Please Help

[xpotato]

My local pet shop's associate insists that Eheim 2215 is the best filter for my 55 gal BB tank (for 6-8 discus). He says that Box filter (Marineland Emperor 400) has too much water movement which discus don't appreciate.
Is he telling the truth?
If I combine Eheim with one sponge filter, are they going to be perfect for my tank?

[Carol_Roberts]

I use an Aqua Clear 500. They sell for about $30.00 at www.petsolutions.com

I hate canister filters. If your choice is between a canister and an emperor 400 get the emperor. The Aqua Clear is cheaper and much better than either.

Discus don't mind current. Anyway a 55 gallon is big enough to have the filter at one end and a quiet area at the other.

[Fishpoop]

I agree, dont get suckered into an expensive filter you dont need

[Richman]

You have shown much wisdom.
Your lfs owner told you something.
You got on the forum and asked, "Is he telling the truth?"
This is an intelligent strategy that can save you many dollars and much grief.

It may be the truth as he knows it, but it isn't really. ;)

[Luca]

Hmm...there may be new contemporary knowledge on the subject but i've heard discus don't like much current at all. ???

Luca.

[Carol_Roberts]

I can tell you from experience that discus can easily handle the current from an Aqua Clear 500 or an Emperor 400 placed at one end of a 55 gallon tank.

[rickk]

I agree Carol. I even go as far to say my Discus enjoy the current

Rick

[Richman]

I currently have a 55 gallon with 35 growouts. It has a Large sponge filter, Emperor 400, and a Magnum 350. Talk about current!! I'm feeding a lot of beefheart and they are growing fast. The Magnum has a micron filter to keep the water clear. When I turn off the current at feeding time, they run and HIDE! They aren't used to still water.

I have 22 3 and 3 1/2 inch babies in a 150gal ...... there are 2 HOB filters just a little bigger than the Aqua clear 500's (there were protein skimmers in these at one time, I pulled them out) and 1 Fluval Canister 404, if current was an issue they'd be in trouble ::)

I also have a Fluval Canister 404 along with a Regent HOB probably equivelent to an Aqua Clear 300 ..... both on a 55 gal .... again I don't think current seems to be an issue ;)

Beth

I agree with Carol..... The Aqua Clears are the way to go ;)

[FrankLuvsDiscus]

??? ;D
Carol how come you hate canister filters?

I have a magnum and a Eheim 2026 they rule the school i think. I've never tried a Aqua 500 though so can't give an opinion on it but i love my canisters.

Current I think is only an issue if its extreme , my discus don't seem to mind the mild current created by the canister filters. I re-direct the flow towards the sides of the tank though it help to decrease the flow but still enable the filters to do there job and circulates food particles and aerates.

I just got a live plant for my tank, its an Amazon Blade..... i planted it in a clay pot with gravel..... do i need to add flourite gravel???? Is Kent Freshwater essential good enough to help the plant thrive?

I do frequent w/c 's and i hope the plant still gets enough minerals ect...... nitrates , nitrites that it needs.

:P Whomever wants to respond to this please do.

Thanks all,
Franko

[ronrca]

I like my XP-3 filter also however I think the Carol was more or less refering to the maintenance factor involved with canisters as compared to aqua's. I also have aqua's and agree that the aqua is much easier to clean than the canister.

[Carol_Roberts]

Cannisters are expensive to buy and difficult to clean. Since they are difficult to clean and may loose their prime I cleaned them less often.

Aqua clears are half the price, filter the tank just as good and are a breeze to clean, so I clean them as soon as needed.

[FrankLuvsDiscus]

:D aha I see ok coolio.


Franko

[Don_Lee]

I would add that the LFS owner might prefer to sell a higher priced filter than a lower priced one....I have had Eheim canister filters, they are the best for what they are, but I will never own another canister filter. They are just too much of a hassle to clean.

Don ;D

[barron]

I want to add one thing.

True tank turn-over, is tank lenght x width x depth in inches divide by 231= cubic ft. then x by 7.5=total tank cap. measure outside glass edge to edge subtract glass thickness.

You will find most 55 gal. tanks hold between 46 abd 52 gal.

This real cap is great to now, when you dose meds, chem.

Next use filter discharge to fill a pail, now you have filter output. real numbers, I like a turn-over of 5-6 times per hour, keeps stuff at tank bottom.

[Nightowl]

Canister filters are IMO a double edged sword. While they are large enough to house a lot of good bacteria, they also relocate a lot of debris from the tank water into the canister and should be cleaned more often than most people do. Re an eheim vs. a hang on, yes it seems lfs person(which I am one of , btw) was probably trying to up the sale. If someone asked me for my advice on a 55g tank w/ 6-8 discus(assuming young ones???) I would recommend a millenium 2000 filter w/ a #2 hydro sponge prefilter & two #3 or #4 hydro sponge filters. That's my personal fav. setup for 55's & 40 g breeder tanks. If you're up on w/c's you can use the hydro sponges alone. I currently have 23 1.5- 2" fish in a 30 breeder(36x18x12) w/ 2 -#3 hydrosponges. I do change 35% a day. Getting back to canister filters & dirt collection: I believe the lift out sponge configuration in the Fluval "04" series was so one can clean it often. That's the only part of the filter that makes sense. Its the only filter I know of that has a siphon tube that can be detached when working on the tank, Then you have to reprime the filter, etc. I could go on. It bothers me to think of how many of these fluvals we've sold to people since their creation. There's more I could write but they might find me floating in the East River if I do ! I just suggest that you DE-FLUVALIZE any tank in which you have fish that you care about long term! As far as canister filters go, I'll go out on a limb (again) and recommend the pennplax cascade filter... have sold about 120 of them since December & only 2 or 3 came back "broken".... one other thing: if your power goes out for a while its risky to just let a canister filter start running again... stuff in there dies pretty quickly w/o oxygen........ I do like the aquaclear filters... they are versatile but I like the millen./whisper type filters a bit more. The eheim liberty filters aren't bad either but I end up using aquaclear 200 sponges in them!!! Good night to all, J(Nightowl) :vanish:

[Richman]

Thanks for the info. The Magnums have quick connects which enable you to take the filter off without loosing the prime. Just hook it back up and open up the quick connects.

[xpotato]

many thanks for your information

Hopefully you can see my healthy fishes in the forum

[Richman]

www.petwarehouse.com, Drs. Foster and Smith now has AC 500's on sale for 28.89