The Daily Cichlid
Subtitle
Filtration
Canister Filters, Pros And Cons.
.jpg)
Canister Filters Pros and Cons:
PROS:
1) Canister Filters filter most forms of bio wastes and can be customized to filter nitrates. In conjunction with a UV sterilizer it can filter some forms of parasites and algae.
2) flow can be controlled on most models.
3) Filters heavy metals with use of carbon media bags
4) Singly one of the best investments you can make for your tank
5) Renewable media can be purchased or most times it is included with the filter to get you started on the right track.
6) depending on the size of the tank and the bio load on the filter you can stretch the filter cleaning schedule to once a month.
7) Canister filter output spouts can be adjusted to create optimum surface agitation which therefore offering very good oxygenation and gas exchange.
CONS:
1) Damn expensive! Some ranging in retail pet supply stores from $150-$500 depending on the size of your tank and the brand of canister filter. Fluval seems to be the standard or best of the best but it is also one of the most expensive brands. You can purchase off brand filters online but you run the risk of getting one that doesn't come with a power adapter that is compatible with your household electricity.
2) Canister filters can be difficult to clean, and I would compare them to a HOB filter as far as difficulty is concerned.
3) The benefits of a canister filter often are not utilized by most people because it is one of those things that are out of sight and out of mind. You only have to clean them once a month (which should be in the pros) but because people don’t see it every day, canister filter maintenance often gets missed and neglected which leads to out of control water parameters that just creep up seemingly out of nowhere.
4) Canister filters often leak when maintenance schedules are neglected such as the replacement of gaskets and o-rings at the designated times.
Hang On Back Filters, Pros and Cons
HOB or Hang On Back Filters Pros' and Con's:
A HOB filter is a simple and easy way of filtering water in an aquarium. Is it effective? Imo HOB filters are not as effective as they can be which is why I use custom media and products to improve their efficiency (as explained at the bottom of this page).
PROS:
1) HOB filters filter lots of junk FFR (Free Floating Radicals) or the big stuff.
2) Simple to use
3) Cheaper start up cost than canister filters. For example: emperor 400 versus a Fluval 306. The 306 typically costs $200 new. Emperor 400 costs $80. Both filters put out 400gph (gallons per hour) and both are suitable for aquariums up to 80-90 gal's. The emperor can be customized for an extra $30 and you can filter an over stocked 100 gal aquarium for half the price.
4) Some HOB filters can be modified to use better and less expensive filter media, which is a must.
CONS:
1) Microbial waste "nitrates" are left to the fish keeper to get rid of through water changes. This is a given right? check out the customized options below at the bottom of the page to find out how you can filter nitrates with a HOB.
2) Cartridges are expensive $10-$20 for a 3 month supply, within 4-6 months you pay the equivalent if not more than what you spent on the filter system as a whole. (This only applies if you don't use reusable media).
3) The bio media is effective for the most part but not as efficient or effective as a canister filter. (This only applies if you don't use reusable media).
4) Messy! You must clean these type of filters out every two weeks or up to 1 month. Realistically to keep these filters running properly, you will need to clean it every two weeks in tank water. These filters store very little waste before they start utilizing the bi-pass channels.
5) Almost always Hob filters over time will start to make noise (starts out as a low grinding sound) which is caused by particulates building up on the impeller or simply the impeller has been bent from simple maintenance steps (cleaning).
This can be avoided with extreme care and patience but most people are not graced with these abilities in this instant gratification society. Because these filters have no filtration built in to prevent sand from ruining the impeller if it happens to get sucked up through the intake tube via (messy cichlids spitting or kicking the sand up too close to the strainer) you end up with either a noisy filter or one that simply doesn't work. This can be avoided by attaching a porous sponge over the intake. Make sure the intake pre-filter sponge is cleaned weekly and that it is porous enough to keep the flow from being restricted and fine enough so that sand can't be sucked through it. The pre-filter sponge if rinsed in tank water every week will eventually grow beneficial bacteria as well.
6) You loose 50-100% of your beneficial bacteria every time you change your cartridge (in cartridge type HOBS) which causes your tank to go through a mini nitrogen cycle every month.
Are Hob Filters suitable for a Cichlid tank?
Absolutely, but it is essential to customize these filters in order to fulfill the bio capacity and filtration needs a Cichlid tank requires.
Sponge Filters Pros and Cons
Sponge Filters
Pros and Cons:
PROS:
1) Sponge filters are easy to maintain and clean. Keep them wet, Squeeze and wipe the filtered particulates off in a bucket of used aquarium water and you are good to go until your next water change without loosing any of your beneficial bacteria.
2) Sponge filters are cheap and widely available online, $10-$12 typically in stores and $1-$10 online.
3) Sponge filters last 6-12 months and longer. It is best to run two at the same time if you are relying solely on sponge filters to filter your aquarium. if you have a need to replace one you will have a back up that can take up the slack while you wait for the new one to grow beneficial bacteria (typically 4-6 weeks for a sponge filter to become established).
4) A sponge filter can be powered by an air pump or water pump (aquaclear 20, maxi jet 400 or equivalent). This is perfect for a power outage because if you are running your sponge filters with water pumps and the power goes out you can use a portable, battery operated air pump to preserve the bacteria on the sponge and oxygenate the tank at the same time.
5) Sponge filters have no moving parts or impellers to break down and thus are one of the quietest filters you can run.
6) Sponge filters take up very little space and are easily hidden behind rocks and decor. They are perfect for back up filtration when used in conjunction with HOB's, and canister filters.
7) Sponge filters will not suck up and kill newly spit fry, giving you a chance to save survivors that have been spit in the tank prematurely or if you miscalculated the incubation time.
