Filtration Frustrations

[ProAquarist]

300 gallon planted fancy goldfish community (about 7 big fancy goldfish, live plants, and a ton of community fish such as scissortail rasboras, platies, rosy barbs, checkerboard barbs, Siamese algae eaters, bristlenose plecoes, etc.). If it didn't come with built-in overflows, I would have just used a Fluval FX6 or two and been done. But, Marineland makes their deep dimension tanks with overflows and it costs more to have the same tank customized without them. So, I'm stuck with a sump. The main section of the sump has tumbling K2 media which is working great for maintenance-free biological filtration.

Originally, the sump had a foam block at the bottom of the first section, but it clogged up very quickly and would just overflow. Recently, I tried a DIY tray system with drawers full of pads. It worked, but still clogged up too quickly. If I just use the black foam pads, it will go a week without clogging but the water wasn't as clear. I tried quilt batting and a dual density filter pad, both of which clogged up in about a day or so. I finally tried a 100 micron filter sock. I set it up last night and 12 hours later the tank is the clearest it's ever been. However, I haven't fed anything in those 12 hours and it is already clogged and overflowing.

The system used to have a pond bead fiilter on it (AquaUV Ultima II 1,000), but I never got anything out of the backwashing so it wasn't helping (yet it would pump out sewage when I kicked it back on to filter). I finally pulled it off entirely and the inside was horrendous. It was full of junk. So it seems it was trapping stuff, it just wasn't coming out when I backwashed which is the whole point of using that filter. I pulled it off around the time I tried the DIY trickle tray setup (I can't remember if I pulled the bead filter at the same time or a week or two after starting the trickle tray). The pump is a Rio 32 hyper flo (2,110gph/1,500gph at 4').

I am at a loss. I have never in my career in this hobby had issues keeping a tank clear. I highly prefer canisters, but I know a lot of people like and use sumps with great success, especially on such a large system. What am I doing wrong? The way I see it, I have the following options:

1 - Try setting up two filter socks that are at least 200 micron so they don't clog as quickly, one for each drain, maybe also have a 'pre-filter' mesh bag filter sock ahead of each one (inside, but the water goes through the mesh first to catch really big stuff).

2 - Experiment with a ton of different filter pads to get some sort of progression with the DIY trickle trays to get a combination that keeps it clear and lasts a week between cleanings.

3 - Buy an Ocean Clear filter to run the return line through like I did with the pond filter.

4 - Try the pond filter again, maybe with a different pump. As far as I can tell, this pump is strong enough, but it's just not working like it should. This would be my top choice so that I don't have to haul the filtration to the sink and clean it, instead I could just backwash it.

5 - Give up and just buy a Fluval FX6. I would get the filtration I am used to, but I would have to pay a lot for the filter and have the hassle of hauling it to the sink to clean.

 

[nzafi]

FX6 is going to be a pain to clean and doubt it can handle your bioload on its own. Was your pump strong enough for the ultima? Did you do the full backwash amount? I think you're suppose to use like 200g when backwashing.

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

I agree with N nzafi about only a single FX6. I think you will need at least two, but more realistically three should be used on your heavily stocked 300.

From your stocking, I know that the goldfish, algae eater, and plecos are all pretty messy fish. If you feed heavily, then it will only make the problem worse. I do think that either the sump or the ultima will be the best options. However, before that, I have a few questions: what size sump do you have? What do you feed, how much, and how often? Do you have sand in the tank, and, if so, do you have fish that regularly churn it up?

Now, for the sump. I think this will ultimately (no pun intended) be the best option. If you set it up correctly, it should handle quite a heavy bio load. It is not uncommon for people to use 200 and 300 micron filter socks. They let more through, but they still do a good job and don't clog as quickly. You might need to set up at least two filter socks, but, if you can, four will be better. It is not uncommon to need to change them out every few days on a heavily stocked tank, but it's so easy to do that it will still be really easy maintenance. Just keep plenty of extras around. I have filter pads an floss on my tank and I am wanting to switch over to filter socks at some point. I think they are better.

