Best Filter For Tank With Sand Substrate

[MyraAlam]

Hi everyone,


I want to use sand substrate on my 10 and 20 gallon tanks, but have no prior experience with sand whatsoever. I know you can't use a UGF while keeping sand, so what filter would you recommend for these tanks? Anything else I should know in regards to sand and filtration? Planned stock list is the following:


10 Gallon:
8 x ember tetra
10 x pygmy cories

20 Gallon (long):
6 x lemon tetra
6 x rummy-nose tetra
1 x dwarf gourami
6 x skunk cories

Thanks!

 

[OldMan47]

With sand and filters, your biggest risk is that the filter can pick up some sand in the inlet. If oyu have one of the filters that brings water directly to the impeller, as is true of most of the hang on back filters, it can ruin the filter impeller. Other types of filter, including canisters and sponge filters are able to avoid this by having the impeller further back in the flow path so that any sand that is picked up doesn't make it all the way to the impeller. In the case of a sponge filter, there is no impeller, just air bubbles moving the water.

 

[MyraAlam]

With sand and filters, your biggest risk is that the filter can pick up some sand in the inlet. If oyu have one of the filters that brings water directly to the impeller, as is true of most of the hang on back filters, it can ruin the filter impeller. Other types of filter, including canisters and sponge filters are able to avoid this by having the impeller further back in the flow path so that any sand that is picked up doesn't make it all the way to the impeller. In the case of a sponge filter, there is no impeller, just air bubbles moving the water.

So I should be good with a sponge or canister filter then. Thanks a lot for your advice!

 

[fatheadminnow]

For that size tank, I would take OM's advice and go with a sponge filter. You can do a canister filter, but a 10 gallon tank could easily be maintained with a sponge filter, as a canister filter just seems like too much for that tank. I know they make some small canister/external filters, but I think a sponge filter would be the best in your situation.

-FHM

 

[MyraAlam]

For that size tank, I would take OM's advice and go with a sponge filter. You can do a canister filter, but a 10 gallon tank could easily be maintained with a sponge filter, as a canister filter just seems like too much for that tank. I know they make some small canister/external filters, but I think a sponge filter would be the best in your situation.

-FHM

Thanks a lot fatheadminnow, I'll go with a sponge filter for the 10 gallon. Should I do the same for the 20 or would a canister filter be alright there?

 

[fatheadminnow]

For that size tank, I would take OM's advice and go with a sponge filter. You can do a canister filter, but a 10 gallon tank could easily be maintained with a sponge filter, as a canister filter just seems like too much for that tank. I know they make some small canister/external filters, but I think a sponge filter would be the best in your situation.

-FHM

Thanks a lot fatheadminnow, I'll go with a sponge filter for the 10 gallon. Should I do the same for the 20 or would a canister filter be alright there?

You could probably get away with a sponge filter, but I would do some research on the good ol'internet, lol, and see what is out there for canister filters for that size tank. As the 20 gallon is a little bigger, I might suggest going with a filter that is powered, like a canister.

We will see what other people have to say about the subject.

-FHM

Here is the link on how to make a sponge filter in 5 minutes.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/85297-super-simple-5-minute-sponge-filter/

-FHM

 

[OldMan47]

On a 20 gallon I have done both. A decent sized sponge with a nice appropriate sized power head does a great job on one of mine and a Rena XP1 canister does a fine job on another.

 

[bitteraspects]

you can use any kind of filter as long as you take the proper precautions.
as oldman said, the problem with sand v power filters is that sand and moving parts in the motor are not friends. so if youre using a HOB or Canister that uses an impeller to ull water into the filter, you need to take a couple of extra measures to be safe.

1. raise the level of the intake. the further the intake is from the sand, the better.
2. use a foam/sponge pre filter. a coarse sponge will help prevent sand (and fry where applicable) from getting into the intake of your filter, and it will not hinder the flow of the filter.

but as mentioned earlier, if you want the "best" failsafe filter for a sand bottom tank, a sponge/box filter powered by an air pump is going to be your best bet. it wont do much of anything in regards to mechanical filtration, but it will still provide your tank with the biological filtration it needs.

 

[MyraAlam]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'm going to go with a sponge for the 10 gallon, and as for the 20, I'm looking into canister filters. I'll check out the Rena filters that OldMan47 mentioned

 

[OldMan47]

You need to be aware that any canister filter is quite expensive compared to the internals and HOB filters. If you are in the UK, they also have a filter called a Tetra-tec 600 that seems to have a good reputation. I have never seen one myself, I am in the US.

 

[MyraAlam]

You need to be aware that any canister filter is quite expensive compared to the internals and HOB filters. If you are in the UK, they also have a filter called a Tetra-tec 600 that seems to have a good reputation. I have never seen one myself, I am in the US.

As am I

. Canister filters are most certainly expensive (as I've discovered recently while researching) so I may go with a sponge filter for the 20 gallon as well. Still looking into it though...

 

[OldMan47]

If you go with a sponge you can drive it with a power head. That way you are assured decent circulation while using the sponge filter. I picked mine up off of E-bay for just over $10 each plus some minor charge for shipping. They need not become expensive. Even a huge sponge filter is relatively cheap on line if you don't insist on a name brand sponge.
This is a huge sponge that I got for next to nothing on line.

This is a power head, one of many that I got for about $10 plus postage and shipping.