My filter sucks...

[roydooms]

I have 2 marineland penguin 350 n a 125g. I know that I should upgrade but is this good enough for now? Each filter is good up to 75g. I'll have 2 blood parrots, jardini arowana and 2 albino bristlenose plecos plus lots of plants. Thanks.

 

[fort384]

I thought filters were supposed to suck

I think you should eventually look towards canister filters... especially for a planted tank that you are thinking of adding CO2 to. It makes it a little easier for that big of a tank.

For now though, I think you will be ok. Always better though to have way more filtration than you need then not enough.

 

[roydooms]

I thought filters were supposed to suck

I think you should eventually look towards canister filters... especially for a planted tank that you are thinking of adding CO2 to. It makes it a little easier for that big of a tank.

For now though, I think you will be ok. Always better though to have way more filtration than you need then not enough.

Hahaha. That's a good one!

Anyway, I'm thinking of getting a fluval fx5 and a co2 system when I get my income tax return. Hehe. Is the fx5 to much? Or there is no such thing as too much filtration? What do you think about DIY co2? Thanks.

 

[fort384]

I think DIY CO2 on a tank that size may cause more problems than it solves. It would be tough to get enough DIY co2 into a tank of 125 gal. Injecting DIY CO2, but not keeping the CO2 up above at least 20ppm can cause some bad algae outbreaks (worse than just having no CO2 at all)... the dreaded black beard algae which is really hard to get rid of, thrives in unstable CO2 levels below 20ppm. With a canister filter, you could build an inline CO2 reactor for a few dollars. But I think you would have to bite the bullet and go pressurized to make it work.

The fluval fx5 is pretty powerful... not sure you need to go that big... you could go with something half the price and use the difference you would spend on getting a pressurized CO2 system setup and running.

Something like Filstar XP3 Canister Filter - up to 175 Gallon | Canister Aquarium Filters | Filters | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com would be enough, especially in a heavily planted tank.

 

[mudraker]

+1 on Fort's advise.

 

[DragonFish71]

I have one question that I'm basing off of your other posts, did you just set this tank up or did you let it go through the cycle? And by cycle I don't mean letting it filter for a day or two before adding fish. I mean did you let it completely go through the bacterial cycle that can take weeks.

I'm asking because I have a special fondness for arowanas and would hate to think this beautiful fish was put in a new tank that hasn't been properly cycled.

 

[roydooms]

I think DIY CO2 on a tank that size may cause more problems than it solves. It would be tough to get enough DIY co2 into a tank of 125 gal. Injecting DIY CO2, but not keeping the CO2 up above at least 20ppm can cause some bad algae outbreaks (worse than just having no CO2 at all)... the dreaded black beard algae which is really hard to get rid of, thrives in unstable CO2 levels below 20ppm. With a canister filter, you could build an inline CO2 reactor for a few dollars. But I think you would have to bite the bullet and go pressurized to make it work.

The fluval fx5 is pretty powerful... not sure you need to go that big... you could go with something half the price and use the difference you would spend on getting a pressurized CO2 system setup and running.

Something like Filstar XP3 Canister Filter - up to 175 Gallon | Canister Aquarium Filters | Filters | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com would be enough, especially in a heavily planted tank.

I see. Ok. I'll get a cheaper filter and buy a co2 system. So, I shouldn't put plants until I get the co2 sys?

 

[fort384]

no, you can put plants in right away. CO2 is not a requirement until you get into the medium-high to high light range on a tank. For low light plants like anubias, java ferns, java moss, etc, CO2 will help, but it is by no means a requirement.

If you are running just 4 of the 6 lights in your fixture, I think you are on the verge of being able to get by without CO2 setup. If you run all 6, CO2 is pretty much a requirement in that high light environment.

 

[roydooms]

I have one question that I'm basing off of your other posts, did you just set this tank up or did you let it go through the cycle? And by cycle I don't mean letting it filter for a day or two before adding fish. I mean did you let it completely go through the bacterial cycle that can take weeks.

I'm asking because I have a special fondness for arowanas and would hate to think this beautiful fish was put in a new tank that hasn't been properly cycled.

My tank is already cycled. Let it run empty for a week then added few fishes. I took a sample to my LFS and were told that my tank is ready for the "expensive" ones. But I'll give it another week with the cycle fish and test it just to make sure. I used to have a silver arowana (2.5') but that was 10yrs ago. I just don't have experience with a planted tank with co2 system.

 

[roydooms]

no, you can put plants in right away. CO2 is not a requirement until you get into the medium-high to high light range on a tank. For low light plants like anubias, java ferns, java moss, etc, CO2 will help, but it is by no means a requirement.

If you are running just 4 of the 6 lights in your fixture, I think you are on the verge of being able to get by without CO2 setup. If you run all 6, CO2 is pretty much a requirement in that high light environment.

I see. I don't need a co2 system after all because I'm only planning to use 4. But if my plants starts to die I might reconsider a co2 system.

I just checked the fixture. the blue actinic lights that I have is 65w-420nm. Not that I'm going use it. Thanks.

 

[DragonFish71]

Hate to tell you this but your LFS is full of fish poo. After a week a tank isn't ready for fish, much less expensive ones. Sounds to me like they want you to get that wonderful fish and it can die from ammonia poisoning so you have to buy a new one. Take those to your LFS and tell them they need to learn a few things about the life cycle of tanks.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...ady-have-fish-what-now-116287.html#post983258


[FONT=&quot][URL="http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/articles/articles/24/1/Nitrogen-Cycle-/Page1.html"]http://www.aquariumadvice.com/articles/articles/24/1/Nitrogen-Cycle-/Page1.html[/FONT][/URL]

 

[roydooms]

Hate to tell you this but your LFS is full of fish poo. After a week a tank isn't ready for fish, much less expensive ones. Sounds to me like they want you to get that wonderful fish and it can die from ammonia poisoning so you have to buy a new one. Take those to your LFS and tell them they need to learn a few things about the life cycle of tanks.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/i-just-learned-about-cycling-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now-116287.html#post983258

[URL="http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/articles/articles/24/1/Nitrogen-Cycle-/Page1.html"]http://www.aquariumadvice.com/articles/articles/24/1/Nitrogen-Cycle-/Page1.html[/URL]

No no no. I ran it empty for a week then added the fish, after 3 weeks I went back with the water sample