Filter for 240G

[SailFin]

I am setting up a 240 Gallon rift lake tank and would like some suggestions for a filter. The tank has a 3”hole drilled into it so I’m leaning towards a sump with 1 maybe two Fluval 404s (is that overkill?). As far as the sump goes, would it be better to do Wet/dry or just wet? Should I just forget the sump and use multiple canister filters?


Thanks for your help.

 

[Vitaliy]

I would def go with a wet/dry system, in addition I would also put up an Eheim or an XP3 canister. There is no such thing as too much filtration!

 

[indiginess]

since you already have the holes, i'd definately go with a sump design of some sort. i'm not that familiar with them because i have yet to have the luxury of a tank with pre-drilled holes.

my two pennies are for the sump.

 

[Sully]

Got money to spend? Here is a system with a lot of overkill.

I use a system driven by "little giant" and "quiet one" pumps.

Each pump is in-line with an Ocean Clear filter.

One line returns directly to the tank after the Ocean Clear.

The other goes through a 3 chamber Lifegard system after the Ocean Clear filter. The chambers being mechanical, biological, and heat. The mechanical chamber lets me "polish" the water very well. The biological--well that speaks for itself. The heat chamber permits me to add just the minor amount of heat needed to keep the tank in the 78-82 range. The pumps (epecially the little giant) throw heat. Obviously the water picks it up. I use a 100 watt heater in the heat module.

Like I said "overkill". The Lifegard modules could have been dispensed with once the 2nd Ocean Clear was installed. I just like the heater in the hole approach to living. There is no heater to hang in the tank. It will not get bumped into or broken--by you or the fish. I do not need to worry about unplugging it during water changes. As a matter of fact that part of the filtration system runs during water changes.

I also trusted Ocean Clear and plumbed the system so that I could "Backwash" it instead of opening it up and cleaning the filters by hand. I actually open the filter up maybe once a year. I look at the pressure guages and can tell when i need to backwash (about every 8 weeks).

And, the thing i really like is that when i put the mechanical media in the Lifgard "mechanical" chamber, the water simply sparkles.

It is the system for my 225. a bit overboard. i like to spend time watching the fish. I do not always enjoy the maintenace side of things--especially when i am busy with other stuff (like water changes in other tanks). This set-up makes it as close to maintenance free as possible. The Lifegard system was originally planned for a smaller tank. Decided to use it here rather than let it just sit in the garage with all the other "will need it someday" fish stuff in the garage.

I actually did install plumbing in my crawl space, directly below the tank, so that i could make it a continuous, auto refill system. my wife just won't let me start drilling holes in the family room floor and carpeting. Wife's, what do you do with them?

System would run around $700.00. If you dropped the Lifegard component you would save about $160.00,

I love it. Has made life very easy. But, it is expensive overkill in the name of convenience.