Filter????

[CN]

what kind of filter is recommended for discus: aquaclear, whisper, bio wheel, etc? i also want to know why people say it is bad to use carbon in the filter, isn't the carbon suppose to help the water??

[Amadhunter]

Hi CN, I'm fairly new also, but having the same questions answered by the great folks here, I can pass it on I think. :)
Most like the Aquaclear filters, due to the massive amount of media, ease of maintenance, and durability.
The way I understand the carbon issue is that it can become "saturated" with contaminants, then suddenly release a large dose into the tank. Not good.
It's not really needed unless removing meds from some sort of treatment, or if there is an ammonia/contaminant spike, for short periods.
More experienced keepers here may be able to help you more. But so far, they haven't led me wrong!

[Ardan]

I agree with madhunter! Good answers.

I like using only sponges in my aquaclears and a sponge on the intake tube ( I clean this sponge every one to 2 days).

With all the wc's (50%/day) carbon is not needed. Also carbon can be linked to HITH disease in discus.

hth

[ghettobanana]

It depends on what type of tank you have. I have a planted tank and would use nothing other than an Eheim, but that is a planted tank. If you have a small tank with nothing in it except discus then I would use an Aquaclear. I have one on a small tank and it's nice.

[Carol_Roberts]

I use Aqua Clear's on every size tank. An AC 200 for a 29 gallon tank, AC 500 for a 55 gallon, two AC 500 for over 100 gallons. Canister filters are nothing but trouble.

[ping]

I use AC filters and sponge filters in all my tanks.
I use carbon in my water storage as i have problems with my tap water. Too much chemicals. I replace the carbon every 3 weeks.

Ronny

[Fish Addict]

I don't use any HOB or canister filters.

55g-tank 6 4" fish
5 sponge filters: 2 hydro 5, 3 with sunction cups.

After I stopped using the HOB filter, I checked amonia and nitrite daily for a week...Everything was fine... ;D

I do 25% of water twice a week.

I fish grow about 1" in two months.

[jules]

Aquaclear with the prefilter(a must) - works really well for me on planted and bb.

[ghettobanana]

I don't use any HOB or canister filters.


I would be afraid of getting BGA. It loves water with little movement, but as long as nothing gets out of balance you have no worries. To be honest you are right you really don’t need one with a heavily planted tank, proper CO2, lights, nutrients, and with good nitrate/phosphate readings.

If you have a tank with 3.5-4 watts per gallon you are going to have large water loss due to evaporation. When using a hang on the back filter you are gonna get splashing and to much activity on the top of your water is not good when using CO2. Go to http://www.plantedtank.net and ask anyone with a planted tank if they would rater have an aquaclear in their large planted tank or an Eheim and they will tell you Eheim 99% of the time.

[CN]

wow, thanks a lot. very helpful! i guess i go with aquaclear then!!! but wat is a sponge filter and how does that help? i ask my LSF but they have these weird looking one? is all sponge filter work the same way? and can you guys also recommend me a brand.

CN

[Amadhunter]

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?filteration&1078723322

Check this link. I bought this same pkg from the seller. Great service, and I really like the filters.
Those are sponge filters, you'll need an air pump, and some tubing. Very simple, easy to clean, and tons of surface area for bacteria. They cause little in the way of current, but I like the surface movement the bubbles cause. They move quite a bit of water too.
There are many different types of sponge filters like this. Search the stores linked on the simply site, but, I don't think you'll beat the prices you'll get em for on that aquabid link above.

[Carol_Roberts]

I have no idea what the best filter is for plants. My only concern is the best filter for discus

I use Aqua Clear's on every size tank. An AC 200 for a 29 gallon tank, AC 500 for a 55 gallon, two AC 500 for over 100 gallons. Canister filters are nothing but trouble.


Hi, Folks:
Carol, you are soooo right! The AquaClear Power Filter is the way to go! (This is my 4th filter change since last summer!) The Emperors 280 or 400 is just way too much unnecessary work of maintenance. Carbon is not needed for the most part in a discus tank (or any fish tank, I suppose, unless removing toxins/meds). I've just upgraded to the 75-g tank. Gonna post some pixs soon. Looking forward to them being developed. 8) --angie--

[jn4u]

Use what filter you like, what I recommend is that u are using a filter that have a large filtervolym. The type of biological filters. Different filters are different popular in different parts of the world.

In Sweden outside biological filters by Eheim have very good reputation in discus breeders. Also the wet/dry system popular and filter carpet.

[fshngal]

Dear CN,

A wet/dry filter on larger tanks 75 gallon and up would be my preferred filtration. I have experimented with canisters, aquaclears and wet/dry.

Growth rates on younger fish are much better in a 150 gal tank with wet/dry filtration.

Although the Aquaclears with added ceramic rings and sponge, not any carbon also provide very good filtering.

Good luck in your choice,

Fshngal(Mary at DD Discus, Inc.)

[CN]

ok!!! i got a aquaclear and got only a sponge in there..so i was just wondering..about the cleaning...cus the filter suck up a lot of food and the food is inside the sponge...is that bad? will that make the quality of the water bad? when do i clean the filter?

[Carol_Roberts]

You need to read through the stickied posts at the top of the beginner section. There are lots of great articles listed in the beginner index too. This one on prefilters will answer your question http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=21;action=display;threadid=7853

[K.Fawson]

Check ou the last 3 posts on page 9 from the link that Carol is sending you to, it's great!

[CN]

thx...that helps a lot....but wat about the sponge filter...people told me that you shouldn't clean it...is this true???

[Carol_Roberts]

Nope. The internal sponges need to be rinsed in dechlorinated water on a schedule depending on fish load, amount fed and how quickly they become dirty

[CN]

thx...carol...after reading your ideas of prefilter sponge on the water intake tube. i was amaze at how much food got suck up in my tank..lucky i found out this or my poor baby..would have gotten bad water from the filter. thx a lot.

cn

Hi Ardan,

I'm a little confused about your cleaning of the sponge filters every other day. I use them too, and and feed several times a day a diet of beefheart, frozen bloodworms, two kinds of pellets, a total of 4 feedings per day. After months of this routine, my sponge filters do not have any gross particles of food/waste debris. I do use the syphon to pull any dirt off the sponge while doing my tank cleaning, but cleaning the filter every other day as in squeezing it out, seems like overkill and I wonder if it can depress the good bacteria? Just a thought, I know there are many ways of discus care and the only right ones are the ones that work for each of us.....

[GulfCoastDiscus]

Here's a pic of my home made sponge filter. Cost a little over 3 bucks.

Dan

[fshngal]

Dan,

That is a very professional sponge filter you have there. Nice job!!!!

Fshngal :)

[GulfCoastDiscus]

Well thank you Fshngal. I bought the replacement hydro sponge and use 3/4" pvc. I also added an airstone for a finer bubbles. :)
I attached to the glass using a suction cups from an ebos heater.

dan

[CN]

like MSDiscus...i'm also confuse about cleaning the external sponge filter? when do we clean it and how many time. people told me that the sponge hold a lot of good bacteria....and told me to clean it by using a tube to syhpon it. is this right?? can someone clear this for me. thx

cn

[Carol_Roberts]

You are not going to squeeze the good bacteria out of the sponge. When you squeeze out the sponge in a bucket of used tank water you are mostly rinsing off the larger particles so the good bacteria can do their job of converting liquid waste to nitrate.