Setting Up 30G

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I'm setting up a 30 gallon tank. It will contain 8 neons, 6 rummynose, 6 corys and a bolivian ram. It will also be live planted(swords, jungle val for now). The tank was set up about a year ago and I had a Tetra Whisperer EX45. I think it was Ok, but I think I want to buy a new filter. Any reecommendations of good filters for this setup. Also good lighting to use. Thanks for any info!

 

[MegaZerino]

I'm setting up a 30 gallon tank. It will contain 8 neons, 6 rummynose, 6 corys and a bolivian ram. It will also be live planted(swords, jungle val for now). The tank was set up about a year ago and I had a Tetra Whisperer EX45. I think it was Ok, but I think I want to buy a new filter. Any reecommendations of good filters for this setup. Also good lighting to use. Thanks for any info!

im currently setting up mine, and im using a fluval 105 but also an internal filter, so for you maybe a 205 or 305. and ive heard that T5 lighting is very good

 

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Thanks Megazarino, I'm used to hang over the top filters but I researched the fluval and it sounds good. I have never used a canister filter before so anyone who uses one can you give me advice for using it.

 

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Anybody? I want to get on ordering a filter so any info on the fluvals or other recommendations will be very much appreciated.

 

[MegaZerino]

Anybody? I want to get on ordering a filter so any info on the fluvals or other recommendations will be very much appreciated.

my fluval 105 is really good, different companies do different models, but they are all basically the same, so i would just choose the one that is easiest for you to get hold of

 

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And it can be used as the only filter in the tank

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, an external cannister filter can certainly be the only filter on a tank. One that is sized correctly for your tank will probably have multiple trays to help you provide a mix of mechanical, biological and chemical (if you ever need it) types of filtration. For instance, often the whater first flows into the bottom of the cannister and is slowed down by a layer of ceramic rings that are large and heavy and stay in place. Then perhaps it flows through a coarse sponge that will catch some more debris mechanically but will also begin the biological filtering as there will be bacterial colonies on the coarse sponge. Next might come the main bed of ceramic gravel with lots and lots of bacterial surface area or perhaps a bed of plastic scrubbies from the grocery store, which also have lots and lots of surface area. Finally the water might pass through a floss pad to take care of the fine mechanical function where the smallest particles are caught and help keep the water more crystal clear.

The external cannister is also good because it provides still more water volume to your overall system, thus effectively increasing the amount of water volume your fish are living in. It can also be very quiet because there are fewer water noises involved in how it works. Ease of removing it from the tank for cleaning is more or less similar to an HOB, both of which are easier to remove than an internal filter generally. Overall it entails more expense up front but ends up being a better long-term investment for your tank in many ways. Most of the major manufacturers make good models and you can read lots of opinions from over the years in the hardware section of the forum.

~~waterdrop~~

 

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OK. Thank you waterdrop!

 

[jenjen_82]

I've just got a fluval 105 to replace my internal interpet pf2 and its good so far so good

 

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Cool. I was thinking of getting the Fluval 205 but also keeping my Tetra Whisperer EX45 in the tank. Will this affect cycling in any way as there are two filters and do you guys recommend this or just toss the tetra?

 

[MegaZerino]

Cool. I was thinking of getting the Fluval 205 but also keeping my Tetra Whisperer EX45 in the tank. Will this affect cycling in any way as there are two filters and do you guys recommend this or just toss the tetra?

if anything it will speed up the cycling, will you eventually get rid of the tetra??

 

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Now that I think about it I probably won't use it, its a few years old and already has had a piece broken off which I fixed but not permanatly. I never felt like it did a great job anyway. The fluval will do a good job on its own, just thought the extra iltration would help but it will probably cause more problems than its worth.

 

[MegaZerino]

Now that I think about it I probably won't use it, its a few years old and already has had a piece broken off which I fixed but not permanatly. I never felt like it did a great job anyway. The fluval will do a good job on its own, just thought the extra iltration would help but it will probably cause more problems than its worth.

well dont forget to put the old media in the new filter for a couple of months to transfer the bacteria