dazzman
xenotilapia
Mbuna Boy
Posts: 675
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Post by dazzman on Sept 25, 2012 14:18:08 GMT 11
I'm currently in the process of obtaining all of the neccessary items to set up a 6' x 14" x 18" (approx 320ltrs) Mbuna tank. While i already have smaller Mbuna tanks running with a cannister filter + powerhead/internal filter i was wondering if perhaps i am better off running 2 canister filters instead. I will be running fry/spitting/holding tanks underneath so a sump is not in consideration. These are the 2 options i am weighing up at the moment and the pro's and con's as i see it so far.
setup A; 1400lph canister filter + 990lph power head/internal filter with venturi. pro's; the power head also provides airation without the extra noise you have with airpumps/airstones. this setup uses less power than 2 canister filters + an airpump for airation. con's; the powerhead/internal filter requires more frequent cleaning than a cannister filter does. the internal filter takes up more space inside the tank and is more noticeable.
setup B; 1400lph canister filter + 1000-1200lph canister filter + air pump/air stone for airation. pro's; much better filtration (more volume of filter media). less noticeability and space taken up inside the tank. con's; will use more power than setup A. possibly less current inside the tank if both canisters have spray bars (not sure about the validity of this point). less space under the tank inside the tank cabinet (probably not really an issue). more noise with the use of the airpumps.
any thoughts on this guys?
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Post by Admin on Sept 25, 2012 19:17:08 GMT 11
Stocking density? bare bottom or media? That will be the limiting factor with any filter setup.
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moy
xenotilapia
Posts: 669
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Post by moy on Sept 25, 2012 20:21:06 GMT 11
What about option C ? Getting a Lp 60 air pump and running all your tanks including holding/spitting off sponge filters! Very cheap and effective. Just thought?
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Craig
Tropheus
Posts: 400
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Post by Craig on Sept 25, 2012 20:33:19 GMT 11
Hey Dazz, I have a Fluval 405 (I think 1300lt/hr?) in a standard 6fter, with a couple of airstones and it keeps nice and clear etc. I try to do weekly vacuum/water changes and it seems to go well. I am a bit lazy/busy and generally clean out the filter when the flow is noticeably slowed, and all seems to go well. I have another 2 x std 6fters each running a big powerhead internal filter, big sponge filter and airstones. They struggle a bit but I get by with the vacuum/water changes etc. Definitely more filter cleaning with these. With my MTS, I have always just adapted what I had around at the time and never really thought too far ahead ( sad I know , but the above works for me ). All are reasonably well stocked. I guess it comes down to how much $$$ you want to put into it. I believe in a little redundancy with the additional airstones (oxygen levels) just in case of a pump failure etc as I had a horrible experience with a single old powerhead only, going wheels up one hot summer night and I lost an overstocked tank full of great fish HTH Cheers Craig
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dazzman
xenotilapia
Mbuna Boy
Posts: 675
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Post by dazzman on Sept 26, 2012 11:11:59 GMT 11
Not keen on option C Mitch, i do use sponge filters for fry tanks though. If my other tanks are anything to go by it'll be overstocked but i'm going to try not to. I was thinking maybe 30 fish, nothing bigger than 15cm. How does that sound? I'll have coral sand and lots of rockwork with a 3d background.
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moy
xenotilapia
Posts: 669
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Post by moy on Sept 26, 2012 21:39:09 GMT 11
Sounds good. I have 45 yellows, 3 pheno tanzanias, 7 lethrinops and a trio of albino longfins in my 6x2x2 and you wouldnt even think there was half that in there. I know its abit bigger then yours but I think 30 would be under stocked at 15cm for your tank. The more the merryer!
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Post by Admin on Sept 27, 2012 23:02:12 GMT 11
If you have the option id use the 2 canisters, plenty of filter for 30 plus fish but loose the spray bars as they restrict flow. use an intake and exhaust at either end of the tank and the turbidity created by the two flows colliding will create plenty of oxy exchange. Had over 100 adult fish in the 5.5 x 2 x 2 many times with only 3600lph of cannister without problems. Hot days oxy was an issue but with your stocking density you wont have any problems.
Edit 4600lph.
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Post by joller on Sept 28, 2012 21:27:41 GMT 11
i agree with dean, option 2 minus the air
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dazzman
xenotilapia
Mbuna Boy
Posts: 675
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Post by dazzman on Oct 9, 2012 9:40:15 GMT 11
use an intake and exhaust at either end of the tank . This doesnt just push all the waste to the middle of the tank Deano? And do you think i could go with more than 30 fish???
