FILTER SETUP.....

[talktomrgibson]

hi, i picked up my new tank today! how exciting :P
and i am trying to work out what filter to get for it. i am going to be keeping about 5 discus in the tank, it's 250L 4ftx1.5ftx1.5ft.

i have previously used Aquaclear filters, i was thinking of getting the same again?????? probably and Aquaclear 70 Power Filter on one end and then a Power Head 70 up the other......is this wize or not?

the reason i don't want to go canistor is primarily becuase i don't understand how they work and what other parts i need to put into the tank to make them work. I.E. what do i need to use them that WON'T come with the filter kit. i was thinking if i did go canistor it would be a Ehiem 2217.

i want to set up a CO2 system as well, it's gonna be all planted with discus and some tetras. gonna be aweosme :) hehehe

i just want to get the filtration started because i need a 6 week heads up b4 fish.

I appreciate your input
Nic.

[Mr Discus]

Hi Nic,

Congrats on the new tank - all of us fish geeks get all giddy like little school girls when we are setting up a new tank!

I have used Aquaclear filters in the past as well - they are good for simple tropical setups, and tend to work well for what they are. But the problem is they don't have a very big surface area for bacterial growth, and one thing we all know about discus is that their water quality needs to be as good as possible, and the Aquaclear's don't really offer enough size in the way of a bacterial colony to turn over a large amount of water with maximum bacterial surface area.

Canister filters are far superior for our use (us meaning discus keepers), because of the huge turnover rates and filter media surface area that they are capable of. They are very easy to maintain and once you set them up, you very rarely need to do anything with them except clean them once a month for even once every 2 months depending on bioload.

5 discus in a 250L tank is spot on, you could even squeeze one more in there if you really wanted to, which I'm sure you will in time! Just remember that other than 5 discus and a tetra school, you will also need some algae controlling fish and scavengers like Bristlenose Cats, or Whiptails, SAE's, Cory's, Clown Loach etc. (Not all those, but they are examples).

Pretty much ALL canister filters now come with EVERYTHING needed all in the box. You will not need to buy anything extra. The majority now also come with a decent amount of filter media as well. So all you need to do is hook it all up (there are instructions), put it all together and run it!

I would highly recommend going to your LFS and having a chat with them about your tank, your intentions with the tank and what you want out of it. They will hopefully point you in the right direction of a good quality canister filter (Eheim, Aqua One Aquis, Fluval etc), and be able to answer any questions at all that you have about it, and might even offer to help you set it up if they are nice enough.

Just remember, the LFS and anyone else who gives you filter advice will have their favourite brands and also brands that they hate. The best thing to do is get as many opinions as you can, and then make your own judgements based on that. For example, I have an Aqua One Aquis, which my fave LFS has running on their discus/planted display tank, and they rave about its performance, and I love it too. But other members don't like them, its each to their own!

Good luck Nic, and don't be afraid to ask questions!

[Hollowman]

I concurr with the above.

Cannister filters (or externals) are by far the best option here. IME and IMO both the Eheim 2217+ and the AquaOne CF1200 would be good for you. I use both in one of my tanks. They are silent and have a great turnover of water.
I have a friend who has been running the Eheim 2217 for the last 10 years with no trouble at all.
The filter media that these hold allows a huge amount of bacteria to grow and so give you a really stable environment.

I also run a few air driven sponges in the same tank too, overkill, but handy for emergencies.

hth

Hollowman

[Greggy]

Don't muck around... get an Eheim 2217 Classic and you'll have a bullet-proof filter with clean, crystal clear water and healthy fish.

Regards,

Greggy