Should I do something more with my filters?

[raduque]

I have a 60 gallon Marineland tank (the PetSmart set with the LEDs and the stand). I'm currently running it with two Penguin 200 filters. It seems to be doing a pretty good job, but they can always do better, right?

Since the Penguins have the biowheel, should I simply put more mechanical filtration in there, or should go for more bio filtration?

I read the thread about alternate filter media (pot scrubber pads and whatnot). Would it be worth it to use those over say, a pre-bagged media filter such as the Fluval Aquaclear inserts? Can I just cram either one in behind the main Marineland filter cartridge?

I want my fish to be healthy, but I don't have a big budget for taking care of my tank.

 

[duanes]

The best thing to do is to keep up with regular maintenance, which means regular cleaning out the debris from the mechanical media. brushing out the intake tube, and keeping the holes that send water to the bio-wheels clear. To clear the holes I usually just ream them out every couple days with a screw, or a drill (if they get really bad)
For me, rinsing the mechanical media regularly, meant every other day or so, which was also my water change schedule.
Whether of not you need more filtration depend on stocking level, and size of fish.
IMO if you have any fish over 6" in the tank, or a number of 4" fish, I would gradually line the entire back of the tank with those filters, I'd have at least 5 if they fit the length of the tank.
If you have small fish, you could add filters one at a time as the fish grow, and as you get the cash.
IMO you can never have too much filtration.

 

[raduque]

Thanks for the reply. What holes are you referring to? I don't recall seeing any holes anywhere in the filter.

As for my stock level, right now I have 3 mollies, a dwarf gourami, a rubber lip pleco, 4 ghost shrimp, 12 zebra danios and 3 cherry barbs. I want to get ~8 more danios, more cherry barbs and more ghosties. Maybe another 1:2 m:f group of mollies, those guys have tons of personality.

 

[robham777]

I am a fan of sponge filters, very simple and effective bio filtration that will not break the bank. Some people run entire fish rooms on just air driven filtration because of the low set up and operational cost. I believe duanes is referring to the spray bar that some of the marineland filters have that directs water on the bio wheel. They become clogged over time by mineral deposits or debris and loose their ability to turn the wheel which greatly reduces its efficiency. The 200 may not have a spray bar.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; I have little doubt it is possible someone will post saying you need more or stronger filtration. There are some who have stated that we cannot have too much filtration. There is a notion that more mechanical filtration is always better. However in my experience it does not take a lot of filtration to be enough.

I started keeping tanks around 1959. I had only bubbler operated filtration available for many years. As the power filters came along hey were put into use as well. The early power filters were much lower flow and not very reliable. Even so I ran many successful tanks.

My point being you can likely run your tank well with what you have. Some will depend on how heavy the tank is stocked, but more will depend on how you do water changes (WC).
My reading on these fish forums leads me to think that some feel more power filtration reduces the need for WC. I have not found that to be true. I feel that with WC you can run the tank with the filtration you have.

Power filters do two to four things. One is to provide simple mechanical filtration which is to trap detritus (mulm) which can be removed and discarded.

Another is to offer surfaces for the colonization of beneficial bacteria (bb). I think there is a somewhat common belief that most of the bb reside in the filter media. My take being that the bb colonize many surfaces in a tank. For sure some in the filter media because of the flow of water thru it. But also colonies on the surfaces of the filter tubes and filter bodies as a biofilm. I also feel the bb will be found on many other solid surfaces in a tank with perhaps more in places where some water flow in present. You bio wheels are intended as bio film surfaces.

A third possible function of a power filter can be aeration of the water at the surface. Often tho the power filters are not so good at this. This is why I always run a bubbler of some sort.

A fourth use of power filters may be to "polish" the water. I think the idea is to try to remove all suspended particles and make the water very clear. This is probably the one area where added mechanical filtration makes a difference. Even with less filtration water can be kept pretty clear, but once stuff is stirred up it can take longer. Some fish are messy eaters and also stir things up with their movements.

One more thing. There is a belief that the media in a filter should not be changed very much or if it is dirty to only gently rinse it out. You have an advantage with two filters in that you can change or clean the media in one while leaving the other alone. Then clean/change out the other a few weeks later. That way there is at least one filter with bb loaded media running at all times. Also keep in mind that even if you put new media in a filter box that there are bb colonies in the tubes and the box itself.

Good luck

 

[raduque]

I believe duanes is referring to the spray bar that some of the marineland filters have that directs water on the bio wheel. They become clogged over time by mineral deposits or debris and loose their ability to turn the wheel which greatly reduces its efficiency.

Got it. My Penguin 200s do not have this spray bar. I'll look into sponge filters, I didn't think they were that effective on larger tanks. I am planning on switching to one in my 5.5 gallon betta tank, because he doesn't like the current from the whisper.

 

[robham777]

Got it. My Penguin 200s do not have this spray bar. I'll look into sponge filters, I didn't think they were that effective on larger tanks. I am planning on switching to one in my 5.5 gallon betta tank, because he doesn't like the current from the whisper.

As additional filtration, I think they are a great addition to any size tank, but would not filter a 60g with sponges only. The big advantages are the price, the ability to run them with a battery powered pump in power outages, and you can easily pull them out to use in a hospital tank if needed. The downsides are they take up room inside the tank, are not great mechanical filtration, and can be an eyesore. The corner matten filters actually look pretty slick, but they are more permanent.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; On sponge filters. They can be run along with the power filters at the same time. I buried one in a corner of a 20 gallon long under the gravel and also run a HOB (hang on back) filter. I know that over time the sponge will get clogged but it will always provide bubble aeration of the waters surface.

I have and know of folks who run tanks with sponge filters only. The key again in doing the WC. I have some angel fish fry about three weeks old in a grow out tank with only a bubbler sponge filter. I do partial WC two or three times a week.

 

[duanes]

After reading your stock list, I would agree you can do with what you have, by just keeping up with regular maintenance.
My comments would be more directed toward those people on this site that keep large cichlids in tiny tanks and believe manufacturers stats apply to them. You have the kind of stock that a manufacturers filter stats are apropos to.

 

[raduque]

In that case duanes, I'm just going to buy the refillable filter cartridges from big als and start buying cheap fiberfill for my mechanical filtration and rely on the wheels to handle the bioload, which they should do just fine.

For now. I do want a can, eventually, but that will come in the future.

Thanks!