Filtration query

[AAE]

I will be putting together a 60 inch long, 18 inch deep, 24 inch high tank (listed as 125 gallons by some mfc's and 105 gallons by Custom Aquarium).  This will a livebearer tank with lots of fish (eventually) and heavily planted.  I would like to go with two large Aquarium Coop sponge filters driven by their power heads.  Would you mind giving your opinions about how you think this filtration setup would work?  Thanks!

[johnnyxxl]

Should work fine. I am going to use two for my 80 gallon barb jungle 

[AAE]

@johnnyxxl, I hope my memory works well enough to post how it goes - the tank won't arrive for 11 weeks or so, so ....  I am wondering if air pumps would do the job, or maybe having a powerhead on one and an air pump on the other filter would work.  If you don't mind, I would love to know how your setup works.

[EggShappedFish]

In the end, only the water parameters can answer this. It will depend on so many things, that it is mostly impossible to answer.
Keep an eye on your parameters, make sure that ammonia and nitrites are broken down instantly and monitor how fast nitrates accumulate. Its up to you how often you are willing to do water changes but in the end, these parameters are the most important factors that decide how well your tank works.

IMHO, I'd rather overdo filtration than have too little.

[MattyM]

I used sponges and HOB's in smaller tanks, but in my 100g (heavily stocked and planted) I am glad I went with 2 canisters, one at each end. I love the circulation they give, and they pull an amazing amount of gunk from the tank. This wasn't my original plan, but I'm glad it worked out that way. Most of my maintenance is outside the tank, which I like. 

Custom Aquariums estimate might be different b/c they use thicker glass. 

[AAE]

@MattyM, thanks for your response.  I thought that if the sponge filter/powerhead combo did not work well enough, I would have already placed the tank in a way that I could add a HOB.  A canister filter would be the next option, though I do not love this type of filter, from experience (bit of a hassle to maintain for me, though I have not used one for years and maybe they are easier now).  The powerheads each generate 211 gph per the Aquarium Coop website, so I think the flow would be good.  

I have been in touch with Clear Fabrications (from Cory buys his larger tanks) - they have a competitively priced plexiglass tank and I am leaning toward that because of the reasonable possibility of earthquakes.  It is fun to plan in my mind how to proceed!  I appreciate your thoughts.

[Galabar]

My feeling is that two air driven sponge filters will do just fine for biological filtration on a 105 gallon (assuming 1/2 inch glass) livebearer tank.  However, I'm not sure it would do well enough for mechanical filtration.

Power heads on the sponge filters would help with the mechanical filtration.  However, even if you use plastic bags to remove the sponge filters, you get the "poof" of material released when even just touching them.

 

[AAE]

@Galabar, thanks for your comments - I will think about adding a HOB.  I had previously thought about an HOB in part to have a media to polish the water.  Would you mind letting me know why the glass thickness matters?  Thanks in advance!

[Galabar]

On 2/24/2024 at 8:18 PM, AAE said:

@Galabar, thanks for your comments - I will think about adding a HOB.  I had previously thought about an HOB in part to have a media to polish the water.  Would you mind letting me know why the glass thickness matters?  Thanks in advance!

I was just trying to get a measurement of the water volume.  The online calculator told me about 102 - 105 gallons with a glass thickness of 1/2". 🙂

 

[johnnyxxl]

On 2/24/2024 at 1:09 PM, AAE said:

@johnnyxxl, I hope my memory works well enough to post how it goes - the tank won't arrive for 11 weeks or so, so ....  I am wondering if air pumps would do the job, or maybe having a powerhead on one and an air pump on the other filter would work.  If you don't mind, I would love to know how your setup works.

Well my setup will be heavily planted and lighter stocking of fish.  Plan is air for both but if it needs more flow I will add powerhead.

[AAE]

@Galabar, thanks for the clarification - got it!  Makes sense to consider inner diameter.  Duh (on my part).  It will be 1/2 inch thick.

@johnnyxxl, sounds like a good plan to start with air.  I was also considering how loud the Coop powerhead is.  I was just watching a video on the Tidal HOB 110 (reportedly pumps 450 gph or around there.  That might be a nice addition with the coarse foam filter and the polishing poly pad on top.  Haven't had a HOB for decades - sounds fun to try.

[Galabar]

By the way, I've always wanted to create a long (6 to 8 foot) livebearer tank.  Maybe someday... 🙂

 

[AAE]

@Galabar, I am excited to do this!   I am thinking of starting with guppies and platies and adding some mollies later.  

[IanB]

On 2/24/2024 at 8:15 PM, Galabar said:

My feeling is that two air driven sponge filters will do just fine for biological filtration on a 105 gallon (assuming 1/2 inch glass) livebearer tank.  However, I'm not sure it would do well enough for mechanical filtration.

 

This is my feeling as well. You don't need a ton of biological filtration on a heavily planted tank. I think a lot depends on how you want your tank to look. If you want really clear water, you probably need a canister or a sump so that you can get a lot of mechanical filtration in and possibly something like Purigen if you want really clear water. You will also need reasonable flow to keep the aquarium looking good. I don't have experience with the Coop powerheads, so I don't know if they would do it, but two sponges running on air definitely wont. On the other hand, if you like some mulm in your tanks, as many do, I think you could definitely keep a healthy tank with that filtration setup. It will likely just come down to your preferences on appearance.

[AAE]

@IanB, I appreciate your thoughts.  I have considered stacking the sponge filters 2 high, to raise the height of the Powerhead, unless I get a high enough intake tube.  Hopefully a polishing filter media in a HOB will help with water clarity - this media seems to work well with my approximate 50 gallon Clear-for-Life Uniquarium.  Of course, the benefit of the poly pad in polishing water is pure supposition.  I probably have no real knowledge about why things are working.   The path like quality of the aquarium mini-contained-environments is one of the big things that keeps me going and enthusiastic.