Filters

[stanton9202]

I have a 46 gallon bowfront with 4 parrots and one severum. Several parrots have outgrown the tank and will be traded to the LFS.

Does anyone see an advantage to switching from an AquaClear 300 to an Emperer 400?

Thanks,
Stan

[Andy16]

Well, you get more gph. You get those two biowheels if you like them. Im pretty sure you get filter baskets, so you can chose your own media, but same with the AC. Why dont you just keep the AC and get the emp also? You should have a turnover rate of at least 8 times an hour. Btoh fitlers would give you 15 times an hour which would be great.

[DarthV]

I'd just put a 2nd sponge into the ac500 and ditch the activated carbon or the ammorid stuff. You could also use a media bag filled with the fluval biomax or equivalent biomedia on top of the dual sponges.

[Harry Tolen]

With the fish you are keeping, waste removal is important. Two AC 300's loaded with two sponges apiece will do a better job than one Emperor 400 for that, and you won't have the cost of the replacement cartridges to deal with, either. Andy's point about two filters being better than one is also a good one.

If you like to use carbon every once in a while (remember, it is only effective for about 48 hours after it is introduced to the tank, so just use it as an occasional enhancement), you can add it to one of the AC's whenever the fancy strikes you. Just remove one of the sponges, keep it wet while the carbon is in its place, and then replace it when the carbon has done its work.

[Andy16]

Another avantage of the two filters is that it will give you two intakes, so it covers more area. And it will circulate the water more, which can be good or bad. It depends on what type of fihs you have and if they like it or not.

[stanton9202]

Okay. So, you're saying that the carbon packs are essentially useless? I should go with two sponges and no carbon?

I want to be clear so I don't screw this up. I have a 46 gal, an AC 300, two airstones and 4 parrots and a small severum for fish. The tank looks like crap. Water quality has been terrible over the last 6 weeks. Extremely low pH and high ammonia. Finally lost the pleco. Started with small water changes every three days, moved to about 15 gallons once a week. Water looks greenish.

Best overall solution?

Thanks,
Stan

[DIYMatt]

I would agree with earlier posters that long term your best bet would be to get another AQ300(or larger) with two sponges each. I would also cut a hole in the end of a smaller sponge and put it over the intake as a prefilter, it cuts down the big crap going to the actual filter. IMO - The carbon packets are only useful in removing medications, only moderately useful at. For maintanance what I do with mine is simply take the foam blocks out of and off the filters and simply wring them out in the water I take out of the tank for water changes. I usually only have to replace the prefilter sponge about once every six months. If I do have to change the internal sponges, I change one sponge at a time, or one in each filter for dual filter tanks. NEVER all sponges(or any filter media) at the same time. This is where your beneficial bacteris is supposed to live, you don't want to throw it all away. So, I would get a second AQ ASAP. Rinse out the existing foam block for the AQ300 you have in tank water, NEVER tap - it will kill the bacteria you are trying to grow.

IMO you are on the righttrack with the 15 gal/week water change for the future. That should be about what you do as regular maintenance. But, to clear up your current issues, I would do a through scrubbing of all surface algae and do like a 50% water change. Then follow up with another large change 3 -4 days later. All this with the new filter running. Then go to 15 gal weekly changes. But, watch the tank closely for several weeks. If it starts to look green or your ammonia spikes real high, which it will probably do, I would do a water change as soon as you notice. I hope all this helps!

[Tightdog1]

Just get a AC500.

[dave76]

Over filtration and a high water change schedule would seem in order for this tank. Especially if you have high ammonia and low pH. Do you vacuum the gravel or do you just syphon water out?

You might also want to consider trading in a few more of those fish and maybe getting something more suited to the tank. The severum will out grow the tank as the parrots might as well. It is more diffucult to tell with them some get very large where others dont get any bigger than 4-5". I would consider a pair of FM's or maybe some africans that dont get so large. the AC 300 and the emp 400 would work well for filtration.

[stanton9202]

I have been vacuuming the gravel along with each of the water changes.

The severum hasn't grown much over the last 2 years, he's only about the size of a half dollar coin. Speaking of dollars, I've had silver dollars (in the past) much larger than him. Three of the four parrots have grown enormously over the past year or so. Three of them would actually make a nice appetizer.

I think I'll run out and get an AC500 with two sponges and continue with the water changes.

My wife has grown attached to the parrots. Can I try keeping them or should I trade at least two of them in?

Thanks,
Stan

[Harry Tolen]

Just add the AC500 to supplement the work being done by the AC300. If you want to periodically add a bag of carbon, remove one of the AC300 sponges and put it in there for a couple of days (that's as long as the carbon is good for, anyway).

P.S. Although it is possible to "double-sponge"
an AC500 with two AC500 sponges, I find that
it works better with one AC500 sponge on the
bottom, and two AC300 sponges on top, side-
by-side.