Will my filter handle this?

[Moloch]

I have a rena xp3 on a 65 gallon tank. Currently stocked with 2 senegal bichirs and 1 jack dempsey. I'm thinking about adding 8 tiger barbs and POSSIBLY 3 pictus cats or 1 striped raphael cat.

Also, do mystery snails need to be considered in the bio-load?

I'd like to eventually add a second xp3, but it'll probably be a good while before I can afford it, so I want to make sure it'll keep up for the time being.

 

[honda237]

it could exceed it overtime, how much bio media do you have in it? you could get a smaller sun sun canister filter off ebay for like $50-$60. They work excellent, i have one and love it.

 

[Moloch]

I think I've got 3 (maybe only 2) boxes of fluval ceramic rings and the 12 star things that came with it. Everything else is mechanical, here it is from top to bottom

polishing pad
old filter bag from my topfin20 power filter + a few stars & rings
stars & rings
30ppi pad
20ppi pad
fluval pre-filter media


I've gotten myself into a pickle as far as the tank cycle goes...I was letting all my fish hang out in my 20gal while the 65 was cycling (pure ammonia dose style). Well, I decided to put a magnum HOT on the 20 and get rid of the topfin filter that came with it. Didn't think about leaving some old filter media in, figured there would be enough bacteria on the gravel and decor to handle it. Tested the water about a week later and it appears that the 20 went into a cycle and actually had higher levels of ammonia than the 65, so I moved the fish (except my pleco:\) to the 65. Now the 65 is dropping about .25ppm ammonia per day (today it should be back to zero) but the nitrites are still spiked. All the fish seem fine, but obviously it isn't ideal, I'm doing water changes every couple of days (~30%) to try and keep it under control. My nitrates still haven't gotten over 5ppm.

Anyways I say all that to say this...once the cycle completes I plan on removing the old filter bag and replacing it with another box of ceramic rings and I might try and work some carbon in eventually.

(and obviously, I won't be adding MORE fish to this debacle until the tank is under control, I'm just trying to figure out my stock list now so that I can go pick them up once everything is normal)


edit: and as far as exceeding it over time....do you mean once the fish are closer to full grown? If thats the case I'll have enough time to save up for a second xp3 or at least a magnum HOT or something.

 

[honda237]

ya i was talking as they get older there will be a heavier bio load.

Honestly, i will probably never buy another name brand canister filter. i can get pretty much the same filter for have the price.

 

[Moloch]

Yeah...I've always been kind of a sucker for name brands (in all things) but I'm ok with that.

My other thought is to build a sump out of a 20gal...only annoying thing with that is not having enough room under my stand for both But I think for now I'd rather just add another canister.

Its either that or get the marineland emperor400b I have in the closet working (its about 7 years old and the impeller needs to be replaced) and either add that to the 65, or put it on the 20 and put the 20's magnum HOT on the 65. That'll probably be the cheapest/easiest solution for now, assuming the impeller is the only problem with the emperor.

 

[vr6fan]

Its always good to add another filter just for cleaning issues so you can clean one while the other is running..I have 2 xp3s on a 75 with 17 fish in it and my tank is great

 

[Moloch]

Yeah. Ideally I'm definitely going to add a second canister, its just a matter of when the funds are available. For now I might try and scrape the extra 20 or 30 bucks to get the emperor running, but I have a feeling its going to cost almost as much as a new one considering it needs new biowheels, filter media and an impeller:/ Not to mention I'd have to drain my tank and move it out from the wall a few inches

I'll probably end up just waiting until I can afford a second xp3. I think for the time being my single xp3 will handle the tank just fine if I keep it to the two sens, jd and a school of tiger barbs. I can start putting away 20 or 30 bucks a month to save towards a second xp3. And anyways I should HOPEFULLY be getting a huge raise (hourly to salary, **** yeah) at which point it won't be a problem at all