Filtration Question

[joshjames]

as you can see my stocking in my sig i only have a juwel internal filter which came with the tank ( rio 300 ) and was wondering if the filteration is enough? also if not could someone recommend me what additional filters would be neccicery. im 14 so havn't got the money to buy a really expensive one
thanks

 

[james_fish]

Hi Josh.

What Litres per hour is the filter you currently have? That would be a good way to tell wether it is adequate for your situation.

You could go external? Pricey, but i'm sure you could get a decent second hand one off either the classified section of this website or eBay? Obviously the benefit is to get rid of your internal filters that take up room, only once your new filter has matured.

As for internal filters, Im currently housing to Fluval U4's in a 200 litre. More than I need, but it will allow me to keep more fish, the more filtration the better I see it. For a 300 litre, 2 U4's would be enough I think.

James.

 

[joshjames]

i honestly dont know its the internal filter which comes with the juwel tanks but with one fluval U4 which you have suggested it covers aparrently 240 litres roughly so with the internal that would surely be enough filteration
the reason im saying this is because i think i am slightly overstocked and just got another young severum today and cichlids can be messy fish

 

[joshjames]

hw about a clear seal 1000? it says it is suitable for a 300 litre tank and with the internal would this be enough?

 

[hamfist]

WIth the stock that you have I would very much be wanting to add to the Rio 300's own filtration. THe Juwel units are good, and I would not want to replace to it, but add to it.

THe Clear Seal filter you suggest is OK, but not ideal. If your budget can stretch to it I would really advise getting an external cannister filter that, firstly, will not take up extra room in your tank. Secondly you can put proper biological filtration media in it. The CLearseal is a foam and carbon only filter ( the carbon being fairly useless except in specific circumstances). Proper ceramic, sintered glass-based bio media (like Eheim Ehfisubstrat or substrat pro, Juwel Cirax or one of the many others available) has big advantages over foam-only filtraton as the media has a much higher surface area allowing much greater biological filtration.
If you can stretch to it, something like an Eheim 2215, or a Fluval 205 or a Tetratec 600 or 700 would add superb extra filtration to your tank. Some of those come with decent ceramic bio-media, some do not. But you can always upgrade your media at a later date (also as your fish grow, and add extra bioload onto the tank).

 

[Mr Spoon]

As Hamfist said, your tank will benefit by adding one of the external filters as said above, as you have 4 plecos in there i would get a bigger external as they do make alot of mess. fluval 405, tetratec 1200 or ehiem 2217 would be better.

 

[joshjames]

ok thanks iv seen a few which are going cheap on ebay so going to try and get one of those because to buy one new is just simply too expensive.
thanks for your help