Need filtration help!!!

[willy1094]

Hello,
Really long group of questions part 1 (sorry)

Posting for more great advice. I have a 125gal long tank with about 16 Jack Depseys 1 cat and 1 pleco (newly added about 3 weeks ago. The smallest is the pleco at 3" and the largest are the JD's at about 6" or more. I am currently only running two HOB's. They are tetra whisper 60 and 30-60 (side question...is there a difference between these two filters or just a name change?) and I am litterly spraying them filters out every week if I'm lucky. Usually more like 4 days. I know I'm under filtered since two of my canisters crapped out (magnum 350 and H.O.T. 350). Even with this being not enough filter should it be clogging up this quick. I'm feeding with large chiclid pellets and when they chew on it there is a lot of little bits that escape their mouths/gills. I'm thinking this is the problem but not sure. If it is, do I just change the food (they seem to love this stuff!!)?

part 2

I am planning on adding to my filtration. After digging around here and talking to the lfs about canister filters I will be going with eheim 2080 if I go with a canister filter. They said they got A LOT of FX5's back as defective to the point that they stoped selling them (up to that point I was torn). Plus they said they can get the eheim for $349. My second thought is a sump system. My only concern is my tank is not pre-drilled and it's not really an option I want to consider to have it drilled. I am worried because my area has power loss...often! I worry about constantly testing the siphon and/or return pump. I do not want flooding and for sure do not want a fire! Would the eheim do just as well...better...worse? If I went with a sump system I would need and inexpensive low water shut off or maybe a plug/power supply that would not auto reset when the power came back on insuring the pump did not run dry. If anyone could point me in the direction of either one or both that would help a lot! Any and all advice or links will be valued dearly! I'll be honest. I am looking to get the most self sufficient/low maint system I can. Cost is an issue but probably more so in the long run (ie cost of operation and maint.).

I may seem with this many questions I'm just jumping to asking without researching but I've beeing looking for a while and still not sure. I'm figuring I'm just not looking in the right places so again, send all the links you want or just post away. I'll be all over your info.

Thanks in advance!

[Ziggy953]

I think I would go with the canister filters. Have you checked online for them? LFSs tend to have major mark-ups. You may be able to find a better deal online.

[CatatonicBug]

I agree. Cannister is the way to go, and online will often save you over $100 on cannisters of that size. You might even try 2 cannisters on a tank that long. Sounds like you have some messy fish in there!

[Ziggy953]

I agree with catatonicbug, I would go with two canisters also.

[willy1094]

Thanks for the advice. After thinking about it the canister does seem the right path since all my waste drops to the bottom with very little at the top of the tank. I plan on still running my HOBs and with the cost of the canister will be limiting it to one for now. If I could find a eheim pro 3 for 250 that would be great!!! So far, 349 is the cheapest I found it. I do think that the eheim having two intake and one return so I take from both sides of the tank and return to the middle. I've heard nothing but good reviews on this filter thus far, I'll let you all know how it goes as soon as I get the $$$$$ together for it!
Thanks again!

[Mdakotared]

Until you get your canister filter(s), consider adding inexpensive sponge prefilters to your HOB filter intakes. You will cut your frequency of filter pad rinses by at least 1/2. Before the prefilter sponges clog completely, give them a quick rinse in dechlorinated water (to save good bacteria) and re-install. Some use the smaller Aquaclear HOB filter sponge, after modifying with a slit to accept the intake tube. These sponges have larger pores, require less frequent rinses, and last a long time. I use one on my 330 HOB filter. Also,there are several specially made prefilters (with intake adapters & elbows) available at LFS's.

[BillD]

Keep in mind that the same amount of detritus will have to be dealt with even with bigger filters. Anything that goes into the filter must be considered to still be in the tank. That fact that you can't see it doesn't mean it is gone. Whisper is not a filter i would purposely buy. I have 2 small ones (came in a grab box with an AC Mini and a brand new heater all for $8.00 at a club auction), and I don't think they come close to an Aqua Clear for long term expense and ease of cleaning, or filtering options.

[willy1094]

I know what you mean about there being the same amount of waste. It's in the system either floating or trapped in filter media. I do believe the new filter (I think I'm going with eheim 2080 ) with give me much better bio filtering as well as larger surface area to catch the large bits comming in. I have also changed the food I am feeding the fish. The large long food was being chewed and little peices getting away. I've moved to medium harder pellets that seem to be working better at keep debris down. I guess I'll see soon enough as the money situation is gett a little better. If I could only figured out the water for fuel thing I'd be set!

[FishEggs]

If you're worried about power failures with the canister filter you can get a ups (uninteruptable power source) It's a battery back up system that is used for computers and i'm sure other things. as soon as i get enough $$ scraped up i'll be getting one for my filter and heater.

[Retaks]

Yea. I have an XP2 on my 55 gal along with an AC110 and soon to be an Emp 400. I only have this much because i had a small Oscar in there and the Cichlid pellets make a very huge mess. Now i have 3 RBPs and could easily get away with just the AC110 but like knowing if one of the filters fail i have plenty of backup filtration. On Tues im getting on Black piranha and a friend is getting my 3 RBPs so im jsut gona have the AC110 for a whyle and he is getting my XP2 and Emp 400 to save him having to cycle the tank. Im prob going to get another XP2 or XP3 as the second filter on the tank.

[kimo]

2 catfish for 16 Jack Dempsey is nowhere near enough as a cleanup crew.
Adding filtration is great but is only treating the symptom, not the cause.

[willy1094]

Originally Posted by kimo

2 catfish for 16 Jack Dempsey is nowhere near enough as a cleanup crew.
Adding filtration is great but is only treating the symptom, not the cause.

What would your suggestion be then? I'll take all the help I can get! I have one cat and one pleco what can I add? I don't have an alge problem and don't want too many pleco unless they are happy eating poo I can get two more good sized pleco's if they are ok eating off the bottom. If not I can add some small lake cat's. Again, any and all help is a +1 here!

[kimo]

One or two lake cats would be great.

In the 70's I raised a brown bullpout from a tiny fry (found him in a bunch of lake plants) and he grew to over 21" in a 150g. Ended up being the best vacuum cleaner in the world! He aqlso thought my thumb was food one time when I was changing the filter. Bit me enough to draw blood... LOL!
Thereafter, he was named "Jaws"!