what filter would be good in my tank ??????

[fishy...fishy]

my friend made me a tank its octagonal and is about 180Liters i think thats 39.6Gallons??? he has taught me everything i need to know i have books, google, local pet sore BUT i have no idea about filters i dont understand them i just cant please someone help me i just want to know how many liters per hour a filter should be filtering??? lol


250L & 60L & 180L & 40L(mate set it up i just look after it all)
6 fancy guppies
5 alino guppies + fry
3 mollies
1 pleco
1 albino bristle nose
2 kuhli loaches
9 swordtails
1 Platy + fry
3 black neon tetras
2 black line tetras

 

[ryanoh]

With a top like the you aren't really going to be able to go the HOB route. You could do a sponge filter, but I think in a tank that size you need to get something a little bit stronger, so I'd go with something internal, or a canister.

 

[Dan Steveo]

Very nice tank,

I have a 190L tank with a fluval 205, most filters have a number or code that associates them with a tank size... mine is perfect for a tank at 205 litres, so you could get a filter doing up to lets say 220L you don't want to go too crazy, I know a fluval 205 would be ok, but up to you what brand etc.. just make sure it says suitable for tank size of.. X litres

An external filter will be a lot better for you in the long run, much better for maintenance. no need to go into the tank and take out a filter, potentially messing up the water or plants etc, scaring the fish and on top of that taking longer, i just turn off the valves unclip the top and clean the filter media in a bucket of tank water.. 3 mins later it's ready and working again.


even a hexagon should do good with one.. you can buy spray bars and so on to attatch...

 

[fishy...fishy]

thank yous so much i have been given a fluval 203 just got to try get it working something is missing in the middle container bit lol (please excuse my dumb-ness) and how it sits outside the tank but filters the water inside the tank???????????????? i will sort it out with alot of help from google cheers Holly


250L & 60L & 180L & 40L(mate set it up i just look after it all)
6 fancy guppies
5 alino guppies + fry
3 mollies
1 pleco
1 albino bristle nose
2 kuhli loaches
9 swordtails
1 Platy + fry
3 black neon tetras
2 black line tetras

 

[skjl47]

Hello; A sponge filter could be a starting point. I have buried them in a corner and left them. Also provides a source of bubbles. It will also give you a source of beneficial bacteria after a while. A past post suggested splitting the foam medium of a sponge filter in order to have a readily removable source of beneficial bacteria. If the cover is not tempered glass, it may be possile to alter it to allow for some sort of outside filter.

 

[fishy...fishy]

thank you skjl47 i have two sponge filters one large one small and under gravel filters and fluval 203 lol i bought all of them and them didnt know what to do with them untill now thank yous all

 

[aakaakaak]

I wouldn't bother with the undergravel. The tank is going to be fun enough to clean without having to mess with that. The fluval is your best bet I think.

If it's possible, maybe you could get your friend to drill a couple circles for gaskets so you could pump water directly into the tank instead of having the water tubes wrap all over the place. Have one hole at about where you want the top of your waterline and the second hole about 2-4 inches below where you want your water line. You want to blow from the top and suck from the bottom. Also, I'd put one hole, skip a glass panel, then drill the other hole. It should assist with water flow that way.

 

[Dan Steveo]

well said... And fluval is definitely better, it is gravity fed, sucks water in and pumps it out, easy to maintain and doe the job good. all the problem is, is fitting it to your tank, the top may be difficult, inless you have a hole cut specifically.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; I know that undergravel filters are not in favor now, but for a very long time they were in common use. I have used them in the past without any problems. They do not remove detritus from the tank, much like a sponge filter does not. I have set up tanks with and without undergravel filters, with and without outside filters and most every combination of filters. I find that the gravel gets just as dirty either way when I do a total breakdown. The statement has been made in this thread and in others about undergravel filters being hard to clean. Undergravel filters basically stay in place and are not touched at all while the tank is set up, especially if you have rooted plants. I do not know what is meant when talking about cleaning them. In my experience it is possible to keep a tank set up for several years, (bigger tanks last longer) but eventually it will need to be broken down cleaned and set up again.

 

[symon_say]

Canister filter is the way to go IMHO.

 

[nanu156]

hey dan, make sure your L128 is over 4" when you pick him up, also delay on the pick up for minimum 2 weeks they are not very hardy when they are small.

You will like him, make sure to plan to feed a sinking meety pellet daily and a blanched squash 2x a week, now he needs a green phantom for a friend.

here are my blue and green phantoms as well as my gold nugget who snuck in for the money shot.