemicals in check. If you are still opposed to water changes, despite that 10% once a month isn't that hard, at least get some activated carbon and change it every two weeks.

I am completely amazed that people who call themselves dedicated aquarists are even trying to get away with the least possible effort. When keeping fish, we shouldn't be asking ourselves, "What can we get away with." Instead, we should always keep the question of what is best for the fish at the forefront of our decisions.

OK, now I'll get off my soapbox. This is one subject that really depends on your personal views and what you deem a successful aquarium to be. Sorry about going on so long about it.

RE: Filter help?

David Lass — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:06:05 GMT

Actually, I've just gotten done testing it and writing a review for my column "In The Fishroom" in FAMA. I was skeptical about it -- actually about anything that says you don't have to do water changes -- but this Hi-Q system really works. I have it set up on a 40 gallon breeder tank, with about 2" of gravel, and a single T5 lamp and lots of plants. I tested the water every couple of days initially, and then every week and I've had it set up over three months. There was never any ammonia or nitrite (I used Hi-Q's product that is essentially a bacteria starter powder), and nitrates have been maintained in the 65 -- 75 range. I know that some of you will say that the nitrates are too high, but I don't think so. The fish have been fine, probably have 25 -- 30 fish in the tank, and the plants are growing great.

The system is very interesting. It consists of a reverse flow UG filter, that drives the tank water down through two columns with a powerhead inside of each column. The columns have regular plastic" bioballs", but the center of each is hard sponge. Last May I had the opportunity to meet the guy who invented the system at the InterZoo in Germany. What is going on, I think, is essentially what happens inside live rock in a marine tank -- there are bacteria that prefer an anoxic or anaerobic environment, and they break down nitrates into nitrogen gas, which then just dissipates at the water surface.

The Hi-Q system, as well as a couple of other producst that I am also testing for my FAMA column, come to the hobby from the commercial fish farming industry. Just as we got a whole set of products 15 years ago, or more, from the sewage treatment industry, so are we now getting this technology transfer from the commercial aquaculture industry. For some reason the "holy grail" for fishkeeping seems to be zero water changes -- I found it difficult to understand at first, but most hobbyists don't even want to get their hands wet.

The Hi-Q system definitely works. Combined like I have it with a heavily planted tank, and you will have very little maintenance at all. I must confess, however, that I am eventually going to do a water change.

RE: Filter help?

math-only aquarium — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:10:59 GMT

I never trust products with a remaining waste index over 300 (RWI = 100 x Days Between Cleanings / Percentage Removed) for two important reasons:

These types of products rely on everything going right. Subsequently, if you mess up on maintenance, then you could wind up with a lot of dead fish. Additionally, they also rely on complete aquarist incompetence or on aquarist prowess.
If the remaining waste index is above 300, then other wastes (besides the N-compounds) will accumulate and potentially cause problems.

In short, going without water changes is kinda like continuously filling a ballon with air but hoping that it won't pop. The sad reality in most cases, however, is that something has to give sometime.

RE: Filter help?

ClownFishsticktastic — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:25:33 GMT

Ok so I just heard about this Zero Water Exchange filter system from Hiq. I was reading up about it online.

http://www.hiq-usa.com/

What do you guys think about that?

-Jamie

RE: Filter help?

moneygetter1 — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:00:41 GMT

Not to be discouraging but when you move up in tank size, appropriate accessories start to get pricey. There are some things you can skimp on & get away but filtration (the heart of your system) shouldn't be one of them. I understand the financial constraints & your hurry to get started yesterday. Trust me, you don't want a 'cheap' filter. It might seem like a bargain at first look but it'll cost you more in time & heartache. One of the lesser priced canister filters from a quality mfgr. is http://www.petsolutions.com/Cascade-1000-Canister-Filter+I30101594+C40003142.aspx . HOB's are generally less expensive than 'cans' but again quality is important. http://www.petsolutions.com/AquaClear-110-Power-Filter+I15510620+C22.aspx or http://www.petsolutions.com/Emperor-400-Power-Filter+I47464002+C101835.aspx . As time progresses & finances increase you can add to & upgrade your filtration system. "T"

RE: Filter help?

math-only aquarium — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:54:29 GMT

One important consideration is that African Cichlids and plants typically don't mix well (there exceptions, of course).

As to business, filters are as much about functionality as they are about preference. For instance, I only (except in rare cases) use undergravel filters with powerheads, but many people absolutely hate UGFs. As such, you really should consider what your needs are and what it is that you want most.

Filter Guide

Sponge Filter

Description:

A small box-shaped container that holds a sponge and sometimes a chemical purifier. It is often powered by an air stone and fits inside the aquarium.

Advantages:

These filters are typically inexpensive, do not take up much space, and are easy to set up.

Disadvantages:

Since these filters are so small, they are not practical for aquariums larger than ten gallons. Also, models that require chemical purifiers will need new activated carbon or zeolite every two weeks and the air stones that power the filters will have to be changed at least once a month.

Mechanical Fast Filter

Description:

These filters consist of a canister that can be filled with biological medium or chemical purifiers connected to a water pump. Additionally, the canister is sometimes covered with sponge. This filter fits inside the aquarium.

Advantages:

Since these filters use water pumps as opposed to air stones, they do not have as many items that need to be replaced. Since a water pump is used, these filters can be used in larger aquariums than sponge filters--up to 30 gallons. As with sponge filters, mechanical fast filters are simple to install and comparatively inexpensive.

Disadvantages:

Because the surface area of the canister is relatively small, these filters can clog easily and the performance of the filter will diminish proportionately. Types that require chemical purifiers will need replacement purifiers every two weeks.

