What is you filter set up(s)?

I have 3 on my 75 gallon.

I have a Fluval 305 with 6 baskets for filter media. I have 2 baskets with fine particle water polishers, 2 baskets with Purigen, and 2 with bio-media. Also there are 4 sponges as well.

I also have a powerhead with a sponge attached for additional bio and mechanical filtering.

Then yesterday I added a large HOB I had sitting around not being used. I plan on adding bio-media in it but for now it is empty and I am using it strictly for the bio-wheel.

I also have God's filters in the form of live plants.

I have a lot of bio-filtration because I plan on lightly overstocking the tank. It won't be big fish but a lot of small fish. I keep a close eye on water parameters. Hopefully I won't run in to issues and I am not dumping a bunch of fish at once. I am slowly adding them and keeping an eye on organic levels. Once I think I reached the threashold I will stop stocking. Right now I am understocked and short on funds due to recent move, and car accident that is costing me a ton of money. This is all for future planning.

Ok, so who's next?

I have a 75 gallon also. I have a few plants, but I'm not good at plant keeping and most of them are covered in Algae and that drives me crazy. I have two powerheads with the homemade sponge filters attached to them.

I first bought an Eheim Pro II filter that was rated for like 100 gallons for my tank, but due to my stocking that wasn't enough. I added a Fluval 404 (got the filter, new parts, and new media for about $40) to it and since then my tank has been running great with little water issues.


From a craigslist I recently aquired a Fluval 405 and another 404, tons of extra media baskets, and a bunch of spare hoses and parts (not bad for $30). The 405 works and ready to be used. The 404 needs an impeller, but I think the motor works. I am hanging on to these as back-ups and possibly adding the 405 to a 125 gallon whenever I get one.

Lately I keep it as simple as I can. For the past couple years I've only been using a sort of airlift sponge filter / UGF hybrid I make: http://forum.nanfa.o...066 . I've been keeping stocking densities quite low, though.

I build small diy canister filters on my sub-10 gallon tanks to keep the "in tank hardware" to a bare minimum (inlet and outlet pipe only). On the diy canister filters, I put the thermometer and heater inside the canister. I've been using the 50w Catalina titanium heaters in this application, as the heating element is separate from the temperature control unit, and is only about 5 inches long (fits nice inside the canister). The only thing in the tiny tanks are two small diy clear acrylic lily pipes.

Some pics of a diy canister next to a three week old 2.5g pico. The filter normally lives out of sight:



On the big tanks, I use Rena Filstar canister filters (one per tank) for extra biological filtration, and current in the tanks. They are full of ceramic beads, very coarse filter foam, or large coarse gravel, depending on what I have handy when they are initially loaded. I like the Renas due to the well designed hose disconnect set-up.
I have a natural cork bark back wall (mostly covered with java fern and anubias now) in my biggest tank, and have about a one square foot section of gray/black, extra coarse, filter foam formed into a pocket on one edge. I have the heater and Rena's pickup/return pipes behind the foam, and the filter return pipe pokes out a couple inches through a hole in the foam pocket, the only piece of visible "equipment". The foam is about half covered by java fern at this point. Aside from hiding the heater and pipes, the big tank sometimes has fry in it, and the coarse foam keeps the fry from getting sucked into the pick-up pipe. No handy pics of it though.

On my mid-size tanks (10-40g), I generally just use a powerhead for water circulation, the plants do the rest.
All my tanks (except my pico tanks) are heavily planted.

The nephew got the 20 gallon tank in the pic below for his birthday (he's pointing out some snails that hitched a ride on the sword). It's only a few days after set-up and no fish yet, but it's already stabilizing out very quickly. It's sparse now, as far as plants go, but it has some fast growers and should fill out quickly. The one powerhead and plants will take care of this tank. 2" of half new, half old Eco-Complete over 1.5" mineralized soil, dusting of peat, and a sprinkle of Osmocote.



Canisters or just powerheads are the way to go with well planted tanks. HOBs lose CO2, in-tank filters are, imho, ugly.

Rick

Edited by rickwrench, 07 February 2010 - 04:42 AM.

I also have God's filters in the form of live plants.

Huh? I'm looking out the window at "God's 20 inches of snow" and am getting ready to perform "God's 20% water change" later today....do I need to use dechlor?

HOBs lose CO2, in-tank filters are, imho, ugly.

Replace "lose CO2" with "Add Oxygen", and then "in tank filters" with "canister filters swirling tiny particulates not unlike sewage primary treatment" (sitting on the counter next to your tank, drawing all your attention) and I'll agree with you .

