I don't hate bio-wheels, just never saw a need for them. I actually have 1 on the 29
gal tank and 1 on the 5
gal tank. For the ones that don't have them, I use ceramic rings. The only problem that I had with the wheels was when they just stopped working on my old filter. I'd clean the spinner but it just didn't run smoothly. My brother has it now on his 55
gal tank and they have stopped completly, no matter what he does. But he doesn't take very good care of his tank the way it is. I'm trying to talk him into getting a canister.
Regarding the air, if you don't plan on using an airstone, then I'd have at least one
hob. I don't like having too many airstones in my tank either so I put some of those sinking airstones in the back corners of the tank. It helps disguise the wires with the air bubbles.
In regards to the carbon, you don't need it. I was weary about taking it out of my filters at first, but now none of them have it (except the 5
gal but that's just beacuse the cartridge is so small that I can't fit anything else in it). The carbon is only active for 7 days anyways and after that just becomes useless compared to something like the balls or rings.
I am a big Cascade chick. We got our first 1000 after months of saving then after the purchase realized that we could have saved 50% by buying it online. Imagine our disapointment. Then we upgraded tanks to the 150 so we bought the 1200 in addition to having the 1000. Then when I started setting up the new 55
gal, bought another 1000.
People have their brands. Some will tell you to buy the Fluval or Eheim or Rena or whatever. It's all just a matter of preference. I've become accustomed to the Cascade line and have great success with them. I just mentioned the 1000 because you had already mentioned the 300.
Some stores don't sell a big assortment of filters. Ours only carried the Cascade brand. I thought maybe yours is simliar to how ours is.
The 300 only runs at 70
gph. That's not enough filtration for a 55
gal tank. I'd only stick that on a 10
gal tank. If you add on the Penguin 200, that's an additional 200
gph. The H.O.T. Magnum runs about 250
gph. If you are wanting to get the Penguin and the H.O.T. Magnum, that will give you enough filtration. You'd be looking at a turnover rate of about 8x per hour. Which
IMO is good.
I don't mind overstocking and it's really a personal point of view in regards to what is overstocking. If you equally balance the levels in the aquarium with proper fish, you could have 70 inches of fish in a 55
gal tank perfectly fine. Just as long as you have proper filtration and take care of the water correctly, you shouldn't have any problems with diseases or related deaths. But when you get into ovestocking, you have to be careful on what you put together in regards to levels.
It sounds like you have a great plan. I use a power filter in a planted tank and have yet to have issues. Just make sure the output doesn't land right on your plants roots.
I did that in the 10
gal and everytime I'd do a water change the output water would splash onto the plant roots. Not a pretty sight.
Eventually they were all moved to the 5
gal and it has been thriving ever since.
HTH
