Habitat - Indoor :: Filtration systems

[amsude]

Hello!!!

I am trying to find out what other people have in there tanks. We have a 100 gallon tank but it is only 3/4 filled so i would say it is 75 gallons and we have a fluval 4 plus and a fluval 3 plus. I wanted two 4's but searched high and low and couldn't find one so we got the 3. Also couldn't get our Marineland filter working since it had to suck the water up so high one of the pet stores said the motor couldn't do that. So the water is cloudy.

Before we had a 20 L tank and the water was crystal clear. So this is hard to deal with for me I guess. I want crystal clear water.

Is it that we need a better filter or is it the background is dark and then we have rocks and there is a shadow. I don't know just confused

I would love to hear what other people have.

[Vtolds]

Rena XP3 approximately 100 gallons or so. Only been running a week but appears to be doing a alright job. It is a little on the week side for that many gallons but seems to be efficient enough.

[scripta_elegans]

i have 2 fluval 4 in a 75 gallon stock tank, and they are working well thus far. I have 2 XP3 filters hooked up to my 125 gallon tank. The water is very clear in there.

[mikee]

Am-de -- What ever canister you get you will need to keep in mind the exchange of water. You will need one that exchanges the water at least 5 times per hour. Don't fall into the trap of fish sizes. Some of the fish stores just try and double the recommended size for a fish tank and that is not enough. You need to find out the gph and go from there. The next thing is that your pump that was not pumping was too far below the water and had a head pressure issue. You will have to raise the pump higher up so that getting it primed is not too difficult. The Marineland is a good pump but may not be big enough to pump the water you need. They make a 350 and a 360, which is their gph. -- Good Luck!

[BullDog]

I have a Fluval 404 on my 75 gallon and a Fluval FX5 on my 90 gallon. Both do a very nice job in their respective tank.
Once you go to canister filters, you'll never go back!

How many turtles do you have in your 100gal?
If you have more than one, you may want to consider the xp4 (or the scrum-diddly-umptious FX5) as oppose to the xp3. That way, if you ever build an atba and fill the tank up all the way, you still have filter that can keep up easily.

[N4784N R4613]

Hello!!!

I am trying to find out what other people have in there tanks. We have a 100 gallon tank but it is only 3/4 filled so i would say it is 75 gallons and we have a fluval 4 plus and a fluval 3 plus. I wanted two 4's but searched high and low and couldn't find one so we got the 3. Also couldn't get our Marineland filter working since it had to suck the water up so high one of the pet stores said the motor couldn't do that. So the water is cloudy.

Before we had a 20 L tank and the water was crystal clear. So this is hard to deal with for me I guess. I want crystal clear water.

Is it that we need a better filter or is it the background is dark and then we have rocks and there is a shadow. I don't know just confused

I would love to hear what other people have.

How long have you had this set-up running? If it is new, then you are probably just experiencing what we call "New tank syndrome." The cloudy water just means that the filters are doing their job, and starting a beneficial bacteria colony. It might take a few weeks for this to happen, but once it does, you will have crystal clear water!!!

To prevent this from happening every time you do a water change, or clean out the filter, make sure you NEVER wash the bio-media in HOT, or TAP water. Just set it aside in a bucket of tank water while you clean the rest of the filter. Hot, cold, and tap water will kill all the beneficial bacteria, and you will have to go though another "New tank syndrome."

I hope this helped!!

Nathan.

P.S. I even had "New tank syndrome" when I started my two FX5's in my 240 gallon tank. But, it only happen once because I make sure the bio-media stays alive!

[amsude]

I think the fluval plus confus me i don't see anywhere for media and i feel that maybe a problem. I am used to carbon and the sponge and media. I was actually going to take media and just cut the sponge and put media there so there is some. I do think when we changed the water this weekend we did too much. I need not to think we need to complete change the water and remember to stop at 50%. We are probably going to do that everyother week and change filters every week. We do have one turtle in there but he looks so little i am thinking we need to get another.




See how the last picutre is nice and clear and the first is cloudy. I want the clear stuff.

I need to make my pictures smaller

[N4784N R4613]

Oh, those are the fluvals you are talking about! I thought you meant the fluval canisters! Yeah, you definitely need a better filtration system, especially if you plan on getting another RES . I would recommend a Rena XP3.

[marisa]

The Fluval Plus series really doesn't have room for media, other than the pads (carbon, sponges, microfiltration) you can buy for it. If you do try to add other media, you won't fit in much to really make a difference. You need a better filter (a canister).

(Bulldog, I like your description of the FX5. )

[ashleygamergirl]

i use a homemade filter and the water stays super clear i love it

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14145

[SpotsMama]

My XP3 keeps the water in my 100 gallon tank crystal clear. Probably have 75 gallons of water in it, and one 7" turtle and one big rosie red minnow.