FLFishChik Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 I'm stuck on what type of filtration to choose for my 75g tank. I'm not sure what type would be best or how to choose one that would get the best flow rate or help with dead spots in the tank. Which filter(s) do you prefer and why? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 It depends on what you’re keeping. There are pro’s and con’s to them all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted September 17, 2023 Author Share Posted September 17, 2023 On 9/16/2023 at 8:02 PM, mynameisnobody said: It depends on what you’re keeping. There are pro’s and con’s to them all. the eventual stocking will be Boesmani Rainbowfish, Lemon Tetra, Corydoras, Bristlenose Pleco, Kuhli Loaches, and eventually Otocinclus and Amano shrimp. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 Personally I would do either 2 large ACO sponge filters, one in each corner. Or 1 ACO sponge filter and an Aquaclear 110 with pre filter sponge. Id start with the 2 sponges and upgrade as needed, but that’s just me. There’s a zillion ways to do the same thing. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 I wish there was a "408" or something slightly stronger than the 407 series. I am in the same situation on my own tank and trying to decide if I improve or change anything. I have one HoB filter (two is better) and then I have a co2 canister with a spraybar across the tank. If you don't have co2, I would just run a single canister (preferably) with a good spraybar setup or two HoBs. It might seem a bit overkill, but the real issue is that the rim on a 75G makes it so you have to use the largest size filters available. The aquaclear 110 will fit, tidal 75 will fit (much more reasonable), marineland I am not sure, other ones I am not sure, but I would opt for something like two of the marineland penguin pro 375s in lieu of a single 450 penguin pro. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted September 17, 2023 Author Share Posted September 17, 2023 On 9/17/2023 at 12:01 AM, nabokovfan87 said: I wish there was a "408" or something slightly stronger than the 407 series. I am in the same situation on my own tank and trying to decide if I improve or change anything. I have one HoB filter (two is better) and then I have a co2 canister with a spraybar across the tank. If you don't have co2, I would just run a single canister (preferably) with a good spraybar setup or two HoBs. It might seem a bit overkill, but the real issue is that the rim on a 75G makes it so you have to use the largest size filters available. The aquaclear 110 will fit, tidal 75 will fit (much more reasonable), marineland I am not sure, other ones I am not sure, but I would opt for something like two of the marineland penguin pro 375s in lieu of a single 450 penguin pro. Would a Tidal 110 and an ACO large sponge filter with a power head work or still go with two Tidal 75 instead? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JChristophersAdventures Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 @FLFishChik Good options presented so far, and people can be very passionate (sometimes beyond reasonableness when it comes to this topic), so I will simply mention what I opted for and why. I am setting up a new 75G and decided on 2 AquaClear 110s (one on each end facing in toward each other). Here's why: 1. I don't particularly like canister filters over all... I like some things about them, but I think I would build a sump before I would ever get one. 2. I like sponge filters for certain applications, like breeding for example, but air bubble filters just don't cut it for me on a well stocked community display tank where you have plants, decor blocking a lot of the water flow... you really need to be able to push the water around, in my opinion. 3. My second choice would be to go with power-head driven sponge filters, one in each corner. I used to have several set-ups that used power-heads on under-gravel filters and sponges, and I liked both of them a lot. I didn't choose those, because I want the ability to swap out different media in my filters (like crushed coral) when necessary and you just don't have that in a sponge filter set-up (I don't like the idea of putting coral or other things in the substrate because if you want/need to change/replenish it, that's a huge pain)... just not going to do that... I like straight sand or gravel only. I don't have any clearance on the back of my tank for HOBs. Having them on the ends means having to build custom lids from coroplast, but I'm okay with that as it is much cheaper and will be a better fit to my needs than a standard glass lid. I chose the AquaClear after long considering the Tidals... they both have their +/-s... but, I knew I would have to modify the Tidals to be satisfied with their performance, and I just didn't feel like doing that at this stage. I know some people like the Penguins, but I just don't like the "bio-wheel" thing or the square intake tubes... but, that's just me. lol Hope that helps. