Would like filter Ideas for a 500g

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CANAMONSTER

CANAMONSTER

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Dec 5, 2012
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Barrie
So I am building a 500g in a few months, I would love to know everyones Experiances with what filters they like best! I have researched this quite a bit and Ultimately If I hand the funds I would like to go with a closed loop glass filter system but realistically I can lower the cost buy using a sump.

I'm looking for advise on Wet/dry vs Fluidized K1 and why?

Please post pics of what you have and why you choose that route! IMO you can never have enough of these threads because things are always evolving I I hope to get some good info from true MFK's!!!!!!!


In this tank will be Cichla and some Oddballs.

Appreciate the help guys!
 
I've seen people do pretty cost effective fluidized bed filters with 55 gallon drums and k1 media. Basically connect two drums via PVC pipe with large diameter like 3" or 4". First drum serves as fluidized bed. Have the water flow through mechanical filtration first like filter socks. Water flows through a strainer into second drum. That's where you can put all the other substrate like pond matrix or ceramic rings etc.. And heaters. Than drill a bulkhead and connect to pump. Seems effective and not too expensive as coughing up money for some other filter options out there


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Xia said:
I've seen people do pretty cost effective fluidized bed filters with 55 gallon drums and k1 media. Basically connect two drums via PVC pipe with large diameter like 3" or 4". First drum serves as fluidized bed. Have the water flow through mechanical filtration first like filter socks. Water flows through a strainer into second drum. That's where you can put all the other substrate like pond matrix or ceramic rings etc.. And heaters. Than drill a bulkhead and connect to pump. Seems effective and not too expensive as coughing up money for some other filter options out there


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Yes! That really does seem to be the most cost effective yet still having more then you need!

I'm still on the fence though if I should go wet/dry or fluidized bed?

Wet/dry suppose to be great for bio as well but a lot say they are nitrate factories! My good buddy who is an old schooler, has been using wet dry for years, not on very massive bio loads, he says that the filter floss on top of the drip plate gets the big stuff and any finer waste passes through his Bio section, then there is more mechanical media in 2 or more baffle chambers to further filter. Any remaing fine waste settles in the last baffle chamber which he then removes with a syphon periodically. Leaving his bio free of ditra! I can contest that he does not have any little particles in his tanks floating around which is ultimately very important to me!

K1 I know the basics of how it works but really havnt found out how much better it works!
 
I did alot of research on bioballs and wet dry filters prior to my last tank build.

The concensus on the reef forums are that they are fine. The "nitrate factory" comes from having mechanical waste build up on the bioballs. Keep em clean and you should mitigate those problems.
Due to the nature of a wet dry needing falling water, many people have placed them before their mechanical filtration and caused the problems as stated above.

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Ya so hang a couple socks and that problem is pretty much obsolete! I personally have no problem cleaning out socks once a week if need be!
 
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