2 Fluval 406 enough for 120 gallon?

[11jeeperdrummer]

Hello all,

This is my first post, and I'm a little confused on how to go about my setup.. I recently purchased the largest tank I have ever owned, a 120 gallon 60x18x25.. It currently has two Fluval 406 plumbed into it.

Both canisters contain the same filter material. (lowest basket is mech. sponge media, then biomax (mixture of Fluval and Eheim ceramic balls), third basket contains Zeo-Carb and clearmax, and the top container also contains Zeo-Carb)..

My question is... Would it be better to run only biomax in one of the canisters, and have the chemical in the other canister... or keep them as is?

The tank is currently stocked with:

1 - 6" Tiger Oscar
1 - 3" Featherfin Catfish
1 - 4.5" Brown Knifefish
2 - 1.5" female Convicts

I also run a medium sized sponge filer..

I want to have as much bio material for the BB to grow, so what do you suggest? Do you really even need any of the chemical media? IE Carbon or Phosphate remover?

Is it common to put a sponge prefilter over the intake, so big food particles dont get sucked into the canister? I was thinking of doing that to the canister that would be filled with bio media... is this a good or bad idea?


Thanks in advance, and I am glad to have found such an informative site!

 

[Chizzle]

I would take out all that chemical filtration stuff zeo-carb clearmax carbon phosphate remover etc and replace it with biomax. That stuff leaches back into the water overtime, its not necessary, and its just taking up space.

I've seen some people put sponges over their intakes, but that is only when they have fries and dont want them to get sucked into the filter.

 

[11jeeperdrummer]

Thank you for your response! I think I will just fill both canisters with as much Bio media as possible, and take out the chemical media.

Each 406 was previously hooked up to a 55 gallon as of two weeks ago. I was at that point cleaning it out about once a month... If I was to replace the chemical with all bio media, should I prolong the filter cleaning interval? I dont want to risk killing off the BB colony, but I notice quite a bit of food gets sucked into them... Will food have any negative qualities in the canister? I know food will turn to ammonia, which is good for BB, but do I have to worry about too much accumulating in the canister if I prolong cleanings? That was the reason for me asking about prefiltering the intake..

I do a 50% water change weekly.. and try not to overfeed

 

[11jeeperdrummer]

I went to the lfs and picked up another box of Eheim bio media.. emptied both canisters of all chemical media, and put as much bio in as I could fit. Can't wait to see the results in time.