Upgrading Tank - Best HOB Filter 55g?

[GIZMOSPAZZ]

Hi Everyone,

My boyfriend and I have a shubunkin goldfish named Iso. (Pronounced ice-o) He is set up in a 10g tank with a great hob filter and live plants. Very temporary living arrangements. We know it's way too small for him.

Please don't panic, tomorrow we are getting a 55 gallon tank. He is still quite small, but we are upgrading now. Petco has their $1 per gallon sale starting tomorrow! We know that this is only the tank. We are getting a hood, air pump, airstones, live plants, rocks, etc.

So, we need some expert advice though...
What would be the best hob filter for our new 55g tank?

I know a lot of people have said two filters are better than one. We are thinking of putting our current filter on one side of the tank just to help with water circulation. We want the new filter to at least be 55/550 though. We definitely have decided on a hob filter. We don't want a canister or under gravel.

Please ask any questions you have.

Also, our budget for the new tank, stand, accessories, and everything else is around $500. With the tank being on sale, we can kind of splurge on the best for our fish buddy.

Recommendations on air pumps, hoods, and plants are always welcomed too. We've done a lot of research, but it's always nice to know more.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[Fishninja]

I think my fluvial aqua clear power filter is great. It is for 40-70 gallons and does 300 gallons per hour! And it is only 50 bucks. It also has an adjustable water flow.

Air stones are not necessary as long as your filters break through the surface you are fine

 

[Coryluv]

I vote for the Aquaclear series, too. I have an AC 50 and I run an AC 30 on my 10 gallon quarantine tank. With a goldfish, the more filtration the better. I'd get the AC 70 at the least and run your other filter as well. I only use an airstone when I need additional aeration. For example with some medications, a bacterial or algal bloom, or with a raised temp for treating ich. Sadly, I have ich in my quarantine right now and am running an airstone because I need to keep the temp at 86 F.

 

[GIZMOSPAZZ]

I've been researching more since I've posted. I'm thinking we might go with an AquaClear 50 and an AquaClear 70. Any thoughts on that combination?

Thanks for those that have posted thus far. They've been a great help. I was already thinking AquaClear.

 

[AC-X2]

I would recommend AquaClear. I would get the AquaClear 70. I believe they make a AquaClear 110 also. I would get the 110 if you can afford it, but the 70 would probably be fine too.

 

[AC-X2]

I've been researching more since I've posted. I'm thinking we might go with an AquaClear 50 and an AquaClear 70. Any thoughts on that combination?

Thanks for those that have posted thus far. They've been a great help. I was already thinking AquaClear.

I would just get an AquaClear 110 over a 50 and 70. That combo would be ok, but it seems pointless to get that combo when you could just get a single 110 filter.

 

[GIZMOSPAZZ]

I was thinking the 110, but I think we will get two new filters instead of one. So we would be getting the 70 and the 50. Combined that would be 500gph. Plus it will be a planted tank, which will also aid in filtration.

Also, if one of the filters happens to fail while we are away, the other one will still be there.

 

[AC-X2]

I was thinking the 110, but I think we will get two new filters instead of one. So we would be getting the 70 and the 50. Combined that would be 500gph. Plus it will be a planted tank, which will also aid in filtration.

Also, if one of the filters happens to fail while we are away, the other one will still be there.

That should be just fine!

 

[mikem691]

The ac 50 does not fit properly over the trim on top of the tetra 55 gallon at petco You have to force it and it only goes over part way. Get 2 ac70s if you go that route. I have it so im not repeating something i heard I enden up using the 50 on my 15 gallon milti tank.

 

[GIZMOSPAZZ]

Great to know. Thanks!!

 

[mikem691]

Great to know. Thanks!!

Yea I wanted to save you the aggravation. I was so mad when it didn't fit right. I went with 2 ac70s also and for future reference the ac70 dose not fit my 75 only the ac110. And I agree with you 2 filters is better than 1 same for heaters. If something is going to fail it will when you leave for a week vacation. also I think the 110 would be way too much current for a goldie even turned down.

