Canister Filter Help

[Karamin65]

Hi everyone, I am looking for some advice, I would like to get a canister filter for my tank, Aqua One Aqua Grande 120, 285lt, 4 foot tank, current filter is over the top trickle. Pictures show the setup. I have Marine pure balls in one tray, the original ceramic noodles in the next and chemi pure blue in the last tray. I was thinking of getting the Aqua One Nautilus2700





I have never used a canister filter before, and am not sure how to modify my tank to set it up. I would like to have both filters running, my nitrates are always very high 160+ and doing 50% water changes every few days is a nightmare! I have put in some floating plants, frogbit & Duck weed, hope that will also help once it gets established.

I was thinking of having the spray bar from the canister across the top of the trickle filter, and moving the original spray bar inside the tank and have it running along the back wall spraying over the top of the water, that way I could get rid of the air stones as they wouldn't be needed. What do you think?

Some tank info:-
Tank established on the 28 September 2015.
Took 57 days to fully cycle fishless.
In the tank I have 1 large Albino Rainbow Shark, 5 Australian Rainbows, 5 Albino Cories, 3 Lepard Julies & 3 Red eyed Tetras,(did have 6 but lost a few early on).
Substrate is sand, a mix of Carab sea Torpeado Beach & Tahitian Moon.

This is a typical test that I get on this tank. I usually do 50% water change every Sunday, but I think I will have to add a few more smaller ones during the week to try and get it down to a more manageable level.



Any advice suggestions will be most welcome [emoji3]

 

[Delapool]

Hi, welcome. Pretty sure I have that canister filter - will have to check. That’s very high I must say for nitrates. Have you checked tap water at all? Which I assume would be 0 nitrates.

 

[Karamin65]

Hi Del it been awhile, yes my tap water is all good

 

[Delapool]

Looks good. Yeah, not much you can do on nitrates except water changes, filter cleans and gravel vacs as you know. Had a laugh as I’m dosing nitrates to lift it up for plants and your trying to get them down

I have the UV edition of that canister filter. Spray bar outlet to move water surface so don’t bother with the air pump anymore (but running CO2). It’s been pretty good, I have it running with a smaller aqua one 1200 so can split filter cleans.

I’ve gone with pretty much original media but in place of filter wool I bought fine filter pads and just hose them off (gets them pretty clean and preserves more bacteria than replacing filter wool).

 

[Karamin65]

Lol my floating plants have almost doubled in the two weeks they have been in the tank hoping they will suck up some of the nitrates.

Having the second filter certainly won’t hurt, I can set up the canister put some of my marine pure from my running filter to help kick start it, once it is established I can alternate filter cleans as well.

My other tank is a 90 litre Aqua One going to do the same with that one, what size canister do you think, I was thinking the Nautilus 1400 or is that to big?

 

[Delapool]

Sounds great growth on the floating plants! Did a water change today and noticed a few plants look like the fish have had a go at them. Wondering if the Spanner Barbs did it.

I think that filter would be ok but mine have to pump up 2 metres. The aqua one 1200 is certainly pretty low on flow. The other one I angled up and that seemed to break up the flow. I know people have made baffles but I’ve never needed to.

 

[Karamin65]

Put bars on the windows of the wreck and the offender in solitary confinement lol[emoji23]

I’m going to order the filters online, Majestic Aquariums over a hundred dollars cheaper including the postage. Local shop here wants nearly $400 for the 2700, it’s ridiculous.

 

[Delapool]

Lol - good idea

 

[rlederer]

I don't have much experience with canister filters. I had one and didn't like it; just didn't do much of a cleaning job and was hard to maintain. I am a big fan of wet/dry or sump filtration systems for anything over 80 gallons. They do a great job of filtering and aeration and are a snap to clean and maintain. Initial cost a few hundred dollars for sump and pump but well worth it.
Once the wet/dry is established all you have to do is lift the top, pull out the filter material and replace it once a week or so, in like 30 seconds.
I use one for each of two 90 gallon tanks and I tied six tanks together for a total of 240 gallons, all on one filter. Never had an issue.

 

[Karamin65]

Isn’t it a bit dangerous having one filter for all your tanks? If you get a disease breakout in one tank wouldn’t it go through all of them. I don’t have any experience with them at all.

 

[rlederer]

I've heard that concern - tying several tanks together with one filter might facilitate disease spreading - but after five years of two sets of six tanks each tied together with one filter I have had no problems at all. Maintaining one filter is better than maintaining six of them. And when you drain water from one tank and replace it, all tanks benefit from the water change. Works well for me.

 

[Karamin65]

My Canister Filters arrived at last, no I’m tearing my hair out trying to get them hook up, lol Some modifications needed, So this is what I’m thinking, the U shaped part of the intake & outlet pipes is too small, they won’t reach the holes in my filter so what if I cut them in half and join back together with a length of hose and clamp both ends to make sure they don’t blow apart, picture of the pipe I’m taking about, what do you think?

 

[Fresh2o]

The cut and extend approach should be fine. Just be sure that the clamps are secure.

 

[Karamin65]

Thanks, yes I have some aquarium glue, I think I will glue and clamp, just to be sure! It’s times like this that I wished I had a handyman around the house. Lol.

 

[Fresh2o]

Nah, you don’t need a handyman. Glue is not needed either. I would just push the tubing through the connectors (should have a snug fit) and secure with clamps. Dipping the tubing in hot water will make it more pliable and easier to work with.

 

[Karamin65]

Thanks very much, my project for this weekend, will let you know how I get on[emoji16]

 

[Karamin65]

No going back now! Pipes cut in half, also had to cut the intake tube down
It was twice the height of my tank when I put it together. Off to Bunnings tomorrow to get some hose clamps.
Will take more pictures when I get it hooked up to the tank.

 

[Barrie]

Hi a Fluval Fx4 or fx6

 

[Karamin65]

Hi a Fluval Fx4 or fx6

Aqua One Nautilus 2700

 

[Barrie]

Hi i got a fluval Fx6 for my 400Lt tank work great