Adding a new filter to my established tank

[roydesilva]

So I'm wanting to buy a canister filter for my established 40 gallon. The tank has been running for around 3 months, has 2 internal filters and a hang on the back filtre already in it and has 6 African cichlids in it. But the filters are still not keeping up and the tank gets cloudy and dirty after after a day. i do w/c 2 times a week. I was wondering how I would go about adding the new filter. Do I have to remove the fish or can I keep them in? I am planning on taking the two internal filters out eventually. Thanks for your help

 

[FishCr8zy]

What canister are you getting? When the filter gets there, set it up and get it running. But keep the hobs running until canister gets bb.

 

[roydesilva]

What canister are you getting? When the filter gets there, set it up and get it running. But keep the hobs running until canister gets bb.

Ill be getting the Aqua One Nautilus 1100, unfortunalty I can't get my hands on a fluval or eheim without paying $350+ because I live in Australia and their had to come by where I live... And I was planning to leave the old filters in for 2 months then take them out

 

[FishCr8zy]

Ill be getting the Aqua One Nautilus 1100, unfortunalty I can't get my hands on a fluval or eheim without paying $350+ because I live in Australia and their had to come by where I live... And I was planning to leave the old filters in for 2 months then take them out

Can you get your hands on a rena for less than $300? Leaving them in for 2 months sounds good though after one month, the canister should have enough bb.

 

[bshenanagins]

If that's the case with filter expense, you might as well buid a sump! But +1 for a Rena as well.

 

[roydesilva]

Can you get your hands on a rena for less than $300? Leaving them in for 2 months sounds good though after one month, the canister should have enough bb.

Ill go and see if they have it at the lfs tomorrow, however the aqua one actually really good I have one on my 125gallon planted tank and its awesome, plus it's only 125$$ so not to bad for money... Compared to other filters here at least ahaha

 

[FishCr8zy]

Ill go and see if they have it at the lfs tomorrow, however the aqua one actually really good I have one on my 125gallon planted tank and its awesome, plus it's only 125$$ so not to bad for money... Compared to other filters here at least ahaha

Rena here are around the same price too ( for the xl/xp3 ). I've never heard of the aqua one though. Have any pics of it?

 

[FishCr8zy]

If that's the case with filter expense, you might as well buid a sump! But +1 for a Rena as well.

You can't build a sump with less than $200. His aqua one only cost $125. But sumps are really good filter I gotta admit.

 

[roydesilva]

You can't build a sump with less than $200. His aqua one only cost $125. But sumps are really good filter I gotta admit.

Here is the filter

 

[bshenanagins]

You can't build a sump with less than $200. His aqua one only cost $125. But sumps are really good filter I gotta admit.

Yeah I guess your right. I think I was just leaning towards the fact that if a common filter cost that much you might as well spend the dough on a sump.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Yeah I guess your right. I think I was just leaning towards the fact that if a common filter cost that much you might as well spend the dough on a sump.

That's true. I wouldn't spend more than $300 on a canister. Id just go for the sump no matter what.
Though the fluval fx5 and fx6 and worth there price.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Here is the filter

Ohhh. That one! I've seen those before here but they are called something different. They were one of my choices for my first canister but then I saw the Rena's and there cheap but powerful filters.

 

[bshenanagins]

That's true. I wouldn't spend more than $300 on a canister. Id just go for the sump no matter what.
Though the fluval fx5 and fx6 and worth there price.

Yeah I have an FX5 but prob gonna keep it just in case if I have an issue with the sump

 

[FishCr8zy]

Yeah I have an FX5 but prob gonna keep it just in case if I have an issue with the sump

You are so lucky.
It'd take me a few months to save up the mont for one of those things and you have a sump.
So the fx5 is out of use and is only turned on as a backup? Or is it always on?

 

[bshenanagins]

You are so lucky.
It'd take me a few months to save up the mont for one of those things and you have a sump.
So the fx5 is out of use and is only turned on as a backup? Or is it always on?

Haha well I bought it last year used for like 200. Was gonna use it but decided to build a sump which is in the process of being built. I have a 135 and I'm using my 55 as the sump. Was gonna put my 40 breeder setup in my 55 but changed my mind.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Haha well I bought it last year used for like 200. Was gonna use it but decided to build a sump which is in the process of being built. I have a 135 and I'm using my 55 as the sump. Was gonna put my 40 breeder setup in my 55 but changed my mind.

Oh, so the sump is being built in the 55 and the fx5 is running for now? That's a huge sump btw . Does the sump have to be around half the size of the tank it's filtering?

 

[bshenanagins]

Oh, so the sump is being built in the 55 and the fx5 is running for now? That's a huge sump btw . Does the sump have to be around half the size of the tank it's filtering?

No my 135 isn't up yet, I'm still building the stand. It's for my RES and some sunfish. I'm making her a custom basking area that will be almost the length of the tank. And I'm not sure about sump size. Cuz if you think about it canisters aren't that big, it's the flowrate that makes them so expensive.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Does res stand for red eared slider? So sumps have more flow rate than canister?

 

[bshenanagins]

Does res stand for red eared slider? So sumps have more flow rate than canister?

Not necessarily, depends on the pump you install. But I would get one that's pretty powerful to encourage lots of circulation. Plus sumps provide much more room for media which is its greatest advantage. And yes it stands for red eared slider

 

[Ian086]

Just to bring it back on topic, to the OP, you could use some of the media from any of your established filters. This will kick start your new filter and dramatically reduce the time it's needs to grow some BB. Some BB will transfer from the old media......