Enough filtration?

[dynasty187]

Ok I've got 2 tanks and I need to know proper filtration for both.

TANK #1 - 25 gallon with Hagen aquaclear 200 filter soon to have 3 black calvus and either 2 cyps or shellies or multis.

TANK #2 - 55 gallon with Rena XP3, currently 7 mbuna & 3 peacocks. I plan on getting more mbuna so another filter is necessary but what's best?

Please voice your opinions, thoughts, experience etc I appreciate the help. :thm:

[michael.qian]

Don't the models of the filters you have.

But if your ammonia and nitrite are constantly zero, and your tank look clean, you have adequate filtration.

[clogstonian]

I just put a XP2 on a heavily planted 40gal and it seems perfect, so I gotta think an XP3 on a 55gal is sufficient even without plants(really depends on load though, yours looks light). I did alittle experiment last night where i put the XP2 spray bar into an old aquaclr-500 box(i plugged the motor hole) to add to the filter volume but it seemed over kill. I was intending to fill the old AC500 box with bioballs(place the spray bar at the bottom or as close as possible . . . oh I had to cut it down some to do it.

[clogstonian]

kinda experiementing here with attaching photos, I don't like the look of the sponge on the intake but it saves on canister mait.

[rey1rey]

nice tank ... the sponge will disapear once the amozon in front of it grows out a little more..

nice!!!

[clogstonian]

thanks, I wish that sword would grow alittle taller but in 6 months it's added to it's width but not to it's height??

[Blairo1]

Nice tank clogstonian, I really like the depth given to it.

To the OP - I ran a XP3 on my 55 for months with my 7" Rotkeil, 2 Bolivian Rams, 1 Keyhole, 1 GN 1 Adonis pleco, 4 dwarf loaches, 2 gobies, and about 18 dithers. Always crystal clear, even with all that AND a load of driftwood, plus there never seemed to be much poop landing on the sand, most of it was getting blown around until it got sucked up. Great filter.

I am a fan of filtration though, so I added to that a Fluval 305 (and a couple of Fluval 1plus filters so that I have spare mature sponges for fry tanks/new filters etc), now there's no poop, anywhere, lol.

The XP3 is an adequate filter for a 55 gallon tank, even with a heavy stocking. I added the other filters because I'm a nut, but it was mostly because I like to have plenty of back-up, especially when it comes to my fish. If you're going to go heavy with the stocking, you might want to think about that. Generally with mbuna I know people overstock, so in that instance I would probably run the setup I am at present, or at least with a 105 or 205 just to help out, they're only cheap filters and they do give you more bio-capacity.

[dynasty187]

ok cool, thanks for the help.

I just changed the gravel over to moon light sand, my tank looks AMAZING!

[irishspy]

The XP3 is an adequate filter for a 55 gallon tank...

Do you think it's too much for a 40g rectangular tank? I've been considering a XP3.

BTW, that is a beautiful planted tank, Clogstonian. :thm:

[clogstonian]

I've had the XP2 running for a couple of days now it it seems to me to be perfect for my 40gal setup. My XP2 is packed with all the foams that you get when you purchase (minus the chem bag) i added the bio stars and an additional filter filter pad(point being flow is still good), I have a sponge over the intake, I cut the spray bar down to about 8" and increased the hole size to 1/4", i've mounted it along the short side so it flows right to left, the flow is moderate, not over powering. if the XP3 created too much flow for you, you could use the value they supply filter to cut it down some. I notice with my XP that once I got it running if I rocked it around abit it dislodged any air bubbles inside the filter box. Nice thing about going with the XP3 over the '2' is that it gives you more flexibility and the option to upsize your tank down the line without needed a new filter.