Whats Best

[hougie1962]

what is the best filter system to use on tropical set up tank is aqua one ar 850 had tank 3 weeks tank clears then seems to cloud over any help much appreciated

 

[rabbut]

It's a 75l tank yes?

I would run any tank of exturnals now, but an internal would also work. A Fluval 2+ internal would be a good choice. For exturnals, a Tetratec EX600 or EX700 would be my choise, though many on here would recomend an Eheim Pro2

Whatever filter you choose to replace with, make shure that you either run them in tandum for at least 4 weeks to establish the new filter, or transfer the old filters media across the the new filter, or you will kill your fish if you have any yet, by throwing away all the good bacteria in the tank, forcing a high-work fish-in cycle

HTH
Rabbut

 

[Pleccy]

I too prefer externals, not only are they easier to clean but they keep the tank free of detritus. The only internals I use now are a Fluval 1+ for my shrimp tank and Eheim aquaballs.

 

[hougie1962]

sorry its 165 litre

 

[Pleccy]

Then I would definitely use an external.

 

[rabbut]

An exturnal would be an even bigger preferance for me also, but it would be possible to run it on a Fluval 3/4+

 

[waterdrop]

At 165L/44G a nice system would be two TetraTec EX700s (rabbut could see if the calcs work out) which would let you alternate on cleanings and have one to back up the other. An Eheim Pro II 2026 at 950 L/H would be the perfect "just over 5x turnover" size for a single cannister running the tank. There are also various HOB filters that would work in a pair but would have less media volume.

In any case, if you are new to the hobby it will be to your advantage to learn about filter media and then figure out what to pack these filters with or at least understand why you are accepting what the manufacturer is giving you. Media is a topic that takes a little bit of work to absorb, so to speak.

Also, if new (and I don't mean to assume that), you may have the entire topic of the Nitrogen Cycle and the skill of Fishless Cycling needing to be learned. Its fascinating and if you have a beautiful new tank you'll be much happier learning all this info and "doing it right" rather than rushing into fish.

You can launch right into the info in our pinned topics, regardless of whether there's anyone around to chat. Good luck!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[rabbut]

Media is a topic that takes a little bit of work to absorb, so to speak.

Waterdrop, what are you like Sorry, I must be a bigger fish geek that I realised...

At 165L/44G a nice system would be two TetraTec EX700s (rabbut could see if the calcs work out) which would let you alternate on cleanings and have one to back up the other.

Well, at 700lph each, one EX700 should be suffice, or two EX600's (at 600lph each) if you want a redundant system One EX700 would give 4.25 times an hour turn over, which is a good turnover, and two EX600's would give 7.27 times an hour turn-over and hour, which would qualify for "overfiltered" even though it is impossible to have too much filtration

An Eheim Pro II 2026 at 950 L/H would be the perfect "just over 5x turnover" size for a single cannister running the tank. There are also various HOB filters that would work in a pair but would have less media volume.

I have never used HOB filters, so can't realy comment there, but the Eheim 2026 would be a good choice of exturnal also. Personally, I'd go tandum TertaTec EX600's (If you are UK based), but the choice is yours Eheim have a better rep, purely as they have been about long enough to prove themselves, but nobody that has cared for a Tetratec correctly since their release about 3 and a half years ago has had any problems to speek of reliability wise. All issues so far have been postage related, bar one batch of noisy filters, that Tetratec have been very good at fixing as an after sales support agreements (Free replacement motor heads for all affected)

In any case, if you are new to the hobby it will be to your advantage to learn about filter media and then figure out what to pack these filters with or at least understand why you are accepting what the manufacturer is giving you.

This is a good point when venturing into exturnal filters. This filter type is very flexible for set-up options, and as such thay can be customised to suit your set-up requirements. To get the best out of a filter, many fishkeepers customise theirs a bit. I for example don't run the carbon supplied with the tetratec's, and use different floss that doesn't clogg as quick (and is cheaper to buy in the first place ), despite working just as well

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Schmill]

Well, at 700lph each, one EX700 should be suffice, or two EX600's (at 600lph each) if you want a redundant system One EX700 would give 4.25 times an hour turn over, which is a good turnover, and two EX600's would give 7.27 times an hour turn-over and hour, which would qualify for "overfiltered" even though it is impossible to have too much filtration

An Eheim Pro II 2026 at 950 L/H would be the perfect "just over 5x turnover" size for a single cannister running the tank. There are also various HOB filters that would work in a pair but would have less media volume.

