Equipment for 55 and 170

[wesleydnunder]

Yes, sumps offer more versatility for multi-stage filtration, particularly wet-dry filtration. However, they are definitely more work to set up and require more piecing-together than just unboxing a canister and getting it primed and running. Unless there's a very specific reason to have a sump setup, I'd usually recommend a good quality canister filter.

+1

On a 170 gallon, I'd even look at running twin canisters. The advantage with two canisters is double the filtration, the ability to alternate service and cleaning and subject your biofiltration to less impact that sometimes results from cleaning/service and if one filter breaks down or malfunctions, the other is still working.

Mark

 

[Chicxulub]

Why do you want a HOB filter for such a big tank? I have used Ebo Jager heaters with good success... I love(d) my Hydor inline heater until it went on the fritz and doesn't seem to always turn on anymore.

Nailed it!

Is HOB not the proper thing to use for bigger tanks? I really don't like under gravel filtration. Is that the only other option?

Once you get to 90 gallons or larger, most people go to canisters or sumps. The biological load that can be handled by these is significantly larger and they have the benefit of hiding a lot of stuff that otherwise woudl be visible, making your tanke look cleaner. I'm a big fan of the Fluval FX5 or 6 series of canister filters, but Eheim is often considered to be better.

Sumps are often considered to be better than any canister, but are more expensive and more complicated, but easier to maintain.

 

[Jade.Crusader]

So, should I get two heaters, one at each end of the tank, or would the fish benefit from some sort of heat gradient throughout the tank? The water should be well circulating, so maybe there won't be any gradient to speak of... Would a single heater be able to handle a 170 as long as the circulation is good?

 

[Rbishop]

I'd say two heaters....better in case of an "on" failure doing too much over heating or an "off" failure causing the tank temp to drop too much.

 

[sumthin fishy]

+1 on the 2 heater idea. I always run 2 if I can for the same reasons. www.jehmco.com has good prices for ebo heaters, check for sales.

I don't see the problem with a HOB for a 55g (or better 2), but a canister is cleaner looking. In the bigger tank, dual canisters give tons of flow options. If you are not doing live plants though, you could look into RUGF. you can even drive it with one of the canisters.

 

[Jade.Crusader]

Okay, cool, 10-4 on the two heaters

As for the canisters, I am not liking reviews for the Eheims. I guess a lot of people have had them break down within two weeks to two years, and customer service is near unreachable, which doesn't have me very interested. As for the Fluval, would I still need two of them to start off if I went as high-powered as the Fluval FX6? I ask because they are SPENDY. I can probably swing getting two right now, but I would prefer not to, LOL. The FX5 is out of stock everywhere, and the next step down is the 406, which only guarantees up to 100 gallons. So, would two of those work? Or is my best bet to just bite the bullet and get two FX6's?

I read a review on the FX5 and it said that it is rated up to 400 gallons and it could be way too high powered since it pumps nearly 900 gallons so quickly... http://www.canisterfilterreviews.com/fluval-fx5-review/

Should I expect the same from the FX6?

 

[Duckie]

Don't worry about the flowrate too much. That 920 gph rated flowrate is for what the pump can do circulating water (e.g. in a bucket). Put it in the canister with clean media and the advertised flowrate drops to 600 gph. Let it get dirty a bit and you drop further down. By the time it needs cleaning you are realistically down to 3-400ish gph in tank. The higher it pumps up the more the flowrate deteriorates as well.

 

[Greggz]

You’ll hear good and bad about every brand of filter. Most people recommend what they own. Personally I run two Rena XP-3’s and a Rena XP-XL on a 120. The XP-XL also serves as a CO2 reactor. I’ve had the two Rena XP’2 for 9 years. Replaced a couple of gaskets, and other than that they always run like new. Someone else might say theirs failed in one year? Who knows? Fluvals? Eheims? I’m sure those who have them love them too.

But I definitely agree run two canisters. The ability to clean one without disturbing the bio field of the other is worth it. Plus, if you do have a disaster with one, you still have one running, so it’s not an emergency.

As to heaters, I would go in-line with the canister. Less junk in the tank. Also consider a heater controller to use as a failsafe in case one malfunctions. Depending on your lighting, you might now even need a heater. On my 120 I have 216 watts of T5HO, and my Hydor’s rarely come on. I turned them off last week as an experiment, and my water temp was 76.00 in the morning (winter here in Michigan), and 78.5 after the lighting cycle. I don’t even know why I plugged them back in.

 

[Jade.Crusader]

Interesting, how do you go in-line with the heaters? I have never seen one in person. Do I need a special heater, or filter that accommodates a heater, or will one just go inside no problem?

What do you guys think of the AquaTop CF500's?
http://www.amazon.com/Aquatop-CF400...qid=1451961872&sr=8-1&keywords=aquatop+cf+400

Nicer on my budget, that's for sure, especially if I'm getting two.

 

[Greggz]

I have the Hydor ETH In-Line 300w heaters. They are plumbed into the tubing coming from the canister filter, so they stay outside the tank. I also like that the heated water is pumped into the tank, circulating as it comes in.