I'm planning to get a 120gal with dimension 48"x24"x24" or 150 with dimension 60"x24"x"24". What would be ideal setup? I have experience with sump plumbing and would prefer to stick with HOB and canisters. I was thinking of 2 XP3 and a pair of Emperors 400 should do the trick. Would this be enough?
Filtration Setup Advice Needed
- Thread starter FishGoneWild
- Start date
That should be more than enough for either tank unless you plan on very heavy overstocking, even then that should be enough. I would fill the two XP's with bio and fill the Emps with sponges for mechanical.
I think one canister with the 2 emperors should be enough. It depends on what you plan on stocking with. To me, a 10x per hour turnover rate is adequate. I haven't used emperors, but I believe they cycle 400 gph. Those two and the canister should be fine for the 120. I'd go all four for a 150 though.
Personally I'd recommend switching your canisters to one Eheim 2217, and two ac110s. The Eheim can be run 100% bio, with no floss, as a pure biological filter. The acs should be run with two sponges to maximize the mechanical filtration.
Wyldfya has the right idea. Two AC110s with a cannister. I have done a bunch of different HOB manufacturers but found AC to be the best. With canisters, I would do eheim or fluval.
Ok so canister and HOB filters can handle a tank that size without bothering with sump right? I will not use AC HOB filter because their plastic cannot handle abuse due to the brittleness. How about one Fx5 and two Emperor 400s. Will this be enough to handle 120gal with dimension 48"x24"x24" or 150 with dimension 60"x24"x"24"? I will probably stock piranhas so bio load can be heavy due to their diet.
First off..you can't run two E400's on that tank because the openings are not large enough for both them AND the hoses from a cannister. My 150 has the same footprint and I run a 405 Fluval...1 E400 with super cartrages...a pair of air driven hydro5's and a single E280 with super cartrage.
An FX5 would work just fine on a 120 gallon tank all by itself as long as you set it up properly. (stock foam in the outer rings and ceramic rings in the center baskets.)
I always back up the main canister with either an HOB....a Hydro5 or both depending on what I have in the tank.
The AC110 is not as wide as the E400 and it moves more water but it's far less efficiant. You cant polish the water with them or add finer media without having them bypass. They are also a lot more difficult to clean without getting a ton of crap dropped back in the tank.
An FX5 would work just fine on a 120 gallon tank all by itself as long as you set it up properly. (stock foam in the outer rings and ceramic rings in the center baskets.)
I always back up the main canister with either an HOB....a Hydro5 or both depending on what I have in the tank.
The AC110 is not as wide as the E400 and it moves more water but it's far less efficiant. You cant polish the water with them or add finer media without having them bypass. They are also a lot more difficult to clean without getting a ton of crap dropped back in the tank.
FishGoneWild;1453766; said:
Why are you abusing your filters
I had very good results with a single xp3 and teo AC110s on my heavily stocked 180g tank. The Xp3 media was set up the same way eheims are for maximum bio and the sponges in the AC110s are cleaned on a weekly basis.