Hope you get this all figured out. Please let us know anything else you can do we can try to better nail down your setup.

 

[monkeybike]

Filter socks are terrific.

 

[slippery slimecoat]

I run 200 micron filter socks and am quite content. I use 1 sock on a somewhat heavily stocked 150 and get 5-6 days out of them before needing to be changed.

 

[ragin_cajun]

You're on the right track with the filter sock. You just don't have anywhere enough filter sock for the size tank you're filtering. And you're using way too fine of a mesh on your one sock.

By comparison, I use 4 socks on my 540 gallon tank. They're 7X16, I use 200 micron and 150 micron, never anything finer than 150. I change out socks every 2-3 weeks, maybe longer.

So make 4 sock holders, tee your drains so you split up the drain output between the 4 socks. Then, start with 200 micron socks, maybe try some 150 micron socks later. And get the BIG socks--they make 7X32 inch socks--if you can fit them in the sump. Your sump might be half full of filter socks.

Also, keep in mind, you want the socks to be a little bit up and out of the water at the top. Maybe a quarter or more of the filter sock will be up and out of, or above, the water level in the sump.

And make your sock holders so that when the socks fill up, and water overflows the top of them because they're full, that water falls inside the sump. Not over the top of the sock, and the over the side of the sump, and flooding your house.

 

[ProAquarist]

Thanks everyone. The experiences with filter socks are particularly helpful as a reference point.

I am surprised you guys think I would need so many FX6s. We had an FX5 on each of our 220 displays at the store, one with 2x 2' pacus and a 2' catfish, the other full of African cichlids. Both tanks just had the one FX5 and ran flawlessly. Man I miss that.

At the store I managed, we never needed to run 200 gallons through the Ultimas to get a proper backwash. It was probably only 20-30 gallons or so (done weekly). It would be very dark brown and then maybe 20-30 second later it was clear.

The sump is a 55 because Marineland is f***ing retarded and on their 300 gallon tank's stand the largest tank that fits through their opening on the end is a 55 (heaven forbid they give me that extra inch to fit a 75). Also, because it is a 55 inside a stand that is only 27" tall, I have literally an arm's width of room between the top of the sump and the stand. (Don't buy their stand. They will give you a hard time if you try to use their warranty on a leak, but their stands on their Deep Dimension tanks are a headache and a half to deal with.)

I don't think I could figure out a way to get 4 socks on this sump, although I love the idea. I can probably do two with a little improvising. Right now, I drilled holes in the collar of the filter sock and used reusable zip ties to have them sit in a DIY PVC frame. I am trying to figure out the best frame/holders for the socks.

I feed one tablespoon of pellets twice daily. I have New Life Spectrum and YourFishStuff.com pellets. Yes, there is sand. I never touch it, the goldfish make sure it is nice and clean.

 

[BMac91]

Also, because it is a 55 inside a stand that is only 27" tall, I have literally an arm's width of room between the top of the sump and the stand.

I've dealt with this before, it is so frustrating to not have working space above the sump. I used an acrylic sock holder I got on amazon and it worked great, swapping socks was difficult though and the sock holder had to go on the back of the tank because the measly 12" depth of a 55Gal wasn't nearly enough to hold it.

Good luck with your solution!

 

[duanes]

I also use filter socks,(usually two per sump, and preferred the 100 micron for extra polishing of the water, but rinsed one out every other day. Over my trickle type I place scrubbier which can also be squeezed out often.

 

[pacu mom]

We run a trickle filter for biological filtration on our 300 gallon tank. We have two Pentair Rainbow RTL-25 filters powered with a Hammerhead pump for extreme mechanical filtration. RTLs are usually seen on large reef setups. They are great for mechanical filtration. I wouldn't consider setting up a large tank without RTL filters.