ok I love my penguin filters. have had them since I started my first 10 gallon tank about 3 years ago. only thing is I also love sand. I have it in my 55 and also had it in my 10 gallon. now the sand destroyed my filter in my 10 gallon so I switched over to gravel and now have gravel in my new 20 gallon because of that problem. now my question is this: is there any way I can possibly keep the sand out of my filters in my 55 gallon. I have had no issues with my impelers in my 350's but I hear the sand grinding in them every now and then. so any ideas?
hob filter + sand
- Thread starter exhumed07
- Start date
I shortened my intake tube so it was midway up the tank. Less sand should get up that far. I destroyed an impeller then did this and every thing has been working so far for months and no problems. Someone will probably have a better solution to this, so I'm going to be looking at everybody else's solutions too.
well the thing is my 55 gallon has cichlids in it and they kick up the sand almost half way up into the water column sometimes. I did shorten the intake on my 10 gallon but that only helped slightly but sand still got in and I got fed up and converted to gravel after that. but I know my cichlids prefer sand over gravel so I would preffer not to convert my 55 over to gravel. and I also don't want to spend the money to replace 80lbs of sand lol.
I think that may be the only way that would work, IF you can still pull enough water through the homemade sponge/prefilter. Too fine of a prefilter material, and you may not get enough water flow. Too coarse, and you'll still get sand coming through it.
Since it's a 55 gallon, a canister filter will be a better option for sand substrate. Water has to get by the filter media before it gets to the impeller, IIRC. Been a few years since I was looking at a canister filter.
Since it's a 55 gallon, a canister filter will be a better option for sand substrate. Water has to get by the filter media before it gets to the impeller, IIRC. Been a few years since I was looking at a canister filter.
I realy like the soud of the hob filters. well that is when sand is not in the impeler that is lol. I have always found the sound of falling water soothing. where as all canaster filters I've seen. I don't care for the hum and not a fan of hearing the bubbles. it all comes down to personal preferance when it comes to that though.
Not sure what bubbles and hum you are refering to with the canisters, I have 2 running and unless I have their cabinets opened and my ear right next to them they make no noise and both my outlets under the water line so they produce no noise.
The nylon idea may work, I may use that idea myself instead of purchasing sponge filters.
The nylon idea may work, I may use that idea myself instead of purchasing sponge filters.
well I have a friend who has a canaster filter. not sure what kind but it almost sounds like a refrigerator and he had to put a piece of foam under it to keep it from rattleing on the bottom of the cabnet. then from the outlets have big bubbles coming out of it and just don't sound good to me. my 2 penguin 350's I have on my 55 are quieter then his one canister. I know that is only one experiance with one and maybe his is just old I don't know.
I have thought about canasters but one thing is I don't have the money for one and I don't even know the first thing about them. and as for filtering the tanks and keeping the water clean my hob work just fine untill they go bad. once that happens I'll consider getting one.
now about the nylons on the intake. I can understand the idea behind it but wont that stop some of the fish waist from entering the filter as well? like the strings of poo and all that. wont that get caught on the nylons and not get to my filter media?
now about the nylons on the intake. I can understand the idea behind it but wont that stop some of the fish waist from entering the filter as well? like the strings of poo and all that. wont that get caught on the nylons and not get to my filter media?