So many choices in the filter forest I cant see through the floss

The common way a wet/dry filter works is that the tank water is trickled down into a mechanical filter media (floss/sponge/etc) and then over the bio media which is exposed to air rather than submerged. The cleaned water is then deposited into a sump tank and then pumped back into the aquarium.

When the water goes through the entire filter, it will be greatly agitated and will air off all of the additional CO2. That's a big no-no for a planted tank with high light and injected CO2. However, a low light tank will do fine with a wet/dry filter.

The benefit for the wet/dry system is that by exposing the bio filter to air and oxygen, the bacterias involved in the cycle process are much more effective because they are aerobic.
 
I use an eheim standard canister filter and a HOB aquaclear filter on my planted tank. I have 3 watts per gallon compact fluorescent lighting, I don't use c02 and my plants grow great and I have NO algae, not hair, not BGA, not those little green spots. But I also have the most amazing algae-eating crew. Wet/Dry filters are amongst the best for benefitial bacteria growth but in a planted tank the need for more bacteria is lessened by the fact that lots of plants out compete the bacteria for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. If you do use co2 you do not want much surface agitation so wet/dry, anything with bubbles, and maybe even HOB are to be avoided. A canister filter is a VERY low maintenance filter.
 
My favorite filters are either cannister filters or bio-wheels. A lot depends on tank size, and what I can afford at the time. I've got a cannister on my 38g tank, it was a discontinued model at our store, and I got it for dirt cheap ($30). IT's a smallish one, I wouldn't use it for a tank larger than my 38. I'm going to be runnign fluvals on my 65g tanks. I've got some bio-wheels for my 50g tanks (for the price issue mostly), and my smaller tanks (20-29g) all have biowheels. THe biowheels are nice and quiet (I especially like the newer models, penguin just upgraded), however, some of my snail breeding tanks have a lower than normal water level for egg laying, so I do here the waterfall, but I kind of like the noise. My cannister filter is silent as can be...
BUt, ask "What's your favorite filter" of 100 people, and you'll likely get 100 different answers. It can be very subjective.

Emily
 
I had the biowheel on my 55 when I had it up and running before, infact I had 2 55 gal tanks with them. If the water level gets even a little down they become noisey due to the water return to the tank and the movement of the wheel. I sold a tank and took the other one down while qwe remodeled our kitchen, and when I started the one back up, I wanted a cannister because I heard they were quieter, and I was moving the tank to right outside my bedroom door. I got a Filstar XP2 and have been very happy. It is quiet, and I feel does a good job keeping my tank clean.
WHen the power would go out before, you had to hope that the penguins would prime and run ok if you weren't home, and we did have problems with one that burnt out becasue it didn't. There is no problem with the Filstar. the cannister return and inlet are under water, so the prime isn't lost.
I tended to get more water on the floor and the wall behind the tank with the hang on back filters than with the cannister. I am careful when I clean not to take the water level so low that my filter looses it's prime. WHen you disconnect, there is a lever you flip, and it disconnects quick and you just take the filter to the sink and clean it. IMO, it's much easier to clean than the hang on back ones. It's hard to get those things off the back of the tank and carry it to the sink.
 
On just about any tank, and definitely any tank 30 gallons or larger, I like to have more than one filter. I do this partly for redundancy, in case one filter conks out or fails to start after a power outage, but mostly because I like to separate mechanical and biofiltration. (I can't claim to have developed this approach; it's something I learned from RTR.)

For biofiltration, I like a canister (an Eheim Classic 2213 or 2215 would be fine for a 55g) packed only with a biomedia. I like Ehfimech or other ceramic noodle for this purpose. I prefilter the canister with a sponge over the intake; the FilterMax III is an ideal prefilter.

For mechanical filtration, I like something easy to clean and with media that is extremely inexpensive or reusable. For a 55, I'd be thinking about a HOT Magnum, prefiltered and packed with bulk floss. Easy to clean, which encourages regular maintenance, and very effective. (And pretty quiet, which is nice.)

If you must go with an HOB power filter, I'd think twice about Aquaclears. I know many people swear by them, but mine are absolutely the worst filters at restarting after a power outage and they never reprime and restart after a water change. I have a number of Penguin and Emperor HOBs, and they all start more reliably than my ACs. (Heck, even my last remaining Whisper starts more reliably!)

Filter selection, though, is a highly personal thing, as has been mentioned. An Emperor 400 or two would be inexpensive and would do the trick, but many people don't like looking at HOBs. Canisters are very nice, highly efficient and reliable, but pricey. Wet/dry sump designs are efficient, but require some sophistication to avoid floods and similar problems.

HTH,
Jim
 
My 2 cents:

First, I also use the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Freshwater Master Test Kit. Easy to use, gives quality results and I'm happy with it.

As for filters, I've always used Bio-wheels. (In combo with under gravel filters with powerheads) I have a BioWheel Mini on my 10 gal tank and 2 Emperor 400's and a Top Fin 60 on my 125 gal. The Top Fin was a freebie and I plan to replace it with another Emperor 400 when it croaks. But this is a matter of comfort zone more than anything. I have used them for years, I'm happy with them, so why switch? I have heard great things about canister filters and will have to consider them carefully when it comes time to replace the Top Fin, but they're so expensive that I could burn up and replace my Emperor's twice before I pay for the one canister.

I have all fake plants, so I don't deal with lighting, CO2, fertilizers, etc....
 
Well,
I haven't bought a packaged filter in probably 20 years. Why? I have a Whisper 3 that does a great job, has remained silent, virtually maintenence free, and re-primes without any problems. Unfortunately, "they don't make 'em like they used to". If you're looking for low maintenece, my vote still goes to hang on back power filters. You can spend all the money in the world for the bells and whistles, but you're still looking for something that flows water through a media that will trap particles and provide biological filtration. AC's are still decent filters, and bare-bones basic though I agree that the larger filters can have a hard time re-starting. Emporers are good products, but they can be a little noisy, and pricey for that matter. From what I understand, they have made changes to them that have made them a little quieter than the older filters.
My ultimate vote (not for planted tanks) is a wet/dry filter. They are super clean and allow the aquariast to hide heaters, chemicals, etc. Once you get past the concept of wet/dry filtration, they are very simple to operate. Your dissolved oxygen levels stay very high, which is great for some of your more exotic plecos and wild-caught fish. The only item that will need replacing is your filter pad. One major disadvantage of wet/drys is if you have a plumbing problem, you will wind up with several gallons of water on the floor IME.
 
skimmer

:OT: How would I go about making my own protein skimmer for a 75 gal.

Thanks
Shark Bite
 
You can use a protien skimmer for freshwater, but they generally don't gather up dissolved organics as much as they do in marine applications (it's harder to keep the bubbles in freshwater).
Usually, it's easier to use carbon to suck up your dissolved organics.
 
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