Alright guys/girls....help me make a decision before I pull my hair out. I've been goin back and forth on what filter setup to do for awhile now. Basically I'm lookin at 3 options. A wet/dry (which would have to be DIY), Two medium sized canisters (fluval 404), or a monster canister (fluval fx5). The canisters are definitely attractive simply for the ease of use/setup. In the end though I'm just lookin for the best setup. Also, would it be wise to throw in a HOB (emperor 400) with any of the above setups? In any case there will be UGJ's and the top of the tank is 5 1/2 ft. off the ground if that makes a difference. So any clear cut winners here? Thanks for any help.
Help with filter setup for a 125
- Thread starter hoamskilet
- Start date
I would probably go in combination of a canister (404, XP3, something along those lines) and a wet/dry. I'm a beliver in backups and different types of filtration on larger tanks. I don't think that a HOB would do much good on such a large tank.
Add the wet/dry first and the canister. You can't get much better for bio-filtration than a wet/dry IMHO, and canister's are pretty good for mechanical. If the need arrises down the road for more of either, you can simply add another canister taylored to what ever you need it for.
Add the wet/dry first and the canister. You can't get much better for bio-filtration than a wet/dry IMHO, and canister's are pretty good for mechanical. If the need arrises down the road for more of either, you can simply add another canister taylored to what ever you need it for.
I'm a bit of a megalomaniac, but I'd make a wet/dry drip tray leading into a large sump, and a canister besides(Coming from and going to the main tank, not the sump)
On the other hand, I'm very courious as to the performance of fluidized bed filters:http://www.pentairaquatics.com/products/detail/fluidized_bed.html
On the other hand, I'm very courious as to the performance of fluidized bed filters:http://www.pentairaquatics.com/products/detail/fluidized_bed.html
Oh great, one more option...thanks a lot
Just messin. That does sound interesting though. So if I do decide to go wet/dry (the tank will have an overflow box as i don't really want to have it drilled), what size do ya think I should go with, and how big of a pump? Also, would i be able to power my UGJ's with the return from the wet/dry, or is that better off left to it's own deal? Thanks for the help thus far.
There is lots of room to play around here, but for a pump, just make sure it matches your overflow. I'd aim for around 10 times the tank volume per minute(6-10 is recommended), so 125x10= 1250; so I'd get an overflow rated at 1200GPM(or two rated at 600) and a pump rated at 1200GPM.
EDIT: there are many options here; you could get an 800 gpm overflow; if you use a cannister aswell, you could just get a 600. Just make sure the pump is rated at the same flowrate.
There's no reason you couldn't push the return under the gravel, but I'm not sure I would... I'd probably have the return close to the surface, and then have a cannister flow to the UGJ... or maybe I'd go vice-versa... I don't know. Leave me alone
as for the size for a wet/dry, I'll let someone take that one. I'd still prefer a sump though(which could just be a large wet/dry).
EDIT: there are many options here; you could get an 800 gpm overflow; if you use a cannister aswell, you could just get a 600. Just make sure the pump is rated at the same flowrate.
There's no reason you couldn't push the return under the gravel, but I'm not sure I would... I'd probably have the return close to the surface, and then have a cannister flow to the UGJ... or maybe I'd go vice-versa... I don't know. Leave me alone
as for the size for a wet/dry, I'll let someone take that one. I'd still prefer a sump though(which could just be a large wet/dry).
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I wouldn't do two return pumps to return the water back to the tank. Just one more thing to take care of, and for the electrical cost, I belive that for most it would be cheaper to run one pump @ 1200 gph than two @600 gph.
That said I would have a backup pump on hand incase the main pump did go out. This way you can still have at least some water moving so that all your bacteria doesn't die untill the new pump arrives.
For the UGJ I would do a dedicated pump just for those. In a tank this large you are going to probably have many outlets, and are going to need all the gph from a pump you will be able to get. If the pump is in the sump it is going to loose a lot of gph by the time it goes straight up 4 feet, and then has to push the jets. Same basic thing with using a canister to power them. I have a pump @800 gph with 5 jets in my 75 gallon and it works great. I know it wouldn't be anywhere as good if I left it up to my canister to power them.
That said I would have a backup pump on hand incase the main pump did go out. This way you can still have at least some water moving so that all your bacteria doesn't die untill the new pump arrives.
For the UGJ I would do a dedicated pump just for those. In a tank this large you are going to probably have many outlets, and are going to need all the gph from a pump you will be able to get. If the pump is in the sump it is going to loose a lot of gph by the time it goes straight up 4 feet, and then has to push the jets. Same basic thing with using a canister to power them. I have a pump @800 gph with 5 jets in my 75 gallon and it works great. I know it wouldn't be anywhere as good if I left it up to my canister to power them.