comparing canisters to HoB is apples to oranges. ac110 are better mechanical filtration, as a canister is a better bio filter. I run both on all tanks. put a sponge on a canister intake and it will greatly reduce sludge buildup, just rinse ones a week as you do with your HoB filters.
HOB vs Canister
- Thread starter BigZig
- Start date
Since you are new, do not overstock the aquarium or fill it to max capacity with fish. The more fish you have, the more crap they produce, and the more water changes/maintenance you will need to do. New fish keepers treat fish like decorations and try to stuff as many fish as they think their tank will hold; generally they have gone way over capacity.
If you do not have a convict yet, then just put the JD in the tank with a school of mollies (1 male to every 3 female) for a total of 9 mollies. Then call it done.
If you want to stick to HOB, get 2 Ac110 or 2 Seachem Tidal 110 filters. Fill both filters with biomedia and some coarse sponge. It's better to have more filtration than too much as a beginner.
Get a python no spill water changer as well as the API freshwater master test kit. You will need these as a beginner.
If you do not have a convict yet, then just put the JD in the tank with a school of mollies (1 male to every 3 female) for a total of 9 mollies. Then call it done.
If you want to stick to HOB, get 2 Ac110 or 2 Seachem Tidal 110 filters. Fill both filters with biomedia and some coarse sponge. It's better to have more filtration than too much as a beginner.
Get a python no spill water changer as well as the API freshwater master test kit. You will need these as a beginner.
Right now I have a JD and the convict. Per the lfs recommendation when I was a total been, they have been in a 29 gallon for close to a year. Now that I've been researching I quickly found out this was not a good fit! Hence the move to the 75. I do not plan on overstockimg, though I'm not quite sure what I will eventually add to the stock.
I do habe a test kit, and a python is on the short list of things to get soon.
Thanks to all for the replies. I'e learned a lot here recently, but still plenty more to educate myself on.
No.
http://www.swisstropicals.com/library/mattenfilter/
They are pretty rare in the US, but apparently extremely common in Germany / Europe. I recently set one up on my 20 gallon and absolutely love it so far, and I'll be installing one on the 300 i'll be building in the spring.
Throw in some dither fish like 12 mollies and then call it done. The mollies exist in the same areas as the JDs. You wouldn't have to worry about too many mollies because the convict and JD, which I hope are the same sex, would make short work of any livebearer spawn.
No need for a bottom feeder, and no need for additional Central American cichlids.
I've really seen so many mixed reviews on them that I don' think I want to chance it. Seems as either you love them or hate them.
They're trash compared to the Eheim 226x models, but they're great filters. They move a ton of water and hold a fair amount of media. I still run an FX6 on my 120 and have no complaints, aside from the fact that its not an Eheim LOL.