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Post by joller on Oct 9, 2012 16:39:19 GMT 11
you could put 2 intakes in the middle if that became a problem, too many variables to know for sure what will happen, but i reckon you'll be ok
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dazzman
xenotilapia
Mbuna Boy
Posts: 675
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Post by dazzman on Oct 9, 2012 20:43:40 GMT 11
thanks for your imput so far guys, keep it coming. look what i picked up from the post office this arvo I now have a new Nautilus 1400 and a second hand CF1200 thanks very much to Warren.
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dazzman
xenotilapia
Mbuna Boy
Posts: 675
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Post by dazzman on Nov 27, 2012 5:00:02 GMT 11
change of plan, i'm now going to keep the CF1200 for a 4 foot x 14" x 20" tank that i'll use for a display/grow out tank and use the Nautilus 1400 & a CF1000 on the 6 foot x 14" x 20" instead.
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Post by neilmar on Nov 27, 2012 8:32:43 GMT 11
i have a 6x2x2 tank and i run 2x 2200ltr ph in my tank with a air pump, yea might cost a little more to run, but i have a heap of fish in there, and they all seem very happy,but if your worried about the cost of running well maybe dazz its the wrong hobby for you as there is no other way to run tanks to save power, unless you use mitchs idea,,
but on an other note!! i believe you cant over filtrate or oxygen the more the better with planty of water changes then you can stock your tank more and they will all be happy
cheers neil
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dazzman
xenotilapia
Mbuna Boy
Posts: 675
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Post by dazzman on Nov 27, 2012 13:12:57 GMT 11
I never said that i was concerned about the running costs Neil, i merely noted it as a con.
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Post by neilmar on Nov 27, 2012 14:36:07 GMT 11
oh ok sorry dazz
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dazzman
xenotilapia
Mbuna Boy
Posts: 675
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Post by dazzman on Nov 27, 2012 16:14:42 GMT 11
No worries mate it's all good. On Thurs night i had a mate give me a hand to bring the tank with 3d background installed inside, it's now sitting on the stand that i have been building which isn't finished yet but at a stage where i can use it. Friday night i put about 175 litres of dechlorinated tap water in and an internal filter that had been running on my 3 footer. On Saturday i washed about 18 or so litres of new coral sand and added that to the tank along with about 60 litres of tank water from the 3 footer. On Monday night i added a 300 watt heater, another 20 litres of tank water from a fry tank and the CF1000 which i had been seeding by running on the 3 footer for about a month. When i added the CF1000 it made the water a bit green and cloudy but it seems to have cleared up over night. I also added a tiny bit of tropical flakes and one of those weekend food squares that slowly breakdown releasing food. Tonight i will probably add a little bit more flake food.
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Post by firthy13 on Nov 28, 2012 10:41:55 GMT 11
the fasted way to cycle a tank is to clean out an old, well seeded canister filter in to the tank you want to cycle. squeeze all that brown sludgey stuff that comes out of soft media straight in to the tank. it will look gross for 1-2 days, but will clear and your tank will be fine to start adding fish.
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Craig
Tropheus
Posts: 400
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Post by Craig on Nov 28, 2012 16:33:33 GMT 11
Sounds good Daz , I have filled new tanks with established tanks water (basically water changes without vaccuuming, already heated and ready to go) and added fish almost straight away and never had issues. Better safe than sorry Cheers Craig
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dazzman
xenotilapia
Mbuna Boy
Posts: 675
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Post by dazzman on Nov 28, 2012 21:05:57 GMT 11
thanks guys.
I kind of did that firthy, when i put the CF1000 on to the 3 footer to get some bacteria built up in it a month ago i cleaned 3 sponge filters into the tank, like you said it made the water murky for a while. Tonight i cleaned another sponge filter into the 6 footer and added a couple of fish that i'm not to fussed about. I also tested the water for Kh & GH and found they needed adjusting so i added some Bi Carb and pool salt.
I don't have a test kit for ammonia, nitrite or nitrate at the moment so i'll grab one and take some tests for those. How often should i test for those and when should i do a water change and what %?
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dazzman
xenotilapia
Mbuna Boy
Posts: 675
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Post by dazzman on Nov 29, 2012 18:42:33 GMT 11
so today's test results were; Ammonia - between 0 & 0.25 ppm Nitrite - 0 Nitrate - between 40 - 80 ppm
typical results for well filtered seeded water but aparently the Nitrate levels were a little high so i took 40 litres out and put 50 litres of fresh dechlorinated water back in.
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