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 (edited) On 9/17/2023 at 4:32 AM, FLFishChik said: Would a Tidal 110 and an ACO large sponge filter with a power head work or still go with two Tidal 75 instead? That's the 4 foot tank dilemma. Right now, on my big tank, I'm running a single 75 and that secondary spraybar. Plenty of movement. So a single 110 (from whomever) can work. Don't get a tidal though, the reason being attached the end of that tidal testing thread. Edited September 17, 2023 by nabokovfan87 typo 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted September 17, 2023 Author Share Posted September 17, 2023 (edited) On 9/17/2023 at 9:43 AM, nabokovfan87 said: That's the 4 foot tank dilemma. Right now, on my big tank, I'm running a single 75 and that secondary spraybar. Plenty of movement. So a single 110 (from whomever) can work. Don't get a tidal though, the reason being attached the end of that tidal testing thread. So, the aquaclear... got it. I had thought about(and nearly decided on) the Tidal since it was self priming, however since I work from home, this isn't as big of an issue as someone who might work outside the home if the power ever goes out. NOW... could I do 2 Aquaclear 50 or 70 (one at each end) and be good? Edited September 17, 2023 by FLFishChik typo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 On 9/17/2023 at 6:53 PM, FLFishChik said: So, the aquaclear... got it. I had thought about(and nearly decided on) the Tidal since it was self priming, however since I work from home, this isn't as big of an issue as someone who might work outside the home if the power ever goes out. NOW... could I do 2 Aquaclear 50 or 70 (one at each end) and be good? The last time peeps here talked about AC size, anything other than 110 did not seem to suit on 75g frame. Right? @JChristophersAdventures I would only do 1 AC110 and keep sponge filter on other end to have a backup in case anything goes wrong. My AC70 on one end of my 100x40x40cm/160 Liter tank circulates the tank very well, but it can be a lil pushy for gouramis and angels. If you keep the water level high enough in the tank, in case of power outs, the ACs keep going. I had another power out at 2.30am couple days ago. I woke up to the sound of a HOB running dry at 4am. All ACs were working without any problem and I had an issue with another hob where I had low water level so it failed to start. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 On 9/17/2023 at 8:53 AM, FLFishChik said: NOW... could I do 2 Aquaclear 50 or 70 (one at each end) and be good? Won't fit on the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted September 17, 2023 Author Share Posted September 17, 2023 On 9/17/2023 at 3:48 PM, nabokovfan87 said: Won't fit on the tank. Oh for the love of gawd…😂. So… 2x Aquaclear 110. Does that mean I could actually overstock the tank a little? At least give me some consolation after spending $200 on HOB filters alone! Rotfl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 On 9/18/2023 at 1:16 AM, FLFishChik said: 2x Aquaclear 110. Dont use two. I bet it will be a chaos. Even my AC70 is pretty strong. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted September 17, 2023 Author Share Posted September 17, 2023 So the Aquaclear 110 will be enough movement through a 4ft tank? On 9/17/2023 at 6:29 PM, Lennie said: Dont use two. I bet it will be a chaos. Even my AC70 is pretty strong. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 On 9/18/2023 at 1:40 AM, FLFishChik said: So the Aquaclear 110 will be enough movement through a 4ft tank? I think it should be. My AC70 is my only filter for my 100 cm tank. (3 feet 3⅜ inches) 42g. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 On 9/17/2023 at 3:16 PM, FLFishChik said: Oh for the love of gawd…😂. So… 2x Aquaclear 110. Does that mean I could actually overstock the tank a little? At least give me some consolation after spending $200 on HOB filters alone! Rotfl The flow is "adjustable" but I swear you need a power hose to clean foam that dense. The media chamber is about the size of a small loaf of bread, seemingly massive. I ended up cutting the foam in half just so it was easier to clean the middle section. That being said.... you might as well really look at the 407/FX2 (or others) just for the sake of it. Price is one thing, but that tank having the center brace does limit a bit of the versatility that a large HoB offers. On end is best, but then you're having custom lids or no tops. That being said.... marineland has big ol filters, but I have no idea on dimensions. One HoB and some sort of air or circulation pump should be fine as well to avoid the cost of two of whatever you end up with. I'm honestly not sure there is a "best" here. Two tidal 75s is real nice, but you definitely want to mod them. Maybe there is something non AC70 that fits and makes like easy, not sure but I can dig if you want me to. I have to research it for my own setup. On 9/17/2023 at 3:40 PM, FLFishChik said: So the Aquaclear 110 will be enough movement through a 4ft tank? Yes, mounted on end. Mounted on the back, you need something to push the water across the entire right to left segment of the tank. You'll have dead spots. That's why it was recommended above to run something like a sponge on the right, secondary pump, etc. It'll work, but just really isn't "nice." Guaranteed you'll have a big void in the front of the tank with most AC110 size filters. It's just so strong and a lot of substrate is very light. It took about a day or two for my soil to no longer be capped, the sand moved, the glass exposed. Why they don't have the AC70 made for a 75G tank is a very peculiar mystery, but what do I know. