Do you agree with this filtration setup

[oswego]

After reading multipe threads on filtration here is my plan.

On my xp3 cannister I plan to use a prefilter over the intake to catch solids and clean the prefilter at least once a week when doing WC.
Cleaning the pre-filter very good each week should reduce the bio that lives in it so my bio media in the canister will maintain the amount of BB the tank needs.

On my Wet/Dry I will have a layer of the blue/white filter pad sold at petsmart over my drip plate with layer of pillow stuffing on top of that. Will clean the filter media at least once a week to remove solids from the system like I plan to do with the cannister.

I'll have a heater in the tank and in the sump of the WD.

Also thinking of putting some airstones in the sump below the Bio media. Some of the bio media ia submerged but the majority is above water.
Total gph should be around 650 with the two filters.

These will be on the 180 gal I am setting up. Not sure which fish will end up in the 180 gal but I will be conservitive on the size/quantity of fish.
I could use a higher gph pump in the sump if needed, right now I have my eye on a 300gph for it and the xp3 is 350gph.


Opinions and or ideas??? Should I clean the prefilter on the zxp3 and the pillow stuffing on the wet/dry more than one per week?

 

[cor]

What exactly do you plan to have in the 3 trays in the XP3?

 

[oswego]

The bottom basket has two square spounge filters and the other two with bio-media. I think the water goes down and comes up through the bottom basket first.
The bio media is a combination of fluval biomax, bio balls and some pvc shavings.

 

[oswego]

I don't remember the measurements of the W/D but it holds 300 scrubbies between the eggcrate and the drip tray.
That reminds me i need to make one more run to the closest Dollar Stores to get a few more to fill it up.

 

[Pharaoh]

On my Wet/Dry I will have a layer of the blue/white filter pad sold at petsmart over my drip plate with layer of pillow stuffing on top of that. Will clean the filter media at least once a week to remove solids from the system like I plan to do with the cannister.

You can buy the same blue/white filter media on Ebay at a fraction of the cost that PetSmart sells it.

Replace this as necessary. May not necessarily be once a week if you have conservative stocking.

 

[Bee0912]

I would not have a pre-filter on the inlet of the XP3 just for looks in the tank you will have enough pre-filter in the sump and the XP3 with your plan.

Also why have a heater in the tank and not both in the sump?

I am just thinking of looks in the tank.

 

[oswego]

You can buy the same blue/white filter media on Ebay at a fraction of the cost that PetSmart sells it.

Replace this as necessary. May not necessarily be once a week if you have conservative stocking.

Thanks for the $ saving tip. Anything else? I do have overflow capacity out of tank to have two pumps in the sump to increase flow and incase one pump quits.

 

[Toby_H]

Your XP3 rated at 350 gph will not move 350 gallons per hour... It will actually move a bit over half of that (approx 200 gph)...

A 300 gph pump will move considerably less than 300 gph when used as a sump pump. You'll need to find a "head pressure chart" for your specific brand of pump to determine how much water it will actually move at the given head height you are using it at...


Avoiding dead spots is exceptinoally important for a healthy tank. If your 180 gal is wide open (no decor) then this may be enough water movement. The more decor you have the more likely you will have dead spots.


With low flow rates it is very unlikely that the filters will pick up much physical waste. This means it will collect on the substrate until you remove it during water changes. This is an acceptible approach for some, and unacceptible to others. It's your choice where you stand on this.


All in all... it sonds like a lightly filtered tank that will require a lot of maintenance.. unless it has little to no decor and is stocked with very small fish...

 

[oswego]

The chart for the pump says it will pump 300gph at five feet. I reckon I could go ahead and get two pumps for the sump to get more Flow. I don't need to go over 600gph with the overflows that I have, the sticky thread says my outflows max out at 750.

I thought that if I put a prefilter on the cannister intake that I would get less solids getting to the bio media and have to service it less.

Both heaters in the sump does make more sense than one in tank and one in sump.

 

[OnceLoyal]

OVER FILTERED!!!!!!!!!!




Haha, J/K..... I think it looks great man. Just keep an eye on the filter pads in the W/D as stated before. You might be able to get away with a few months, or you might need it more often. Ebay as said before is a lot cheaper.