Choosing A Filter For A 75 Gallon

[HelplessNewbie]

On 9/17/2023 at 7:52 PM, Pepere said:

undergravel filters can flood your floor as well.  

Sorry to hijack the thread, but if one were to use a submerged pump or powerhead instead of airpump with an ugf, is there still a possibility of flooding?

[Fish Folk]

I’d just do a nice big Oase canister filter with a spraybar. Lots of flow. On the whole, easy to clean. 

[FLFishChik]

On 9/17/2023 at 8:24 PM, Pepere said:

I like using a glass lily pipe intake with a surface skimmer.

Among other benefits, the siphon is broken at a little less than half empty…

 

ie on my 29 gallon tank, if I put the canister filter in a 20 gallon tote, the siphon would break before the tote was full…

 

Using the default pickup tube from Fluval, the siphon would not break until about 24 gallons had drained….

 

 

A man never buys a drill because he wants a drill.  He buys a drill because he wants a hole….

 

or to put it another way,  lack of holes would not stop me….

 

I plan on building my own stand when I get the 75, and it will be built from the get go with a canister filter in mind…

Unfortunately, I'm not handy... and bought a stand. I'd be afraid to drill any holes for fear that I just drilled it in the wrong place and now had jeopardized the integrity of the stand cuz... it's me, anything is possible

Edited September 18, 2023 by FLFishChik
cuz I don't proof read before I hit "submit" :P

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/17/2023 at 5:20 PM, FLFishChik said:

So I’m thinking that probably limits my choices as well

Put it to the floor to the right?

[FLFishChik]

On 9/17/2023 at 10:28 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Put it to the floor to the right?

Noooo.... the 75g is going to be the focal point in the center of the wall in my living room and don't really want a chonking peice of equipment visible (my personal taste, I know, but seems like it would be an eyesore). I'm still trying to decide between the filtration types, but more than likely, it'll be a HOB filter.

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/17/2023 at 7:35 PM, FLFishChik said:

I'm still trying to decide between the filtration types, but more than likely, it'll be a HOB filter.

Grab 1 big boy of whatever brand you like. Look up the sicce syncra nano series of pumps and then something like the Fluval spraybar kit.  You have the pump in the tank and then you just get some tubing to attach it to the bar, circulation done.

[PlaneFishGuy]

I'm running an AC110 and a small Fluval circulation pump on the opposite side (back wall). The circulation pump was mainly added to help with better distribution of CO2 throughout the tank. I also have some low flow from an airstone.  I get it - Its a bit of an unorthodox setup for CO2 but I get the saturation levels and results I want even if it means shortening the time the CO2 tank stays full. 

The left side of the tank where the filter is has pretty good flow,  but its not uprooting plants and the fish seem to navigate it ok. I prefer to feed on the opposite side of the tank because the AC does blast food once it hits the down draft. 

As far as performance. The AC 110 has been adequate for my needs. I am moderately planted, lightly stocked (plan to increase overtime with breeding), and heavy handed with food. I am trying out a plenum for the first time for beneficial bacteria, and am only using the AC purely for mechanical filtration. 7 months in, and I am very happy with water quality and clarity. 

If cosmetics weren't important to me (its my living room display tank) I would have mounted the AC110 on the side and ran the flow long ways.  

[MattyM]

On 9/17/2023 at 6:03 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.

I was the same way, but when I got my 100g it had to be too close to the wall for HOBs, so I decided to try out some canisters. 

So far, what I can say is when there is a leak, it will be a small leak that probably comes from the canister itself - like the gasket that seals the top and bottom together. I keep mine in small tubs, very easy leak detection. I had this problem on a defective Sicce Whale I got from my LFS - some issue with that top gasket, a leak so small it took a couple days to even realize I had one. They swapped it out for me, and viola, no more problem. Point being any water-gushing-everywhere type problem is prob some kind of user error, and you will know right away (like when I accidentally sprayed myself the 1st time cleaning it). 

I also have an Oase Biomaster Thermo - so far I think that is an amazing filter, so well thought out (it has a handle!) and just feels so much sturdier than the Whale in terms of the casing and quality of the seals. And it comes with a spray bar, and the priming feature actual works whereas the Whale's is a joke, but the Whale is also a much cheaper filter. 

