Please help re: small aquarium leak-free filtration advice???

[nadidlab]

I have marineland3 40 gal aquarium. I have hardwood floors in the house. I have had 3 instances recently when the biowheel box inlet was blocked by the mechanical filtration sponge/media causing serious overflow issues and floor damage. Perhaps I'm getting impatient in my old age and I'm being unrealistic, but I cant tolerate many more late nights emptying the tank and drying out the floors to minimize damage.

I'm mentally quite near the end of fishkeeping if I cant find a solution to this floor ruining problem, and I'm not willing to move or change the flooring.

As I see it, there is a fundamental problem with pumping tank water higher than top of tank water level as that seems to be a disaster waiting to happen--any small flow problem has the potential to develop quickly into major issue. I have had very few true tank leaks in my 20 years of fish keeping and many more pump/filter disasters.

So what should I do for filtration? Not pumping water up and or out seems to eliminate canisters, HOB filters, fluidized beds, wet dry sumps, etc.

Seems like to avoid these issues I am left with relatively poor choices: undergravel, sponge, internal corner filters, none of which seem to be very highly regarded. What would you do/recommend?

Thanks,

Nad

 

[gt1009]

Sponge filters are actually supposed to be the best kind of bio filtration you can get on a tank, so I would think about going that route.

 

[sostoudt]

i would replace the all in one hood, with a regular hob filter(becareful that you dont shock your system by removing alot of bacteria), and a regular aquarium light. it sounds like theres a design flaw in the hood

a good hob filter is designed so if the filter cartridge is blocked the water simply by passes it by flowing over it safely into the tank.


most of the time when you buy a all in one piece of equipment it is of lower quality then pieces you could put together yourself

 

[nadidlab]

i would replace the all in one hood, with a regular hob filter(becareful that you dont shock your system by removing alot of bacteria), and a regular aquarium light. it sounds like theres a design flaw in the hood

a good hob filter is designed so if the filter cartridge is blocked the water simply by passes it by flowing over it safely into the tank.


most of the time when you buy a all in one piece of equipment it is of lower quality then pieces you could put together yourself

Thanks for the replies. Is there a recommended HOB? Fluval 110s seem to be well regarded.

 

[Austin]

Aquaclear 110/500 will be fine

 

[nadidlab]

Sponge filters are actually supposed to be the best kind of bio filtration you can get on a tank, so I would think about going that route.

Thanks. Sponge filters seem pretty ugly, but may be just what the doctor ordered for solving my problem. Perhaps I can find a way to camouflage them with plants or wood without totally blocking water/waste flow. Anyone done this effectively?

 

[sostoudt]

Thanks for the replies. Is there a recommended HOB? Fluval 110s seem to be well regarded.

i dont really have any recommendations, hagen aquaclear seems to be popular. the only advice for the choice i could give is i have a marineland penguin and its flow rate slows down a weekly and requires cleaning of intake tube and propellar. so i would avoid it
i think im kinda starting to form the opinion that marineland makes junk, as i had a couple of there heaters go bad too.

 

[JakeH]

Get an AquaClear 110. Problem solved in every way.

 

[Redearsunfish]

I've never had a problem with my marineland filters, but I keep a close eye on all filters.

having said that, I recomend Fluvals new internal filters. they are good stuff. Pair a couple of U3s or 4s in each corner with a central internal sponge filter and a powerhead and problem solved.

http://www.hagen.com/img/aquatic/products/a480.jpg

 

[nadidlab]

I appreciate the response and will look at the fluval internals. Are you suggesting that two of those and a sponge filter would be required? I feel like I'm beginning to sound like a whiner, but it seems like quite a bit of the tank space would be devoted to two internals and a good sized sponge? I'm not sure how big they are but the larger sponges are about 6 inches--if we assume each took up 5 linear inches, that would be nearly 1/2 of my 36 inch tank length. Seems like it might be visually oppressive.

I absolutely think it would meet the needs I identified (no pumping water up or out) but I guess I am not willing to pay the cost of turning my fish tank into a filter display case.

I really appreciate the response. I am not trying to be a smarta**. Maybe I want the impossible. I wouldn't be the first.

Nad