Ok, Filters - How many and what kind?

[Fawke]

Hi there,

Before i got into fish keeping i thought a filter was a filter and a canister was the dogs b##lox....

I have a 35UKGal (see sig) and an Eheim Classic 2213 external canister filter.
I noticed that alot of ppl have 2 filters running on similar size tanks....

Obviously more filteration is good.... but is it neccessary in my case?

What kind of filters do you have on what tanks? reasons etc?

Cheers!

 

[Ben]

in my 30 gal i got one main power filter(dont know name, got it second hand) and i got a spare under gravel filter so i put it in

 

[The-Wolf]

13 us gal = 1 x hob (bio,mechanical,chemical)
17 us gal = 1 x hob (bio,mechanical,chemical)
30 us gal = 1 x juwel compact h (bio,mechanical,chemical)
37 us gal = 1 x hob (bio,mechanical,chemical) + 1 x thermo filter (bio,mechanical)

HTH

 

[Tropjunky]

most ppl have a bio filter and a machanical filter that means one filter to get rid of the big bits and also to put chemical media in and anouther purly for biolodical filtration. i find that one filter is enough if it can handle the bio load. wet/dry filters are very good for this.

 

[smithrc]

I have a 35UKGal (see sig) and an Eheim Classic 2213 external canister filter.
I noticed that alot of ppl have 2 filters running on similar size tanks....

Obviously more filteration is good.... but is it neccessary in my case?

thats more than enough filtration for a 35gal.

its rated upto 250l (55gals) so pleanty of leighway.

I done have any externaly on my tanks (yet) and all are fine.
(plant mess in the 55 is a bit anoying though - I'd love an external for it but there is nowhere to hide in in the livingrome)

 

[CFC]

On larger display style tanks (over 30g) i use at least 2 external canister filters as well as a UV steriliser, i also plan to add fluidised bed filters to my 2 largest tanks to add some phosphate and nitrate absorbing media. On smaller tanks 30g and under i use internal power filters or air powered sponge filters depending on the bio load of the tank.

 

[cation]

most ppl have a bio filter and a machanical filter that means one filter to get rid of the big bits and also to put chemical media in and anouther purly for biolodical filtration.

Most filters are either 2 or three stage, meaning one filter does all those things. They do not require seperate filters.

I recently upped my filtration on my 20 gallon - I used to have a penguin 170, and now I have an Emperor 280. These filters provide biological, mechanical, and chemical filtration. I'm glad to have moved up - I'd ideally like to be turning over the water in the tank over ten times an hour in all my tanks.

 

[Moving Shadow]

Have a look if you are worried at the fluval range of filters. They have a nice sponge for the bacteria to grow to get rid of nitrogen stuff, which also filters out large particles. They work great, and are really quiet as they run on a magnetic impeller. I have my tank in my bedroom and can hardly hear a thing.

 

[325Pilot]

Currently my 30 gallon runs an undergravel, and an Aquaclear 150. My 10 gallon just got a biowheel mini today. Both filters make some noise, both are in my bedroom, but it is just water trickling noise, and I actually find myself falling asleep alot faster now, besides, I kinda like the noise. . Biowheels are cool because I'll bet that everyone like me has always wanted their own waterwheel, and now, I have one on my fish tank! Didn't see that coming!

 

[rvm]

I use cannisters on all my tanks; even the 20g has a Fluval 204! I just find them more convenient and efficient. I like to have my tanks well overfiltered as well. The 20g tank has filtration rated up to 40g, the 50g has 100g of filtration from another 204 and the Juwel filter built in, and my 55 has 120g rated.
Obviously it's not always possible to do this due to money and space, but IMO you simply can't beat a cannister to filter tanks, and Eheims are the best.
I've been thinking about getting a small eheim for my 55g so I will have 2 filters on each of my big tanks purely as a back up in case one filter fails, then the tank will not be left without filtration while I get a new filter.

 

[Fawke]

Great,

Thanks for all your replies ppl! I am feeling a little more comfortable with my Eheim now.
Who knows, i may upgrade to a Eheim Pro II or Eheim Wet and Dry, but i reckon its doing an ok job.

I also have a UV Steriliser - like CFC - running on it, as to start i had a few parasitic and algae problems, all but gone now and the water is crystal clear. For £60 for a Vecton UV8 (up to 50ukgal, cant remember the throughput - think its 90gal/ph) id recommend it for 30Gal + too.

Anyhow, thanks again ppl

 

[djprincessx]

i have a 30gal filter on my 10 and a 50-60 on my 29.... the one on the 29 is a biowheel... the other one is just some run of the mill one i bought at walmart i think.

 

[SirMinion]

Remember, as CFC suggested, the filter requirements of a tank doesn't just rely on the tank size, but on the bio-load within as well.

A 180L tank full of plecs or puffers will need a sturdier filter than a 180L tank full of tetras or guppies.