Question Regarding Filters And Large Tanks.

[VaegaVic]

I'm looking to get a nice new tank next year when me and the mrs move into our first house together.
I'm aiming for a size of roughly 300-400L, so nothing massively massive, just a nice discus community tank.

I've been looking at ways to filter this tank and I keep coming to dead ends.
I am a massive fan of the 10X turn over rule, simply because I like my tanks to be massively over-filtered. My current 64L has a 700LPH external on it for example.

Originally I was going to go with an external, something from all pond solutions as they have 2000Lph externals there for something like £80.
I then considered pond filters, but I am rather confused on how they work. My LFS told me they work exactly like large externals, which somehow I find hard to believe.
I was under the impression that there is a separate pump for pond filters that either pushes or pulls the water through the filter ( I can't seem to find out which one).

In all honesty, I don't how a pond filter works and would like to know so see if it would be feasible for my future project.

I then had a thought, sponge filters.

Could I buy 2X 2000lph power-heads and use some tubular sponge (long tube of sponge with a hole in the middle) and just pop it over the top of the intake, thus creating a super-powered sponge filter that would need minimal maintenance and would be easy to hide?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[blue acara]

I'd just use 2 sponge filters powered by a large air pump. Cheap, excellent biofilters and easy to clean.

 

[Tolak]

If you are going to go with 10x turnover & are considering using a filter with a pump look into sump filtration. This will hide the heater & filter in a cabinet beneath the tank, increase the gallons available by the volume the sump holds, and provide better filtration than any external you could buy. It provides a real clean appearance for a show tank.

My biggest concern with a pond filter would be that they are designed for outdoors, where a bit of leakage would not be an issue at all. This is not something you would want to have to deal with indoors.

 

[VaegaVic]

I'd just use 2 sponge filters powered by a large air pump. Cheap, excellent biofilters and easy to clean.

That's not a usable idea is it would need to be quiet.

 

[SJ2K]

Fluval FX5, 2300lph made for home aquaria.

 

[raptorrex]

Fluval FX5, 2300lph made for home aquaria.

probably two, one is not enough. even so, the sump option makes more sense.

 

[SJ2K]

Fluval FX5, 2300lph made for home aquaria.

probably two, one is not enough. even so, the sump option makes more sense.

Sump is a perfectly good idea just IMO abit overkill for a 300-400l freshwater setup. All depends on how serious you are about your filtration I suppose. Personally I think canister filters (or in the FX5's case, more of a dustbin filter!) are so easy to use id stick with them.

Keep us posted.

 

[VaegaVic]

I would ideally like to try and get away from using commercial filters, nothing wrong with them, but in principle why should I pay £250 for a great big filter when I can replicate said filter using a 3000LPH powerhead and a block of foam for £50.

How would go about building a sump without drilling through glass? Should I go see the Saltwater friends for that?

 

[SJ2K]

I would ideally like to try and get away from using commercial filters, nothing wrong with them, but in principle why should I pay £250 for a great big filter when I can replicate said filter using a 3000LPH powerhead and a block of foam for £50.

How would go about building a sump without drilling through glass? Should I go see the Saltwater friends for that?

Yup there's a ton of info on sumps over there.

 

[Ashers]

How about some All Pond Solutions 2000ltr/h filters for £75? With built in UV.

 

[VaegaVic]

How about some All Pond Solutions 2000ltr/h filters for £75? With built in UV.

You mean the one I originally was talking about in my first post?

I would need 2, but it's still cheaper than a single FX5.

 

[Ashers]

Yea thats the one. I would have two of em if its cheaper than one FX5 apparently the All Pond Solutions one is as good.

 

[coldcazzie]

I would ideally like to try and get away from using commercial filters, nothing wrong with them, but in principle why should I pay £250 for a great big filter when I can replicate said filter using a 3000LPH powerhead and a block of foam for £50.

How would go about building a sump without drilling through glass? Should I go see the Saltwater friends for that?

Where can you get a 3000l/h powerhead from for under £50?! So far the pumps I have found are usually about £70-80 for around 2500l/h. For that price you can get a whole external and you don't have to buy the media and the sealant and everything you'd need to make a sump... clearly I'm looking in the wrong places! Tell me tell me!

 

[VaegaVic]

I would ideally like to try and get away from using commercial filters, nothing wrong with them, but in principle why should I pay £250 for a great big filter when I can replicate said filter using a 3000LPH powerhead and a block of foam for £50.

How would go about building a sump without drilling through glass? Should I go see the Saltwater friends for that?

Where can you get a 3000l/h powerhead from for under £50?! So far the pumps I have found are usually about £70-80 for around 2500l/h. For that price you can get a whole external and you don't have to buy the media and the sealant and everything you'd need to make a sump... clearly I'm looking in the wrong places! Tell me tell me!

well, £60.
http/www.swelluk.com/aquarium/pumps-and-powerheads-33/water-pumps-206/aquarium-systems-new-jet-1700-3000lph-300.html

 

[Liam50]

when it comes to pond filters in an aquarium i think it would be pretty simple but may take time to set up and get right. Basically the canister works exactly the same as say an fx5 but them pump is not built in. So for to run the filter you will need to add a pump. I personally wouldn't want a pump sitting in the tank itself so if i was to do it i would use an inline pump. Basically something like an oase aquamax dry. something along those lines. As far as having it before or after the filter i think it would work either way but i would have it before the filter as this is the norm. Have a look at hozelock systems they are pretty cheap and pretty good. But if i was you and for the ease of water changes i would go for a fish mate system. Something like the fish mate 10000uv. The reason why is because they have a third outlet that when it comes to cleaning or WC you turn the controller on the top to "clea" and it send the water out of this exit which you can have running outside, also it uses the pumps power to squeeze the sponges. All filters have some sort of drainage system but i believe fish mate are the only ones to use the power of the pump to clean it, most like oase or laguna make you use a hand pump to clean the filter. Hope that all makes sense any questions just message me.