FW Filter Advice

[tony_caliente]

Hi Folks:

What do you guys/gals like in terms of filtration equipment for a 55 gallon community tank with fake plants?

Thank you!

 

[hiimsean]

I've always used AquaClear HOB filters. I've also used a Rena XP3 on a 55g and 75g for years. I ran a Fluval FX5 on my 125g and was a great filter. I know a lot of people use Eheim canisters and love them, I have no experience with those.

 

[jennm]

Hagen are fine (Aquaclear mentioned above), I'm a fan of the Marineland Emperors - I'd put a 400 on a 55. They're about bullet-proof when it comes to reliability and ease of finding replacement cartridges and/or spare parts. Rarely do they need parts replaced, but if/when you do need a new impeller, they aren't hard to source.

Jenn

 

[nickg]

+100

 

[tony_caliente]

Thank you both. What do we do for biological filtration?

 

[jennm]

The Marineland filter has bio-wheels which serve to provide surface area for beneficial bacteria.

If you use a Hagen Aquaclear, I believe they come with a bag of ceramic media or similar - I'd swap that out for Matrix.

If using a biowheel filter, never wash or replace the biowheels, or it will destroy the bacterial colony. The ONLY time a biowheel should be replaced, is if it's broken. Over time, they will discolor and maybe even turn at a slightly sporadic rate. That is normal. Some areas of the wheel will have more bacteria than others, and it changes the weight of the wheel in spots.

The Marineland filters are very easy to maintain. Rinse the pads weekly, replace monthly (or sooner if they get really gnarly. It's good to take it off periodically and rinse out the body of the filter for any sludge that may accumulate. Easy to remove the intake tube assembly and impeller cover to clean that, and check to make sure the spray bars that spray water onto the biowheels don't get clogged (bent paper clip or a toothpick works if you do get some flotsam stuck in them). By and large they are very low maintenance and very reliable.

Jenn

 

[tony_caliente]

Thanks Jenn! HOB filters......never thought I would return to those. I remember my first Supreme Aqua king in 1979!

 

[jennm]

You could do a canister if you wanted to but if you aren't doing real plants, there's no real benefit, IMO, and canisters are more troublesome to maintain.

Jenn

 

[tony_caliente]

Thank you Jenn!

 

[fishtank]

I ran aqua clear on all my freshwater tanks and they worked great. My main display has a Marineland C220 canister in it and it works great. You cannot hear it for one! and secondly with a hydor inline heater it keeps equipment out of your tank. Monthly maintenance is a little more then the standard wringing out of the filter but it isnt too bad.

 

[tony_caliente]

Thank you!

 

[acroholic]

I'd probably stick an Eheim Thermofilter canister filter on there, but I love Eheim filters. The HOBs are easier to access like Jenn said, but a bit ugly. A canister with a Hydor in-line heater or an Eheim Thermofilter with the heater built in would minimize the equipment presence in the tank.

Either would work for you.

 

[tony_caliente]

Thank you Dave. I also like Eheim (owned several, including their quick-disconnect valves and , surface skimmer attachments, etc.). However, with my canopy, regardless of the filter, only the intake tubes will be seen. Thank you, as always, for sharing your advice.