New Filter

[panboy]

I have an emperor 400, but with the biowheel im having trouble keeping the co2 constant. plus i have cash to spend.


I've been looking into the canisters but the eheim is way to expensive (i dont have that much cash), fluvals ive heard have many problems, and the filstars make a buzzing sound. No one makes this easy for me.

So i was wondering if the HOB aquaclear filters would keep my co2 constant. Is it the biowheel or the HOB filter in general that causes to much surgafe agitation?
If so, I would get 2x aquaclear200 for my 46g.
I find HOB filters so easy to maintain, and they are extremely cheap.

 

[WendyinWichita]

I have the same filter that you do and here is what I do. First, keep the water level topped off! I put a thick rubberband around the outflow then stuff some filter media under the rubberband (like a U) with the two ends pointing to the center of the tank. My filter media is cut to the width of the outflow and is about 6 inches long. I was recommended to use coarse media, but I had some thin foam rubber packing stuff and it works just as well. (I have the thick stuff on 3 and the thin stuff on 1).

On two other tanks I have upgraded to canister filters. I have a Magnum 350 on one (garage sale item for only $20, and an Eheim Pro 2026, $100 on Ebay. The Eheim is absolutely quiet) I have the CO2 plumbed into the intake on both of the canisters and the Magnum gurgles where the Eheim is silent.


The tanks with the HOB have Nutrafin bubble ladders. One is a 55 Gal and I have two ladders stacked one above the other so the ladder is double long.

I recently put in a new well and my minerals are strange, so my KH test is no help. My plants are pearling nicely, I use DIY with 2 liter bottles, I change one bottle every 3 or 4 days.