Piranha tank filter

[Dgmannn412]

I have recently aquired five 3 inch red belly piranha. There in a 48x24x16inch custom lexan tank. Its bare bottom with a hand full of cappa leaves and about 3lbs of anacharis elodea. It's part of a 3 tank stack system. The current filtration is an fx4 canister from fluval equipt with 1lb if high capacity carbon and 1/2lb or ammonia remover chips. There is a marine pure bio brick in the return pump compartment for added bio load. The other tanks posses a 20inch bichir an 18inch tire track eel and a 2inch managuense cichlid. I'm wondering first off if the current filter is enough the system flows at roughly 600gph from top to bottom and then the canister is supposed to handle 250g. I believe I have around 215 gallons in the system now and all levels are ideal. However the red bellies are tiny as well as the jaguar and there on massivore delite pellets. Soon they will be introduced to solid meat. I don't know if the current filter is enough to handle the increase in proteins and excess nutrients. Any thoughts on how to increase efficiency or suggestions on an additional filter to add. The tank design dose not support a hang on filters. I was thinking along the lines of a cascade internal filter mabey a 400 or a 600 in each tank??? I can't increase the flow due to drain restrictions. I had thought to separate the tank from the system but that reduces the overall water volume in turn decreases the stability as well as introduces a NEED for another filter and heater. What should I do.

 

[tlindsey]

I have recently aquired five 3 inch red belly piranha. There in a 48x24x16inch custom lexan tank. Its bare bottom with a hand full of cappa leaves and about 3lbs of anacharis elodea. It's part of a 3 tank stack system. The current filtration is an fx4 canister from fluval equipt with 1lb if high capacity carbon and 1/2lb or ammonia remover chips. There is a marine pure bio brick in the return pump compartment for added bio load. The other tanks posses a 20inch bichir an 18inch tire track eel and a 2inch managuense cichlid. I'm wondering first off if the current filter is enough the system flows at roughly 600gph from top to bottom and then the canister is supposed to handle 250g. I believe I have around 215 gallons in the system now and all levels are ideal. However the red bellies are tiny as well as the jaguar and there on massivore delite pellets. Soon they will be introduced to solid meat. I don't know if the current filter is enough to handle the increase in proteins and excess nutrients. Any thoughts on how to increase efficiency or suggestions on an additional filter to add. The tank design dose not support a hang on filters. I was thinking along the lines of a cascade internal filter mabey a 400 or a 600 in each tank??? I can't increase the flow due to drain restrictions. I had thought to separate the tank from the system but that reduces the overall water volume in turn decreases the stability as well as introduces a NEED for another filter and heater. What should I do.

Personally I would just monitor the parameters and as they grow make changes for filtration If needed.

 

[joe jaskot]

If you need more filtration you can always add a large sponge filter.

 

[markstrimaran]

Sump, with more media.

 

[Hendre]

More biological filtration and more water changes are necessary. Ditch the carbon and replace it with ceramics or Seachem matrix

What meat will you be feeding?

 

[Yoimbrian]

Internal sponge or matten filter

 

[markstrimaran]

So all three tanks are connected?

The canister, return flows to the top tank, then into the lowest, back into the canister?

Need pictures.

The ammonia removing media, carbon is not a final solution, you need bio media.

 

[nzafi]

Like others said, the ammonia chips and carbon are probably a waste. I would have to see how you have setup the tanks to full understand how your filters are going across the various tanks.

A popular option that several folks have used and is very popular in europe is a hamburg matten filter (HMF). It is essentially a sponge filter using poret foam and a pump. Extremely efficient and can support decent bioload.

 

[Leebtattoos]

Pretty much answered in above posts. I personally like the Fluval canisters. But I don’t go by the rating. Imo a fx4 is good enough for 75-100gal depending on tank Inhabitants. But not 215gal total.

Bio media > any quick fixes like ammo chips.

 

[Dgmannn412]

I have a brick of bio media from marine pure. It's 23000ft2 of surface space. Ceramic rings are in my experience no were near as efficient with surface space vs volume the take up. What my concern is, is once the menu changes from pellets to peices of fish will the added filth cripple my system. I have 3 tanks on a rack they are all draining into the tank below them. The bottom tank has a return pump to the top tank on one end and on the other is an fx4 canister. It just runs on the bottom tank. The return pump must pull water through the media block on it's way back to the top tank. In the top 2 tanks for circulation purposes I have cascade 400 internal filters with a sponge and 4oz carbon cartridge. I currently do a 30% water change every 4 days and dose with flourish nitrogen for the anacharis bundles. I use aquavitro seed bacteria once a month to make sure I have excessive nitrified bacteria. I use well water so no other additives are used.
Keeping tabs on water parameters is a given. My concern question would more specifically be then what's the best means of cleaning up after a piranha tank? Mechanical filtration or just keep doing water changes after feedings.