Regular Member run.without.raincoats Posted April 5, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted April 5, 2015 I'm brand new to fish and trying to put together my very first real setup. I bought a fluvial U4 underwater filter (34-65 gallon model, 260 gph) to put in the 50 gallon tank I'm getting next week. I also have a small external filter from the temporary 10 gallon tank that I have currently that I was thinking I'd stick on since it has some nice bacteria setting up shop in it that could help cycle the big tank. It's a tetra whisper 10-20 gallon, 105 gph, I don't expect it to do a ton cleaning-wise but I thought it might also help with surface disturbance since the main filter is internal. Is this anywhere in the ballpark of okay filtration? I thought fluval was supposed to be a relatively good brand but I really just don't know that much about filters. I'm worried its not enough but I can't afford a huge $200 dollar filter, especially since my new arrivals are iffy health wise (they were unexpected rescues currently being treated for flukes, ammonia burns, and who knows what else :0) and may not live long enough to justify an extremely expensive setup. Although an upgrade will probably be possible down the road if they pull through. I got the U4 for about $66 on sale from amazon, If the U4 isn't good enough I could return it and spring for a slightly pricier one? Anyway, thoughts would be very much appreciated. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Mikey Posted April 5, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted April 5, 2015 I'm brand new to fish and trying to put together my very first real setup. I bought a fluvial U4 underwater filter (34-65 gallon model, 260 gph) to put in the 50 gallon tank I'm getting next week. I also have a small external filter from the temporary 10 gallon tank that I have currently that I was thinking I'd stick on since it has some nice bacteria setting up shop in it that could help cycle the big tank. It's a tetra whisper 10-20 gallon, 105 gph, I don't expect it to do a ton cleaning-wise but I thought it might also help with surface disturbance since the main filter is internal. Is this anywhere in the ballpark of okay filtration? I thought fluval was supposed to be a relatively good brand but I really just don't know that much about filters. I'm worried its not enough but I can't afford a huge $200 dollar filter, especially since my new arrivals are iffy health wise (they were unexpected rescues currently being treated for flukes, ammonia burns, and who knows what else :0) and may not live long enough to justify an extremely expensive setup. Although an upgrade will probably be possible down the road if they pull through. I got the U4 for about $66 on sale from amazon, If the U4 isn't good enough I could return it and spring for a slightly pricier one? Anyway, thoughts would be very much appreciated. Internal filters aren't the best for goldfish because of all the nooks and crannies in them. I personally just don't like them in general, either. If it were me, I would return the U4 and get two aquaclear 70's http://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-70-Power-Filter-Listed/dp/B000260FUW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428211171&sr=8-1&keywords=aquaclear+70 that will give you 600 gallons per hour of filtration which is perfect for a 50 gallon tank. The U4 and tetra would not have given you enough filtration, unfortunately. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Daniel Posted April 5, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted April 5, 2015 You could also look at the Aqueon 55/75 on Amazon. It's pretty cheap (twenty something dollars) and does 400gph. A lot of people on the site like them. The general recommendation on here is 10x filtration, so for a 50 gallon tank you would want 500 gallons filtered per hour. Canister filters are a little different, but I take it you're interested in HOB filters since they're cheaper. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Chai Posted April 5, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted April 5, 2015 U4 takes up a lot of space and got clogged too quickly when I used it. Didn't really do a great job at keeping a 20g clean..worse job at keeping a 50g clean. Not a fan, ended up giving it to a friend who wanted it as a secondary filter for his turtle tank. It worked well with the low water level.. I'd rather be a bit over filtered with a HOB filter or a canister. Definitely suggest either the bigger Aqueons or the Aquaclear 110. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member run.without.raincoats Posted April 6, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted April 6, 2015 Thanks, I'll send this one back. Ordering the AquaClears as we speak! Darn, I had so much fun just saying "fluval filter" over and over. "Aquaclear" isn't as snappy 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Mikey Posted April 7, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted April 7, 2015 well, it's a fluval filter still it's made by Fluval They are actually no longer "called" aquaclears. They are called "fluval 70" "fluval 110" and such. We are all just used to calling them aquaclears still, though 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Chai Posted April 7, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted April 7, 2015 well, it's a fluval filter still it's made by Fluval They are actually no longer "called" aquaclears. They are called "fluval 70" "fluval 110" and such. We are all just used to calling them aquaclears still, though Where did you see this? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Mikey Posted April 8, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted April 8, 2015 well, it's a fluval filter still it's made by Fluval They are actually no longer "called" aquaclears. They are called "fluval 70" "fluval 110" and such. We are all just used to calling them aquaclears still, though Where did you see this? on the boxes it says Fluval 70. and in a blurp little picture thing it says (previously aquaclear 70) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Mikey Posted April 8, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted April 8, 2015 oh oops didn't see the aquaclear to the right of "fluval" so it's now called Fluval aquaclear 70 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member run.without.raincoats Posted April 10, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted April 10, 2015 So my filters came today (whoo) but my tank is still nowhere to be seen. I don't need it right yet since I've been suggested to keep treating everyone's flukes in a small hospital tank. But I was wondering if it's worth setting the new ones up to start cycling? I have a bucket I've been dumping used water and leftover fish food into that's housing the filter cartridge I had to take out of the hospital filter so it wouldn't remove the medication. I was hoping it might keep whatever bacteria I've got on there alive for a bit. If I set up the new filter on that bucket would it start growing its own bacteria? Would that make my 50 easier to cycle when it gets here? Am I making any sense ??? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member GoldenSpoiledRotten Posted April 10, 2015 Regular Member Share Posted April 10, 2015 So my filters came today (whoo) but my tank is still nowhere to be seen. I don't need it right yet since I've been suggested to keep treating everyone's flukes in a small hospital tank. But I was wondering if it's worth setting the new ones up to start cycling? I have a bucket I've been dumping used water and leftover fish food into that's housing the filter cartridge I had to take out of the hospital filter so it wouldn't remove the medication. I was hoping it might keep whatever bacteria I've got on there alive for a bit. If I set up the new filter on that bucket would it start growing its own bacteria? Would that make my 50 easier to cycle when it gets here? Am I making any sense ??? You're making fine sense! I would set a filter to run on that bucket just so that the bacteria on the cartridge stay well-oxygenated. It may have the added benefit of seeding your new filters, too. When you're ready to put the filters on the new tank, just cut all the floss off the cartridge and stick it under the biomedia. Since you're getting AquaClears, you won't have cartridges anymore. (Awesome, by the way, since they aren't the best media, and carbon is a waste) That means you don't need to replace anything in the AquaClears until it falls apart.So get seedin'! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member run.without.raincoats Posted April 10, 2015 Author Regular Member Share Posted April 10, 2015 Thanks! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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