John
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Greetings,
Looking for some opinions. I admit I am a lazy aquarist and have a question about my biological filtration. I have a 55 gallon brackish aquarium on the high salinity, high alkaline side. For several years I only ran a reverse flow undergravel filter and a couple of large canister filters. During the last five years the canister filters were replaced with a penguin 330 and 170 hang on filter that provides a total of three bio wheels. I change the cartriges in the Penguin hang on filters only when needed. And also the powerhead filter pads for the reverse flow UG are only changed when needed. I have baskets in the 330 that I change activated charcoal in about every three months. The newest addition is a CPR Bak Pak 2 combo Protien Skimmer, bio-filter rated for 60 gallons. Also have two air stones in the tank, and extra Powerheads hidden in the rocks, large shells, and coral so I have lots of current around the tank. I admit Even partial water changes are years apart. The light is rarely turned off and green and black algae covers everything. Fish are fed sparingly. It goes against what most preach, but I must be doing something right. I only keep a few large hardy brackish water fish and they live several years. One Scat is over 15 years old and older than this aquarium. So with that history and my current setup, I am wanting to know if I can do away with the reverse flow undergravel filter system altogether and have enough biological filtration from my three bio wheels and Bak pak 2. I am not sure the UG is working well anyway. It has not been disturbed since I moved the aquarium to a different room five years ago. I recently looked at the section of UG filter I can see under the stand and it is cracked/broken and in need of replacement if I keep it. It is ancient, brittle and probably broken in other places I can't see. So y'all think I could just do away with the reverse UG setup and get by with everything else? To replace it will be a major pain to me and my fish. Any ideas or opinions?
John
Looking for some opinions. I admit I am a lazy aquarist and have a question about my biological filtration. I have a 55 gallon brackish aquarium on the high salinity, high alkaline side. For several years I only ran a reverse flow undergravel filter and a couple of large canister filters. During the last five years the canister filters were replaced with a penguin 330 and 170 hang on filter that provides a total of three bio wheels. I change the cartriges in the Penguin hang on filters only when needed. And also the powerhead filter pads for the reverse flow UG are only changed when needed. I have baskets in the 330 that I change activated charcoal in about every three months. The newest addition is a CPR Bak Pak 2 combo Protien Skimmer, bio-filter rated for 60 gallons. Also have two air stones in the tank, and extra Powerheads hidden in the rocks, large shells, and coral so I have lots of current around the tank. I admit Even partial water changes are years apart. The light is rarely turned off and green and black algae covers everything. Fish are fed sparingly. It goes against what most preach, but I must be doing something right. I only keep a few large hardy brackish water fish and they live several years. One Scat is over 15 years old and older than this aquarium. So with that history and my current setup, I am wanting to know if I can do away with the reverse flow undergravel filter system altogether and have enough biological filtration from my three bio wheels and Bak pak 2. I am not sure the UG is working well anyway. It has not been disturbed since I moved the aquarium to a different room five years ago. I recently looked at the section of UG filter I can see under the stand and it is cracked/broken and in need of replacement if I keep it. It is ancient, brittle and probably broken in other places I can't see. So y'all think I could just do away with the reverse UG setup and get by with everything else? To replace it will be a major pain to me and my fish. Any ideas or opinions?
John
