Advice please -Filtration

I would really appreciate some advice on the filtration/stocking for my tanks:

Tank 1 - 120 L / 10 small Malawi's / interior top buyo filter

Tank 2 - 120 L / 8 guppies / Sobo back hanging filter (see pic)

Tank 2 - 240 L / +- 50 community fish / Sobo internal 4 compartment filter (see pic) + 1 sponge filter

Am I on the right track here? Getting into this hobby I have seen alot of info on canister, HOB and sump filtration. Are they better for larger tanks?

Much appreciated



-

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

 

You are in the best position to make the call on your own filtration choices. My guide, if you have to clean it out more than once a month you are way under filtering or the media you are using is not ideal.

Some tips - plastic media means little. Only use the minimum amount of filter sponge to catch the big stuff, good quality ceramics go a long way, batting as a polisher works great.

later Ferdie

 

Thanks Ferdie

Are you reffering to the internal filter with the four compartments? In order from top to bottom, what would you suggest I put in each compartment?

Much appreciated

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

 

All filters .. all same same for HOB, Canister and all-in-one boxes.

Later Ferdie

 

Thankyou

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

 

Remember I am lazy - now nothing wrong if you have the time and energy to do filter cleans every week, but I find hand in the tanks can cause all sorts of issues if you are just starting out.

I would rather run a HOB for a day that has just got batting in it to polish the water than have it packed into a hard to reach canister that get clogged up in two ticks.

I also run open cell pre-filter sponges on canister intakes and even HOB's to reduce the need to clean the main pot.

Lots depend on your substrate also, PFS - if clean should never break down and cause filter issues - ADA and all the other man made soils create BIG dust storms when you look at them funny etc.

for the last few months I have been a BIG believer in extra aeration - this in theory reduce the need to have a HUGE circulation rate in your tank - well that is my thinking.

Later Ferdie

 

Your first and last tanks have inert substrate it would seem - no clue about the middle one ... for them filtration looks OK. Don'f fix that is not broken.

Later Ferdie

 

Second one is aqua soil thanks Ferdie

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

 

While on the topic of filtration, how many of you guys use UV Sterilizers? I know some are combined with filters.
I don't have one in my tank right now but am looking to add.

 

hmm think only @Pezulu but ... not 100% sure.

Later Ferdie

 

@Wesley0713 ,

I agree with @f-fish

Tank 1
For now you should be ok
Make sure you have as much ceramics, matrix as possible in the filter
Those top filters that come with the Boyu.. Sunsun.. are not very great. The pumps are usually very low flow
Most people I know, myself included, when i had one, eventually replace the pumps with a slightly stronger pump
As I said, short term you should be fine, long term, depending on how big the Malawi's you have get, you might have to up upgrade the tank and in turn the filtration

The guppy tank should be fine, again make sure you have s much ceramics as possible in the filter

The Community tank with 50 fish.... not sure what fish you have there, cant really make out from the picture
Depending on what fish you have there, that tank might be a bit under filtered and could probably do with a HOB
I would fill 3 compartments with ceramics and or matrix and one with sponge

Always remember your fish will grow and with growth comes increased bioload so watch your fish and when your gut feeling starts worrying you re-asses your setups

 

We use UV sterilizers on all our tanks
We have UV Sterilizer units connected to the return of the sumps

 

@MariaS Thanks, I'm kind of surprised I don't hear/read too much about them given their stated benefits. I would hope they'd save me trawling through millions of threads comparing different medications when some of the ailments could in theory not exist with a UV setup.

 

Thankyou Maria I will keep all of that in mind the problem with my tanks are that they are against walls so a HOB wont really work. So possibly get canister filters further down the road. Correct me if I'm wrong but the most important thing in a tank are the nitrite and ammonia levels? Nitrate can be dealt with by doing water changes?

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

 

@Cale24 , this is an interesting topic however, because its being discussed on a thread with a totally different title you probably not getting the feedback you would like to get
Start a thread titled "UV sterilizers, who uses them" and lets see who all responds and throw it out there for discussion

 

Pitty... I have to admit i have never used HOB's as my tanks have always been way too big for that but I know a lot of people use them on smaller tanks and they work quite well
Alternatively yes, a canister relevant to the size of the tank would then be the way to go

Like i said, the Malawi tank before spending money on a lot more filtration, do a little bit of homework on the ones you have and how big they going to get because you might find you going to need to upgrade the tank which then you can go the filtration route suitable for that tank
Unfortunately my experience with all the different Malawi species is not that great but there are a number of members very experienced with them
A good few years ago before the likes of TASA were around, I started a Malawi tank... I think I took the fish all back to the LFS three weeks later.... I just couldnt handle the aggression and them half killing each other. I obviously didnt know then, what to do to stop and balance that out
That was me done with Malawi...

Yes, your ammonia and nitrite are the most important but dont brush off your nitrates as they should not go higher than say... 20
If your nitrates are so high that you have to do more than usual water changes that means something is not right with your filtration and although nitrates are not fast killers to your fish like ammonia, you do gradually start loosing fish as they slowly stop eating so well, get lethargic and you start loosing fish here and there without apparent cause of disease.
Clean your sponges as soon as you see they rather dirty to get rid of the bigger gunk which can start pushing up nitrates and also if very dirty start reducing the flow through your filter

 

Thanks Maria I have Mbuna Cichlids so they shouldn't get very big from my research and so far the aggression isnt too bad, their is definatly a tank boss that roams at the top but iv got quite a few hiding places so they all have their own spots. Quick question though, correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't having alot of plants help with filtration? The community tank is quite planted but looking at adding more

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

 

Since my first 1.5m tank, I realized that the conventional filtering I was using in those days, just did not do it. I eventually switch to canister bio-filters and and never looked back. I always run 2 on the big 1.5 meter tanks. I am like Ferdie, I dont like to have to continually clean filters all the time, it also detracts from the fun of the hobby. weekly or biweekly water changes as quick and easier. I also agree with Ferdie, with regards to aeration, the more the better.

 

BTW with regards to the SEBO back hanging internal filter, I currently have one of those running on my very small tank at the office, ist only about 30 liters. When I first install it I was not that impressed and I felt it was not going the job. Then I took out the silly cartridges they have in their, I filled the left hand side with a couple of ceramics and replaced the cartridges with a bag of activated. That worked perfectly. All I do is take out the bag of carbon once a month a rinse it and put it back and then do a 25% water change as well. How ever I would not use this type of filter on anything bigger, I don't have much faith in them.

You could also consider building your own filters, their are many projects on Youtube to do this. Especially on Joey's channel. I am seriously thinking of building my next canister filter on my own. I am sick and tired of purchasing expensive canister filters every couple of years because spares are no longer available.

 

If its Mbuna then you might be ok with that tank, you will just have to monitor and see how it goes
Yes, plants do help with filtration to a certain extent but there has to be a balance between the amount and size of fish versus how much the plants contribute to the filtration
Again you will have to monitor and see as the tank develops and the fish grow, if the filtration and the plants are still coping

As I mentioned the other day, what your tank starts off as today, is not what it will be in a yea's time
Fish grow and maybe multiply so you always have to keep that in mind and be prepared to have to upgrade the filtration if the need arises