pitt420dude
Aquarium Advice Addict
I can get an aquaclear 20 (for 5-20 gals) for right around $20. What do you think?
It will be for a low light planted tank w/ dwarf puffers.
It will be for a low light planted tank w/ dwarf puffers.
What filter for a 10 gal tank?
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neilanh
Sliced Bread
AC HOBs do pretty well. Also consider Rena XP1. A bit pricier, but worth the money IMO. Puffers are messy eaters, make sure you take that into account with your filter selections.
My friend has the same AC on her 10g with my syno and a lemon cichlid(very messy eater) in it and the water is always clear. I don't have any puffers (i wish) but all I hear about them is how messy they are. I suppose going with the AC and keeping up on pwcs and vacs you would be ok. Just my $0.02...
P.S. - Let's go Pens!
P.S. - Let's go Pens!
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
I had a canister filter on a 10 gallon tank just because I liked the idea of canisters and wanted to try one. The gallons per hour flow rate was 80, and in a 10 gallon, after all the media was added to the canister, was a bit of a weak flow rate. I'm guessing that you could go up to 100 GPH if you wanted to go the canister route in your 10 gallon. Yes, it may be a bit of overkill, money-wise, but I liked mine a lot. I've never used a HOB filter, but I've read that a lot of members really like the AquaClear brand.
Right now in my 10 gallon tanks, I'm using Duetto internal filters, but that's because I have bettas in them now. I can adjust them to an extremely low flow rate to keep the bettas happy.
Right now in my 10 gallon tanks, I'm using Duetto internal filters, but that's because I have bettas in them now. I can adjust them to an extremely low flow rate to keep the bettas happy.
OP
OP
pitt420dude
Aquarium Advice Addict
Cool, thanks for your input. I believe I'll go with an aquaclear that has 100gph. Thats 10x filtration so should be fine w/ reg maitenance.
JustOneMore20
Algae Fighter
The Aquaclear 20 is perfect. 100gph and the flow isn't too much like with the larger ones.
100gph and the flow isn't too much like with the larger ones.
OP
OP
pitt420dude
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well my faince actually offered (after some pressure, lol) to buy me the new filter, since that was the only thing I needed. I paid for three dwarf pufffers and a thermometer.
I ended up getting an Aquaclear 50, I thought it might be overkill, but the flow is adjustable, and as-is, doesn't seem too bad. I packed it with some remaining filter floss from the setup used in the sump to seed the filter and tank.
The flow rate is 200 gph, which seemed a little excessive for a 10 gal, but after thinking it over and talking with a seemingly knowledgeable LFS employee (who also promised to bring me a lot of MTSnails on Monday!!!). I decided that with a 10 gal full stocked with dirty dwarf puffers, I want it to be over filtered so I opted for the AC30.
Then I noticed the Aquaclear 50 was only $1.49 more. I asked him what he thought and he said go for it: more room for filter material and if the flow is too much (which he doubted and it does not seem to be) I can turn it down some.
I'll eventually take the filter floss out but even without it the flow doesn't seem to disturb the puffers. They actually seem to like swimming beneath the waterfall.
I tried to feed them some bloodworms today, and they checked them out intently but only one seemed to eat. Tomorrow I'll try tubifex.
I really like em and really LOVE the Aquaclear 50. I believe "over-filtered" is an oxymoron so am happy I could move from the 30 to the 50 for only a buck and a half.
I also wanted to get your opinions on whether to expect a mini-cycle: From cycled tanks I placed (1) a small fake plant, (2) two whisper filter catriges (replaced em') (3) a softball sized bag of charcoal, and don't forget (4) the tank itself, which served as the sump in a cycled 55 gal, and (5) the spraybar. I figured I'd leave the spraybar in b/c it's just another piece of equip. w/ ben bact on it.
Also I only have 3 juvie puffers, so the bioload is low for now.
Think I can get another? Dwarf Puffers : Home says 2-3 gal per puffer. What of a cleanup crew, beyond MTS that is? The filtration should surely be able to handle it, lol.
What do you all think? Of the filter, and of the cycling and stocking issues?
