75g w/ xp3, more filtration?
- Thread starter MurderedOut
- Start date
I liked my XP3 on my 70G. I thought it did well. Of course, I went ahead and put the spare XP2 on the tank as well, just because. Try out the XP3, if it isn't enough, put more on it. Or you could just add more just because.
Not with media or head pressure its not. Its been tested at the lower flow rate. It also says it on the box. This is one reason I dislike the Xp series flters. They cost a good chunk of $ for very little flow rate.
The Fx5 is rated for a pump flow of 925 GPH but thats not the true flow rate. They do tell you the filter flow rate which is 607 GPH which is closer to the real figure.
Most flow rates listed on canister filters are not the actual figures when filled with media and when having to deal with head pressures.
I think you have enough filtration, although, you can never have too much. The fish you have in there don't have large bio-loads.
Well not sure about all these mystical flow rates people a pulling out of their ass(links?), but I am currently running 6 xp3s without any issues. 2 on a 180g, 2 on a 150g, 1 one a 120g and 1 on a 75g. If you'd like the see the stock in the tanks click the links in my sig.
The xp3 will effectively filter your 75g. The only drawback is having only the single filter. If there is a problem it's always good to have a cycled backup filter running.
For optimum performance from the xp3 I set up the media like this. Bottom basket is filled halfway with either Fluval prefilter or Ehiems ehfimech, these are cylinders but are not designed to house bacteria and are the first level of mechanical filtration. The top have of the basket use two of the course 20ppi sponges. In the bottom half of the middle basket use 2 of the finer 30ppi sponges. Setting up the mech media in this way does a good job of keeping the folw high while filtering out the particle debries.
Now for biomedia, I would use either ehiems ehfisubstrate or hagen/fluval biomax. In the top half of the middle basket keep you biomedia in a fine mesh bag(easier for cleaning the filter). In the top basket fill full of biomedia(un bagged). You can top off with a micro filtration pad, but I have found it to be unnecessary.
I notice that you are currently cycling the tank, it is best to cycle with only the biomedia in the filter. You don't want bacteria growing on your mechanical media, you want to build strong colonies within the bio media.
Goodluck and welcome to MFK.
The xp3 will effectively filter your 75g. The only drawback is having only the single filter. If there is a problem it's always good to have a cycled backup filter running.
For optimum performance from the xp3 I set up the media like this. Bottom basket is filled halfway with either Fluval prefilter or Ehiems ehfimech, these are cylinders but are not designed to house bacteria and are the first level of mechanical filtration. The top have of the basket use two of the course 20ppi sponges. In the bottom half of the middle basket use 2 of the finer 30ppi sponges. Setting up the mech media in this way does a good job of keeping the folw high while filtering out the particle debries.
Now for biomedia, I would use either ehiems ehfisubstrate or hagen/fluval biomax. In the top half of the middle basket keep you biomedia in a fine mesh bag(easier for cleaning the filter). In the top basket fill full of biomedia(un bagged). You can top off with a micro filtration pad, but I have found it to be unnecessary.
I notice that you are currently cycling the tank, it is best to cycle with only the biomedia in the filter. You don't want bacteria growing on your mechanical media, you want to build strong colonies within the bio media.
Goodluck and welcome to MFK.
in my opinion, the xp3 will be fine on a 75g, barring any overly insane stocking levels.
im currently running 3 xp3's on 3 different tanks, 250 55 75. the 75 and 55 are filtered only by an xp3 each. the 75g is crystal clear, with no particles or anything in the water. the 55g has some cloudiness due to the goldfish constantly stirring crap up from the gravel. and my 250 has an fx5 and an xp3 and is crystal clear, even with 3 fish being between 12-20"
i honestly would have gone with the fx5, since the thing is a beast of a cannister filter. but i certainly wouldent be dissapointed with the xp3.
im currently running 3 xp3's on 3 different tanks, 250 55 75. the 75 and 55 are filtered only by an xp3 each. the 75g is crystal clear, with no particles or anything in the water. the 55g has some cloudiness due to the goldfish constantly stirring crap up from the gravel. and my 250 has an fx5 and an xp3 and is crystal clear, even with 3 fish being between 12-20"
i honestly would have gone with the fx5, since the thing is a beast of a cannister filter. but i certainly wouldent be dissapointed with the xp3.
Im a loyal XP canister person, their main perk for me is their ease of use. Im running 3 on my 150G(2*XP3s, 1*XP4) The 2 XP3s were handling the job just fine, but I wanted to try the XP4 out so I bought one...and I have dubbed it my bio-tower. I clean that thing around 3 times a year...it has nothing in it but Ehfimech onthe bottom half a tray and then 3.5 baskets of Ehfisubstrate pro. Its lower flow I think makes for a more efficient biological filter as there is more contact time with the media. My XP3s are setup with the standard sponges on the bottom and Ehfilav in the middle and then polyfill in the top.
I also have a ghetto XP canister on my 55G planted...I had an XP3 running and managed to crack the motor(dont ask) so I went to my shed and pulled out an XP2 motor and just put that on the XP3 body. Suprisingly the XP2 motor is really doing well with the larger chamber. I could have switched out to the XP2 body but I didnt think it was worth sacrificing a media basket for extra flow.
I also have a ghetto XP canister on my 55G planted...I had an XP3 running and managed to crack the motor(dont ask) so I went to my shed and pulled out an XP2 motor and just put that on the XP3 body. Suprisingly the XP2 motor is really doing well with the larger chamber. I could have switched out to the XP2 body but I didnt think it was worth sacrificing a media basket for extra flow.
Nice, thats just what i needed. ill give it a try and change up the way the mechanical filtration media is set up.
Thanks for all the tips and opinions. Learned what i needed to know. finally!
thanks guys.
Thanks for all the tips and opinions. Learned what i needed to know. finally!
thanks guys.
