Good equipment? (10g)

CoolWaters

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Dec 10, 2006
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#1
i was thinking of getting a
Marineland Penguin Bio-Wheel® Aquarium Power Filters 100B (20g filter)
Power Sweep Powerheads by ZooMed 212 (125 GPH)

anyone have either one? and if so is it good?

other things r pretty obvious so im not going to state them.
 

GIS Guy

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Feb 18, 2004
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#2
On a 10g with a power filter and powerheads there might be too much water movement.
Anyone else wish to comment?

I personnally like the bio-wheel.
They provide an exceptional amount of bio filtration.
It should be more than enough for a 10g.
 

aresgod

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Jan 14, 2004
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#3
This is for a nano SW tank right? No on the biowheel, they are nitrate factories, which are bad in SW, try just buying a 10 gallon tank with 2 strong powerheads (the more flow the better, I turn my tank over almost 40X/hr), good lighting and lots of live rock and you will be all set.
 

#4
GIS Guy said:
On a 10g with a power filter and powerheads there might be too much water movement.
Anyone else wish to comment?

I personnally like the bio-wheel.
They provide an exceptional amount of bio filtration.
It should be more than enough for a 10g.
this is good advice... sadly, it doesnt relate to SW.

yes, i have one, i also have its older (more powerful) brother. i had both in my 10 gallon no problem. i think they are wonderful, and reccomend them. but dont get screwed like me, and buy them from petsmart without a printout of their site to price match it. the only drawback i have found is you need to sometimes rub the gunk off of them so they still "sweep" back and forth. only like once a month though.
 

CoolWaters

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Dec 10, 2006
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#5
ok guess i'll get 2 powerheads (125GPH each)

and YahooFishKeeper r u talking about the power filter that needs rubbing?

and GIS Guy dont want the current to be too strong 24hour hurricane...its only a 10 gallon

but the filter is good right?
 

#6
sorry, dont know about the filter, i was referring to the powerheads. also, dont put the sponges on that they come with. if your tank is coudy at forst its okay to use them, but after it clears you should take them off so you dont end up with bad nitrates. also, you could get the bigger ones if you want, 2x125 only turns your tank over 25 times.
 

CoolWaters

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Dec 10, 2006
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#7
YahooFishKeeper said:
sorry, dont know about the filter, i was referring to the powerheads. also, dont put the sponges on that they come with. if your tank is coudy at forst its okay to use them, but after it clears you should take them off so you dont end up with bad nitrates. also, you could get the bigger ones if you want, 2x125 only turns your tank over 25 times.
thanks for the tip about the powerhead

and is turning your tank over 25 times too much?
 

TRe

Elite Fish
Feb 20, 2005
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#15
just get 2 powerheads 200 gph is fine NO FILTER and just put one powerhead on each end of the tank facing each other..... the live rock will be your filtration so make sure you get plenty...live rock/sand, strong water flow, good lighting and lots of water changes = a sucessful tank ;)
 

CoolWaters

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Dec 10, 2006
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#16
if i get like 10-15 lbs of LR then i dont need a filter rite? just 2 X 200GPH powerheads? btw is it ok to get a 200 and a 300 GPH powerhead? or is that too much? and should i keep it balanced?

lol sry for asking so many questions its just that this is my first time and i dont want to screw it up.


btw if the water gets too cloudy/dirty im going to add a filter or more live rock and sand
 

Last edited:
#17
hey, your questions are good, no need to feel bad about them, at least you are learning instead of rushing into things. also someone may have the same questions as you, and come across this thread.

no, you dont need a "filter" such as a HOB or a canister, but i liked having a HOB on my old 10 gallon tank. when i first added the sand, it was very cloudy, so it helped to put the filter pad in there to catch some of the dust. i removed it the next day. also, it helps with surface agitation. a couple months after the tank was set up, my HOB mysterioiusly kicked the bucket. i thought, oh well... no biggy. i was wrong. i soon developed a protien film over the top of the water. i didnt realise that i needed one all along. untill i got a new one, i had to point my 2 most powerful powerheads at the surface to create the movement i needed. also, i think my fish was suffering from oxygen deprivation before i did this.

