Advice On Filter

[PlatinumAngel]

We're upgrading to a 75 gallon soon and will need to purchase a filter as the kit doesn't come with one.
We perfer the underground type, as our cats tend to try to fish at the ones that hang over the side.
Any recomendations on a brand or specific type that's good?

 

[Colin_T]

Any undergravel filter will be fine but in big tanks most people use a small water pump or powerhead to run them instead of an airpump. Make sure you have 3-5inches of gravel over the filter plates and do regular gravel cleans on it to keep it clean.
Alternatively use an external canister filter like an Eheim or Fluval. They hold a fair amount of filter material and do a pretty good job at keeping the water clean.
You can also use a trickle filter and these are very effective filters. They normally sit under the tank and water drains from the main tank, through different media/materials, and then gets pumped back up into the main tank. If you are buying a new tank you can get it built to suit a trickle filter. They drill a couple of holes in the base and the drain and return pipes go into that. Trickle filters can be used for marine, cichlids or any sort of fish tank.

 

[PlatinumAngel]

Thanks. I will ask about that when we buy the new tank.
I'm pretty excited about getting a bigger tank.

 

[Colin_T]

If you have a look in the marine section under sumps you will get some more info on trickle filters. Trickle filters and sumps are similar and many sumps have a trickle filter as their first stage, then the sump afterwards.