Edited by Gene2308, 08 February 2010 - 07:59 AM.

I love the retro steel-framed tank. It looks like it's in great shape. I remember when All tanks had frames like that.

I love the retro steel-framed tank. It looks like it's in great shape. I remember when All tanks had frames like that.

Yeah, me too. I have one in the garage that needs new glass. Someday I'll fix it up.

Oh, and I'll answer the question, too. All my tanks 29 gallons and up have an Eheim Classic filter. The 100 gallon has two. Smaller tanks have an HOB and a sponge filter. Two gallon tanks have just a sponge filter.

Edited by schambers, 08 February 2010 - 10:35 PM.

Replace "lose CO2" with "Add Oxygen", and then "in tank filters" with "canister filters swirling tiny particulates not unlike sewage primary treatment" (sitting on the counter next to your tank, drawing all your attention) and I'll agree with you

In my mind, I hear "HOB" and I picture a tank overstocked with fish, only three-quarters full of water, decorated with pink gravel, plastic plants, half a dozen airstones going full blast, maybe a plastic pirate ship... An opinion formed decades ago, but burned into my brain.
One thing going for them, they do prevent surface film build-up. HOB filters splash, accelerating gas exchange, allowing CO2 to escape. If you are growing plants in your tank, it's all about CO2, and how to keep it in the tank available to the plants. CO2 + happy plants = oxygen saturation.
The canister next to the tiny metaframe tank in the pic, as mentioned, lives out of sight (for pics, I had it on the dresser with the glasses for scale). On my diy canisters, I use as small a pump as I can find, and flow is low enough that they are effective as biological filters. The big Rena canisters have a ball valve that you can regulate flow with, throttling it back enough to work as a biological filter.

I have a fascination with the old slate bottomed stainless tanks, Pemco, Sternco, Metaframe, no-names, etc. I currently have a dozen or so now, 2 gallons up to 100, in various states of restoration, from done to stacked in the shop.

Rick

The canister next to the tiny metaframe tank in the pic, as mentioned, lives out of sight (for pics, I had it on the dresser with the glasses for scale). On my diy canisters, I use as small a pump as I can find, and flow is low enough that they are effective as biological filters. The big Rena canisters have a ball valve that you can regulate flow with, throttling it back enough to work as a biological filter.

Oh, I'm with you on the CO2 - mainly I'm just giving you a hard time. I used to run the DIY yeast kits on some smaller tanks and had good results with internal filtration.

CO2 + happy plants = oxygen saturation

Add "+ light" to the left side and I'll agree. I guess at night things change, but since CO2 doesn't displace O2 you're probably ok if you watch it.

I love HOB filters for longevity, low maintenance, and really pretty top-notch filtration. I can't say they look great - just work well. If I had metal halide lighting (or something similar) and a lovely planted tank I wouldn't use them either.

Kuddos -

Edited by Gene2308, 09 February 2010 - 01:00 PM.

The HOB's effect on CO2 levels depends on the relative concentration of CO2 in the water. If the tank is CO2 injected, yes, surface agitation will lose CO2. And in a highly-stocked tank, it may also lose CO2 (but will promote O2 in solution, which is probably more important at that stocking density). But in an ordinary, moderately-stocked planted tank, the main source of CO2 is atmospheric exchange, and so surface agitation will actually increase CO2 concentration in the water by promoting exchange with the atmosphere and so allowing CO2 and O2 to more rapidly diffuse into the water.

I guess at night things change, but since CO2 doesn't displace O2 you're probably ok if you watch it.

In water, no, but CO2 can displace O2 in the bloodstream, because they bind to the same sites on hemoglobin; CO2 buildup at night can be a hazard for this reason.

High tech hardware. Doesn't show the timer, a critical piece. Northern window, tank back only half covered to get more natural light.


Recently culled. If yer not throwing it away by the lbs, it ain't acting as a filter.


These pond snails [sp. unknown] devour dead plant matter and convert it to mulm which the critters live in and eat. The plants reuse the nutrients.


The roots at the surface are most efficient due to available CO2 in air/close proximity to light. The snails are hard at work too. Fat healthy fish, low stocking density.


More high tech hardware. Antique box filter, air driven. Mostly to keep water moving a bit, low flow denitrification and critter refugia.


Recently moved, plants greatly thinned, still doesn't look half bad. A tank like this can run itself almost indefinately assuming you pay the electric bill and top off evap once and awhile. In fact this one did just that for months. don't ask.

I have added aeration, stopped worrying about surface agitation, etc etc. Pretty much am doing every no-no for planted tanks. I do not add CO2. Ironically my plants never done better.