All the best
Rabbut

On this topic, is the '5x' turnover rate something that you should physically be trying to achieve, or is it based on the manufacturers quoted flowrates, and therefore is actually compensating for the theoretical -> Practical losses you get?

For example, (in my own case), I have a Aquis 1200. This is quoted as having a 1200 LpH flowrate, and my tank is 300L, so thats 4x / Hr, lovely jubbly!
However it also mentions once you piece all the bits of information together that this is an 'ideal' situation with a freeflowing filter and 0 head-height.
In practice you are more likely to get 800 LpH from the filter, which now gives me a turnover of 2.6x / Hr, not so close to the 5x target value.

I'm just wondering as it obviously makes a lot of difference, in the 1st instance I'm 'almost there' with my turnover rate of 4x, whereas in the second instance I pretty much need a second Aquis 1200 to get me to the target 5x turnover rate.

 

[rabbut]

Usualy you go on the filter specs and get a "theoretical" trunover, but if you get less than 1/2 of the stated flow from the filter once running, you need to re-think the hardwear used Realistically you will only need to make that kind of change to the hardwear specs if you are fitting silly ammounts of hosing to the system Usualy you get arround 1/4 of the speced flow once hoses are on and media in

 

[waterdrop]

Well, at 700lph each, one EX700 should be suffice, or two EX600's (at 600lph each) if you want a redundant system One EX700 would give 4.25 times an hour turn over, which is a good turnover, and two EX600's would give 7.27 times an hour turn-over and hour, which would qualify for "overfiltered" even though it is impossible to have too much filtration

An Eheim Pro II 2026 at 950 L/H would be the perfect "just over 5x turnover" size for a single cannister running the tank. There are also various HOB filters that would work in a pair but would have less media volume.

All the best
Rabbut

On this topic, is the '5x' turnover rate something that you should physically be trying to achieve, or is it based on the manufacturers quoted flowrates, and therefore is actually compensating for the theoretical -> Practical losses you get?

For example, (in my own case), I have a Aquis 1200. This is quoted as having a 1200 LpH flowrate, and my tank is 300L, so thats 4x / Hr, lovely jubbly!
However it also mentions once you piece all the bits of information together that this is an 'ideal' situation with a freeflowing filter and 0 head-height.
In practice you are more likely to get 800 LpH from the filter, which now gives me a turnover of 2.6x / Hr, not so close to the 5x target value.

I'm just wondering as it obviously makes a lot of difference, in the 1st instance I'm 'almost there' with my turnover rate of 4x, whereas in the second instance I pretty much need a second Aquis 1200 to get me to the target 5x turnover rate.

Yes, Schmill, Major theory/practice topic there for us hobbyists! I've thought about it a lot. I rather think that the "starter guideline" of 5x most widely passed around here on TFF has got to have come down over time from the discussion and comparison of "manufacturer chart numbers" importantly for L/H (not for recommended max tank size of course, which they routinely exaggerate.) I -don't- think the numbers, then, are coming from raw testing (could be wrong of course, I'm just a guy speculating) therefor I tend to think that, for instance, even if your "real" rate were the lower 2.6 turnover per hour, that what you are getting is really still the better 4x type idea the members "have in mind" so to speak... can that be followed??

I also tend to think this might explain somewhat the related thing of any number of members seeming to like going on up above the 5x rate, especially if they want to overstock. Of course, its also my thought that once you establish any specification that has a scale like this, there is going to be a natural human tendency to just think "more is better" and you will have people pushing to go higher and higher. The other part of course is that eventually the fish look like they are in the spin cycle of the washing machine. (I'd like my name to be linked if that quote becomes famous please ) Anyway, getting serious again, one thing I've been impressed by personally is that one of the plant guys (Andy?) points out that he uses 10x (!) turnover to help ensure that pockets of ammonia are not allow to collect anywhere and trigger algae -- that has had an influence on my thinking of high turnover begin good if you can control the "fish getting blown about" problem, which, unfortunately, I find myself very, very senstitive to also: I hate the look of fish being blown about rather than swimming peacefully.

~~waterdrop~~