Which filter for my 20 gal?

S

Sumpin'fishy

Humble Disciple of Jesus Christ
Oct 16, 2002
673
0
0
50
Savannah, GA
Shopping tomorrow- Need advice ASAP!

I'm going to be setting up a 20 gal and need to get a filter for it. I just broke down, removed and replaced all sylicone, and painted the back glass and trim black. I bought plenty of sand and have several rocks already. I plan to moderately stock this aquarium with plants (first try at live plants) in the future, also. It will be a low light setup, though with only 15 watts of light available.

My stocking list will be one male Betta Splendins, about 5 or 6 corys, and a few(?) ottos. I am open for suggestions of any different tankmates and amount of each. I hear to keep at least 6 cories or ottos together to shoal, but isn't my tank bottom a bit small for 6? If not, I'd love to get as many as possible. I think I should get some kind of algae eater though! Is a 20 gal too small for more than 1 or 2 ottos? Can I keep just 1 or 2 without problems, or do they need 6 or more also (as I've heard)? Ghost Shrimp are another realistic option I will probably add.

The delimma is wondering which filter to get. I've never used AquaClears or any kind of Bio-Wheel filters. I was thinking about an AC150 or Penguin 125 for this tank. Which would you all suggest? Any others instead? I need something affordable and that doesn't put out too much current. I also need it to keep up with bio filtration, since I won't have a "backup filter", as I normally do.

I need answers ASAP, please! I'm buying and starting cycle tomorrow!
 
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I would suggest using two filters- an AC 150 and an AC mini- hang one on eather end. You can put 4-6 otos in there np. As for corys, if smaller ones you can have 6-8, if larger would stop at 5.
 
I agree no need for 2 filters on a 20gal. I go with aqua clear 200 filter I think they do a great job and are relyable mostly they suck the water in better then the other type. :D
 
I appreciate the responses, but they all came after I had already bought the filter. The winner was the Penguin 125. My biggest turn-off to these filters was that they had those stupid filter cartridges. I didn't like how they wear out so quickly, and I also don't use carbon very often in my tanks, just to clear out meds or clear up water (very rarely). I started fooling around with AC300 replacement mechanical filter sponges and the Penguin 125 chassis. The problem was that the bio-wheel would not freely turn because it was barely rubbing the corner of the AC300 sponge (placed vertically in the cartridge area). I ended up buying these sponge replacements and the P-125, and when I got home, using scissors, I cut the slight edge of the sponge that was obstructing the bio-wheel from turning. It fits perfectly and fills the entire cartridge area. I will end up using these most of the time, and only using the actual cartridges as needed for carbon cleanup.

Anyways, this filter turns over the water more than 6 times/hour and doesn't cause much surface agitation, especially when I keep the water level high, and if I end up needing more water circulation, I will use a internal filter or powerhead to diffuse CO2 into the tank. This way I'm still not messing with the surface of the water. I'm also happy with the fact that the bio-wheel has the potential to hold more bacteria and provide more O2 for them, so it does a better job of bio-filtering, while keeping current down to a minimum. We'll see how things turn out!
 
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