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This post has sprouted from some comments I got on another thread.
I have just started with my tank, and I have decided to have live plants. Anyway, I have had several people tell me to get rid of my UGF and power filters.
What are my best options instead of those? I currently have an AquaTech (same as Penguin, I guess) w/ dual cartridges.

Christina

Hi,
If you are setting up the tank from scratch...Yes,
I'd not use a UGF or need power heads.

The use a filter depends upon several things...

Your wallet - How much you can afford to spend.

The type/quantity of fish to be housed in the tank -
If you are going to have Oscar's, Placus, or a bunch
of large fish (5-6 inch Rifts) then you want a filter
with a large surface area and lots of turn over.
A type of canister might be better.

If you are going to house 2-3 inch fish or less, then
a "medium" HOB with bio-wheel(s) would be better. Or,
a smaller canister style filter.

How you are going to place the tank, and room available -
If you are going to have it up against the wall, then
there may not be enough room for a HOB filter, and you
would need to go to a canister that sits on the floor
behind, or under, the tank out of sight.

There are limits to the HOB style filter ( you can only
Hang On the Back of a tank so big a box), while with
a canister style filter, the sky and the depth of your
wallet are the limits. Canisters can be "all in one"
or you can chain in series a set of canisters, one unit
for each medium, plus one for UV sterilization, one for
the heater, one for CO2 injection, etc.

Just some things to think about....
Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Frank of course got all the important points .

If you're like some of us then the wallet certianly is a factor. If you're able to run HOB filters then I'd suggest two of them. Personally I've got Aquaclears running on all my filtered tanks. For the 55 I'd suggest two AC 300's. IMO it's always better to over filter rather than underfilter, unless of course the added water movement is going to stress out the fish.

If you can afford a canister... then by all means go that route.

^_^

IMO, you should add 1 more HOB filter. i would say an aquaclear 300 would be a good filter to add.

Go to this site for good prices...

http://www.bigalsonline.com/

This place has saved me hundreds of dollars and the most shipping will be is twelve dollars. My last order had three boxes shipped.

i would get an Emporor 400... makes crystal clear water

I am going to go for the 2 AquaClears.
I actually went by my LFS today, and he told me he'd match any prices...including online! Of course I will have sales tax, but they are always so helpful and whatnot, I don't mind paying a few dollars more!

I actually pulled out the UGF today. I am now seeing white specks on the fish....is it possible they got Ick from that?? (I have had them for a week and a half now, so maybe it's just showing now..?)

Christina

The BEST cheapest canister i know, that really does a superb job is a Fluval 304. I've got one of these for my 55g and to tell you the truth, it does wonders and doesn't cost much.

A canister, like this Fluval, is the best investment for keeping good water quality and mantain fish health.

I have 2 Millenium 3000 HOB filters on my 50 gallon. I'm happy with them. Then again, this is my first tank over 20 gal. so I have'nt used anything else yet.

I would say get an EHEIM 2213 canister filter for a 55. That's what mine will have when I get it this October.

The reason I recommend the EHEIM over others is because of the fact that people have had EHEIM Classics such as this one for nearly three decades with little trouble at all. It has a high upfront cost ($75) but makes up for it in its years of dedicated service.


[span class="edited"][Edited by TheGoldenDojo 2004-08-07 04:26][/span]