Need FW Filter Advice

L

lin

AC Members
Nov 6, 2009
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Just a few days at this site and I've learned so much about fish keeping . . . thank you. I've realized that I need an additional filter for my tank based on aqadvisor.com's paramaters.
I have a 46 gal. FW with platies, tetras, mollies . . . total 34 fish. My filter is a Marineland penguin 350 w/ bio-wheel.
My question/s: What filter (or anything else) would you recommend to supplement the Penguin 350 . . . and any other advice to offer??? I understand, if that's right, that 2 filters can "compete" against one another if not done correctly..???

I apologize for not being able to give credit to the member who had the info. for aqadvisor.com . . . but I spent all night just selfishly "gobbling" all this info. on this forum . . . like an addict.
Thank you
 
If you think about it I guess in a way filters do "compete" with each other for available waste, but in this particular competition your fish are the winners! Unless you create enough flow to physically stress your fish it's impossible to overfilter. I would recommend a canister filter of some sort to supplement the Penguin. It will provide way better mechanical and chemical filtration while the Penguin gives superior biological filtration. I've had good results with Rena XPs, Eheims, Magnums and JBJ Reactions. Any of these canisters will do the job.
 
The only possible draw back to too much filtration is if you have live plants. The filters do such a good job in removing waste and keeping nitrates down, that live plants can actually suffer because of this. If you are keeping up with gravel vacuuming and frequent water changes however, 2 filters may be unnecessary.
Mike
 
ODPILOT what types of filters remove nitrates?
 
ODPILOT said:
The only possible draw back to too much filtration is if you have live plants. The filters do such a good job in removing waste and keeping nitrates down, that live plants can actually suffer because of this. If you are keeping up with gravel vacuuming and frequent water changes however, 2 filters may be unnecessary.
Mike
Click to expand...
no, that is rather inaccurate. filters do not keep nitrates down...they actually increase nitrates by holding Beneficial Bacteria(BB, or bb) that converts ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. plants are the ones that keep nitrates down.

get another HOB filter that is rated for 200GPH or more. or a small canister filter

good luck lin!
 
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