I have my 150 gallon tank hooked up with 2 fluval fx6's. tank has about 20 cichlids, mostly africans and a couple of catfish, including a fully grown striped and spotted raphael, sno decorus and multipunctus, and a BN pleco and a senegal bichir. I know my question is a bit general, but I cannot seem to find a straight answer online. any help would be appreciated.
Is my filtration adaquate
- Thread starter justintheodd
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Well there's 2 answers to your question, and neither of them straight. The problem is your question. If you mean biologically adequate, I'd say it likely is but the only way to really tell is by testing your water after a water change and before the next one. this will tell you your baseline levels, and frequency of water changes needed to keep nitrates in your desired range. If you ever see ammonia or nitrites then it is not biologically adequate, but I find that unlikely.
If you mean is it mechanically adequate then that is largely up to your visual inspection of the water, and frequency with which you do maintenance. That is heavily variable due to stock levels, feeding levels, any other substances used (rid-x or bioclean), and you desired water clarity.
If you mean is it mechanically adequate then that is largely up to your visual inspection of the water, and frequency with which you do maintenance. That is heavily variable due to stock levels, feeding levels, any other substances used (rid-x or bioclean), and you desired water clarity.
I am refering to mechanical filtration, and I feed this following stock list heavily: kenyi, electric blue johanni, red zebra, yellow blaze, blue peacock, pink flash, 4x convict cichlids, Taiwan reef, giraffe cichlid, syno decorous, 2x cuckoo synos, 2x spotted Raphael catfish, striped raphael catfish, green galaxy pleco, bristlenose pleco, platinum Senegal bichir, green terror, 2x OB peacocks, redtail shark, crabro
My question is is this by most definitions for relatively clear water enough?
My question is is this by most definitions for relatively clear water enough?
I agree with Cal Amari.
If when you test for ammonia and nitries, you get 0.00 readings for both, then your biological filtraion is adequate.
Mechanical is basically subjective, so if you look at your water water clarity, and approove, then its adeqate.
If you don't like the clarity in your tank, then add more, or several types, ie fliter socks, or more mechanical media.
There is no limit, as far asI'm concerned, there is no way to over filter.
With out photos, only you can tell.
To me the most important factor in filtration is the biological aspect, although I also consider nitrate concentration just as important, as ammonia and nitrite, even though nitrate are somewhat less toxic
I want my nitrates to read below 5 ppm, because that is the water parameter readings I get where I collect them.
To me clarity is a minor detail.
Where I collect my fish sometimes the water is mud brown, sometimes it is clear as a bell.
Sometimes the water is tea stained by leak litter that creates tannins.
Especially during the dry season when leaf litter is not flushed out.
But in either case, the one constant is that nitrates are always undetectable.
Nitrate left tube, pH right.
So along with a heavily planted 125 gallon sump as filtration for my 180 gal cichld tank, I also try to do at least the equivatent of 100% water changes per week, by doing changes of 30% to 40% of the entire tanks volume every other day or so.
The heavily planted sump allows for less than that, although water changes involve much more than nitrate elimination.
And as you can see i the photos even 100% water changes aeem paultry compared to what natiure provides.
If when you test for ammonia and nitries, you get 0.00 readings for both, then your biological filtraion is adequate.
Mechanical is basically subjective, so if you look at your water water clarity, and approove, then its adeqate.
If you don't like the clarity in your tank, then add more, or several types, ie fliter socks, or more mechanical media.
There is no limit, as far asI'm concerned, there is no way to over filter.
With out photos, only you can tell.
To me the most important factor in filtration is the biological aspect, although I also consider nitrate concentration just as important, as ammonia and nitrite, even though nitrate are somewhat less toxic
I want my nitrates to read below 5 ppm, because that is the water parameter readings I get where I collect them.
To me clarity is a minor detail.
Where I collect my fish sometimes the water is mud brown, sometimes it is clear as a bell.
Sometimes the water is tea stained by leak litter that creates tannins.
Especially during the dry season when leaf litter is not flushed out.
But in either case, the one constant is that nitrates are always undetectable.
Nitrate left tube, pH right.
So along with a heavily planted 125 gallon sump as filtration for my 180 gal cichld tank, I also try to do at least the equivatent of 100% water changes per week, by doing changes of 30% to 40% of the entire tanks volume every other day or so.
The heavily planted sump allows for less than that, although water changes involve much more than nitrate elimination.
And as you can see i the photos even 100% water changes aeem paultry compared to what natiure provides.
"Is my filtration adequate?"......"can't seem to find a straight answer online."
It's hardly surprising you can't find a straight answer online. You're asking a question about your unique set up, how could anyone else possibly know?
From a biological perspective? Test your water, it's as easy as that. If you have positive ammonia/nitrate, then that would suggest your biological filtration is inadequate.
From a mechanical perspective, simply look at your water. Is it crystal clear or do you have masses of bits in the water column which you just can't seem to clear up? If it's the latter then that would suggest your mechanical filtration needs a tweak.
It's hardly surprising you can't find a straight answer online. You're asking a question about your unique set up, how could anyone else possibly know?
From a biological perspective? Test your water, it's as easy as that. If you have positive ammonia/nitrate, then that would suggest your biological filtration is inadequate.
From a mechanical perspective, simply look at your water. Is it crystal clear or do you have masses of bits in the water column which you just can't seem to clear up? If it's the latter then that would suggest your mechanical filtration needs a tweak.