Do I Have Enough Filtration?

[adpgt]

I have an aquaclear 110 in my 55 gallon tank.

I used this website,http/www.aqadvisor.com/, and it said I don't have enough filtration.

Filter says it is rated at 500gph.

Also, does anyone know of the media stocking? Right now I have a sponge, carbon bag, and a bag of Biomax ceramic rings. Every part of media in there is about 4 years old. Should I replace it? Water is crystal clear but my nitrates are high.

Since my nitrates are high, is there anything that I could alter in the media to help reduce them?

Thanks

EDIT: I also have a power head towards the top of the tank. Is it suppose to be on the top or bottom?

 

[phantomlink]

The AquaClear 110 is a good filter, I have 3 of them sitting around but I dont use them after I got some Eheim 2217's. Its rated for 500gph only when empty, Eheim is the only company that gives you a flow rate with full media. It will be less then advertised, but its still more then enough for a 50g. Remove the carbon bag, its useless after 2-3 weeks and it will increase the water flow a little if your worried about not having enough water rotations. You could also add more biomax to build up additional bacteria. You mention your Nitrates are high but you never gave a ppm number. How high are they? How high are they in your tap water? Doing weekly water changes will lower the Nitrates, theres nothing you can do naturally to remove them because they are the last stage of the Nitrogen cycle in the aquarium ( in rare occasions )

 

[Mikey1]

that is plenty for your tank....ditch the carbon and use TWO foam inserts instead

 

[adpgt]

Nitrates are at 180.....I know really high
Ammonia is at 0
Nitrites are at .5
Not sure about my tap water nitrates


What is a foam insert? Is that the big sponge? How would another one benefit me?


Thanks!

 

[Yanks15]

You need to do a series of water changes to get that nitrate to a reasonable level- at least around 80ppm or lower. Your nitrites should be 0 either way so the WC's will help a lot.

The 110 on a 50gal tank may seem to be enough but it really depends on your stocking. If you are overstocked, especially with fish like Mbuna if your interested in stocking them, than you probably need a little more filtration.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[adpgt]

The fish I have are in my sig. Are they okay for my filter?

 

[Yanks15]

The only problem I see is that most people here feel that Bala sharks can grow too big for even a 55gal. Otherwise, that filter is fine.


Thanks,
Steve

 

[phantomlink]

The filter is fine for now, like mentioned Bala sharks will need a larger home to be happy as they grow older, they might crash into the side of the tank while swimming and damage themselves. The Pleco will get huge if its a common pleco or the ones that grow 8+ inches and by that time will need a larger tank. They're also very wasteful fish but good fish to watch

 

[adpgt]

My pleco poops like crazy. My sharks have been bumping into the walls for a good year now. I feel bad

Also, how do you know when you're suppose to change your filter? I removed the carbon bag form my filter today and then when I looked in the tank, there was a bunch of white stuff floating around. What is that?

 

[phantomlink]

Have you ever cleaned out the filter? Usually you take the media out and wash it around in tank water ( seperate container, dont swish it around in your actual tank ) You mentioned its a few years old, the Biomax might be degrading and falling apart. If thats the case you need to start replacing it, but do it slowly. Remove about 1/3rd of the biomax and replace it with new stuff. A few weeks later, replace another 1/3 of the old stuff and new. It'll prob take you 3 months to do it all, but the media does fall apart over time especially when its 4 years old

 

[Yanks15]

Have you ever cleaned out the filter? Usually you take the media out and wash it around in tank water ( seperate container, dont swish it around in your actual tank ) You mentioned its a few years old, the Biomax might be degrading and falling apart. If thats the case you need to start replacing it, but do it slowly. Remove about 1/3rd of the biomax and replace it with new stuff. A few weeks later, replace another 1/3 of the old stuff and new. It'll prob take you 3 months to do it all, but the media does fall apart over time especially when its 4 years old

+1


Thanks,
Steve