Best filter(s) for a large freshwater aquarium

[Fishguy2727]

Don't use bioballs in a canister. They are designed for wet/dry purposes and have no surface area compared to biomedias made for submerged use. I know at least one company makes them for their canisters and it is no more than a buzz word.

I recommend Seachem Matrix for a submerged biomedia.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Hmmm..got ceramic rings and bio-balls in my Marineland C-360. I have no problems, but the tank is also 2 yrs old. I've had as many as 90 fish in there at once (short term) and never saw a problem. Now I'm thinking I should replace all the balls with rings or something else.

 

[sliderfish]

You bet Mark!

 

[Fishguy2727]

The Marineland Rep showed me the canister when it came out, gave me the whole presentation. Even he noticed how unporous the ceramic media seemed. I wouldn't use either of their biomedia (that is another clue, they should give you the best media they can come up with, not two). I would slowly switch over to Seachem Matrix (which can supposedly allow for denitrification).

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

I've heard varying reports on Matrix's capabilities to denitrify. I think their literature states to put it in a 'low flow' area, or maybe that's de*Nitrate. They're similar. Anyways something about pores being too small and clogging easily.

A question for you though about bio-balls - if bacteria colonize on all surface areas in a system (substrate, glass/acrylic walls, plants, etc) then why wouldn't they colonize on all surfaces of bio-balls, submerged or not? I thought it was all about surface area, and while porousness would increase that, holes get clogged and become no longer porous so what's the point of that?

I guess it comes down to the biological capacity of a system, and my C-360 has handled a massive bio-load with no problem. So what is the huge importance of having the 'best' bio-media, if a bacterial colony will only grow as large as the bio-load that feeds it?

 

[Fishguy2727]

Per volume a bioball is pretty low compared to a porous biomedia. Seachem Matrix is supposed to have larger holes and channels (compared to other brands' similar porous ceramic biomedias) allowing them to remain available to bacteria, not getting clogged up.

Bacteria will grow where conditions are best, in our tanks this is in the filter because the flow provides so much oxygen and food compared to other areas in the tank (like substrate, glass, decor, etc.). Not that there are no bacteria elsewhere in the tank, but effectively all the nitrifying bacteria will be in the filter.

Denitrification will occur where oxygen is low, this will be inside the pieces of Matrix, similar to live rock.

I prefer to be on the safe side. I would rather have more biomedia than is NEEDED so that if something happens I have a little room for error. The last thing you want is to have just enough, clean the filter and crash the tank because you killed just a little too much bacteria.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Don't use bioballs in a canister. They are designed for wet/dry purposes and have no surface area compared to biomedias made for submerged use. I know at least one company makes them for their canisters and it is no more than a buzz word.
.

My Tetratec EX700 has a tray just for bioballs.

 

[oscarbreeder]

I have a 180 gal oscar tank and I run 2 ocean clear canister filters and they do a great job at keeping the tank clean even with these messy fish.

 

[Laurence]

My tank is 187 gallons and I use the Eheim Pro 2075, which has given good results. The filter is large and efficient and also totally quiet - you scarcely know it is running. Filter pads have to be changed every month or so, but otherwise it has been trouble-free and effective. Check out Marine Depot on the internet for a large selection of good-quality filters.

 

[mikeymike]

Early this year i invested in the new Eheim Pro3's (2071) and find they are great. I never got into the Pro2's but im liking the way the now Pro3's work and so easy to disconnect

 

[Laurence]

I have a 187-gallon aquarium equipped with an Eheim Pro 3 2075 cannister filter, which works very well and keeps the water clear. The filter is cleaned about every three months, the pads are changed once a month. The filter is silent and efficient and so far has given me no trouble at all. For a large aquarium I would definitely recomment the Eheim 2075.