Canister for 29G

[Wadikus]

Hello!

I've decided I want to swap to a canister from my annoying always clogging C3 for my 29G. It's definitely stocked on the heavier side but it is planted and has been running for about 3.5 years but as the fish have grown the C3 is requiring almost bi-weekly maintenance. It is the following:

29 Tall with:

• 8 diamond tetras, who are approaching full size
• 9 rummy nose
• 1 pair of Panduro Dwarfs
• 7 Venezuelan corys
• 1 Bristlenose pleco
• 350,000 MTS

I like the appeal of the less frequent canister maintenance and I'm more inclined to rather do large less frequent cleanings than frequent smaller cleanings.

 

The real question is and I can't seem to find a super clear answer, do I go with the Fluval 207 or 307? 

Thanks!

[Pepere]

I run 207s on 2 of my 29 galln tanks and use a spray bar for circulation and a glass lily pipe intake with a surface skimmer and use inline Co2 diffuser.

I do not perceive any need for a bigger filter either from a flow perspective or filtration.  I service them on e a month and never notice a perceptible increase in flow after servicing them.

 

my tanks are heavily planted and a decent amount of fish as well.

2 angelfish,

8 harlequin rasboras

8 glowlight tetra

8 cherry barbs,

5 emerald green Cories, 

2 killifish…

[Airborne 82nd]

 

I'm not sure what there turnover is GPH. I have a 407. You need to know how much you want to turn your tank over with your bioload if in doubt I don't think you can go wrong  with the 307. I couldn't begin to figure out your bioload I've never kept a bunch of little fish just a couple of big fish but pigs when they eat and poo so still a heavy load. I turn my water over 4 to 5 times a hour. Don't go buy what the box says they are always OVER rated so I go to the next bigger size than what I think is needed. Just my 2 cents

EDIT Pepere posted while I was typing and he has the 207 so I would use his info. if I were you

Edited July 11 by Airborne 82nd

[Wadikus]

On 7/10/2024 at 8:50 PM, Pepere said:

I run 207s on 2 of my 29 galln tanks and use a spray bar for circulation and a glass lily pipe intake with a surface skimmer and use inline Co2 diffuser.

I do not perceive any need for a bigger filter either from a flow perspective or filtration.  I service them on e a month and never notice a perceptible increase in flow after servicing them.

 

my tanks are heavily planted and a decent amount of fish as well.

2 angelfish,

8 harlequin rasboras

8 glowlight tetra

8 cherry barbs,

5 emerald green Cories, 

2 killifish…

Thank you! just the info i was looking for. You're even heavier stocked than I am.

Though my Bristlenose does make a mess

[Wadikus]

On 7/10/2024 at 8:50 PM, Pepere said:

I run 207s on 2 of my 29 galln tanks and use a spray bar for circulation and a glass lily pipe intake with a surface skimmer and use inline Co2 diffuser.

I do not perceive any need for a bigger filter either from a flow perspective or filtration.  I service them on e a month and never notice a perceptible increase in flow after servicing them.

 

my tanks are heavily planted and a decent amount of fish as well.

2 angelfish,

8 harlequin rasboras

8 glowlight tetra

8 cherry barbs,

5 emerald green Cories, 

2 killifish…

Also, what stack of media do you use?

[Pepere]

I use the stock vertical sponges that come with the filter and the black biosponge in the lower most tray followed by a quick clear sponge on top of it in the first tray.  I replace the quick clear pad every month.

In the middle tray I have 4 nylon pot scrubbers and I pack polyfill in the gaps to reduce bypass and encourage flow through the scrubbers.

the top tray has another 2 scrubbers also with polyfill in the gaps and a mesh bag kf purigen on top.  Every month I place a refreshed bag of purigen on top and put the old bag in bleach solution to recharge it and then rinse it well 24 hours later and then store it in the fridge in a sealed plastic food storage container with it covered in water and dechlor.  That way I have a replacement bag ready to goon the first Saturday of the month when I do my monthly service.

I have never been a fan of ceramic type media. On paper they have tremendous surface area mathematically, but my suspicion is that functionally they have very little surface area once a biofilm forms on them and that with all the free flowing gaps between pieces, precious little water is going to flow through the media itself verses around it.

I also madethe mistake of including the phosphate absorber pad when I first started and promptly had my Anubias covered by green spot that suffocated it.  Never use a phosphate absorbing pad without testing phosphate levels first…

You can also significantly add more biofiltration by using a Co Op  large coarse prefilter on the intake.  It also will fit over a glass lily pipe with a surface skimmer, but I felt the aesthetics were not to my preference. It is also a bear to remove from the tank for cleaning without making a mess… but they do add a LOT of extra biofiltration and keep the internal prefilter much cleaner.

