Filtration Advice Required

[fall-apart-dave]

Well, if you read my other post, you'll know that I am upgrading from an 80 litre tank to a 945 litre tank. The larger tank I would like to have plecs and new world Cichlids, heavily planted and lots of rocks and bogwood and a sand substrate, but am I right in thinking they don't like too much current in the water? What would be your advice as to the filtration to use?

 

[mark7616]

2 fluval fx5`s or 2 eheim pro 3`s

 

[fall-apart-dave]

... And I wouldn't need to worry about the amount of current in the water? A little concerned about the weight of the whole thing too! 96" (8 feet) x 30" x 20" and 945 litres, thats well over a ton... I'm a competant welder (build offroaders, hotrods and classic cars for a hobby) so can weld up a supporting frame for the tank, but the weight on the joists? Not sure... Eeek!

 

[CFC]

A tank that size really should have a solid concrete base, if your floor is suspended timber joists then i would recomend adding support under the joists by bricking up beneath them in the floor space or adding a steel frame to do the same job.

As said your only choices for filtration are either a pair of large canister filters, the eheim pro 3 filters are highly rated but if they are a bit rich for your budget the 2250 and 2260 Eheim classic models are a cheaper and just as reliable option, in fact the 2260 is so big and powerfull that one can filter 1500L by itself. Or you can go with a custom made sump filter utilising a wet/dry stage, trickle tower or any number of designs and modifications.

 

[Ian H]

... And I wouldn't need to worry about the amount of current in the water? A little concerned about the weight of the whole thing too! 96" (8 feet) x 30" x 20" and 945 litres, thats well over a ton... I'm a competant welder (build offroaders, hotrods and classic cars for a hobby) so can weld up a supporting frame for the tank, but the weight on the joists? Not sure... Eeek!

i assume you mean after all the sand/wood ect in it? since every litre of water weighs 1kg

 

[fall-apart-dave]

Well over a ton with substrate, water, wegith of tank, steel frame and water, yes!

I think a steel structure beneath the tank would be in order, though if I go with an island for crabs etc then the tank will only be 1/2 - 2/3 full anyway, so will be much lighter...

 

[funkyhoney]

I'd go with Fluval FX5's personally... I'd be tempted to say 1 FX5 plus another smaller filter would suit the tank and help keep the budget down.

 

[mark7616]

I'd go with Fluval FX5's personally... I'd be tempted to say 1 FX5 plus another smaller filter would suit the tank and help keep the budget down.

If your planning to stock your tank with big messy cichlids then you should have 2. I run 2 fluval fx5`s filled with media and 2 eheim 2252 internals packed with polyfilter to keep my water crystal.

 

[fall-apart-dave]

All these crazy words that I don't (yet) understand! lol!

I'm sure I'll get to grips with it all... Starting to regret upgrading to such a size so quickly!

 

[Luketendo]

All these crazy words that I don't (yet) understand! lol!

I'm sure I'll get to grips with it all... Starting to regret upgrading to such a size so quickly!

Not really, you just need a couple of really big filters.

http/www.seapets.co.uk/product-details/s...tegory/569.html
Fluval Fx5's 135 pound each

comes with a dvd too

 

[fall-apart-dave]

And you think I need TWO of those?!?!?!

 

[SJ2K]

Id use the existing tank as a sump then hook up a big ass external to that

 

[freshwaterfishlover]

Thats US 248 Gallons. Must have Canister Filter

 

[fall-apart-dave]

I want to keep the small tank as a breeding tank for my Kribs... So, one or two o the mentioned filters, or something different? I'm really in out of my depth here (pardon the pun!), so am buying blind. Whats the differene between canister and external filters then?

 

[cheesy feet]

You could buy one filter and stock lightly, then increase the stocking when you have another filter?External canister filters tend to be the larger ones such as the ehiems, fluvals, and tetratec, with the canister being the chamber with holds all the media and water?Hob filters are externals but not canister filters