Ideal Filter For 280 Litre Tank?

[white_and_nerdy]

I have a new aquarium which is 60 inches long, 15 inches wide and 18 inches high (holds roughly 280 litres). I'm trying to work out the best filtration option for the tank.

So far, I've thought of 2x Fluval U4 filters or something along the lines of a Fluval FX5.

I'm planning to keep cichlids in this aquarium - which I understand can be messy.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Malawi MaD]

FX5 would be ok but it maybe a little to much for your size tank but any other larger external would be fine for your tank(fluval 405/305, teratec, eheim etc..) Seen quite a few people going for the all pond solution filters to, these are a lot cheaper but not sure how good they are.

 

[white_and_nerdy]

I thought a turnover rate of roughly 8x my tank's size per hour would be good for a fully-stocked cichlid setup?

Would a Fluval 405 be a better solution?

 

[Malawi MaD]

Just realised your having a cichlid set-up (didn't see that part sorry) Which cichlids are you thinking of keeping? An fX5 would be ideal then if your going for a cichlid set-up as you say the larger the turnover rate the better.

 

[white_and_nerdy]

I'm quite new to cichlids but I was thinking of Lake Malawi cichlids. The tank won't be stocked to its maximum capacity but it'll be understocked just enough not to cause chaos. Would one FX5 be enough or would you recommend adding an internal filter as well?

 

[Malawi MaD]

I'm quite new to cichlids but I was thinking of Lake Malawi cichlids. The tank won't be stocked to its maximum capacity but it'll be understocked just enough not to cause chaos. Would one FX5 be enough or would you recommend adding an internal filter as well?

Nice choice of fish .. The FX5 by itself would be perfectly fine, no need for an internal filter

 

[white_and_nerdy]

Nice choice of fish .. The FX5 by itself would be perfectly fine, no need for an internal filter

Thank you! I have a 45litre community tank which I'll be using some of the water from to help cycle my new 280litre tank. My community tank is disease-free so I should be pretty safe doing it that way.

Would I get away with a 405, perhaps? Or is the FX5 ideal for me with a fully-stocked 280litre cichlid setup?

 

[Malawi MaD]

The 405 would be ok if you where going to have a community/planted set-up but with malawi's the FX5 would be the better option, you can pick up some decent second hand ones on aquarist-classified or ebay if you didn't want to pay for a brand new one

You could use some of the water from your community set-up but ideally you would need some mature filter media as the small amount of water from your community set-up will be like a drop in the ocean for your 280L tank.. I know some people on here post out mature media (will be a big help for you) or if you buy a second hand FX5 you could ask and see if they can leave the filter running until you pick it up, that way the bacteria will still be alive

 

[white_and_nerdy]

One more thing... The Fluval U4 has a turnover rate of 1000 lph. If I get two of those, would they be sufficient? Or would the external filter be the way to go?

I have my eye on the Fluval FX5 or the TetraTec EX2400

 

[Malawi MaD]

Personally id go for the FX5 or EX2400, externals have a much larger surface area as far as media goes and they are a lot more efficient than the internals