Edited September 18, 2023 by MattyM

[FLFishChik]

On 9/18/2023 at 11:56 AM, PlaneFishGuy said:

I'm running an AC110 and a small Fluval circulation pump on the opposite side (back wall). The circulation pump was mainly added to help with better distribution of CO2 throughout the tank. I also have some low flow from an airstone.  I get it - Its a bit of an unorthodox setup for CO2 but I get the saturation levels and results I want even if it means shortening the time the CO2 tank stays full. 

The left side of the tank where the filter is has pretty good flow,  but its not uprooting plants and the fish seem to navigate it ok. I prefer to feed on the opposite side of the tank because the AC does blast food once it hits the down draft. 

As far as performance. The AC 110 has been adequate for my needs. I am moderately planted, lightly stocked (plan to increase overtime with breeding), and heavy handed with food. I am trying out a plenum for the first time for beneficial bacteria, and am only using the AC purely for mechanical filtration. 7 months in, and I am very happy with water quality and clarity. 

If cosmetics weren't important to me (its my living room display tank) I would have mounted the AC110 on the side and ran the flow long ways.  

I think I’m probably going with a AC110 and a power head of some sort. 

[JChristophersAdventures]

@FLFishChik I think those will be good choices starting out, as you will see how 2 different types of filters are working for you.

[Galabar]

For my 55, I went with a custom UGF, powered by AquaClear 30s (would go with 20s or something even smaller if I could do it again).  It has been bullet proof so far.

[Ben P.]

Just make it easy on yourself and get a canister.  Put your intake on one side, spray bar on the other.  Great flow that way.  You can get them with uv sterilizers on them, multiple layers of media, can run polisher pads and bio media, anything you want.  Cleaning is much easier than people say and is done pretty infrequently if you're not super over stocked.  On top of that much quieter than hob and don't have to worry about power outage.  I was afraid of canisters for a while.  Will never go back to hob again.  Ever.  You can even get an inline heater and don't have a heater in your tank.  

[AG9]

I created an account just so I could reply to this. 

I have a 75g, I used to run 2 AC110's and it pushed plenty of water.

I now run a 407 and just recently added a 110 power head to cycle water out of the dead spot that sits just beyond my spraybar. The 407 is dead quiet and it doesn't toss the plants around the hob did. Primary reason for the switch. I'm currently happy with it, just have to pay attention. 

I have a moderately planted tank: 3 red dwarfs, vallisneria, ferns, a plethora of crypt flamingos, a handful of column feeders, 2 crypt greens, , etc. All low-tech. It's well stocked and nitrates sit at 30-50ppm. Currently, with my tanks ecosystem, I sit at the threshold. At least IMO.

I've had issues with breaking cycle in the recent history and I took that as a sign that I was at filter capacity for tank load. 

 All advice and questions welcome. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/19/2023 at 10:08 PM, AG9 said:

I now run a 407 and just recently added a 110 power head to cycle water out of the dead spot that sits just beyond my spraybar. The 407 is dead quiet and it doesn't toss the plants around the hob did. Primary reason for the switch. I'm currently happy with it, just have to pay attention. 

Would be so nice if they had a 408 with a slightly stronger pump.

On 9/19/2023 at 10:08 PM, AG9 said:

I've had issues with breaking cycle in the recent history and I took that as a sign that I was at filter capacity for tank load. 

 All advice and questions welcome. 

If you're having cycle issues enough that you're actually noticing it, then I would make a thread and try to include as much details about the setup. Please feel free to tag me if you make one.

Welcome to the forums!

[Galabar]

It would be tough for a UGF with powerheads to leak.  I suppose a sponge filter with powerhead, where it types over and starts shooting water towards the top/out of the tank, you might have a problem...

[AG9]

On 9/20/2023 at 2:43 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Would be so nice if they had a 408 with a slightly stronger pump.

If you're having cycle issues enough that you're actually noticing it, then I would make a thread and try to include as much details about the setup. Please feel free to tag me if you make one.

Welcome to the forums!

I don't know how to create a thread, but I would LOVE some help overall. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/20/2023 at 7:16 PM, AG9 said:

On 9/20/2023 at 2:43 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

 

I don't know how to create a thread, but I would LOVE some help overall. 

At the top of the page here click where it says "general discussion" that will take you to the main section of the forum threads. On the right hand top of that page you'll see "start new topic".

Edited September 21, 2023 by nabokovfan87