Thinking about filtration for a 55-75G discus tank

[Ruud]

So currently living in a flat with a 100L (around 22 gallon?) community tank and a small 35L grow out tank for my mollies and swords. Over the course of the summer I bought a house and we are in the process of fixing it up before moving there early next year. I will finally have my coveted separated working area and my idea is to put a nice big tank in there with a few discuss or perhaps angels. 

Whats the common advice on filtering and soil? My aim is to keep it as maintenance easy as possible and I will explain my thought process on filtration and where I could use some advice:

On my current 100L I have two aqua clear HOB and I love them for their simplicity and easy access. Get them out, strip them apart and put them back and up and running in 10 mins each. I am thinking HOB will be not enough for a big tank, is that a correct thought?

I used to have an Eheim external filter that always gave me hassle. Spreading water all over the place when decoupling it and after cleaning it was a pig to get going again. Hated it. Maybe there is a better option out there I don't know about?

Then there is obviously internal sponge filter with an air pump - I know very common in US but here in Spain we don't really use it, not sure why as it seems a very straightforward and easy solution. Probably a noob question but what kind of air pump would it require for a 55-75 G tank? and which sponge filters?

Then there is soil... is Sand more maintenance friendly than the true soil I am using now? Im thinking now putting some plants in it but nothing too dificult or maybe plant in pots. Amazon swords, crypto that stuff. maybe even add co2

 

What would be a good setup filtration wise for such a tank? 55 to 75G, with a few plants not heavy planted, some discuss or Angels with a school of Cory's and some tetras? 

 

Thanks 

Ruud 

PS I am in Spain so can't really order the typical US stuff and brands (yeah it sucks)

 

 

 

[Scapexghost]

If your not confident that a hob will be enough you could always use two, it'll still be cheaper than a canister filter. In term of ease of maintenance gravel is probably the easiest followed by sand. Both should be straightforward compared to soil.

[Ruud]

Thank you Scapexghost. I guess you have a point and I could take two big HOB filters, that way I always would have a back up if one fails and it would make sense. 

I would be interested to understand what other people use with these size/type of tanks and fish. I see the Fluval FX series is quite popular as well as an external filter. I would also be interested to see what setup is used with air driven sponge filters. 

Thank you!
Ruud

[Flumpweesel]

I have an older Fluval (306) canister filter and its been pretty good over the years. The stop valve for uncoupling is really good and I've never had an issue with water escaping.

It can be a fight to open the thing for cleaning (after uncoupling) but that is probably a good thing really. Had it for 8 years and no complaints about its reliability.  

 

[Griznatch]

I have 3 what I'd call larger tanks, two 55s and a 75 gallon. All three have a HOB filter and a sponge filter. the 75 and one 55 are relatively under stocked. My wife's 55 is moderately stocked but is heavily planted. All the HOBs are running sponges only.  I've been running them this way for years now, no issues.

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

I’d say in terms of size of an airpump an Eheim 400 or equivalent should do the work you need. 

Filtration for discus or angels you’re going to want to overfilter to get the water clarity you’d need to appreciate them. Maybe 4 x turnover or more. I’d say 2 hang on backs and 1-2 spongefilter. Maybe one hob on each end and the sponge in the middle covered up with planting or hard scape. If you stick with aquaclear I’d do two 110s and a sponge rated for 50 g. 

In terms of filter media, I agree with @Griznatchthe evidence is that 30 ppi sponge is better than any sintered glass or other media. I’d go cheap if you want to put a bag of lava rock at the bottom and sponge on top that would work just as good as any “media.” Gives you more money for fish and plants. 

George Farmer just posted his redone discus tank and he’s gone bare bottom and wood only. He’s had problems with too low a pH and the lighting and plants actually washed out the fish.  His fish now really pop. If you wanted a planted tank I’d do Angels they thrive in planted tanks. 

[Colu]

I would go with an FX 4 or 6 depending on how much turn over per hour you want I have used fluval canister filter for long time and find then easy to maintain and do a great job never had any leak

[StevesFishTanks]

I use an fx4 on my 120 tall and an fx5 on my 125, In my discus tank which is a 56 gallon column (30x18x25) I have an API XP3 canister.

 

Inside the filters I use high flow bags of seachem matrix and sometimes crushed coral. I use the canister for biological and have sponge prefilters on the intakes for the bulk of mechanical filtration. 

 

I service the prefilters with every water change and they do a great job of keeping the canister chamber clean, extending its service interval to 4-6 months or even longer depending on stocking/feeding.

 

The prefilters I use are from jehmco but Im sure you could use the co-op ones the same way. The magic piece I've only been able to source from jehmco is the 1" mesh pipe. 

To adapt them to the filters takes some DIY and parts from home depot/lowes. A 1" to 3/4" slip x slip reducing adapter fits on a cut fluval intake tube. The same adapter with a 3/4" to 1/2" inside reducer bushing fits on the API filstar intake tube.

Edited November 11, 2021 by s1_

[Ruud]

Thank you all for the great input, that's what I love about this place! I have been looking at the FX4 indeed, just wary because of my Eheim experiences. I think the FX4 has an auto prime right? One of my issues with my old Eheim was it took forever and a lot of cursing and spilling water over the floor and sucking tubes to get it going again - does that issue not occur with an FX4?

I will take a look at the suggested Eheim 400 airpump or equivalent as well as I am still contemplating as well a combo of HOB and sponge. Not sure still but you all have given me food for thought. 

I just don't have the experience with bigger tanks and Discus size fish who produce much more waste. 

Thank you all

Ruud 

[StevesFishTanks]

The fx4 and fx6 will auto prime on first start. They also stop for a few minutes every 24 hours to purge any trapped air. They are great filters.

[anewbie]

I have an fx6 on my 120 and have mix feelings about it - i think i have two complaints first the propeller area is not easy to reach to clean (on the eheim it is designed that you can easily clean the propeller housing) and it seems to have a reduction of flow over time (despite cleaning) - this is a complaint i've seen from others - it is difficult to figure out why flow is reduced. The media is easier to clean than the eheim (I have a 2217) because of the pull out basket but the filter overall is just plain large as are the fitting for the aquarium (which also don't fit well on a 120 due to rim size). I also dislike that it does not come with a spray bar like the eheim. I use an api pre filter on it - not sure if i love them - but they get cleaned twice a week (i have 2 that i switch between during cleanings to keep the intake being open during cleaning). Next year after I move my new tanks will have either sump (a pair of 450) or matten fitlers - everyone else. The sump will be basically a series of sponges in a pair of 40B.