I ended up getting an Aquaclear 50, I thought it might be overkill, but the flow is adjustable, and as-is, doesn't seem too bad. I packed it with some remaining filter floss from the setup used in the sump to seed the filter and tank.
The flow rate is 200 gph, which seemed a little excessive for a 10 gal, but after thinking it over and talking with a seemingly knowledgeable LFS employee (who also promised to bring me a lot of MTSnails on Monday!!!). I decided that with a 10 gal full stocked with dirty dwarf puffers, I want it to be over filtered so I opted for the AC30.
Then I noticed the Aquaclear 50 was only $1.49 more. I asked him what he thought and he said go for it: more room for filter material and if the flow is too much (which he doubted and it does not seem to be) I can turn it down some.
I'll eventually take the filter floss out but even without it the flow doesn't seem to disturb the puffers. They actually seem to like swimming beneath the waterfall.
I tried to feed them some bloodworms today, and they checked them out intently but only one seemed to eat. Tomorrow I'll try tubifex.
I really like em and really LOVE the Aquaclear 50. I believe "over-filtered" is an oxymoron so am happy I could move from the 30 to the 50 for only a buck and a half.
I also wanted to get your opinions on whether to expect a mini-cycle: From cycled tanks I placed (1) a small fake plant, (2) two whisper filter catriges (replaced em') (3) a softball sized bag of charcoal, and don't forget (4) the tank itself, which served as the sump in a cycled 55 gal, and (5) the spraybar. I figured I'd leave the spraybar in b/c it's just another piece of equip. w/ ben bact on it.
Also I only have 3 juvie puffers, so the bioload is low for now.
Think I can get another? Dwarf Puffers : Home says 2-3 gal per puffer. What of a cleanup crew, beyond MTS that is? The filtration should surely be able to handle it, lol.
What do you all think? Of the filter, and of the cycling and stocking issues?
neilanh
Sliced Bread
I think you owe us pictures!
I think your filtration selection will work just fine, no issues there. Also, I doubt you'll see much of a cycle, if any at all. Just keep checks on it for a few weeks.
Pond snails are reproductive machines, which will provide a good source of crunchies for your little buddies too.
I think your filtration selection will work just fine, no issues there. Also, I doubt you'll see much of a cycle, if any at all. Just keep checks on it for a few weeks.
Pond snails are reproductive machines, which will provide a good source of crunchies for your little buddies too.
OP
OP
pitt420dude
Aquarium Advice Addict
Today I took out the big bag of charcoal but left the two used whisper filter catridges from my cycled Tex Cichlid 20gal (they're tucked in right back). I also placed a large piece of DW from my 55 gal (needed room for plants); so that should have plenty of ben bact on it as well. One thing about the DW is that it is riddled with aglae, which I hope will die b/c I'm not putting a light on this tank for a long while.
I still need a light fixture, but for now I've got a desk lamp cable tied to the top of the filter. It'll do until I get a light proper. I have no live plants except one stem of anacharis I put in there just to see what would happen.
The rest of what I've done is pretty self explanatory.
Here is some nasty algea growing on the DW. It was the worst (had the most algae) piece in the 55 gal. I hope that the lack of light will kill it. Please shout out if you think putting DW with this much algae on it into an algae free tank is idiotic. I just put it in tongiht, but without ANY light, I can't see how it will survive.
I just noticed you can see two of the Puffers in that shot; they're all doing well btw.
And this next shot is for all of you!
I still need a light fixture, but for now I've got a desk lamp cable tied to the top of the filter. It'll do until I get a light proper. I have no live plants except one stem of anacharis I put in there just to see what would happen.
The rest of what I've done is pretty self explanatory.
Ask and ye shall recieve! Lemme know what you think.
Here is some nasty algea growing on the DW. It was the worst (had the most algae) piece in the 55 gal. I hope that the lack of light will kill it. Please shout out if you think putting DW with this much algae on it into an algae free tank is idiotic. I just put it in tongiht, but without ANY light, I can't see how it will survive.
I just noticed you can see two of the Puffers in that shot; they're all doing well btw.
And this next shot is for all of you!
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