I have a 55 gallon tank with 15 African Cichlids that are mostly large adults - 4" to 6" so they produce a large amount of waste. Having a sand bottom makes it fairly easy to remove when I do a water change but I was planning to make some changes in the tank as far as water circulation and filtration. I have lace rock and waste always accumulates under and around the rocks. I do not have any powerheads or circulation pumps. What is best option here - powerheads or the circulation pumps? What kind of flow rate would I need? I am also reading that having two pumps is the way to go?
For filtration I have two Penguin 330 filters, one is 15 yrs old and one is 10 yrs old. I just use polyfiber fill as my filtration media attached to original filtration insert with rubber bands and I still run the biowheels. I would like to upgrade the filtration but I am torn about which direction to go. I have a tight budget so I am looking at <$100 cannisters, the Aquatops, SunSuns but I am concerned about them eventually leaking. Or is it best to save $ for a better brand? The tank is in the living room on Pergo flooring and a flood would ruin the floor. Or the other option would be to go with another option in HOB filtration -Aquaclears? Fluval C4? or some other option.
Any advice would be appreciated!
For filtration I have two Penguin 330 filters, one is 15 yrs old and one is 10 yrs old. I just use polyfiber fill as my filtration media attached to original filtration insert with rubber bands and I still run the biowheels. I would like to upgrade the filtration but I am torn about which direction to go. I have a tight budget so I am looking at <$100 cannisters, the Aquatops, SunSuns but I am concerned about them eventually leaking. Or is it best to save $ for a better brand? The tank is in the living room on Pergo flooring and a flood would ruin the floor. Or the other option would be to go with another option in HOB filtration -Aquaclears? Fluval C4? or some other option.
Any advice would be appreciated!