Filtration Needs

[jollysue]

Some know I recently set up a 125 SeaClear System II for my Tanganika + clown loach tank. I have gotten a Rena Filstar xP1 canister filter. I had planned to use it on the 40 usg Bismark tank, but I wonder if I should add it to the Moba Tank instead?

The System II uses a 350 USG per hour pump.

 

[jayjay]

Sue, setup a nice sump, trickle tower and large pump, much better

 

[jollysue]

It has a protein skimmer chamber--can that act as a sump? It also has two bio ball chambers that the water trickles from a trickle plate through. First he water travels through a toothed flowgate, then through a prefilter (microfiber on a plastic frame), passed the heaters, through the skimmer chamber (which is full of sponges stolen from some AquaClear hang on power filters), then onto a Bio-Aire Drip Tray trickling into 2 Biological filters with media and on into a Chemical Media Cup in which are ChemiPure bags, a bag of carbon, and some Bio thingies from the AquaClear filters (they are ammonia neutralizers as well as bio growers. lol excuse my made up lingo.

see here

Open the System II tab.

 

[jayjay]

Tis not bad, though where the skimmer is meant to go i'd put the heater. How much media is in there? (Preferably a weight if possible).

 

[jollysue]

Chemical or the bio balls?

 

[jayjay]

All of it Personally I now think my filtration is not good enough and needs to be upped; after looking into sumps and trickle towers and planning one out for the tank I hope to get soon, other filters seem inferior.

 

[jollysue]

Yeah, your suggestions reminded me that I had considered a sump on all my larger tanks on wood cabnet bases. So many projects, so little time and energy.

The bio chambers came preloaded. The chambers together are about 18" deep x 18" long x 4" wide. The Chemical cup is jambed with 3 10 oz ChemiPure bags, 1 4" x 2" carbon bag, and a bag of the bio chem balls from a 70 usg AquaClear power filter.

 

[jayjay]

Hmmmm sounds ok, what turnover does the pump have?

 

[jollysue]

350 usg per hour pump in 125 usg. So about 3 x's per hour. I think as I have exchanged here with you it is fine and the main issue will be to keep the prefilter clean.

I am trying to figure how to put a UV on the community tank now. It is all way over my head. On hand I have a 9 watt UV Turbo Twist x3 and the Rena.

 

[jayjay]

Change it every few days if you can; well depends how quickly it clogs.