8) Sponge filters offer excellent water polishing as in filtering very fine particles and even diatom algae. When used with a UV sterilizer, green water. brown algae and other cloudy water conditions will be easily eliminated and then stay gone especially when proper water changes are performed on a weekly basis. Crystal clear water conditions are not as hard to achieve as most people think.
CONS:
1) Sponge Filters don't eliminate Nitrates
2) No Chemical filtration. Sponge filters do not use carbon and therefore don't filter heavy metals, meds, tannins or stains, chloramines, clorine or odors, but when used with a filter that does use chemical filtration products they are a very good source of bio filtration.
3) eventually sponge filters fill up with fine waste and can contribute to nitrate build up and eventually lose there filtration capacity and therefore need to be replaced. If replaced on a schedule ( every 6-12 months) these un-wanted conditions can be avoided.
DIY Info on How To Improve Your HOB Filter:
To Customize your HOB filter you must factor in what type it is and what it actually uses to filter debris and waste. How does it filter biological elements such as nitrates, nitrites and ammonia.
Penguin or Emperor filters filter biological toxins via the bio wheels. The wheel is basically a wet dry filter, water from the tank runs through either a spray bar or runs through the wheel and turns it saturating the surface area of the wheel with highly oxygenated water. This is a very efficient way of creating a oxygen rich environment, coupled with the porous material the bio wheel is made of, Nitrifying bacteria thrive on the surface of this wheel. These types of HOB filters usually require cartridges with carbon built in to filter waste and micro particles such as heavy metals. These cartridges are expensive over time and typically only last 4-6 weeks before they are saturated with waste. These cartridges do not come with enough carbon to last 1 week let alone 4-6 and these types of filters do not filtrate nitrates.
How can you triple your filters bio-load capacity, quadruple its micro-filtration capacity and filter nitrates?
You have to customize your filter with re-usable media and nitrate scrubbers.
First step:
Buy a porous sponge that is relatively the same thickness as your cartridge. Cut it to size and place it in the filter. You have just doubled the filters biological load capacity. Sponges are excellent bacteria factories, they are reusable and can be rinsed in tank water over and over again to retain the bacteria they harbor. Typically they cost the same as a 3 month supply of cartridges or less and last for up to a year before needing replacement.
Second step:
Buy activated carbon in bulk and make media bags using nylon stockings. I get queen size because they are longer and cost the same as smaller sizes. Follow the instructions on the bulk carbon container as to how much you should add to each bag (usually depends on tank size). Bulk Carbon is cheap and depending on the size of your tank a large carton will last you a year or more. One set of stockings will typically last you a year or more as well. Each bag typically lasts one month before its filtration capacity is maxed out which will also depend on the quality of activated carbon you purchase.
Third step:
research ceramic media such as Fluval ceramic rings or seachem's pond matrix, keep in mind there are many varieties available, but the best ones are the ones that have porous or rough surface areas. Fluval ceramic rings offer excelent surface area for nitrifying bacteria to grow on but do not offer a place for anerobic bacteria or bacteria that exist in low oxygen environments, this is where Seachem's Pond matrix comes in. It offers both a place for nitrifying and anerobic bacteria colonies. Porous enough to let water saturate the entire ceramic piece but oxygen free enough in the center of the piece to allow nitrate eating bacteria to thrive. Ehiem makes a similar product as well. Ceramic media lasts for a number of years but may need replacing depending on erosion. Aragonite large grain gravel can be used as well but it erodes a lot quicker than ceramic media. Aragonite gravel in the filter not only offers bio filtration, it also offers buffering and is a excellent ph stabilizer.
If your nitrates still keep climbing despite using seachem's pond matrix or similar product by ehiem, try adding a media bag of Brightwell Aquatics NitrateR and doing larger water changes. I usually suggest Brightwell Aquatics NitrateR because it lasts up to 10 years, it only needs table salt and water to recharge it which is safer and easier to rinse out before putting it back in your filter box and it is what I use. Typical water change per week for me is once a week at 25%.
How do I arrange the new media?
1. Sponge at the back of the filter box or wherever the water can flow through it before running through your other media.
2. Carbon media bag situated at the bottom of the box in the remaining empty space. If you choose to put a product like Brightwell aquatics NitrateR in as well, you will have to put it in the bottom of the filter box with the carbon in order to get the desired effect. Nitrate scrubbing products like this require low flow or low oxygen areas in order to be successful.
3. Place the ceramic media on top of the carbon and nitrate scrubbing media bags. This provides two functions: 1. holds the carbon and nitrate scrubbing media bags down and creates a low oxygen environment for the nitrate scrubbing media, 2. Keeps the ceramic media situated in a high flow, oxygen rich environment, giving the nitrifying bacteria a optimal place to grow and thrive.
Aquaclear is a good choice as well for HOB filtration because it comes with reusable media. It comes with a sponge, ceramic media and it also comes with a Carbon media bag. It is definitely a great choice if you choose to follow the standard bio load capacity rules but the filter box offers very little room to extend the bio capacity of your tank. That said you can always double up your filtration or pair the aquaclear with a canister or sponge filter if you want to over stock.
Other Filters usually come with a sponge and a cartridge thus at the six week mark you replace the cartridge and essentially lose half the beneficial bacteria. They are customize-able as well. I am talking about filters such as the aquatech filters or similar brands that do not come with a bio wheel or alternative reusable media. tetra whisper 10's are even worse because they only come with a cartridge so when it is time to replace it you lose all of your bacteria every time you replace it. You can use the same methods mentioned above to retain and or double your filters bio capacity with these types of filters as well. Your best bet is to use a aquaclear 20 for tank sizes 5-20 gal's because it comes with reusable media and you can adjust the flow. Bigger is always better especially when it comes to filtration.