depends on the size of your tank... many of us use hang on back filters as well, with filter pads, but all this depends on the size of your tank and the fish (and amount of fish) you plan on keeping (if they produce a lot of waste or not)
Ah, filtration, I love filter talk. I have a 36 gallon freshwater and I use 2 Penguin 150's with 2 pads each and an addition media bag in each with either peat moss or activated charcoal. My tank is soooo clear. I currently have a very light bio-load but am stocking slowly. Even fully stocked I expect this setup will be nice. The only tanks I have that have only one filter are the ones that are physically too small to accommodate two. I love the extra filtration, but I'm also concerned about one filter failing (probably while I'm on vacation). I'm new to this and I've already come home to find my tank temp down 8 degrees because the heater (new) died.
the tank I am getting will be a 6x2x3 - I was planning on plumbing the tank with an internan wier/durso down to a sump filled with bio balls and refugium, then also having a Fluval FX5 cannister?
I will be keeping african cichlids and lots of them, so a pretty heavy bioload!!
Well, Lets see your options...
1. Canister filter. This is a great filtration system that is easily hid from view and is relativly easy to maintain but can be expencive.
2. "Hand on Back". These are great for they allow cultures of good bacteria to develop and bring in great ammounts of oxygen inside your tank but buying the media can be pricy.
3. Undergravel. These are OK for they are good for oxygen and good bacteria but can really turn out to be bad later on for they start producing bad chemicals from a overload of bio-matter.
4. Sponge filter. These ore really only good if you have small fry that you dont want stuck inside a filter.
i use canister, hang on back, and sponge, mabey a lil overkill but i like it
canister filters are good, and quiet
hang on back help with well oxygenated water
and sponge are a great lace for beneficial bacteria to grow.