 

[GIZMOSPAZZ]

I wanted to ask about the noise problem that I've read about. Some people say that there is virtually no sound from ACs while others says they make a very audible vibration. This is supposedly intensified by the top of the filter, so many people just don't put it on. Any experience with ACs being very noisey?

 

[Coryluv]

I wanted to ask about the noise problem that I've read about. Some people say that there is virtually no sound from ACs while others says they make a very audible vibration. This is supposedly intensified by the top of the filter, so many people just don't put it on. Any experience with ACs being very noisey?

Right. The lid can rattle and/or intensify the sound. I use my lid but I put a rubberband around the filter to hold it on tight and dampen any resonant sound. It is nearly silent that way. I have to be right next to it to hear it at all. I've seen people weight the lid. Some lids are noisier than others. I've had a lid in the past that didn't rattle at all.

 

[AC-X2]

My lid made very little noise, you can put a rubber band around it needed. The impeller one mine was VERY loud when I first got it but it will usually quiet down soon or you can lubricate the impeller shaft with Vasaline. After a month or so of use a slime coat should build on the shaft and quiet it down all the way. The lid on mine didn't rattle much, but did intensify the sound. I just used plastic wrap instead of the lid. I can't hear mine now unless I put my ear right up beside it.

 

[mikem691]

Only my 110 has a little noise my 70, 50 and 30's are silent. I replaced emperor 400's that were terribly loud with the 110's I have a slight hum from the 110 and noticed that if i put a little pressure on the lid it is a little less.

 

[FishBoy185]

Good luck with your new tank and filter! Have you bought the tank yet? And yes AC ar really good filter, be sure to post some pics! Im dying to see some pics, good luck again!

 

[GIZMOSPAZZ]

Wow, thank you everyone for all the great replies!

We did get our new tank today, which I'm really excited about. We got one of the last two they had left. This was the first day of the sale, and we were in the door within a half hour of opening.

Unfortunately, we still haven't decided on a stand that we both like yet. We are really indecisive. So, if you know of any really good stands or sites for stands, that would be helpful. Our stand for the 10g is rated for a 20g, and we know it is sunken in the middle a little. The doors on it kind of stick together when you open it now. When we put it together, they were very easy to open. We really don't want a mishap due to a poor stand, especially with a 55g tank.

We did decide on 2 AC 70s, which we are pretty happy with. They're obviously still in the boxes at this point, but we feel good about our decision to go with them. We bought 2 24" hoods since our tank has the bar in the middle. We also decided to grab a magnetic algae scrubber. (Our tank is glass) We've never had one before, but we had a friend recommend it. So we decided to go for it. We are getting the gravel and air pump tomorrow.

Hopefully, we will be ordering a stand by tomorrow evening so that we can start cycling our tank soon. I can't wait to grab a few decorations for it. I'm thinking maybe a piece of driftwood and a few rocks. We are definitely going to try to have a planted tank. It's going to be tricky with our fish buddy; he likes to redecorate his way. (Comet goldfish). He doesn't eat the plants, he just likes to pull them up. I'm pretty sure he has made it a game at this point.

Anything really important that I'm missing, please let me know!

Whenever we finally get everything and get it together, I'll definitely post a few pics. Thanks!

 

[Coryluv]

Sounds good. Remember with the roomy box of the AC 70s you should be able to "seed" at least one of them with some of your old filter media for an almost instant cycle. Just build up your stock slowly enough so your beneficial bacteria can build up as your bio load increases. Best wishes and thanks for sharing.

P.S. No stand recommendations. I think finding good, affordable stands is more difficult than shopping for tanks. My tank cost more than my stand, but only because it is acrylic. My stand costs more than a normal glass tank for its size would have.

 

[GIZMOSPAZZ]

Stands are crazy expensive and most are just pressed fiberboard with laminate. We do not want a metal stand. We want a black wooden stand that is going to be sturdy. We don't want another buckling stand. Still trying to find a stand we both agree on.

Also trying to determine what we want to attach to the air pump - disc, wand, stone, etc.

Btw, we also grabbed some java fern while we were out today. We want to see if our fish will leave it alone before we buy more for a 55g.

 

[mikem691]

LFS's usualy have the pine stands like mine. The 55 black cost me $119.00