55 gallon low light tank...cannister filter needed? - Aquarium Advice

Jason the Lost · 09-07-2005, 03:11 PM

Cannister filters...How are they mounted in on the tank? Is there special accomodations needed on a standard 55 gallon tank? Sorry for all the questions, as the name says...I'm lost. Are they really even needed for a low light planted?

Xzap · 09-07-2005, 03:32 PM

Canister filter are connected to the tank by 2 hoses, an intake and output. They don't mount on the tank itself.

Here's a good and easy read on canister filters

http://honors.montana.edu/~weif/firs...canister.phtml

Thx,

Dave

Jason the Lost · 09-07-2005, 03:36 PM

So these would need the holes drilled in the tanks?

rich311k · 09-07-2005, 03:37 PM

You wont have to drill any holes. Tubes go in through the top.

Jason the Lost · 09-07-2005, 03:45 PM

just found a diagram, thanks. I think I'll just go with a canister filter right off the bat in case I decide to upgrade to higher light later.

Zezmo · 09-07-2005, 04:23 PM

Does this mean you have no filter at all? Or do you already have a [acronym:25bf464d00="Hang On Back"]HOB[/acronym:25bf464d00] power filter or even an [acronym:25bf464d00="Under Gravel Filter"]UGF[/acronym:25bf464d00]? Because, if you already have a filter, and it is adequate for your fish already, then there is no need to change filters just because of plants.

Jason the Lost · 09-07-2005, 04:33 PM

In a nutshell, I'm looking to start a 55 gallon fw planted community in about a month, I'm going on vacation near the end of Sept so right now I'm just researching it as I've never had a planted tank. I'm looking to keep probably cories, some barbs and some livebearers (this is in no way set in stone other than the cories). I'll also be using eco complete as substrate and buying a starter pack or two of low light plants as I'm interested in starting off with low light.

Odds are I'm going to buy the tank stand from a local petsmart as they have the height/size I'm looking for. I'm not sure on the tank, I was going to buy one of those top fin type 55 gallon kits because the filters come without bio wheels and the light hoods that come with those kits would be acceptable for low lighting needs with a bulb change. However I'm trying to figure out if I'm better off just buying a tank and everything seperate, such as hoods, canister filter etc. compared to buying the kit, money really isn't a problem...I would rather do it right from the get go, but I don't want to go overboard either.

malkore · 09-07-2005, 05:05 PM

Planted tank or not, I'd always recommend a canister filter on a tank that size.

greenmaji · 09-08-2005, 08:54 AM

a 55 gallon is borderline for me.. and AC500 does a 55 great [acronym:d116071514="In My Experience"]IME[/acronym:d116071514].. but if your going low light for the long run, you need more surfase aggitation not less.. the canister is recommended for reducing surfase aggitation in a [acronym:d116071514="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:d116071514] injected tank.. If you plan on going medium or high light + [acronym:d116071514="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:d116071514] injection down the road then I would say go ahead and get a canister.. but the aquaclear would do fine as long as the water level was kept high enough to prevent splash.. [acronym:d116071514="Just My Opinion"]JMO[/acronym:d116071514] though..

Jason the Lost · 09-08-2005, 10:31 AM

Ok, with that said on the canister filter...would I be better off just getting one of those Top Fin starter kits? The filter included isnt an AC500, but as long as I kept the water level high enough to minimize surface disturbance...would it do the trick while I stablished a low light tank? I would think that if I wanted to switch to high/medium light down the road, investing in the canister filter down the road wouldn’t be as large of an expenditure as buying a separate tank and hood and cannister filter etc right off the bat when I may never go to a higher light range.

You guys have the experience...is the equipment that accompanies those kits that shoddy that I'd be better off just getting separate/better equipment right off the bat?

09-07-2005, 03:11 PM	#1
Jason the Lost Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 153	55 gallon low light tank...cannister filter needed? Cannister filters...How are they mounted in on the tank? Is there special accomodations needed on a standard 55 gallon tank? Sorry for all the questions, as the name says...I'm lost. Are they really even needed for a low light planted?