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted September 17, 2023 Author Share Posted September 17, 2023 On 9/17/2023 at 6:47 PM, nabokovfan87 said: The flow is "adjustable" but I swear you need a power hose to clean foam that dense. The media chamber is about the size of a small loaf of bread, seemingly massive. I ended up cutting the foam in half just so it was easier to clean the middle section. That being said.... you might as well really look at the 407/FX2 (or others) just for the sake of it. Price is one thing, but that tank having the center brace does limit a bit of the versatility that a large HoB offers. On end is best, but then you're having custom lids or no tops. That being said.... marineland has big ol filters, but I have no idea on dimensions. One HoB and some sort of air or circulation pump should be fine as well to avoid the cost of two of whatever you end up with. I'm honestly not sure there is a "best" here. Two tidal 75s is real nice, but you definitely want to mod them. Maybe there is something non AC70 that fits and makes like easy, not sure but I can dig if you want me to. I have to research it for my own setup. Yes, mounted on end. Mounted on the back, you need something to push the water across the entire right to left segment of the tank. You'll have dead spots. That's why it was recommended above to run something like a sponge on the right, secondary pump, etc. It'll work, but just really isn't "nice." Guaranteed you'll have a big void in the front of the tank with most AC110 size filters. It's just so strong and a lot of substrate is very light. It took about a day or two for my soil to no longer be capped, the sand moved, the glass exposed. Why they don't have the AC70 made for a 75G tank is a very peculiar mystery, but what do I know. I'll look into the canister, but honestly, they scare me to death. I've heard the stories about leakage and such... Im just terrified. But... I have to admit, it might be an option - short of just going with an Aquaclear 110 and an ACO sponge filter with a power head. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 (edited) On 9/17/2023 at 4:03 PM, FLFishChik said: I'll look into the canister, but honestly, they scare me to death. I've heard the stories about leakage and such... Im just terrified. But... I have to admit, it might be an option - short of just going with an Aquaclear 110 and an ACO sponge filter with a power head. I have the same concerns. Honestly, you can get a pretty cheap water alarm and set the canister inside of a tote. If you get a lead, you'll know. There's a lot of good benefits.... right now I'm on the "pump + spraybar mod" side of things, but I know a canister is in the cards in future. What I have now works fine, but it doesn't work well enough for me, pump is a bit small, and it's pretty ugly. Maintenance is a prefilter sponge, extremely easy though! Despite a ton of reservations, it's the cheap sump option until I have a tank that can have a stand that has a sump below it. Alarm: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Basement-Watchdog-Battery-Operated-Water-Alarm-Sump-Accessory-BWD-HWA/100038838 Edited September 17, 2023 by nabokovfan87 added link 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Eric_ Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 I’d get a canister. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 @FLFishChiki bought an AC 110 from petco a couple of weeks ago for $47. You can get crazy sales and loopholes. Pickup in store takes 10% off. Also there are sometimes specials where you can get 25% off for first purchase on the site. If you’ve bought from them already, have a friend do it and pay them. Also I believe Chewy may have a similar sale. No need to spend $200 on 2 AC 110’s. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 @FLFishChik I also vote for a canister, but I’m very picky. I’d only buy a Fluval or an Eheim. If these aren’t an option then I don’t trust other canisters, imo. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted September 17, 2023 Author Share Posted September 17, 2023 On 9/17/2023 at 7:18 PM, Pepere said: HOBs can leak on your floor too. Ask @Irene…. I sort of suspect most of the horror stories about canister filters, might be avoided if people followed the maintenance schedule in the owners manual… on my Fluval 07 series, they recommend cleaning it monthly, they recommend removing the large o ring gasket every cleaning it of old lube and relubing it before replacing. They recommend replacing the Oring yearly…. The impeller should be cleaned monthly and replaced yearly… Most of the horror stories about cleaning them involve cleaning them after 6 months use… Honestly, it takes me all of 15 minutes or so to clean the sponges and media, impeller and orings lube and put it back in service. Given that my Tidal Seachem required cleaning a couple of times a week due to bypass, I will take once a month any time… I saw that vlog, lol. I am pretty religious about cleaning my HOB filters... for that very reason!. I can't really explain why I'm so afraid of canister filters... it could be that I've just always used HOB filters and that's what I know.