So I don't mean to thread jack,but I just picked up a 240 gallon 8ft tank. Currently I have 2 aquatop 400s on a 165. Would the 2 400s plus a FX5 or a aquatop 500 be enough filtration for the 240 gallon with 2 colony's of Tropheus? Currently have around 44 fish ranging from 2 to 3" prolly never get bigger than say 5" but the will multiply. I know they are not the size or caliber of fish most of you guys keep here, but you think it would be ok? My wife runs a childcare and a sump would be a big no no with inspectors. They might not ever see it, but if they did I would have to get rid of it.. Thanks and thoughts, to original poster, sorry for the high jack!!
2 fx5's for 250-300gal ?
- Thread starter rob1984
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The point is creating a suitable condition for the fish.
20 ppm is good enough and I have a suitable service schedule. I can cut it to half if I double my water change amount which I actually do in summer.
In fact I went away for a month and the nitrate only rose to 40 ppm.
In any case, whether it is fish load or crap, nitrate is nitrate. The fact that there are crud in my filter does not bother me unless it affects my flow rate(which I can also back flush to get rid of some). FX5 also has this function but it is more prone to flow reduction issues than the Eheim.
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Rob, as I said earlier those Aquatop/Marineland 500 series filters are huge. I wish you where closer I'd let you take one to try. I would need to do the math but you could buy quite a few for the cost of one Eheim. I swear some folks on here are scared or embarrassed if there system isn't a big brand name or impressive system. Like I said you can buy four for maybe a little more than 1 2262. Run two with just Bio and two with mech and you have a massive filter volume and still have the same warranty as say Eheim (this is not saying they are better in any way! Just saying they can do the job cheaper with the same warranty and a massive media volume). I always like to use cars, yes that ride in the BMW is awsome but that Toyota is going to get you there and do the same job. I buy big pads that are the same as on the HOB's and cut them out for less than $4.00 makes two or more filter pads and its a fine Micro plus polishing pad in one (it works awsome) just one is about 12' X12'. That does not include two standard sponges the same as Aquaclear and thats just one tray (you can fit 2x2 in one tray).
I have a 125 with Oscars and Parrots, I am running (1 FX5, 2 406's, 1 C530) and I still have to do big water changes.. In the end its your aquarium and you may not even consider my suggestion but if you look at the specs and do the math, its a good option. Another what I thought was a kewl idea was running a FX5 inline with a Sump. I know theres some folks on this forum with the Aquatop's/Marineland C-Series that can back me up on this suggestion?
And again the fish themselves will not give a ???? as long as the job is getting done. OK I've preched enough, your system I'm trying to give you a option that I'm sure will do the job for not allot of $$$$.
Aquatop is sunsun...you can get it even cheaper on eBay. I have one and it is a pretty decent performer. If you stack them up, yes three or four of them will equal to an eheim 2262 and cheaper. There are a couple of draw backs...no back flush port and the fact that I have to service 4 canisters instead of 1 makes the difference in price go away very quickly. If you do go this route though, just make one of them a fx5...trust me, you will like the back flush port.
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oh ya for sure the fish wouldnt care what is on it as long as it is doing what they need to be done yes, but im saying is what my plan was to do is run the 2 fx5 which i already have if it wa enough to filter out the tank but apprently it isnt enough for it, SO my next thought is to decide if i wanna buy a new tank and then have to design/setup my own sump i create, which in the long run prolly more expensive OR to look and wait till i find a big tank with a sump already on it and then add the 2 fx5 to the tank to help crystalize the water... like im sure the fx5 would be fine till the fish all reach around the 10-12inch mark, but i know for a fact if i spend money on a new tank and then have to spend money to build a sump and etc my gf will kill me lol .... so maybe a used big tank would be ideal witha sump setup and just add my fx5 on it little less money and it does and has everything im after anyway it just wont be new it will be used which aint no big deal at all really....
And ya having to service 4 filters would suck I'd likely lose track with what one I did last and such hahahaha...
And I was told with a sump all ya have to do is rinse out the filter socks if ya have em and the sponges... Basically a guy told me servicing a sump happens maybe once every 6 months or so... And yearly ya just clean the bio if needed... But I'm not sure on that ... I would think that all that would be needed to clean annd or swap would be the filter socks and the sponges that are in the beginning of the sump system... Cuz the water would come in one side were ya have sponges/filter pads/filter socks, and then go under and then over to the middle of the sump which is where ya would have the bio balls, which would carry all the BB and then it would flow under and then over to far right side were the pump is and pump back all the really clean water back into the tank... And that clean water section in the sump would be a perfect spot to have like a AC110 or even a fx5 just to polish the water so it crystal clear before entering back in the tank ... Maybe I'm wrong or off with this but that's how I would setup my sump likely but unsure of the ac110 or fx5 in the far end of the sump to crsytalize the water tho... Maybe someone would have another suggestion
The main reason that you remove / clean dirty filter media is to get rid of waste BEFORE it's broken down into nitrate.