10 to 15 lbs of LR sounds good to me, and no, you dont need a filter.

2 X 200 powerheads will be fine.

i think it would be fine to get a 200 GPH and a 300GPH powerhead. this turns your water over about 50 times. i think it would be fine to have one powerhead stronger than the other.

if the water is cloudy, i would be fast to blame it on the sand, so adding more wont really help. adding more LR also wont help. about all you can do is wait for it to settle, add a sponge to your powerhead, or add a filter. if you go with a sponge or filter, i suggest removing the filter pad from the filter, or removing the filter completely, and removing the sponge from the powerhead.
 

CoolWaters

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Dec 10, 2006
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#18
YahooFishKeeper said:
hey, your questions are good, no need to feel bad about them, at least you are learning instead of rushing into things. also someone may have the same questions as you, and come across this thread.

no, you dont need a "filter" such as a HOB or a canister, but i liked having a HOB on my old 10 gallon tank. when i first added the sand, it was very cloudy, so it helped to put the filter pad in there to catch some of the dust. i removed it the next day. also, it helps with surface agitation. a couple months after the tank was set up, my HOB mysterioiusly kicked the bucket. i thought, oh well... no biggy. i was wrong. i soon developed a protien film over the top of the water. i didnt realise that i needed one all along. untill i got a new one, i had to point my 2 most powerful powerheads at the surface to create the movement i needed. also, i think my fish was suffering from oxygen deprivation before i did this.

10 to 15 lbs of LR sounds good to me, and no, you dont need a filter.

2 X 200 powerheads will be fine.

i think it would be fine to get a 200 GPH and a 300GPH powerhead. this turns your water over about 50 times. i think it would be fine to have one powerhead stronger than the other.

if the water is cloudy, i would be fast to blame it on the sand, so adding more wont really help. adding more LR also wont help. about all you can do is wait for it to settle, add a sponge to your powerhead, or add a filter. if you go with a sponge or filter, i suggest removing the filter pad from the filter, or removing the filter completely, and removing the sponge from the powerhead.


ic O.O wow thanks for your time.

so if your water is cloudy add a filter for a while or sponges to your powerhead until its all gone then take them out.

and all i need to do is keep the water moving...

how does air enter the tank? like if theres no filter? does the powerhead do all that when its not completely underwater?
 

Lorna

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Mar 3, 2005
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#19
Oxygen enters the tank through the movement of surface water where the gas/water exchange happens. That is why you want surface agitation as it helps also the hob water movement helps also. The water will be cloudy at first and will settle. Once your tank cycles and each and every particle of sand becomes coated with bacteria (the good stuff) it will become weighted down and it settle relatively quickly. I have never filtered any of my tanks after set up, just gave them a week or so during the cycle to calm down as I knew they would eventually. It is human nature to want to rush this process..........but rushing doesn't help it can only hinder good things......so have patience and it will all sort itself out. BTW, you have good questions......
 

CoolWaters

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Dec 10, 2006
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Milpitas
#20
Lorna said:
Oxygen enters the tank through the movement of surface water where the gas/water exchange happens. That is why you want surface agitation as it helps also the hob water movement helps also. The water will be cloudy at first and will settle. Once your tank cycles and each and every particle of sand becomes coated with bacteria (the good stuff) it will become weighted down and it settle relatively quickly. I have never filtered any of my tanks after set up, just gave them a week or so during the cycle to calm down as I knew they would eventually. It is human nature to want to rush this process..........but rushing doesn't help it can only hinder good things......so have patience and it will all sort itself out. BTW, you have good questions......
thank for the cloudy tip.

BTW you people have good answers.....