I used this lily pipe from Amazon and used the 17 mm pipe.

https://www.amazon.com/JARDLI-Surface-Skimmer-Aquarium-Planted/dp/B01LZ2DV9W/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2HSEXLY328P1I&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dnko6Hp5U-r8tD86hFZjTYS9LwjpOs5V-qyyTyJ8FCES2l0iPiOGXxzx-bKGAcayP0nrz8d9vQZV6s9-zSm-qIgvOzFYQXFC8e9tmIHhENn61SYpC-o6Hfyq-1TtO2ILwKCGfxrmT84ltZBoomQbLdeTBWo8JA-6vRqC0nGHqUSIl5xdtp9WhN7I7GT0DooKxn0rn8Fv2VbY8CyGmp4upzY9MR_a61gNg0uk6VYiI_HfnN59Xoz0f8-TwHagAUU9XLd6FucCe23xLc4N_TWBBg4rSVnORX7iiFLUJo89FUo.oOVyzNHvM8f6-8yvq0sxBIO3rNzvT0tzMFe1hWCJ7Mc&dib_tag=se&keywords=glass%2Blily%2Bpipe&qid=1720694605&sprefix=Glass%2Blily%2Caps%2C430&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

and these fluval adapters on the ribbed hoses compressed with stainless steel hose clamps just snug enough to hold well and not collapse the ribbed hose.

 

 

I havent had this leak yet on either 29 gallon tank in over a year…

I pull the ribbed hoses and the spray bar every three months and use a long brush on a spring  to clean out the inside of the hose every third month. The lily pipe gets cleaned monthly.

[Wadikus]

On 7/11/2024 at 6:54 AM, Pepere said:

I use the stock vertical sponges that come with the filter and the black biosponge in the lower most tray followed by a quick clear sponge on top of it in the first tray.  I replace the quick clear pad every month.

In the middle tray I have 4 nylon pot scrubbers and I pack polyfill in the gaps to reduce bypass and encourage flow through the scrubbers.

the top tray has another 2 scrubbers also with polyfill in the gaps and a mesh bag kf purigen on top.  Every month I place a refreshed bag of purigen on top and put the old bag in bleach solution to recharge it and then rinse it well 24 hours later and then store it in the fridge in a sealed plastic food storage container with it covered in water and dechlor.  That way I have a replacement bag ready to goon the first Saturday of the month when I do my monthly service.

I have never been a fan of ceramic type media. On paper they have tremendous surface area mathematically, but my suspicion is that functionally they have very little surface area once a biofilm forms on them and that with all the free flowing gaps between pieces, precious little water is going to flow through the media itself verses around it.

I also madethe mistake of including the phosphate absorber pad when I first started and promptly had my Anubias covered by green spot that suffocated it.  Never use a phosphate absorbing pad without testing phosphate levels first…

You can also significantly add more biofiltration by using a Co Op  large coarse prefilter on the intake.  It also will fit over a glass lily pipe with a surface skimmer, but I felt the aesthetics were not to my preference. It is also a bear to remove from the tank for cleaning without making a mess… but they do add a LOT of extra biofiltration and keep the internal prefilter much cleaner.

I used this lily pipe from Amazon and used the 17 mm pipe.

https://www.amazon.com/JARDLI-Surface-Skimmer-Aquarium-Planted/dp/B01LZ2DV9W/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2HSEXLY328P1I&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dnko6Hp5U-r8tD86hFZjTYS9LwjpOs5V-qyyTyJ8FCES2l0iPiOGXxzx-bKGAcayP0nrz8d9vQZV6s9-zSm-qIgvOzFYQXFC8e9tmIHhENn61SYpC-o6Hfyq-1TtO2ILwKCGfxrmT84ltZBoomQbLdeTBWo8JA-6vRqC0nGHqUSIl5xdtp9WhN7I7GT0DooKxn0rn8Fv2VbY8CyGmp4upzY9MR_a61gNg0uk6VYiI_HfnN59Xoz0f8-TwHagAUU9XLd6FucCe23xLc4N_TWBBg4rSVnORX7iiFLUJo89FUo.oOVyzNHvM8f6-8yvq0sxBIO3rNzvT0tzMFe1hWCJ7Mc&dib_tag=se&keywords=glass%2Blily%2Bpipe&qid=1720694605&sprefix=Glass%2Blily%2Caps%2C430&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

and these fluval adapters on the ribbed hoses compressed with stainless steel hose clamps just snug enough to hold well and not collapse the ribbed hose.

 

 

I havent had this leak yet on either 29 gallon tank in over a year…

I pull the ribbed hoses and the spray bar every three months and use a long brush on a spring  to clean out the inside of the hose every third month. The lily pipe gets cleaned monthly.

Thank you so much for the detailed breakdown!