I NEED YOU GUYS OPINIONS

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the big kahuna

the big kahuna

Aimara
MFK Member
Oct 13, 2007
785
677
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new york city
I have watched my fish grow into monsters within the last few years. All of them are now well over 10in. I have 2 paroons a wolf, loselilli, red devil, rtc, silver aro, common pleco red terror, and a fire track eel. The problem is I'm using 3 aqua clear 110 on my 180. My water USED to be crystal clear but as they get bigger my water is very cloudy smelly and dirty so now I'm in the market for a canister filter. Which one is the best I'm looking to eliminate. All 3 hob filters. Even if I need 2 caniters I need to know which direction I should go to get crystal clear water again. Also I'm a canister filter vigin so which one is good but easy to use.......and for the record I'm not rich can't afford 2 $600 filters. Please help
 
I use the python vaccum vac and do 40% water changes every week all I see is **** and dirt everywhere. Amonia is also going up and down
 
you should use a wet/dry or a refugium system but instead of bio balls use a sock and plus you now should have plenty of room for carbon and ammonia chips to keep your water clear
 
I'm sure someone will suggest the fluval FX5. Myself I would add two Eheim classic 2217. These come complete with media and will cost about 300 bucks. The redundant eheims will take care of your biological filtration quite well.

I would keep two of the AC110s running with just the stock sponges, get extensions to move the intakes within a couple of inches of the bottom of the tank(unless you have sand). Clean the sponges on a weekly basis during water changes, clean the in hot tap water to remove all debris. Since the eheims are taking care of the bio you don't have to worry about cleaning the sponges in tank water.

I run a similar setup and when I had it stock heavily(click the link in my sig) water was always crystal clear. I do run two rena XP3 canister filters, but these filters and media would cost more then the two eheim 2217s.

With properly setup filtration and water changes, carbon and ammo chips are NOT needed.
 
personally i use 1 FX5 and 2 AC110's on my 125g tank. it's pretty heavily stocked and it keeps the water pretty clear as long as i keep up with the weekly water changes. you should get 1 FX5 for now. you can find them for around $200 if you play your cards right. but you should also keep at least one of those AC110's on the tank also. the HOB filters are great at breaking up the surface tension of the water and getting more circulation going.
 
spexmoneymaker;2780271; said:
personally i use 1 FX5 and 2 AC110's on my 125g tank. it's pretty heavily stocked and it keeps the water pretty clear as long as i keep up with the weekly water changes. you should get 1 FX5 for now. you can find them for around $200 if you play your cards right. but you should also keep at least one of those AC110's on the tank also. the HOB filters are great at breaking up the surface tension of the water and getting more circulation going.
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Does the FX5 come with any bio media? If the single FX5 stops working you are left with very little filtration.
 
if i remember correctly it only comes with the foam inserts. you need to buy some bio rings/bio-balls/scrubbies or whatever you prefer. on my tank i would have 2 AC 110's running until i replaced/fixed the FX5. thats a decent amount of filtration until a 3rd filter was ready to go.
 
the big kahuna;2780147; said:
I have watched my fish grow into monsters within the last few years. All of them are now well over 10in. I have 2 paroons a wolf, loselilli, red devil, rtc, silver aro, common pleco red terror, and a fire track eel. The problem is I'm using 3 aqua clear 110 on my 180. My water USED to be crystal clear but as they get bigger my water is very cloudy smelly and dirty so now I'm in the market for a canister filter. Which one is the best I'm looking to eliminate. All 3 hob filters. Even if I need 2 caniters I need to know which direction I should go to get crystal clear water again. Also I'm a canister filter vigin so which one is good but easy to use.......and for the record I'm not rich can't afford 2 $600 filters. Please help
Click to expand...

With all of the replies you have already recieved I am amazed im the first to say. You are WAY over stocked. 180 is not that big and I'm really surprised that the dovii (wolf) havent killed other inhabitants. A RTC in a 180, come on?!:confused: You need to thin your stock.
 
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