20gal Stocking

[thecoolguy]

hey guys - i didnt make my homemade sump/wet/dry today, instead, spent $5 US and got another filter for the 20gal.....remember i am in china.....

so now....my 20gal is what i consider to be super filtered.....

2 box filters -

1 box - filter cloth, small bio-ceramic balls, regular bioballs

1 box - filter cloth, carbon sponge, A LOT of cylindrical ceramic media

totalling: 5000 litres/hr of powerhead powered filtration

that is a turnover of: 65 x per hour

current stocking: (grow out tank)

4 - .5" neon tetras
4 - .5" tiger barbs
2 - .75" yellow labs
1 - 5.5" common plec
4 - .5" some kind of danio

how many .5" fish can i add?

of course....given water parameters say good....but on the surface...i think i am safe for more fish.....anyone got some input?

 

[thecoolguy]

oh yes....

my box filters are basically (for lack of better explanation) wet/dry boxes that sit on top of the tank

strange....i can't seem to find any websites that sell them but they got them a plenty here in china......

ill take a pic one day....

http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/category83_1.htm

found a link....

 

[thecoolguy]

ok, talking to myself, but perhaps someone could lend a hand....cuz i don't want my house to burn down!

according to :
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...filter+for+aquariums&svnum=10&um=1&hl=en&sa=N

top filters apparently are quite dangerous - but it seems like this article is referring to when top filters used external (non-submersible) pumps to draw water in and out....is that correct?

both of my top (box) filters are obviously run by submersible powerheads - am i subject to this same fire hazard?

- a worried guy.....

 

[CORVETTE]

i cant see the power head starting any fires as long as your using a quality power head i've never had a problem.

 

[CHOMPERS]

I like the concept of those filters. Again, use a quality power head and you shouldn't have a problem with house fires. Use a power strip that has overload protection for added assurance.

For stocking tips, I wouldn't ask a group that has large numbers of Americans. Most of us don't have a grip on the finer points of filtration and stocking the way those in the Asian countries do. Americans are conditioned to think that the tank size is what limits the stocking and give no consideration to the filtration. However, we don't have the better filter designs that you do.

Americans will look at Asian tanks and say how overstocked they are. Asians will look at American tanks and say how bare they look.

 

[thecoolguy]

well, obviously many people don't have these types of filters....

but i am wondering if ANYONE does?

they are dirt cheap here (i got a huge 2litre one for $5 US dollars)

any opinions? input on their filtration capabilities?

i know they are used a lot across asia - but i want to know if it is because thye are cheap, effective, or both?