Question for those of you with Oscars

[RobertsKitty]

I was just wondering for everyone with Oscars, what size is your tank/what filtration do you have? I have had my Oscar for a fairly short time in the scheme of an Oscars life. He is about 6 inches now. I have always had HOB Topfin filters (two 55 filters for my Oscar tank alone) for my two tanks and I have begun to realize they are not good. :rant2:

So I am looking into a new filtration system for my Oscar. I have looked over some canister filters with lots of good reviews and a fair amount of interest. Here is the thing. I am a college student on a college student budget. I found some Canister Filters on ebay for a fair price by a company called 'Perfect' which I've never heard of.

So the reason I made this is to get a good idea as to what filtration people on here with Oscars have used with success. Thanks Everyone!!

[laurenrocksth]

My 2 Oscars are in a 125 gallon with a pleco and a pictus cat. I filter it with an AC110 (HOB) and a fluval FX5 (canister). I also have a UV sterilizer running on a powerhead, so there's a lot of filtration and water movement.

I think the key with oscars is to have as much filtration as humanly possible, especially if they're with other big waste producers... like a pleco.

I don't know anything about perfect filters, but I do know that the classified section here often has good deals for used canisters. Good luck and good for you for wanting to take good care of your fish :)

[excuzzzeme]

I have 1 in a 90 gallon filtered with 2 Emperor 400's, 3 in a 6' 100 gallon, wet/dry with a 50 gallon sump turning 950gph, and 2 water changes per week. This will be replaced by a 150 gallon tank (The 100 has the same footprint of a 125).

[Tiktaalik Owner]

I have one Oscar in a 90 g filtered by an Eheim 2217 & 2215. They've been making these since ... when? ... 1774 or something.

I'd be suspicious of a brand I'd never heard of. If anything goes wrong with a well-known brand, someone on a fish forum will be able to offer advice. You'll be able to order parts or call the company.

[Rbishop]

Another link about "Perfect" or "Sun Sun" filters. I prefer the name brand items though.

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=228660

[BettaFishMommy]

i have an oscar growing up in a 55 right now, with a rena xp2 and an xp4 canister running on the tank. you can never overfilter with an oscar!

[andy110]

I bought 6ft 450l tank which came with intrnal powerfilter which is great for waterflow but have recently added Aquanic 1200. It rocks the quiest filter ever. I have had Ehiem b4 and i think this one is better. Still running the sponge filter for bio and water movment. I will add another Aquanic 1200 soon but might buy a smaller version of the sponge filter for flow. It does 12oo lp/h but its a ***** to clean every week
When it comes to O's there is never such a thing as too much filtration.
My filter was only $100 AUS so it should be in ur budget

[msjinkzd]

I have my oscar in a 75g with a wet/dry (http://www.aquariumguys.com/allglass-megaflow-sump-3.html) and this pump: http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/206447/i/7/product.web and an ac110.

[tabendall]

I had mine in a 75 with a rena xp3 and two hob filters.

[Bearbear]

Used Rena XP3 and AC 110's and both work well. AC 110's are on the higher price side though.

Quoting from somewhere else:
http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp19169/si1379661/cl0/marinelandpenguin350bpowerfilter
In my opinion, the Penguin 350 filters are the best bang for the buck you can buy. With this type of filter, you are not too concerned with how much media they hold. The media compartments are primarily for mechanical filtration. The biowheels manage biofiltration.

[BettaFishMommy]

Used Rena XP3 and AC 110's and both work well. AC 110's are on the higher price side though.

Quoting from somewhere else:
http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp19169/si1379661/cl0/marinelandpenguin350bpowerfilter
In my opinion, the Penguin 350 filters are the best bang for the buck you can buy. With this type of filter, you are not too concerned with how much media they hold. The media compartments are primarily for mechanical filtration. The biowheels manage biofiltration.

you don't want to be using any of the filters that take cartridges, as these clog up super fast when used as filtration on a tank with heavy waste producers such as oscars. canisters or a sump are your best options!

[CWO4GUNNER]

I have two 7" (and still growing) albino tiger Oscars in a 60 tank filtered by two Magnum 350's. Although the 2- Magnum 350's do a great job keeping the tank crystal it still not enough to get some of their heavy turds up to the filter intakes so I recently had to install an Aqua-Clear 70 power head ($15 used) with an elec timer ($5) that blows air/water at a 25 degree angle from the top corner to the bottom of the tank along the back long glass panel. So in 30 minutes cycles it turns on and lifts up any recent turds to the filter intakes.

Besides this I can confirm that 60 gallons is too small once these fish "in pairs" once they get past 5" as my pair are now 7" and need to be moved to at least a 100 gallon tank for any continued growth. Why? Because they start getting stressed from their small environment and stress can lower their immune system making them vulnerable to diseases they carry even when in a clean tank like mine.

So as soon as I have my next 200 long 7' tank project complete I plan to move these two Oscars into it and turn the 7' tank into a monster fish tank with a giant Pleco and maybe some other Oscar compatible giant fish.