Which canister to buy??

[Plecomate]

Hi all, so I'm looking at getting 2 canisters for my 3ft tanks. Either a 1400l/ph or a 1000l/ph, Depending on what you guys think. They might possibly be used in a 4ft tank in the future but nothing bigger. Would the 1000L/ph be sufficient for excellent water quality in a 3ft tank for breeding L #? or should I go for the 1400L/ph canister, due to its better filtration?

Forgot to add the, 1400L/ph canister comes with a built in UV steriliser, Not really sure what it does exactly, but must be good

All help deciding wich to get will be much appreciated.

Many thanks to all :hi:

 

[Lornek8]

Bigger is typically better but flow really is just one component to consider when it comes to filtration. Media volume, I assume, is also greater with the higher flow canister which would yield better filtration. Flow alone doesn't necessarily lead to better filtration. As an example, powerheads can have high pumping rates but as they lack filter media don't yield good filtration. Also, too high a flow rate could simply lead to a filter which plugs faster & reduces the efficiency of the filter if not setup properly.

With that said, i'd probably get the larger canister. Howver, i'd probably run it along with another filter anyway.

 

[Plecomate]

Ok thanks buddy, So go the 1400L/ph canister and run a sponge filter in the tank as well? may I ask why the need for the other filter if this is very well suited to do the job.

 

[bigbird]

I also agree 100% with lornek8, however i have never had or will have a UV steriliser. I keep 2 filters per tank as I believe 1. Ls need great water quality 2. They do sometimes produce additional waste 3. Especially in AUS they are very expensove and just in case one filter fails 4. Ls need water movement to a certain degree. I have a cannister filter or sump and powerhead or sponge in each tank. Please also remember you need a regular maintenance schedulle for your cannister filter or it will not benefit your tank and fish. cheers jk :thumbup:

 

[Plecomate]

Ok thanks guys, So should I go the bigger one? or will the 1000Lph be ok? And what exactly does a UV steriliser do? is it beneficial for Ls??


Thanksss

 

[Lornek8]

I'm really not familiar with the particular filters available in Aus but I also am not overly confident with ratings that filter makers claim especially with the type of stocking levels I have. That's why I typically run more than one filter. Also, I don't like running my canister filters for mechanical filters as I hate to clean them. Therefore, I run an internal filter or better yet a HOB to provide mechanical filtration. It allows the canister, which typically has lower flow rates, to go longer between periods of cleaning.

 

[Plecomate]

Ok thanks, So whats the verdict? larger one with the UV? or smaller one? I will also put a xxl sponge filter in the tanks as well.

 

[Lornek8]

UV sterilizers are nice but I don't know if I like it in the filter, just one more thing to go wrong with the filter. UV sterilizers expose items in the water column to UV light, thus killing them. If done correctly UV sterilizers are effective at eliminating parasites & some diseases from the aquarium.
Like I said, reason I run another filter is to catch all the stuff I want to keep out of my canister, sponge filter won't do that. Still could go with the larger canister, my question would be how the addition of the UV sterlizer affects the media capacity of the filter & the rating of the UV sterilizer as too fast a flow through the UV sterilizer renders it ineffective.

 

[Plecomate]

Ok, So go the bigger one? or will the smaller one be better cause it can filter more because of its less flow P/h? I have 3 options basically 1. 100lph Without UV 2. 1400lph Without UV & 3. 1400lph With UV. prices vary between them. So thats really why I want to get what I need. Dont want to spend the extra on the UV in the canister if I dont need it and then saying that dont want to get the bigger canister if the smaller one is more than enough for exceptional water quality. I will be doing WCs a lot so that adds to the quality of the water. I will also add a sponge filter or a power head.

Many thanks

 

[bigbird]

hello,

Get either 2 x 1000l
or 1 x 1400l no uv filter.

Water changes are good, but filter maintenance is also imperative

cheers jk :thumbup:

 

[Plecomate]

ok, There for 2 tanks though. Need 2 canisters, 1 for each tank. In that case go 1400l no UV? Is UV REALLY essential with Ls??

 

[Lornek8]

UVs are not required to keep any fish. So if money is an issue don't get the UV.

Smaller one will not filter more due to less flow. You need to understand te relationship between flow & media volume. The point I was trying to illustrated with the powerhead example is that flow alone does not a filter make. What this means is that a filter is simply a water pump plus filter media. If you only look at flow rates you could be burned if the media capacity of the filter is inadequate. However, since we are talking about two canisters, I will make the assumption that the higher flowing canister also has a larger media capacity. In this case the larger canister will have better filtration.

