filtration for a 55 gallon

[Easydoesit]

i am setting up a 55 gallon for my new oscar, hes small right now but i know hell get big. this is going to be his home for a while, until hes about 9 inches id say.

i have a Penguin Biowheel 200 HOB on the 20 that hes is right now.
if i used that with a Penguin Biowheel 350 HOB, would that be good filtration for his 55 gallon?

[Rbishop]

I'd suggest a med to large canister....Mag 350 or Mag "C" series 360....

Hope your definition of "a while" is very short term...my two went from 2" to 8" since late October....

[Easydoesit]

trust me, i wont be keeping a fish in a tank that is too small for him.
the two HOBs really wont work? the 200 is rated for "up to 50 gallons" and i think the 350 is for "up to 75", but im not positive

[Weezer]

I would use a Penguin 350 and a canister, or if possible the 200 and P-350,
The 200 cartridges will fit the 350 to help get the tank running..I use 2 P-350's on the 45......:)

[BoredAgain]

I use a Rena XP3 on my 55g and supplement it with a Penguin 350. I wouldn't use just the 350. You may get away with two of them, but I'd still recommend that you get one and a canister.

[Easydoesit]

i was going to use a 200 AND a 350 for the 55 gallon. Jeez, those canister filters are like 100+ bucks.

[BoredAgain]

i was going to use a 200 AND a 350 for the 55 gallon.
Just not enough in my opinion.


Jeez, those canister filters are like 100+ bucks.
And worth every penny. ;)

[Weezer]

You could also purchase media baskets to help customize the filtration...:)

[BoredAgain]

You could also purchase media baskets to help customize the filtration...:)
Definitely.

I use two of these in my 350 filled with Seachem Matrix:
http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20060419181635/www.drsfostersmith.com/images/products/swatches/st_lg_19797_basket_FS28542D.jpg
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=12320&rel=1

And then two of these for just the sponge, or when I need the carbon:
http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20051227224530/www.drsfostersmith.com/images/Categoryimages/normal/p_21005_24909V.jpg
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4136+13370&pcatid=13370

I also use these in my Penguin 200.

[tonytheboss1]

Med. 'Can' + the '350' minimum or 2 lg. 'HOB's (Emp 400 or A/C 500) is gonna be necessary to handle the waste. "T"

[gatotsu77]

Check out bigalsonline.com. Print off their prices online, and take them in to a petsmart. You'll get the big canisters for a LOT cheaper than you would just buying 'em at a lfs. I've got an XP3 AND an XP2 running on my 55.

[BoredAgain]

Check out bigalsonline.com. Print off their prices online, and take them in to a petsmart. You'll get the big canisters for a LOT cheaper than you would just buying 'em at a lfs. I've got an XP3 AND an XP2 running on my 55.
Still can't beat the price at http://www.kensfish.com. And most Petsmart locations only match local prices and their own website...per the manager at the location where my wife works.

[Weezer]

Still can't beat the price at http://www.kensfish.com. And most Petsmart locations only match local prices and their own website...per the manager at the location where my wife works.
True, i took in a fosters add, and the manager wouldn't bite,.....:)

[Easydoesit]

ive never even had a canister filter before. if i get them eheim 2213, from the kensfish link above.. do i need to get anything else for it to hook it up? it looks like its missing stuff.

[Easydoesit]

or would I be okay getting the HOT Magnum 250 and using it with my Penguin Biowheel 200 HOB?

[BoredAgain]

ive never even had a canister filter before. if i get them eheim 2213, from the kensfish link above.. do i need to get anything else for it to hook it up? it looks like its missing stuff.
That's just a stock photo, it will come with everything you need.

[rocky213]

get the aquaclear 100 best bang for the buck 49.99 + 9.43 shipping

[BoredAgain]

get the aquaclear 100 best bang for the buck 49.99 + 9.43 shipping
No such thing.

[rocky213]

i got mine :)

[BoredAgain]

i got mine :)
That's great...but there is no Aquaclear 100, so I must assume you mean the AC 110.

[rocky213]

That's great...but there is no Aquaclear 100, so I must assume you mean the AC 110.


oops ya 110

[Easydoesit]

would i be good with the magnum HOT 250 and my penguin biowheel 200 HOB?

[BoredAgain]

or would I be okay getting the HOT Magnum 250 and using it with my Penguin Biowheel 200 HOB?
I believe the HOT is used as a mechanical filtration device and not as a true canister filter.

[Easydoesit]

so... no?

[BoredAgain]

so... no?
If you were to do that, then you should still look into the Penguin 350, you'll need to load it with most of your bio media.

[Easydoesit]

okay, bio media.
my 20 gallon has 2 of the cartridges with carbon in the penguin 200, + the biowheel.
i really need THAT much more bio media for 1 fish? thats talking 3+x the bio media i have now. well, i guess it makes sense since hes going to get big.
okay, seems whatever combinations i come up with arent working.
so i need the cheapest suggestions youve got for combination canisters with my penguin 200 w/ biowheel. i dont have a lot of money and i want to move him soon.

[BoredAgain]

What kind of money do you have to part with?

[Easydoesit]

ideally 50, but 75 is fine. i dont want to spend much more than that though.

[BoredAgain]

ideally 50, but 75 is fine. i dont want to spend much more than that though.
Go for the Cascade 1000 then: http://www.kensfish.com/cascadecanisterfilters.html

There are members on here that use them and love them. Then later, when you have more money, upgrade...or not. :)

[rocky213]

try ebay i won my bid on an ac 50 for 15 bucks "brand new"

[BoredAgain]

And if you want advice on the Cascade filters, ask Bnoble (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/member.php?u=81321), he's been using them for a while.

[Easydoesit]

alright, thank you for the help.
rocky, im ebay incompetent. well, ive actually never used it.. seems like a process though.

[BoredAgain]

Let us know what you end up doing.

[Easydoesit]

ughhhhhhh.. with shipping for the cascade1000 the total comes to 89.01.

[Easydoesit]

oops, accidentally clicked the 1200. comes to $74

[BoredAgain]

oops, accidentally clicked the 1200. comes to $74
That sounds like it's perfect. :)

[Easydoesit]

forget that cascade, i hear it gets a lot of bad reviews and i dont want 55 gallons of water all over my floor. maybe a magnum 350? i hope thatll be good with my penguin 200. im going to check it out

[Easydoesit]

i could get 2 Penguin Biowheel HOB 350s and use those with my Penguin Biowheel HOB 200..
I think that would work out.
canister filters scare me, if there was ever a leak and i had a bunch of water everywhere, idk what id do.

[Easydoesit]

or a penguin 350 and an aquaclear 50
with all 3 it would be 750 GPH in all and id use the aquaclear just for biological filtration
the 2 penguins would be used for mech+chem(if i used it) filtration.

with the 3 penguins it would be 900 GPH filtration and id stuff one of them full of bioballs. the other 2 for mech and chem

my bad if im being annoying

[Reddog80p]

might as well get a rena canny

[Easydoesit]

too expensive

[AfroCichlid]

You'd be okay with the HOB filters, they just don't leave alot of room for bio-media, and in my experience don't create enough water movement to stir up debris on the bottom. A powerhead could be added to help increase the flow, but then you've got some fairly slow-water fish in a rapid stream, lol. You sound happiest with the idea of the HOB's. Just figure on needing to do alot of housecleaning during frequent water changes.