09-07-2005, 03:32 PM	#2
Xzap Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Triad, North Carolina Posts: 577 Images: 45	Canister filter are connected to the tank by 2 hoses, an intake and output. They don't mount on the tank itself. Here's a good and easy read on canister filters http://honors.montana.edu/~weif/firs...canister.phtml Thx, Dave __________________ 10 [acronym:78f832904f="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:78f832904f] planted with 1 male betta. Mostly anacharis. 29 [acronym:78f832904f="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:78f832904f] planted community 1.9 [acronym:78f832904f="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:78f832904f] 90 [acronym:78f832904f="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:78f832904f] planted community 2.9 [acronym:78f832904f="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:78f832904f]

09-07-2005, 05:05 PM	#8
malkore Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Nebraska, USA Posts: 6,540	Planted tank or not, I'd always recommend a canister filter on a tank that size. __________________ Visit my aquarium pages - see specs on my tanks, and photos of how they've evolved My other passion: TheNinja 500R - updated 9/18/05

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09-07-2005, 03:36 PM	#3
Jason the Lost Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 153	So these would need the holes drilled in the tanks?

09-07-2005, 03:37 PM	#4
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,972 Images: 35	You wont have to drill any holes. Tubes go in through the top.

09-07-2005, 03:45 PM	#5
Jason the Lost Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 153	just found a diagram, thanks. I think I'll just go with a canister filter right off the bat in case I decide to upgrade to higher light later.

09-07-2005, 04:23 PM	#6
Zezmo Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,112 Images: 14	Does this mean you have no filter at all? Or do you already have a [acronym:25bf464d00="Hang On Back"]HOB[/acronym:25bf464d00] power filter or even an [acronym:25bf464d00="Under Gravel Filter"]UGF[/acronym:25bf464d00]? Because, if you already have a filter, and it is adequate for your fish already, then there is no need to change filters just because of plants.

09-07-2005, 04:33 PM	#7
Jason the Lost Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 153	In a nutshell, I'm looking to start a 55 gallon fw planted community in about a month, I'm going on vacation near the end of Sept so right now I'm just researching it as I've never had a planted tank. I'm looking to keep probably cories, some barbs and some livebearers (this is in no way set in stone other than the cories). I'll also be using eco complete as substrate and buying a starter pack or two of low light plants as I'm interested in starting off with low light. Odds are I'm going to buy the tank stand from a local petsmart as they have the height/size I'm looking for. I'm not sure on the tank, I was going to buy one of those top fin type 55 gallon kits because the filters come without bio wheels and the light hoods that come with those kits would be acceptable for low lighting needs with a bulb change. However I'm trying to figure out if I'm better off just buying a tank and everything seperate, such as hoods, canister filter etc. compared to buying the kit, money really isn't a problem...I would rather do it right from the get go, but I don't want to go overboard either.

09-08-2005, 08:54 AM	#9
greenmaji Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 5,937	a 55 gallon is borderline for me.. and AC500 does a 55 great [acronym:d116071514="In My Experience"]IME[/acronym:d116071514].. but if your going low light for the long run, you need more surfase aggitation not less.. the canister is recommended for reducing surfase aggitation in a [acronym:d116071514="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:d116071514] injected tank.. If you plan on going medium or high light + [acronym:d116071514="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:d116071514] injection down the road then I would say go ahead and get a canister.. but the aquaclear would do fine as long as the water level was kept high enough to prevent splash.. [acronym:d116071514="Just My Opinion"]JMO[/acronym:d116071514] though..

09-08-2005, 10:31 AM	#10
Jason the Lost Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 153	Ok, with that said on the canister filter...would I be better off just getting one of those Top Fin starter kits? The filter included isnt an AC500, but as long as I kept the water level high enough to minimize surface disturbance...would it do the trick while I stablished a low light tank? I would think that if I wanted to switch to high/medium light down the road, investing in the canister filter down the road wouldn’t be as large of an expenditure as buying a separate tank and hood and cannister filter etc right off the bat when I may never go to a higher light range. You guys have the experience...is the equipment that accompanies those kits that shoddy that I'd be better off just getting separate/better equipment right off the bat?