Filter Advice And Another Point

[minnnt]

That looks great, especially if you get it for a price like that. The spare filter media is a good selling point too. I am hoping to get my 205 back up and running soon too and use it on my Roma 125.

 

[Johnny287]

Cheers guys. Yeah I'm hoping to get it for that kind of price, especially with the extra bits. Not heard of the Eheim Classic range to be honest, but I think I'd prefer the Fluval ones, just because they seem to be easier to get media for. Fingers crossed I get it for a decent price. I'm taking the gibbi back tomorrow to his new home at the aquarium. Might replace him with a couple of little uns, not sure yet though.....

 

[minnnt]

Cheers guys. Yeah I'm hoping to get it for that kind of price, especially with the extra bits. Not heard of the Eheim Classic range to be honest, but I think I'd prefer the Fluval ones, just because they seem to be easier to get media for. Fingers crossed I get it for a decent price. I'm taking the gibbi back tomorrow to his new home at the aquarium. Might replace him with a couple of little uns, not sure yet though.....

Sounds good mate. Eheim are excellent by all accounts. Everything I have read about them has been good.

I'm using 2 TetraTec ex1200's on my fluval 180, very impressive.

 

[KittyKat]

Yes, Eheims are often considered the most reliable external filters. Eheim are also good about warranty repair (if you're near one of the repair centres) and sell spare parts for all their ranges, past and present, at reasonable prices.

One can use the same bio media for both filters, where by bio media, I mean porous ceramic media. The main difference is that the Eheim has round pre-filters and the Fluval has rectangular ones.. but given that I have never had to replace pre-filters on any of my filters, this shouldn't matter. The polishing sponges are just filter wool, so you'd be better off buying roll of filter wool to replace those anyway, as that is considerably cheaper than the branded and cut-to-shape filter wool.

In short, the configuration of the filter should be such that water flows from aquarium, through pre-filter (rough sponge), through ceramic bio media, through a thin polishing filter (fine wool/floss) then back into the aquarium.

As for the bio media, I have found Fluval's noodles and Eheim's spheres to be equally effective and have used both in both filters.

 

[Johnny287]

Thanks for that Kat. I might have a look round to see what I can see. Either way, an external filter is the way forward I think! Done a couple of bigger water changes, and already some of the fish seem a bit more lively. Funny how you can be told something by so many people, and yet it is clearly wrong. Ah well, hopefully a new filter (after a while of cycling) and a slight change in population should bring them all back to full fitness!

 

[minnnt]

Thanks for that Kat. I might have a look round to see what I can see. Either way, an external filter is the way forward I think! Done a couple of bigger water changes, and already some of the fish seem a bit more lively. Funny how you can be told something by so many people, and yet it is clearly wrong. Ah well, hopefully a new filter (after a while of cycling) and a slight change in population should bring them all back to full fitness!

Yes definitely john. Sort the filtration, up the maintenance, look.at the stock and feed a high quality food and you will be able to see the difference for sure!

 

[KittyKat]

External is the way forward, but tank size and stocking is still the main issue which you need to deal with.

 

[raptorrex]

Hi folks, I've had fish for around 3 years now, and I could do with some guidance. I have a 200 litre tank with the standard Fluval U4 internal filter that came with the tank. I have been wondering for some time now whether or not this is the best filter for the tank, as it seems to require an awful lot of maintenance, and I'm not 100% sure it's filtering as well as it could be. All levels are fine, as I do regular water checks, no problems as such, it just seems to not be picking up as much as some others I've seen in other tanks. I have in there currently - 1 6 inch gibbicep, 1 angel fish, 1 black ghost knife fish, 5 ghost cats, and then a collection of small tetras (platinum, neon and rummy noses). I have 4 live plants, and the temperature is kept constant around 75 degrees. I do weekly water changes of around 10-15%, though sometimes it goes a few days past a week.