I'd go for two of the 1400 l/hr models. You can always reduce the flow if the flow is too much & you still have more media thus the filtration would be better (at 1000 l/hr) than the 1000 l/hr model would full-bore. Would also run a HOB or internal powered filter. Not a sponge filter and not a powerhead (unless filtered). What I'm trying to do with the additional filter is catch all the muck that would get into your canister filter & plug it.

 

[Plecomate]

ok thanks heaps for that, I will get 2 x 1400lph canister without UVs. Sorry for the stupid Q, but with is a HOB??

 

[bigbird]

hang on back (HOB ) filter usually. cheers jk :thumbup:

 

[macvsog23]

Filters a misunderstood subject.
You have two forms of filtration mechanical and biological by its nature any filter will become biological but let us assume for the time the two actions are looked at separately
For mechanical filtration your basically forcing water across a filter media be it sponge or floss and allowing some water to penetrate the media. Force and size of penetration hole are the two main issues stronger pressure and smaller penetration hole will give you more clean as in not carrying suspend matter water at the one end a filter with a course sponge to the other end the principal of an Reverse Osmosis filter.

Now with Biological filtration you’re in a different world. To explain it very basically water is passed over a pours or absorbent media and gets used by bacteria, living on the media, well the pee in the water will get used, this will produce Nitrate and again it will pass over the media and get used to produce Nitrate, Nitrate (being less harmful to living organisms than pee or Ammonia) will be removed when you do your water changes.

Filter size & flow rate is not the issue, its how mature the filter will get once cycled and the load it will be subjected to. Your tank will run quite efficiently with a mature filter and say 10 fish pop in 20 more fish and how ever big or fantastic the filter is it will crash out.
Flow rate on a filter that is biologically working will have to match the rate that the bacteria that have colonized the media can “eat” the pee at.
Dead simple you have to balance the flow to the amount of media. Dictated to the load (Pee).
No good running the water over the media so fast the bacteria cant “eat” the Pee, and the bacteria get swamped by the pee.
You could fit a huge filter to a tank with 10 small fish and get the flow rate right to “Digest” the Ammonia, so the water is very well cycled but add extra fish and the bacteria will get swamped and just will not handle the Ammonia coming in.
People think a filter is just a filter to remove waste.
My tanks are filtered biologically and have so called muck all over the substrate, but the water is very clean in a biological sense.

I hope this helps not a great description but one I understand.

 

[Lornek8]

Excellent explenation!

 

[bigbird]

agree :clap: perfect. cheers jk :thumbup:

 

[Plecomate]

Thanks very much for that. But Im confused some what now haha. So is it bad to get the larger canister because water will pass through too quickly? and this being the case go for the smaller one because water can pass through at a much slower rate, therefore filtering the water more? Sorry for this, Im just confused as to what canister I should be getting now. I am wanting to order them tonight so all decisions would be great.

thanks

 

[macvsog23]

Big is best just make sure you allow the bacterial action to get established well before introducing fish.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
This is all pretty good advice. If you can keep the organic crud out of the filter, do plenty of water changes and make sure flow speed remains reasonable in the tank, your water should remain of good quality and highly oxygenated, these are some of the most important factors for plec keeping.
I like to have 2 filters per tank as well, and I put a coarse filter sponge on the filter intake for ease of cleaning as well. I'd go for whichever filter looks the best built and you are likely to be able to get parts for. I know they are difficult to source in Aus. but that is why a lot of us like Eheim Classics, if you chose them on water flow per dollar, you'd never buy one, but they last for ever you can get parts for them, and the water has to pass through the media, so the flow rate is a pretty good measure of whether the internal media needs cleaning.

My tanks are filtered biologically and have so called muck all over the substrate, but the water is very clean in a biological sense.

I've been to Bob's fish house, and it's all true, he has some of the healthiest fish and mulmiest tanks you've ever seen, and he really does know what he is talking about.

UVs are not required to keep any fish. So if money is an issue don't get the UV.

I've never been to Lorne's fish house, but he knows what he is talking about as well.

I keep 2 filters per tank as I believe 1. Ls need great water quality 2. They do sometimes produce additional waste 3. Especially in AUS they are very expensive and just in case one filter fails 4. Ls need water movement to a certain degree. I have a cannister filter or sump and powerhead or sponge in each tank. Please also remember you need a regular maintenance schedulle for your cannister filter or it will not benefit your tank and fish.

Never been to JK's fish house either, but he is an Apistogramma keeper and an Australian, and he also definitely knows what he is talking about.

cheers Darrel