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Researching for starting up aquarium; filter and plants

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  • 21-10-2011 1:52pm
    #1
    spikealmighty
    Registered Users Posts: 43 ✭


    Ok so Ive seen a lot of people selling tanks second hand and a lot seem to have a second filter. Why is this? Is it for larger tanks that need extra help?
    - If I get a 110L/125L tank do I need one?

    Are plants what cause algee?
    I would like to get them but I don’t want a dirty green tank and I don’t want to get those cleaning fish, cory- is it? they get to big.
    How many sockets are needed to run an aquarium???


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    #2
    haron
    Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭haron


    4 sockets is what i use:
    1 for filter, 1 for heater, 1 for the light, 1 for the air pump


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    #3
    kylith
    Registered Users Posts: 17,736 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    A lot of people like to have twice the filtration for their tank (i.e. filtration for 240L in a 120L tank). I'd assume that the second filter is if the first one isn't quite strong enough.


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    #4
    WIZE
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,597 ✭✭✭WIZE


    The reason a lot of people have a second filter is for cleaning filters

    It means you can clean the pads in one of the filters without compromising the Bacteria in the water

    You will always have 1 established filter running at all times


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    #5
    Cameron Poe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 217 ✭✭Cameron Poe


    WIZE wrote: »
    The reason a lot of people have a second filter is for cleaning filters

    It means you can clean the pads in one of the filters without compromising the Bacteria in the water

    You will always have 1 established filter running at all times

    The bulk of the beneficial bacteria is in the filter media not the water. The volume of bacteria is dependent on the nutrients to support it. So if you have a massively over sized filter or two filters it makes no difference to the amount of bacteria in your tank than if you have one adequately sized filter.

    When cleaning the filter most will have more than one sponge. Just do one at a time and it should be ok. If there is only one sponge in the filter cut it into 2 or 3 sections and clean at different intervals.

    The only benefit of having two filters is if you want extra flow for some species.


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    #6
    Sleepy
    Registered Users Posts: 24,239 ✭✭✭✭Sleepy


    I have a second filter on two of my tanks to improve the water quality. The first is an 100l tank that has 3 goldfish in it thanks to our kids granddad being a bit quick with getting replacements when the goldfish that was in the tank died. Since the tank is smaller than ideal and goldfish are "dirty" fish to begin with, over-filtration of the tank seemed like a good idea.

    The second is our community tank which has 25 fish so a reasonably high bio-load, which I added an external filter to in order to help with a case of white spot. The water clarity improved quite noticeably from the extra filtration so I've kept it running with both.

    Algae is caused by too much light and too much food. Plants, if anything, should help keep algae lower since they'd absorb some of the same nutrients from the water that would otherwise feed the algae.


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    #7
    Cameron Poe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 217 ✭✭Cameron Poe


    If you have an adequately sized filter to begin with, you won't need and there will be no benefit in having two is all I am saying. It's just a waste of electricity.

    I do agree that if you are going to overstock a tank, having a bigger filter than recommended on the box is a good idea though.


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