Geophagus filtration ideas.

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

emreinstein

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 3, 2010
15
0
0
Istanbul - Turkey
www.photostreet.org
Hi all,

I've 55gal tank and deciding to upgrade it to at least 75g tank in the new year. I've already a Tetra Tec EX 700 canister filter and Atman Hf-600 (650L/h) HOB filter. I'm deciding to make sth like Jape's 75gal tank project with similar inhabitants.

6x Geophagus sp. "Araguaia Orange Head" (3M 3F)
42x Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis "Lemon Tetra"
8x Nannostomus beckfordi "Golden Pencilfish"
8x Corydoras julii
5x Otocinclus hoppei

Sth alike.

1-I was using pebbles before but for the earth eaters i'll buy silica sand (playsand?) finest one. Will my canister filter be clogged because of it? How can i solve that problem?

2-I'm deciding to remove activated carbon section of my canister filter. I'll use seachem purigen instead of it. To which section (shelf?) of the canister filter i should apply it? How much purigen i need?

3-The same question for the JBL Micromec.

4-The HOB filter has a cartridge itself. But an activated carbon media either. How can i organise it most effectively? Maybe to add bioballs?Because the biological filtration is the most important imho. What about purigen?

5-Should i use any powerheads? How to organise the best circulation for the system? Will little tetras etc. suffer?

Regards and apologises for my Eng. mistakes,
Emre.
 
For a 75 I'd go with a fx5, the impeller is sealed and its almost impossible to get sand in the impeller. When my geo iporangensis spawn the clear an area spitting sand directly into the intake, I've had so much sand in the spontes that they were like bricks but the filter worked flawlessly. I always place purigen just before the bio. With an fx5 I would buildca spray which will provide enough circulation to eliminate a power head.
 
I only use activated carbon to take out the medication inside the tank that needs cleaning.........For the 75g, I would use two Aqua CLear 70's...........Then I would add a canister filter to the equation........For the canister there are two types I recommend:

1------>FLUVAL 404
2------>RENA XP3
 
I'll add another vote for an XP3, I've had mine for 5 years and I have had 0 issues with it. Currently running that and an FX5 on my 160g and things are going well.
 
The FX5 would be great if you can find a second hand one! Otherwise you'll want to set up the canister filters with the intakes as far above the substrate as possible to avoid the sand getting sucked in, especially if you're using really fine stuff (which I wouldn't for that very reason). You could put a sponge over the intake to help prevent it getting sucked in also. But IMO the best solution would be to make a weir/overflow in one corner as you would for a sump (but obviously don't drill the tank!) and put the intakes for the canisters in there.
 
Thank you for all of your help. We don't have Rena trademark in Turkey avaliable. Second hand fluval 404 or FX5 is a good idea. I'm investigating DIY overflow sump projects nowadays. If my wife won't be so against of it's noise and pvc pipes it'd be even much better than any canister filter option imho. Besides, it's pretty cheap to make. There is a project, written in Turkish but understandable with it's drawing, what do you think?

http://www.akvaryum.com/forum/basit;_kullanisli;_sorunsuz_overflowbox_k58948.asp
 
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