My other issue is that for the past year, I have had a problem in that none of my fish are growing. I've had the BGKF for over 6 months now and he hasn't grown at all. I've had the gibbicep for almost a year and the same scenario, although he may have grown slightly. All fish seem to be pretty healthy, other than the fact that they don't really go crazy for food. They all eat, but most days they don't seem to be in any rush to get to it. Not sure if this can be helped by the filter or not.

Any advice people?

no way forward here, until you reduce your stock. and now, not later.
you do ask "reasonable" questions. but you dont seem to like the answers.

get yourself an external filter, after you get reasonable stock levels.

 

[Johnny287]

Hi folks, I've had fish for around 3 years now, and I could do with some guidance. I have a 200 litre tank with the standard Fluval U4 internal filter that came with the tank. I have been wondering for some time now whether or not this is the best filter for the tank, as it seems to require an awful lot of maintenance, and I'm not 100% sure it's filtering as well as it could be. All levels are fine, as I do regular water checks, no problems as such, it just seems to not be picking up as much as some others I've seen in other tanks. I have in there currently - 1 6 inch gibbicep, 1 angel fish, 1 black ghost knife fish, 5 ghost cats, and then a collection of small tetras (platinum, neon and rummy noses). I have 4 live plants, and the temperature is kept constant around 75 degrees. I do weekly water changes of around 10-15%, though sometimes it goes a few days past a week.

My other issue is that for the past year, I have had a problem in that none of my fish are growing. I've had the BGKF for over 6 months now and he hasn't grown at all. I've had the gibbicep for almost a year and the same scenario, although he may have grown slightly. All fish seem to be pretty healthy, other than the fact that they don't really go crazy for food. They all eat, but most days they don't seem to be in any rush to get to it. Not sure if this can be helped by the filter or not.

Any advice people?

no way forward here, until you reduce your stock. and now, not later.
you do ask "reasonable" questions. but you dont seem to like the answers.

get yourself an external filter, after you get reasonable stock levels.

Of course I don't like the answers - it means getting rid of fish! I've already said though that I'm rehoming the gibbi (today) and will consider the bgkf too, although as he is only 3-4 inches at the moment, surely he's ok for the time being? I have been told in the past that a 'inch to gallon' calculation is a rough guide to what is acceptable. I realise this is not an exact science before you point that out, but at the moment, without the gibbi I have around 35 inches of fish in there, in a 55 gallon tank.

 

[raptorrex]

Hi folks, I've had fish for around 3 years now, and I could do with some guidance. I have a 200 litre tank with the standard Fluval U4 internal filter that came with the tank. I have been wondering for some time now whether or not this is the best filter for the tank, as it seems to require an awful lot of maintenance, and I'm not 100% sure it's filtering as well as it could be. All levels are fine, as I do regular water checks, no problems as such, it just seems to not be picking up as much as some others I've seen in other tanks. I have in there currently - 1 6 inch gibbicep, 1 angel fish, 1 black ghost knife fish, 5 ghost cats, and then a collection of small tetras (platinum, neon and rummy noses). I have 4 live plants, and the temperature is kept constant around 75 degrees. I do weekly water changes of around 10-15%, though sometimes it goes a few days past a week.

My other issue is that for the past year, I have had a problem in that none of my fish are growing. I've had the BGKF for over 6 months now and he hasn't grown at all. I've had the gibbicep for almost a year and the same scenario, although he may have grown slightly. All fish seem to be pretty healthy, other than the fact that they don't really go crazy for food. They all eat, but most days they don't seem to be in any rush to get to it. Not sure if this can be helped by the filter or not.

Any advice people?

no way forward here, until you reduce your stock. and now, not later.
you do ask "reasonable" questions. but you dont seem to like the answers.

get yourself an external filter, after you get reasonable stock levels.