Why I don't use canisters (and use sumps/dumps/boxes) is that the mechanical media in canisters is a PITA to clean (and the others are easy).
And there will be lots of uneaten food and other stuff requiring mechanical filtration in a tank with a RTC, pbass, oscars, etc.
Maybe it makes sense to you for this stuff to be trapped in your canister filter for a year...but it doesn't to me.
Matt
Why I don't use canisters (and use sumps/dumps/boxes) is that the mechanical media in canisters is a PITA to clean (and the others are easy).
And there will be lots of uneaten food and other stuff requiring mechanical filtration in a tank with a RTC, pbass, oscars, etc.
Maybe it makes sense to you for this stuff to be trapped in your canister filter for a year...but it doesn't to me.
Matt
I think sump + canister is a good option. In my case, my tank is not drilled and there were spacing concerns on hanging something on the back of the tank in lieu of a drilled overflow.
In any case, tracking service schedule for multiple canisters are easy...don't have a schedule. Only service a canister when you notice the flow rate slowed to a certain amount...
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In any case, tracking service schedule for multiple canisters are easy...don't have a schedule. Only service a canister when you notice the flow rate slowed to a certain amount...
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I had a guy I think it was on this forum suggest a way to make a sump system with inline FX5's to the sump. To me this made allot of sense because I have allot of the equipment already. I am not sure how the plumbing would work but it sure did sound like it would make a kewl system
. Many years ago say 1993 or 1994 I had what I considered my first monister tank or at least for that time it was...I ran a trickle filter on a 135 Oceanic (those where beautiful tanks talk about quality!!). So now I'll give you all a good laugh
is the trickle filter and what you call a sump the same system or close? My first Africans
. Many years ago say 1993 or 1994 I had what I considered my first monister tank or at least for that time it was...I ran a trickle filter on a 135 Oceanic (those where beautiful tanks talk about quality!!). So now I'll give you all a good laugh is the trickle filter and what you call a sump the same system or close? My first Africansthis would work if a got a tank that wasnt drilled wouldnt it ? or is there any fall backs on a system like this ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmhu7uxPIm4
basically a sump works like this pic here does it not ?
and i think i know how they work, but is this here right ? ............ the corners or centre would have a overflow box which is where the gravity feed pipe is to drain water from the tank to the sump and that pipe would sit vertical and wouldn't drain anymore water if the power shutoff once the water level reachs the height of the pipe, and then the return clean water would come back either through just a output or threw a spray bar Do guys have the drain pipe come threw the bottom of the tank ? Or does it come threw the back of the tank with just a 90deg elbow kinda thing ? And it is likely best to have a valve to stop/close the water line for maintence and etc right ? Cuz I typically shut my pumps off when doing a WC so the chlorine in my water don't kill off to much BB which I'd likely do the same for a sump system as well otherwise it would pump the sump area dry as it isn't draining since I'm pulling water out right ?
im thinking of a sump system pretty much identical to what this is in the video, the drain pipe come over the sump in a horizontal fashion with slots cut in the bottom to help reduce noise/splashing and likely medium to coarse filter pads in there and then also in the centre i would have the rest of the seachem pond matrix i have here along with a fart load of bio balls as much as possible to fill it up, and the last chamber there between bio ball and pump chamber put some filter floss or fine filter pad to help polish water which would be super easy to clean/replace when needed there as well... would that work well or no ? if it is a bad idea please do tell me as im still learning and wanna know what works and what doesnt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmhu7uxPIm4
basically a sump works like this pic here does it not ?
and i think i know how they work, but is this here right ? ............ the corners or centre would have a overflow box which is where the gravity feed pipe is to drain water from the tank to the sump and that pipe would sit vertical and wouldn't drain anymore water if the power shutoff once the water level reachs the height of the pipe, and then the return clean water would come back either through just a output or threw a spray bar Do guys have the drain pipe come threw the bottom of the tank ? Or does it come threw the back of the tank with just a 90deg elbow kinda thing ? And it is likely best to have a valve to stop/close the water line for maintence and etc right ? Cuz I typically shut my pumps off when doing a WC so the chlorine in my water don't kill off to much BB which I'd likely do the same for a sump system as well otherwise it would pump the sump area dry as it isn't draining since I'm pulling water out right ?
im thinking of a sump system pretty much identical to what this is in the video, the drain pipe come over the sump in a horizontal fashion with slots cut in the bottom to help reduce noise/splashing and likely medium to coarse filter pads in there and then also in the centre i would have the rest of the seachem pond matrix i have here along with a fart load of bio balls as much as possible to fill it up, and the last chamber there between bio ball and pump chamber put some filter floss or fine filter pad to help polish water which would be super easy to clean/replace when needed there as well... would that work well or no ? if it is a bad idea please do tell me as im still learning and wanna know what works and what doesnt
