new filter question

[spyyro]

I'm looking to possibly buy a used 65 gallon tank w/ stand and canopy but it doesn't include a filter. So... what is the best filter to buy and what to stay away from? I currently use a AquaClear HOB filter for my 29 gallon and I've had no problems with it. Any recommendations? I'm looking to possibly use a sand substrate and maybe a live plant or two in the new tank... currently undecided ATM.

Also, what are the benefits/disadvantages of using a HOB filter versus a canister type? (as I have no experience whatsoever with the canister type)

 

[theotheragentm]

Go with a canister filter. A Rena XP3 would do the trick. It's got a spraybar outlet that gives you pretty good water flow.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I'd go with a canister. Fluval, Eheim, Cascade, and Rena are all good brands to choose from. Advantages: Hidden, less noise, more efficient, easy to clean (my Cascade is a breeze), and easy to move around (no worries of water splashing out. Mine also has a handle). It may be intimidating to look at but a canister is easy to maintain. It took me (technical idiot) under 15 minutes to set up my canister. Even I can disconnect, clean, and reconnect without any issues.

 

[spyyro]

Wow... as I look around on the internet, these canister type filters come with quite a price tag on them... quite expensive!

 

[Fishyfanatic]

They are more expensive, but worth it IMO. Check out www.bigalsonline.com for pricing. For a 65 gal tank you'll want at least 2 hob filters plus a power head for water circulation. Then price compare. Honestly, if I was going with a 65 and using HOBs I'd probably put 3 AC filters on the tank to increase the water quality.

 

[Zagz]

For that size of tank I would have to agree. They are more expensive but more powerful and more effcient IMO.

 

[gu2high]

IMO, it depends on your fish load. If it is heavy and you have big fish, a canister is the best. If the load is light and fish are small, one HOB is enough. Some extreme people even think filter is not necessary for a well-planted tank.

I have a AC 70 on a 58gal and it works well enough. It has a water fall from outlet which causes a mild water circulation that I like. And I have plants which help a lot.

In ancient China, people raise gold fish in big bowls for thousand years. The bowls were made of clay which has numerous pores to hold beneficial bacteria. No filter at all.

 

[Quake2player]

Wow... as I look around on the internet, these canister type filters come with quite a price tag on them... quite expensive!

Compared to "brick & mortar" retailers, I've found online prices to be hands down cheaper. I also have a 29 gallon and I use 2 filters so you definitely need heavy duty filtering for 65 gallons:

- Marineland Emperor HOB w/bio-wheel
- Rena XP1 cannister ($60-$75 at Dr Foster Smith online vs. $100-$125 when I shopped at my local retailers!). An XP1 would be too small for a 65gal.... XP3 as a previous poster mentioned, would be better for a 65 gal.

If you're not overstocking your tank, then you obviously can get away with minimal filtration. Otherwise... trust not just me, but what the other seasoned veterans are recommending about how you cannot "overfilter" your tank as long as you don't overdo it and the out flow is way too strong for your fish. Filtration is literally the lifeline of you fish's environment.... that along with frequent partial water changes are the secrets to healthy long living fish.

 

[BillD]

An AC 110, would be more than enough filtration for that tank. Much easier to clean than a cannister, and much cheaper. If you want extra biofilter, add a second sponge. If you like to spend money, than go with more filters or a cannister. However, regardless of how many filters you put on, you can not reduce ammonia and nitrite below 0. Nitrate numbers will be the same whether you have one adequate filter or ten, and the same amount of water will need changing. If you were going with a lot of plants, I would downsize to the AC70. AC filters don't even need to be turned off to clean. A clean filter is an efficient filter, so one that is easy to clean, is better, as you are more likely to clean it regularily.

 

[severum mama]

Canisters are great, I use them and recommend them. If you don't want to spend the money on a canister, then you can overfilter with HOBs. Don't pay any attention to the manufacturer's tank size rating; you'll need more filtration than that. For HOBs, I'd go with Aquaclears as they are cheaper than Emperors and a lot more quiet. You could either get 2 AC 70's, or go with 1 AC 110. I'd personally get the 2 AC 70's, because then you can hang one on each side of the tank and that will provide you with plenty of current all over the tank, avoiding the need for a powerhead.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I'd also go with the two, but watch for dead areas in the tank. One of the 55 gal tanks that my husband maintains has two AC 70s. They are great but there are a few dead areas that required a power head. And I completly agree with Sev, go with the ACs.

 

[squeekness]

I have a 110 gallon and I run two filters -- An AquaClear 500 and a Magnum 350. When I had a 55 gallon, I thought that the AC500 alone was enough but when I got my 110, I found I liked the combo of an AC and a cansiter together much better. In the AC I run with the big sponge, a small bag of carbon and two bags of the ceramic media. In the cansiter, I run only the paper 1 micron polishing sleeve, not the carbon/floss inserts that came with it. The sleeves can be used over and over again, you soak the dirty ones in a bleach/water solution overnight as per the directions and two sleeves rotated back and forth are good for over a year, even more so if you have a low bio load. I run the 1 micron sleeve all the time - it's not like using diatom earth which would strip the tank. In my book you can't have too much filtration going on (except with a diatom), so I agree that having two or even three filters running is not a bad thing. I just suggest you try using different kinds, like a AC/cansiter combo.