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JChristophersAdventures Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 (edited) @FLFishChik As you can see, folks are definitely "into" what there into and "not" what they're not! lol Filtration should be a "no brainer" after all these years, but few can agree on either the type of filter or even which filter in a particular category. First things first. From everything I have seen, the only AquaClear option for a 75G is the AC110... when AquaClear says the AC70 is for upto 70G, they aren't kidding... it is not just a gallon estimate, but a filter that won't fit on a 75G rim... at least not on an Aqueon standard 75G (I just don't know about other aquarium tank brands to definitively say). With the Tidals, you can use either the 75 or 110 models on an Aqueon 75G (but please know what the modifications are and why before choosing one of these). And, while I would not personally choose a canister filter, there are some that are better than others (don't by a no name brand off of Amazon of any filter type! Just say'n'). As to the cost, when Petco had their last filter sale, I was able to get them for around $60 each (some have been able to stack discounts and get them for well under $50ea). I was surprised and pleased that Petco beat the typical Amazon offer of $90-$95 by a mile! Yeah!! Of course, this generally means you could get a smaller model Fluval cannister filter for a great price, too! Sometimes you can stack 3 discounts together (some stores will and some won't do it)... the new customer order (use a spouse or friend if you have to)... the actual sale discount (make sure it is actually on sale) and order it online to pickup at the store before you go... even 2 out of the 3 is really good! Again, my second choice for a 75G would be sponges with power-heads... always a pretty cheap, yet powerful water moving option. About powerful filters moving substrate... well the ACs can do that then the water level is much below the bottom of the rim... they are really better about sending the water flow out across the surface than most other HOBs, but every powerful HOB will kick sand substrate around if the water level drops and there is a large enough waterfall effect (med-large gravel not a problem). I like to keep my tanks topped off and right at the bottom on the rim... but, I understand some don't. Hopefully that helps, but I do get it... it is really mostly about "what you like" and its difficult to know if you haven't done a particular thing before... who's right? I don't know that... I only know what and why I do what I do. Thanks. Edited September 17, 2023 by JChristophersAdventures 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JChristophersAdventures Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 @FLFishChik In response to the issue of HOBs leaking onto the floor, it is correct that the #1 reason for that happening is lack of maintenance and honestly most canister leaks seem to be maintenance related as well... otherwise, as long as the casing isn't cracked and you have the filter level (or tilted slightly toward the tank) the water is going to run out over the waterfall outflow into your tank and not onto the floor. From what I have seen, it takes a bit more to make sure the seals and clamps are correctly in place on a canister than it does when you re-assemble a serviced HOBs, but bad installation (re-installation) can bite you with both HOBs and canisters... no doubt about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLFishChik Posted September 18, 2023 Author Share Posted September 18, 2023 (edited) On 9/17/2023 at 7:52 PM, Pepere said: Sponge filters and undergravel filters can flood your floor as well. if the pump is below water.ine and you dont have a check valve, or if the check valve fails… putting the air pump on a shelf above waterline is not foolproof either. The pump vibrates and eventually a hose might fall off the hose attachment and fall below waterline… Nothing is perfect, and Murphy is an opportunist… I’m sure there is the possibility with any filter type to leak/overflow. I just measured the inside of the cabinet on the stand and it’s about 13” wide. Also, there is only 2 holes for cords/tubes to go through from underneath the cabinet and only on one side, the other side does not have an opening for those things. So I’m thinking that probably limits my choices as well Edited September 18, 2023 by FLFishChik 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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