Regular Member Lola_Granola Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 So this might end up being more like a poll really, but I've been wondering about a few things regarding filters and preferences with previous experience... I found a Penguin 350 today for $39 and jumped on it, thinking this would be perfect for our new-to-us tank. But then I started to wonder about how well it would work in this old house with the hard wood floors not being perfectly level. In fact, the dining room corner where our temporary tub tank is now, is where we were thinking of putting the tank. I've noticed the water not being level in the tub, and wonder about the bio-wheel working properly. That brings me to my next question, the bio wheel seems to be a great idea to me, but I see so many members loving the Aqua Clear for the extra room for alternative filter media. What is your preference and why? Also, do you feel it's better to have two smaller filters or one big one and why? I am so lucky to have such a wealth of knowledgeable folks here at Koko's, and thank you in advance! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Sakura Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 About the floor... you're going to want to put cardboard or a sliver of wood underneath the tank stand to level the water line out. It's not good for tanks to be crooked, they're more likely to crack that way. Plus it's annoying to look at a crooked water line! Now as for the filters, I prefer the Aquaclears! I like that they have so much room and are totally customizable. You can fill it with whatever type of media you like. I have also found them to be super reliable, I've never ever had trouble getting mine to start back up. I have one that is pretty old (not sure how old because I bought it second-hand) and it still runs like brand new. Also, you can buy intake tube extenders that reach all the way to the bottom, which is especially nice for bare bottom tanks. It's better to have two small filters than one large one. This is because you can distribute the water circulation well, and also distribute the current evenly. You don't want one large filter because then the current in one area will be very strong. For a 30 gallon tank, I think I'd go with two Aquaclear 50's. They are about $32 each, and combined will give you 400 gallons per hour of filtration power. They are adjustable though, so if the current is too strong, you will be able to lessen it a bit. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Cynders Posted October 23, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 23, 2010 I agree with everything Sakura just said. By having the two smaller filters, this will make sure the bottom of your tank stays clean and poo free by making different currents and making sure there are no stagnant dead spots. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin koko Posted October 24, 2010 Admin Share Posted October 24, 2010 I have only had the Penguin and there other filter. I do like them cause I can put alot of stuff in the 350-450 kinds, but if the filter doesnt sit right the wheels wont turn right... As for having 2 filters I would go that way, much easier to deal with if you need to clean one or one breaks down 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Choochoo Posted October 24, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 24, 2010 Ditto on the Aquaclears , love them ! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member tehminion Posted October 24, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 24, 2010 I currently have a penguin 350 running in my tank right now(along with a 200). The 350 has plenty of room for media so there should not be a problem with that. Although the bio-wheels spin relatively slow in the 350 compared to the 200 but as long as they are spinning it should be alright. I also agree with everyone with having 2 smaller filters as opposed to one larger filter for not only creating different currents but also for the breaking factor. I've never owned an aquaclear but I really like my penguins. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Lola_Granola Posted October 24, 2010 Author Regular Member Share Posted October 24, 2010 Thanks so much you guys! I took the Penguin back to the store today with my husband who is very confused. Hee hee. While looking at the AquaClears, I told him about the need for extra filtration and the worry of the strong current of one large filter, etc. I also told him of the "ten times filtration rate per hour" rule of thumb. He gets it, but he's wondering why we can't get two 30 AquaClears to equal 300 gph. I'm sure he's looking at the cost and he is right as we are trying to keep to a monthly budget. I know it would be better to get two 50's, both for me and fish...but he's not seeing that part of things. Thoughts? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Sakura Posted October 25, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 25, 2010 I suggested two 50's because I think the space for media in the 30's might not be quite large enough. Also the flow rate is normally slightly less than actually advertised, so it's best to overshoot by a bit. Maybe you could compromise and get one 30 and one 50? Would that make him happier? Or if you know for sure that you will only ever have one or two fish in there (not three) then I think you could probably get away with two 30's. If they don't seem to be able to handle the waste, you could always add a sponge filter or two (they are pretty cheap). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member kukana d Posted October 25, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 25, 2010 I have several Eheim canisters in various sizes-which I love,and 2 Emperor 400s-which I stuff w/ all kinds of media-which I love alsoI just wanted to chime in w/ another vote for 2 filtersIt can also come in VERY handy to have 2 filters w/ lots of bb-you never know what's going to come up-and you can snag media from 1 of them to put elsewhere(and trust me-something always comes up somewhere,sometime) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Sakura Posted October 25, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 25, 2010 (and trust me-something always comes up somewhere,sometime) Ain't that the truth! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member dogsbykat Posted October 25, 2010 Regular Member Share Posted October 25, 2010 I really like my Tetra Whispers. I don't use the media cartridges that come with them, they are a waste of space; I fit my own media and they actually hold a lot. Plus, they aren't quite as expensive and they are very quiet 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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