Filters

[StarOrbs]

I just bought a 30 gallon hexagon tank and I've been trying to figure out which filter would be best. The height of the tank is 25in which is why I've been having trouble trying to figure out which filter(s) to buy. I've heard external canister filters work the best. I would appreciate any information and/or opinions. Any other opinions for other equipment would be great too.

 

[Streetracer]

I went canister mostly because it's quiet. I'll later hook up a diverter valve so that I can let the water splash when I want it to, but splashing all the time would get annoying. I have to look for the surface current to make sure my filter is running, it's that quiet.

 

[a1wonder]

I've got a 33 gal that I use a hang on filter I enjoy it because I can check on it daily and I find the trickle of water going into the tank to be very relaxing

 

[freshmike]

HOB's are the most cost effective, also the intakes can be extended to pull water from further down in the tank. As long as your water level is high enough, you shouldn't have to worry about any noise.

 

[freddyk]

I prefer canister in the hex tanks. What I do is extend the intake to the bottom where the most mess is, but with the canister you can also extend the output to improve water flow at the bottom, stirring up the mess so more gets into the filter.

 

[BobK]

I like the HOB filters. My favorites are the Penguin and Emperor with Bio-wheels. Some people don't like the noise (I don't think they're noisy but not perfectly quiet either). A lot of people seem to love the Aqua Clear HOB filters too and they are supposedly quieter. I don't have any experience with cannisters but I'm sure they're great too. Mostly I think it is a combination of preference and model. You can have good and bad HOB's and cannisters. Best bet would be to decide on the type based on the pro's and con's and then look for the manufacteror/model that has the best reputation.

 

[StarOrbs]

One thing I've been wondering about canister filters is what's used to bring the water out of the tank and back in.. I know you use tubes but what connects to those inside the tank.. This is one I'm thinking of getting ( http/www.petsmart.com/global/product_det...D=1102001814105 ), because it's in my price range and has a 30gal spec.

 

[swampcat]

Get an aquaclear HOB filter. Anything you can put in a canitser can go in an aquaclear. Just compare the amount of media used in an aquaclear versus the others. Cartridges are overpriced and very little media. The foam in an aquaclear can be reused for months, all other media's can be purchased in bulk and put in filter bags (sold everywhere) . Put ceramic cylinders, lava rock ect. in filter for bacteria growth.

My aquaclears (6) contain foam blocks, poly fill ,carbon, lava rock, ceramic cylinders, bio chem stars and on occasion some zeolite in an emergency(very rare).

You can put peat , phos X, crushed coral, you name it in an aquaclear. Some people don't like carbon so they replace it with another foam block, poly fill, or double the ceramic cylinders for bio filtration ect. , the posibilities are limitless.

 

[StarOrbs]

Hmm, not to mention it's a lot cheaper thanks for the tip. So what do you suggest to put in the aquaclear filter?

 

[BobK]

I'd just put some floss/fiber and a sponge in there for now. You can always add more/different media types later. Depends on what type of bio-load you're going to put on the filter. What types and quantities of fish do you intend on putting in the tank?

 

[StarOrbs]

I'm not really sure yet on the exact type I have a list of tropical fish that are able to be in the same tank together, but I'm going to search for one that has a better list. If anyone has any suggestions for a 30 gallon hexagon tank I would appreciate it.

 

[BobK]

Hey, maybe you can tell us what's on the list. There are so many different types of community fish. I like cory catfish. They're peaceful schooling fish that suck up all the food that falls to the bottom of the tank. They don't make much mess (waste) at all. Zebra Danios are a good beginner fish. They're hardy and very active. particularly at the top of the tank. Maybe 4-6 cory cats, 4-6 danios, and maybe a school of tetras (lots of diffferent types) would be good. Or, if you want some baby fish you could get some livebearers such as guppies, mollies, platies, endlers, or swordtails. Livebearers should be kept at a minimum of two females for every male. It's very important not to put all the fish in at once. I really highly recommend fishless cycling. You can research different types of fish on the net and learn all about them.

I hope this helps. I'm sure someone else will be on this thread soon to give you more advice.