Best Canister Filter?
- Thread starter Catfish Keeper
- Start date
Mechanical Filtration
Mechanical filtration removes the free floating particles from the aquarium water. The siphoning action of a power filter that hangs on the back of an aquarium does a decent job of this type of filtration. (different grades of foam in the cannister do this as well)
Biological Filtration
Biological filtration is the most important aquarium filtration type because it deals with the growing of the good bacteria in your filter. The good bacteria is the bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrite and then converts nitrite into nitrate. This establishment of bacteria is essential to your success with keeping tropical fish. For more information please read about the Nitrogen Cycle.
Ammonia -> Nitrite -> Nitrate
Chemical Filtration
Chemical filtration involves removing the dissolved wastes from the aquarium water. Often times this is accomplished through the use of activated carbon in the aquarium filter. Activated carbon can also help to reduce odors. Many people dislike using carbon in their tanks due to the fact that the carbon is useful for only a short period and then must be replaced. If it doesn't get replaced in a timely manner the very wastes that it removed can be released from the carbon back into the aquarium. Zeolites can also be used in chemical filtration. Zeolite removes ammonia from your aquarium water and can be a fish life saver if you have high ammonia levels. Many first time fishkeepers mistakenly add too many fish to a new aquarium before it has cycled and experience the disappointing loss of their fish. Using zeolite during the cycling process in your aquarium filter can help prevent this from happening but it has the side effect of lengthening the time it takes to complete the aquarium nitrogen cycle.
Two xp3 would probably do in the interm for a 150. If you find they are not up to the task, you can always upgrade to an Xp4 to replace one of the 3's.
Cannisters are great because you can clean the filters very easily and can put all kinds of different media in them.
I would suggest doing a google search on some of the cannisters you have heard about here and look up the reviews on them. That way you will make an educated buying decision that will free up $$ for more fish!!!!
Mechanical filtration removes the free floating particles from the aquarium water. The siphoning action of a power filter that hangs on the back of an aquarium does a decent job of this type of filtration. (different grades of foam in the cannister do this as well)
Biological Filtration
Biological filtration is the most important aquarium filtration type because it deals with the growing of the good bacteria in your filter. The good bacteria is the bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrite and then converts nitrite into nitrate. This establishment of bacteria is essential to your success with keeping tropical fish. For more information please read about the Nitrogen Cycle.
Ammonia -> Nitrite -> Nitrate
Chemical Filtration
Chemical filtration involves removing the dissolved wastes from the aquarium water. Often times this is accomplished through the use of activated carbon in the aquarium filter. Activated carbon can also help to reduce odors. Many people dislike using carbon in their tanks due to the fact that the carbon is useful for only a short period and then must be replaced. If it doesn't get replaced in a timely manner the very wastes that it removed can be released from the carbon back into the aquarium. Zeolites can also be used in chemical filtration. Zeolite removes ammonia from your aquarium water and can be a fish life saver if you have high ammonia levels. Many first time fishkeepers mistakenly add too many fish to a new aquarium before it has cycled and experience the disappointing loss of their fish. Using zeolite during the cycling process in your aquarium filter can help prevent this from happening but it has the side effect of lengthening the time it takes to complete the aquarium nitrogen cycle.
Two xp3 would probably do in the interm for a 150. If you find they are not up to the task, you can always upgrade to an Xp4 to replace one of the 3's.
Cannisters are great because you can clean the filters very easily and can put all kinds of different media in them.
I would suggest doing a google search on some of the cannisters you have heard about here and look up the reviews on them. That way you will make an educated buying decision that will free up $$ for more fish!!!!
Iffrat;3379979; said:
See I was looking on eBay and the Eheim was cheaper. The one I was looking at was for 159g, which was fine for me cause I have a 150g tank. This is why I was leaning towards this one...
that sounds good .. but i never go by that number .. and always overkill .. you know what they say about under kill ... it has the chance to kill you back ..Catfish Keeper;3379997; said:
x4 and x3 are the same filter .. just x4 has another space to put stuff .. the 1-4 are all the same build tho ..cookdav2;3380011; said:
Catfish Keeper;3379965; said:
That is exactly what I am running on my 150g with moderate to heavy stocking. Currently the tank stock is 11" trimac, 10" Vieja Breidohri, 7-8" red devil, 2x 7-8" barred midas, 4x 8-10" sun catfish and a 26-27" tiretrack eel.
many, including myself, think rena dropped the ball on the XP4
the XP3 is awesome, and popular for a reason.
for the XP4, all they did was add another basket ontop, make the pump a bit stronger, and charged $100 more...they should have made the whole thing wider as well, which would dramatically increase the media capacity..to make it worth the extra $100...
the XP3 is awesome, and popular for a reason.
for the XP4, all they did was add another basket ontop, make the pump a bit stronger, and charged $100 more...they should have made the whole thing wider as well, which would dramatically increase the media capacity..to make it worth the extra $100...
