Filter for 55 gallon?
- Thread starter Abercrombie6202
- Start date
I like the emperor 400s also, and I have 2
on my 150 gallon fresh water tank assisting
the wet/dry filter...... but on my 55 gallon
fw tank which houses mostly tetras and 5
smaller plecos, I have 2 Whisper 3s and an
eheim canister. Now I have been thinking
of removing the canister and using it also
on the 150g tank..... but havent done so
at this time.
What I like about the Emperors is the
400 gph water flow and bio-wheel.....
What I dont like is having to buy the
packaged filters (4@ $9 online)....
I like a filter that I can easily clean or
replace the mechnical filter. What I have
done on the 150g tank emperors, is cut
one side of the media baskets that come
with the 400 and use my own filter media.
I have a heavy load of catfish in the thank
and have to change the media at least
weekly on the emperors.....
What I like about the Whispers, the filters
are dirt cheap (24 @ $14 from Thatpetplace)
or its easy enuf to hose them out and
reuse them.....
The flow is not that high on the Whispers
put I've had these two running on the 55g
for months now without any problem....
2 emperor 400s might be a bit too much
on a 55 gallon.....
I was thinking one day of gettnig another
tank the same size as the 55g but 4" taller
and then go with dual 400s.... but right now
that is only a dream.
One suggestion... have 2 filters on your tank....
just in case.
on my 150 gallon fresh water tank assisting
the wet/dry filter...... but on my 55 gallon
fw tank which houses mostly tetras and 5
smaller plecos, I have 2 Whisper 3s and an
eheim canister. Now I have been thinking
of removing the canister and using it also
on the 150g tank..... but havent done so
at this time.
What I like about the Emperors is the
400 gph water flow and bio-wheel.....
What I dont like is having to buy the
packaged filters (4@ $9 online)....
I like a filter that I can easily clean or
replace the mechnical filter. What I have
done on the 150g tank emperors, is cut
one side of the media baskets that come
with the 400 and use my own filter media.
I have a heavy load of catfish in the thank
and have to change the media at least
weekly on the emperors.....
What I like about the Whispers, the filters
are dirt cheap (24 @ $14 from Thatpetplace)
or its easy enuf to hose them out and
reuse them.....
The flow is not that high on the Whispers
put I've had these two running on the 55g
for months now without any problem....
2 emperor 400s might be a bit too much
on a 55 gallon.....
I was thinking one day of gettnig another
tank the same size as the 55g but 4" taller
and then go with dual 400s.... but right now
that is only a dream.
One suggestion... have 2 filters on your tank....
just in case.
Could try two of the new eheim aquaballs as internals with 3(or more stage) filtration possibilities- and expandable.
You ofetn see the eheim wet/ dry canister filters heavily discounted now- as the pro 2 is being pushed. The wet/ dry filters have a faster ammonia breakdown than any filter I have tested (including the eheim pro 2)- but due to their nature I would run them with a small internal as well to take fine debris out of the tank.
Don't skimp on the money when you buy a filter- you'll get fed up eventually and buy another one if you do (or worse you're filter could fail)...
A good tip is to keep the sponge from a sponge filter in your canister, if anything ever goes wrong them (power cut, broken impeller shaft etc) then you can put the sponge on an air powered pump (even battery driven if required)- and at least have *some* biological filtration. Also when you've resolved the problem you can put the sponge back in the canister and it will REALLY speed up recolonization of the filter...
Roy
You ofetn see the eheim wet/ dry canister filters heavily discounted now- as the pro 2 is being pushed. The wet/ dry filters have a faster ammonia breakdown than any filter I have tested (including the eheim pro 2)- but due to their nature I would run them with a small internal as well to take fine debris out of the tank.
Don't skimp on the money when you buy a filter- you'll get fed up eventually and buy another one if you do (or worse you're filter could fail)...
A good tip is to keep the sponge from a sponge filter in your canister, if anything ever goes wrong them (power cut, broken impeller shaft etc) then you can put the sponge on an air powered pump (even battery driven if required)- and at least have *some* biological filtration. Also when you've resolved the problem you can put the sponge back in the canister and it will REALLY speed up recolonization of the filter...
Roy
Fluval canister filters are inexpensive and most local fish stores carry them, at least in the St. Louis area. They are extremely quite and easy to maintain.
My second choice would be an Eheim. I was going to purchase a couple of these, however, the LFS in my area wanted Big Bucks for them. Of coarse, I could have ordered it from Big Al's online. I didn't want to wait.
Anyways, I am very happy with my two Fluval 404's for a 125g tank.
My second choice would be an Eheim. I was going to purchase a couple of these, however, the LFS in my area wanted Big Bucks for them. Of coarse, I could have ordered it from Big Al's online. I didn't want to wait.
Anyways, I am very happy with my two Fluval 404's for a 125g tank.