Undergravel Filter (UGF)

Description:

A grid that is placed under the gravel with one or more uplift tubes that rise out of it. Air stones or powerhead water pumps are used to pull water through the grid and up through the uplift tubes. Models that use air stones often make use of carbon or zeolite cartridges that fit inside the elbow that connects the air line with the uplift tube. UGFs can be made for almost any size of aquarium.

Advantages:

The undergravel filter usually provides a large surface area of medium and thus does not easily clog. Also, when used with powerheads instead of air stones, the aerobic filtration potential of the filter improves dramatically and the use of chemical purifiers may not be necessary to reach your stocking goal. This cuts down on the cost of maintaining the filter as you will not need cartridges or air stones.

Disadvantages:

While the initial expense is not too high when powered by air stones, undergravel filters that utilize one or more powerheads can have a high start-up cost. On the other hand, air stone-powered UGFs have a high maintenance cost due to the air stones and cartridges they use. Furthermore, undergravel filters are very much biological filters and thus require a decent amount of maturation time and a good understanding of biological processes on the part of the owner.

Power Filter

Description:

A box with an internal water pump that hangs on the outside of the aquarium and pushes the water through one or more filter inserts and often uses activated carbon. Power filters are available for most common aquarium sizes.

Advantages:

These filters are relatively simple in design and function. They are also very efficient due to the chemical purification and the water pump they possess. These filters are ideal for beginners because they have virtually no maturation time (with regard to chemical purification, biological maturation can take a few months) and can handle many of the errors a novice might make.

Disadvantages:

These filters are often both initially expensive (compared to some of the previous filters) and expensive to maintain because of the carbon inserts. Additionally, power filters may clog if the amount of water contaminants is high.

Canister Filter

Description:

A large canister with a water pump connected to the aquarium by a system of hoses. These filters may use biological mediums like ceramic tubes and sponge, chemical purifiers such as activated carbon, or a combination of biological mediums and chemical purifiers. Only practical for medium and large aquariums (50+ gallons).

Advantages:

Since it is not directly connected to the aquarium, it is easy to hide and disguise. Also, models that do not require chemical purifiers can go more than a month without cleaning.

Disadvantages:

Canister filters can be cumbersome because of their many hoses, can be difficult to clean, are expensive, and have a comparatively small turnover (do not cyle the water as many times per hour as some of the other filters). In addition, models that use chemical purifiers will need replacement activated carbon or zeolite every couple of weeks.

Trickle Filter

Description:

Basically a canister filter that introduces more oxygen into the system by causing the water to flow through a spillway before entering the canister. As with canister filters, these filters are not practical for small aquariums.

Advantages:

More efficient than canister filters, trickle filters are typically the only suitable option for very large aquariums and, due to their increased oxygen content, are especially beneficial to brackish water fish as they do not compete as much with the fish for oxygen.

Disadvantages:

The trickle filter is expensive and complicated. Best left to the experienced, dedicated aquarist.

Diatom Filter

Description:

A large canister with a water pump that hangs on the outside of the aquarium. Uses a circular fiber floss or micro-fiber insert.

Advantages:

Rids water of contaminants quickly.

Disadvantages:

As this filter can clog easily, it is not practical as the primary filter. It is also expensive.

Plenum

Description:

A grid that is placed beneath the aquarium substrate. It works by allowing a small amount of water to flow through the substrate in such a way that wastes are broken down into nitrate and a fair amount of nitrate is denitrified. As this filter has no power source of its own, it must be combined with powerful circulation pumps that provide a turnover of at least 10 cycles per hour. The plenum is essentially a device that encourages residual flow.

Advantages:

A very simple design that is both easy to maintain and comparatively inexpensive.

Disadvantages:

Since the plenum works by creating residual flow, you typically should not house too many fish in an aquarium that uses one. In addition, the plenum requires an intricate understanding of biological processes and takes a long time to mature.

UV Sterilizer

Description:

A tube containing a UV bulb or bulbs through which aquarium water is forced. It is designed to kill pathogens by exposing them to deadly levels of ultraviolet light.

Advantages:

Kills a great number of water born diseases and helps the water from becoming clouded due to bacteria or other microbes.

Disadvantages:

As exposing the fish to specific wavelengths of UV light can kill them, UV sterilizers do not shine directly into the aquarium. This means that disease organisms can still exist in the aquarium, just not in the UV sterilizer.

General Filter Guidelines

Do not combine filters that operate at different levels of the aquarium as they will compete with each other.

Clean filters (not with hot water or chemicals) that become clogged as soon as possible to prevent nitrogen compound build-up.

Look for filters that have a high turnover rate as these are often the most efficient ones.

Choosing filters that do not use chemical purifiers cuts maintenance costs but also decreases biological load adaptability. As such, if you want a comparable bioload capacity but do not want the extra expense of chemical purifiers, buy a filter that is a size or two larger than what is recommended for your aquarium and does not require chemical purifiers.

Look for filters that have at least a one year warranty to avoid replacing the filter too often.

Shop around and look at all your possibilities. This way, you have a better chance of finding a filter that fits both your budget and aquarium stocking goals.

Purchase filters that have good quality. Such units may be expensive, but they are worth it in the long run.

RE: Filter help?

JCHAMPAGNE — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:25:21 GMT

an Emperor 400 model will cover it. it runs less than 60 bucks and has two bio wheels. this is a hang on the aquarium model.

The filter has a flow rate of 400 gph and is recommended for aquariums up to 80 gallons. It includes two BIO-wheels, two refillable media containers, and two cartridges.

this link will help you see what i am talking about.

http://www.aquariumguys.com/emperorpower.html

RE: Filter help?

scottneth06 — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:59:36 GMT

If you want a cheap canister filter go to big al's online and look for the penn plax canister its a lil higher than your budget but it would probably do much better than anything you can find that cheap. I just bought one but i havent installed it yet.