What filter would you suggest for a 20G tank?

[Jeff likes fish]

i have a 20 gallon tank. i want to get a new filter because my current one is a bit out dated. my tank is a little crowded atm. 2 mollies, 2 platys, 1 skirt tetra, 2 redeye tetra, 1 dwarf gourami, 1 guppy, 1 small common pleco(will be upgrading) 1 angel(will be upgrading) 1 corycat and a yellow fish that i simply could not figure out(no one could at the store) which u can find a thread about on my profile. so my tank is a bit overstocked for the time being, i do maintenance very often, i picked up a liquid test kit and my lvls all check out. 0 nitrate 0 nitrite etc etc. i just want a new filter(sorry for getting off topic)
cost is an object...

 

[itsgracia]

AC50

 

[maxwellag]

I suggest an Aquaclear power filter 50 . I have of 30 in my 10 gallon tank and it works great.

 

[Jeff likes fish]

may i get a link please?

 

[maxwellag]

may i get a link please?

Sorry but I cAnt add a link diff now because I'm on an iPod touch but if you google aquaclear 50 you should find it. I found mine on petsmart.com

 

[Jeff likes fish]

yes i found it on petsmart.com . thank you very much. and oh i know all too well the difficulties of doing this on an itouch. haha much appreciated

 

[redfisher1139]

Spend the extra and grab an AC70. That's what I use on my 20 gallon reef. I know you are FW, but if you are a bit overstocked the extra filtration will help a lot!!

 

[maxwellag]

yes i found it on petsmart.com . thank you very much. and oh i know all too well the difficulties of doing this on an itouch. haha much appreciated

U see? The iPod automatically typed the word diff and Capitol a! . It is hard to type with. U r welcome. I'm glad I could help! One thing I like about he aquaclear is that you replace the carbon every month, the bio pellets every 2 months, and the foam every 3! Talk about not having to cycle the tank every time you change the filter cartridge!

 

[Coleallensmom]

Spend the extra and grab an AC70. That's what I use on my 20 gallon reef. I know you are FW, but if you are a bit overstocked the extra filtration will help a lot!!

Extra filtration can help....but the AC70 is a BIG filter. I can't imagine using one on a 20 gal! Is your 20 gal a 20 long or a 20 high?

 

[Coleallensmom]

U see? The iPod automatically typed the word diff and Capitol a! . It is hard to type with. U r welcome. I'm glad I could help! One thing I like about he aquaclear is that you replace the carbon every month, the bio pellets every 2 months, and the foam every 3! Talk about not having to cycle the tank every time you change the filter cartridge!

Honestly, IMO carbon is waste of $ unless you have a specific reason to use it i.e. to remove meds. The foam doesn't need to be replaced until it starts to fall apart and bio media can be reused as well. You are correct though, the great thing about AC's is that you never have to replace all of your media at one time.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Spend the extra and grab an AC70. That's what I use on my 20 gallon reef. I know you are FW, but if you are a bit overstocked the extra filtration will help a lot!!

I'd have to disagree. Go with the AC50 and if you find yourself over stocked, get a second filter (I had 2 on my 20). 2 good filters will do a lot more than 1 really big one. Plus if one goes down or needs cleaning, you have an automatic back up.

Sent from my Epic 4G using Aquarium

 

[Coleallensmom]

i picked up a liquid test kit and my lvls all check out. 0 nitrate 0 nitrite etc etc.

What exactly are your levels:

Ammonia?
Nitrite?
Nitrate?

As I said in your other thread, I find it hard to believe that an established tank has 0ppm nitrate. (That's a lot of fish for an uncycled tank!)

 

[maxwellag]

Honestly, IMO carbon is waste of $ unless you have a specific reason to use it i.e. to remove meds. The foam doesn't need to be replaced until it starts to fall apart and bio media can be reused as well. You are correct though, the great thing about AC's is that you never have to replace all of your media at one time.

I use the carbon to remove some water detoxinator I use.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

U see? The iPod automatically typed the word diff and Capitol a! . It is hard to type with. U r welcome. I'm glad I could help! One thing I like about he aquaclear is that you replace the carbon every month, the bio pellets every 2 months, and the foam every 3! Talk about not having to cycle the tank every time you change the filter cartridge!

That's what Hagen tells you to buy stuff. Rinse the foam and bio media in water you take out of your tank (never rinse in tap water). Otherwise replace when they fall apart. Save the carbon for when you need it. That's the beauty of AC filters, you can use other mfg's products. I do all the time .

Honestly, IMO carbon is waste of $ unless you have a specific reason to use it i.e. to remove meds. The foam doesn't need to be replaced until it starts to fall apart and bio media can be reused as well. You are correct though, the great thing about AC's is that you never have to replace all of your media at one time.

+1, but you knew that .

Sent from my Epic 4G using Aquarium

 

[Jeff likes fish]

it is 20 high. and yes that sounds ideal! it would be devastating to cycle so often.

 

[Jeff likes fish]

would an AC filter take a medium bio bag? or am i completely off? i have 23 of them, fresh bags and carbon refills.. lol got em for a bargain

 

[Mr. Limpet]

would an AC filter take a medium bio bag? or am i completely off? i have 23 of them, fresh bags and carbon refills.. lol got em for a bargain

AC's will take a lot of different filter media, just adjust (cut, fold, etc.) to fit.

Sent from my Epic 4G using Aquarium

 

[Coleallensmom]

AC's will take a lot of different filter media, just adjust (cut, fold, etc.) to fit.

+1 You can fit quite a bit in an AC. I have a AC70 on my 37 gal and an AC50 on my 20gal and both are full of different media. For example, I have two sponges, a bag of bio media, plus a bag of Purigen in my AC70 alone.

 

[Jeff likes fish]

perfect =] thankyou to everyone in this thread for passing on their knowledge to a newbie

 

[redfisher1139]

My tank is a 20 high. Sorry for the bad advice. Mine is also used as a refugium (not nessaccary in a FW environment).