eckies Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Hey guys! thought i would ask all your opinions on what sort of filter would be best for me.. I have a 6x2x2 that contains south and central amercans... (jag,jack dempsey, convict,oscar..) iam starting to find as they all grow my internal 3600L/ph isnt really keeping the water clear... the tank is free from food and waste but is turning an murky brown like 3 days after 15-25% water change. I have seen alot of the filter systems that are on offer, and always look at the "FX5"....?? Iam not sure if that is the best choice for me tho. iam good at DIY and have thought about the thing off building my own... Any help would be great guys... i love my cichlids but no expert. haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crick13 Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 hi, i have a 6 by 2 by 2 full of american cichlids from jags to peacock bass , dempsys , trimacs and large oscars among others. most of wich are 12 inches, they are extremely messy and dig alot. i went for a sump with spinner arm and bio balls,,,, works ok . as long as i vacume my rocks once a week and do a large water change... if i did it again i would have drilled extra holes and ran a cannister filter as well on the bottom of the tank,,, with my fish thats were the bulk of the mess is. with the weir it drains from the top and isnt very effective in keeping it clear. i also try not to over feed them to have less waste. they may be messy and agressive but they are great to watch and all have very different personalities and very interactive, good luck with your search mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIMO Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 If you don't want a sump, then for a six foot tank, the next best thing would be TWO good cannisters so you have a pick up at each end. You could fill each one with different types of filter media. You could also dedicate the top layer of each cannister with fine filter wool for that last stage of water polishing. You could still run your internal for added filtration and polishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eckies Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 the fx5's u mean...? that would cost over a grand... wow. i like the sounds of a sump tank but how big would it have to be to be affective.... also how do they work and how do u install...... might be a dumb question but ima not goin to know the answer if i dnt ask... haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crick13 Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 the fx5's u mean...? that would cost over a grand... wow. i like the sounds of a sump tank but how big would it have to be to be affective.... also how do they work and how do u install...... might be a dumb question but ima not goin to know the answer if i dnt ask... haha hi again, either way mate sump or cannister. its not cheap. but you could do a bit of shopping around and you might pick up a second hand bargain,,,,, i got a large second hand ehiem canister for $130 and it runs awsome,,, or go and ask some questions at the local fish shop and see if they can show u a sump filter running so u can get an idea how they work, and then hunt for a second hand one for a third of the price,,, google images seach or youtube search for sump filter should return some images. good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcloughlin2 Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Just make a quick DIY wet dry filter (AKA trickle filter) out of a plastic storage container. How you do it is this: - Buy a 20-30L storage container. - You will need a pump that does at least 2000 litres per hour - Some bio balls and filter wool (Both fine and course) - Few pieces of hosing, spray bar and some bulkheads. This type of filter needs to be situated above the tank because the idea is the pump pumps the water up to the storage container from where it trickles through the course sponge, fine sponge and then the bio balls. For extra polishing have more fine sponge after the bioballs. So back to what you need to do. Find somewhere the container can rest on. It won't ever be very heavy because the idea is the media doesn't sit in the water for maximum oxygen for the anerobic bacteria. Don't put it on the tank brace though! Drill or cut a hole at the top back of the storage container for the hose bringing the water from the tank. Then cut some holes in the opposite side but at the bottom. You will need multiple holes for this because the water will be gravity fed back into the tank. You will need to experiment with how many holes you need because it depends on the pump size. You need to attach a bulkhead onto each of these holes. This allows you to properly secure the hose from the pump so you don't risk that coming out of the container and also if you have no bulkheads on the return holes the water will trickle down the container and won't enter the tank with much pressure. Make sure to silicon these to prevent leaks. Attach your spray bar onto the inlet hose to spread the water over the entire media and then place your media in. I know this probably sounds really confusing as I can't explain it properly without pictures, but if you do this right it will do just as good a job as a sump or cannister but it will set you back $100 tops if you shop around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eckies Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 Just make a quick DIY wet dry filter (AKA trickle filter) out of a plastic storage container. How you do it is this: - Buy a 20-30L storage container. - You will need a pump that does at least 2000 litres per hour - Some bio balls and filter wool (Both fine and course) - Few pieces of hosing, spray bar and some bulkheads. This type of filter needs to be situated above the tank because the idea is the pump pumps the water up to the storage container from where it trickles through the course sponge, fine sponge and then the bio balls. For extra polishing have more fine sponge after the bioballs. So back to what you need to do. Find somewhere the container can rest on. It won't ever be very heavy because the idea is the media doesn't sit in the water for maximum oxygen for the anerobic bacteria. Don't put it on the tank brace though! Drill or cut a hole at the top back of the storage container for the hose bringing the water from the tank. Then cut some holes in the opposite side but at the bottom. You will need multiple holes for this because the water will be gravity fed back into the tank. You will need to experiment with how many holes you need because it depends on the pump size. You need to attach a bulkhead onto each of these holes. This allows you to properly secure the hose from the pump so you don't risk that coming out of the container and also if you have no bulkheads on the return holes the water will trickle down the container and won't enter the tank with much pressure. Make sure to silicon these to prevent leaks. Attach your spray bar onto the inlet hose to spread the water over the entire media and then place your media in. I know this probably sounds really confusing as I can't explain it properly without pictures, but if you do this right it will do just as good a job as a sump or cannister but it will set you back $100 tops if you shop around. thanks for that mate great info has explained very well i will giv it a shot and then put up sum pics of before and after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eckies Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 last question.... what controls the rate that the water flowing from the tank into the last chamber, where the pump pumps it back to the aquarium... what stops the pump chamber droping too low or not pumping enuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcloughlin2 Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 I'm unsure whether that question was directed to me or not but if it is related to my suggestion you don't need to worry about that. The pump sits in the aquarium so is always covered by water and because the idea of the filter is it is gravity fed back into the tank so no need to worry about a pump running dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eckies Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share Posted August 13, 2009 yeah it was to any1... haha that would be a great way to do it but i dont have anywhere to put it above my tank..... iam left with the idea of having a sump tank below my aquarium and then pump it back into the aquarium.... Have seen a few pics and that of them and i like them the most and i think they do a great job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.