Help on filtration...

[Go For It]

Hi there...

If all goes well, I will hopefully be acquiring either a 50 gallon or 60 gallon tank this weekend. I have realized that starting out with setting up a tank can be pretty pricey and being that I just got "layed-off" my seasonal job, I'm trying to take things step-by-step because I want to be sure I do it right and not just get a tank and carelessly throw fish in it; that's not fair not only to the fish, but to myself. So this weekend will be the tank... but even though it'll be awhile until I hit the next step because of the budget issue, I want to start getting prices and saving up for the tanks filtration and such, so, for a planted tank, what is the best filtration? Thanks.

[shalu]

Most people use canister filter for a tank that size. For bigger tanks, I like wet/dry with overflow.

[Go For It]

So power filters wont work for it? But I thought CO2 shouldn't be used if you were keeping Discus and on't you need it to run a canister filter?

[Dood Lee]

Besides Wet/Dry Filters, Canisters are the most efficient filters for large tanks. The amount of co2 you inject into your tank will depend on the type of plants you want to keep. I suggest you research what type of plants you want to keep first before you decide on what kind of equipment you will buy.

[Go For It]

I'm planning on havng mostly fake plants but will have just a few real ones like java fern, java moss, and maybe some anacharis...

[Dood Lee]

Fake plastic plants? The discus might scrape themselves on them if you are not careful. Better to just go all live plants.

[Go For It]

Not the hard plastic ones. If they are fake they would be the ones that look incredibly real and are soft for fish with sensitive/delicate fins. I would really like to have a full live planted tank, but the live plants are another thing to add to the work load that needs to be done in order to keep the tank clean for the fish and looking nice. Being that I am a high school senior now, I'm trying to set-up a presentable tank that meets all the requirements for discus with the least amount of work possible. And probably by the time I get this tank set-up I'll be in college... accepting donations now (LOL, just kidding). Thanks again.

[Spices]

Just letting you know, whether you have a full/semi planted tank or a barebottom tank, you still have to do the weekly maintenance. Sometimes even doing it twice a week.

Be sure you're scheduling the tank maintenance to your school schedule and whatelse more, otherwise you're starting off wrong. It's not so much important to get a filter as it is to dedicate yourself in keeping fish.

Good luck with this project.

In re to filtration: I have a 75-gallon, using hang-on filtration (Emperor 400) and use the XL Vortex once a week for water polishing. Sometimes I change the filter (using the AquaClear 500). My tank includes plants with stones and driftwood and shale. HTH

Angie

[Go For It]

Angie...

Thanks for your post. It was helpful. I know that the Emperor and the Aquaclear are hang on filters... but do you use the blue padding? I heard of people removing it because it contains CO2? What is the XL Vortex? Oh yeah... I am prepared to take on the work load for keeping Discus, but having a fully planted tank is a whole added work load in itself... with the trimming, daily maintenance for the plants, giving them their special nutrients, ect., ect. Thanks.

[Evan]

I use the AC 500 or 110 whatever it is called now. Two sponges inside and one over the intake. Works great and easy to clean. Whatever filter you do go with put a sponge over the intake.

Recently I have started using a HOT magnum on occasion, just for fun..

[Dood Lee]

Thanks for your post. It was helpful. I know that the Emperor and the Aquaclear are hang on filters... but do you use the blue padding? I heard of people removing it because it contains CO2? What is the XL Vortex? Oh yeah... I am prepared to take on the work load for keeping Discus, but having a fully planted tank is a whole added work load in itself... with the trimming, daily maintenance for the plants, giving them their special nutrients, ect., ect. Thanks.

Depending on the plants you want to keep, you wouldn't need to trim them all that much. Amazon swords, Anubias nana or barteri, java ferns, and java moss are all plants that can survive in a discus temp environment, and they don't actually require that much light (probably 2watts per gallon). I dose my tank when I do a water change. It's not actually hard, when the new water is put into the tank, I dose the nutrients right into the tank.

With regards to the HOB, people don't use the blue cartridge in the emperors because it contains activated carbon. Most just stuff their HOB with sponges or filter floss. I never enjoyed the sound of the HOB motors, which is why I got a canister. I clean it every 3-4 months, so my weekly regimen only consists of water changes (every 2-3 days) and dosing nutrients for my plants.

[Go For It]

What is HOB?

[Greg Richardson]

HOB = Hang On Back = Like an Aqua Clear hanging on back of tank.

[Go For It]

I figured... but I would have thought a hang-on filter would abbreviate to HOF. So it just confused me, thanks. So an Aquaclear 500 or Emperor 400 alone will be suitable as the filtration system for a 50 or 60 gallon tank? I wont use the blue padding though... I'll just replace it with a sponge or filter floss or whatever. But besides that it those filters meet the requirements for Discus? Thanks.

[Greg Richardson]

I use an AC the biggest they have and then two sponge filters for my 55s.
I've seen others who only use two sponge filters and have success.
So I guess it comes back to what works best for you in relation to your cleaning and wc's.