Of course I don't like the answers - it means getting rid of fish! I've already said though that I'm rehoming the gibbi (today) and will consider the bgkf too, although as he is only 3-4 inches at the moment, surely he's ok for the time being? I have been told in the past that a 'inch to gallon' calculation is a rough guide to what is acceptable. I realise this is not an exact science before you point that out, but at the moment, without the gibbi I have around 35 inches of fish in there, in a 55 gallon tank.

inches of fihs is not a good rule. though it is a good start. what type of fish, and the amount of waste they produce is far more important.
like it or not, fish have to go.

 

[Johnny287]

Hi folks, I've had fish for around 3 years now, and I could do with some guidance. I have a 200 litre tank with the standard Fluval U4 internal filter that came with the tank. I have been wondering for some time now whether or not this is the best filter for the tank, as it seems to require an awful lot of maintenance, and I'm not 100% sure it's filtering as well as it could be. All levels are fine, as I do regular water checks, no problems as such, it just seems to not be picking up as much as some others I've seen in other tanks. I have in there currently - 1 6 inch gibbicep, 1 angel fish, 1 black ghost knife fish, 5 ghost cats, and then a collection of small tetras (platinum, neon and rummy noses). I have 4 live plants, and the temperature is kept constant around 75 degrees. I do weekly water changes of around 10-15%, though sometimes it goes a few days past a week.

My other issue is that for the past year, I have had a problem in that none of my fish are growing. I've had the BGKF for over 6 months now and he hasn't grown at all. I've had the gibbicep for almost a year and the same scenario, although he may have grown slightly. All fish seem to be pretty healthy, other than the fact that they don't really go crazy for food. They all eat, but most days they don't seem to be in any rush to get to it. Not sure if this can be helped by the filter or not.

Any advice people?

no way forward here, until you reduce your stock. and now, not later.
you do ask "reasonable" questions. but you dont seem to like the answers.

get yourself an external filter, after you get reasonable stock levels.

Of course I don't like the answers - it means getting rid of fish! I've already said though that I'm rehoming the gibbi (today) and will consider the bgkf too, although as he is only 3-4 inches at the moment, surely he's ok for the time being? I have been told in the past that a 'inch to gallon' calculation is a rough guide to what is acceptable. I realise this is not an exact science before you point that out, but at the moment, without the gibbi I have around 35 inches of fish in there, in a 55 gallon tank.

inches of fihs is not a good rule. though it is a good start. what type of fish, and the amount of waste they produce is far more important.
like it or not, fish have to go.

I know! I've already said I'm rehoming the gibbi, he's the messiest fish by a million miles. Other than that, I've only got the bgkf and an angel, then a collection of tetras (around 10) as well as a few ghost cats. None of them are particularly messy.

 

[james_fish]

I have a 200 litre tank also with a Fluval U4 internal. But I also run an external filter aswell. My water changes are around 25% a week or 50% every fortnight. I have a healthy stock too.

James.

 

[Johnny287]

I have a 200 litre tank also with a Fluval U4 internal. But I also run an external filter aswell. My water changes are around 25% a week or 50% every fortnight. I have a healthy stock too.

James.

Interesting that you run both James. Can you let me know, what fish do you have in there? Anything big?

 

[james_fish]

I have a 200 litre tank also with a Fluval U4 internal. But I also run an external filter aswell. My water changes are around 25% a week or 50% every fortnight. I have a healthy stock too.

James.

Interesting that you run both James. Can you let me know, what fish do you have in there? Anything big?

Nothing big yet.

6 Keyhole's capable of 6" each, 2 Sub-adults and 4 Juvi's.
7 Buenos Aires Tetra's capable of 3" each
8 Cory's
1 4" L202 Pleco
A mixture of other small Tetra's (about 15 in total)

James.

 

[vanhireunitedk]

I find that external filters are easier to maintain and clean up the crap better. U4 is a nice filter and for a 'normally' stocked tank it would be fine, but with the big, messy fish in there it won't be big enough. A large, external canister filter would better.