Filtration for 46gal Bowfront

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
M

MOOSE1507

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 15, 2011
9
0
0
EASTERN NC
Hello all.

After reading the "Sponge filter" sticky, I decided to try a sponge filter as the primary biological filter for my new 46 gallon.
So I put a 80 gallon Pro ATI sponge with a maxijet 1200 powerhead together for the primary filter, and a Penguin 100 HOB as a mech filter.

The tank is currently cycling but will be home to a pair of rams and hopefully some ram fry.

My question is does this sound like enough filtration for the tank? I have an Emp 400 available to use in place of the Pen 100, but the emperor is so loud I would end up replacing it anyway.

So any advice from you experts would be appreciated. And I have read enough threads here that I can rule out the FX5 that someone will recommend. :grinno:
 
Tip: Take the impeller out of your emp 400(or any filter) and put a lite coating of petrolium jelly (vasoline) on the magnet of the impeller. This should quiet down your filter. Have done this on a few of mine, and it helps.
 
I take it from the replies the pen 100 is not enough mech filtration. I will try the petrolatum on the impeller and go from there. Thank you for the quick replies.
 
Tworottz72 said:
Tip: Take the impeller out of your emp 400(or any filter) and put a lite coating of petrolium jelly (vasoline) on the magnet of the impeller. This should quiet down your filter. Have done this on a few of mine, and it helps.
Click to expand...

Yeah cleaning the impeller is inportant maintence and it usually solves all my pump problems.

Petrolium jelly i do not like, its an oil based product as its name implies. Most pumps say "The pump is magnetically driven - it has no seals to wear and contains no oil.". I dont think it needs to be lubed although I would read your manual, its the only way to kno for sure. If you do use a safe vegtabl oil or another aquarium friendly oil.
 
MOOSE1507 said:
I take it from the replies the pen 100 is not enough mech filtration. I will try the petrolatum on the impeller and go from there. Thank you for the quick replies.
Click to expand...

I do not think that is safe, the best bet would be a silicone lube made from an aquarium company. Plus the petro jelly will leave a wierd oil slick on top of your aquarium that can restrict the natural transfer of gas's.
 
Your sponge filter should be plenty fine for a pair of rams, add some live plants and you should be golden on NO3 as well. No reason to go insano overkill on filtration. If you want better mech I would look into a Marineland magnum 250...use the micron cartredge and wrap it with filter floss and your water will be crispy.
 
OK so a no on the petrolatum. Guess I am back to using the Penguin 100 for now.
I forgot to mention the tank is in our bedroom, and silence is an important aspect of the filtration setup.
I have a C-530 canister and Penguin 350 on my 75 gallon, and you can definitely hear them running.
I want something near silent for the new tank.
Any suggestions?
 
why so much over-kill on the filtration? If you want your canister to runner better, stronger, quiter ,faster add bulkheads to make intake below water level. Instead of the canister sucking water out it will be fed water through gravity which increases flow and makes priming a thing of the past. I love adding bulkhead esp. when the tank is empty it usuallt take only 15 min and makes look nicer.

I would still clean it the prop and use a fish friendly lube and see how it works
 
The c-350 should be more then enough for a 75? Im from NY and our elctric is through the roof, so I switched from canister to sump as i found it to be more effecient. Also T5 to LED and made the temp more in balance with the room temp. It cut energy on my 100 gal by almost 75%.

Though if electric wasnt a issue I feel like i would be gadget crazy. As my digital PH reader for 30$ was a dream come true. API PH test never game the same reading twice and drove me mad, explain how on the low ph test it read higher then 7.6 but on the "high ph" test it reads lower then 7.4. Now i just read a gauge like temp, I recommend to everone
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom