Equipment Review and Discussion :: how big is too big?

[ice]

i think im gonna try to buy a new filter for my tank since this one doesnt seem to cut it. its a 20 gallon tank. i was considering buying a fluval 4, but is that too big? i plan on getting a bigger tank in a few months so ill be able to use it in there.

also, with the 4 be big enough for a 60 gallon tank?


edit: also, will the 57 gallon tank fluval even fit in my tank? the dimensions of the water are about 20"x10"x10"

[Starchick]

The fluval 4 will only fit if you lay it across the bottom of the tank, if I remember right it's something like 12 inches tall. I have it in a 45 gallon tank and it does a superb job, but I can't say whether it'd be any good in a 60. The usual recommendation is to pick a filter rated for three times the amount of water you actually have. Once you bump up to the 60 gallon it may not be strong enough.

[ice]

hmm....laying it down would probably be ugly in my little tank. but i dont care. just as long as it cleans the water. my tank is so cloudy.

[marisa]

This is the Fluval 4+? To me, it would be too big for a 20-gallon tank and not powerful enough for a 60-gallon tank ( you want a filter rated for 3X the size of the tank).

[megcornell]

I use that filter in my 35 gallon tank and i think it works very well- I have about 20 gallons of water in there. But I have to adjust the nozzle so that current isn't too strong because even in my larger tank it can cause quite a flow... so I'm thinking in a20 gallon it would be way too powerful and take up too much room.

[ice]

well i just bought the 4+. ill set it on low and see how it goes. i also bought a pleco. hopefully he'll survive.

[ice]

k so the filter is in and running. but that little button that pops up when its clogged is up. idk how to fix that.

aside from that it seems to be fine. it takes up half the freakin tank, but that wont be a problem once i get a 60 gallon. think itll do something for how cloudy my water is?

[marisa]

The button popping is a problem others have complained about. If you know the filter is clean, I wouldn't worry about it.

As for the cloudy water, did you rinse the media well before you put it in the filter?

[ice]

yea i rinsed it real well. but the waters always been cloudy. idk what to do about it

[ice]

i have the flow set all the way down. it already makes it hard for the pleco and the turtle to swim in that area lol but will it clear up the water faster if i turn it up?

edit: its been on for like 5 hours now...but the water is still horribly cloudy. any ideas?

[grey goose]

If it's a new filter it sounds like new tank syndrome. The filter needs time to "cycle" or build up colonies of beneficial bacteria. You can speed it up a little with Biozyme (any pet store will have it). Keep an eye on the ammonia levels and do a 20-30% water change at least every other day (Don't change out all the water at once!).
Also open the flow up all the way!

[ice]

if i open the flow all the way my fish and turtle will get blown away lol

how can i check the ammonia levels? is it really necessary?

[grey goose]

I don't have any experience with in tank filters, but can you position it so the output is not as strong? If not, then turn it up enough so they can tolerate it. It's always best to have a filter run at full capacity, even in smaller tanks.
Beneficial bacteria EATS ammonia, with a new filter there is no bacteria in it to speak of.....so the ammonia can build up to very high levels pretty fast. The best way to control this is to do a 20-30% water change (it's only 3-5 gallons for a 20 gallon tank) every other day until the ammonia levels drop. The test kit will help you keep an eye on it. Also make sure to dechlorinate the new water. The chlorine will kill the good bacteria.
Look here:
http://www.redearslider.com/water_quality_issues.html