Filtration advise for my new tank

Hi all,

As you may have read in my previous post, I am purchasing a new tank in the
new year and I'm looking at making some improvements on my current setup.

I my current tank, i notice a lot of film on the top of the water and today
when I was at the LFS, there was a 4x2x2 with a corner over-flow. I was
wondering if I could use this to fill with media and then have it running
off to my eheim 2217 canister filter..?

I was thinking of filling it mainly with mechanical filtration materials and
then have it run out to my canister for the main biological filtration, thus
maybe doubling my biological surface area, which would be a plus with the
discus...

I have done some reading on the net and the only mention of this type of
set-up, as most have a sump set-up, is that the canister filter has to have
it's motor at the bottom for some reason...?? If i maintin the water level
high enough in the overflow setion, this would not break the siphon down to
the canister filter and it should work right?

It would remove the dead plant leave that float on my water and would also
hide most of the filtration equipment so it wouldn't distract from the main
thing - the plants...

I was wondering if anyone has any advise re this, or have done a similar
thing and can give me some hints/tips?

thanks in advance.

Justin.

On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 00:47:19 +1100, Justin wrote:

I my current tank, i notice a lot of film on the top of the water and
today when I was at the LFS, there was a 4x2x2 with a corner over-flow. I
was wondering if I could use this to fill with media and then have it
running off to my eheim 2217 canister filter..?

Be very careful to never get your levels low. The main problem I see is
that you will have to top off very frequently to keep the water low enough
to flow in (instead of submerge) the overflow, and high enough that it
always has water.

I have done some reading on the net and the only mention of this type of
set-up, as most have a sump set-up, is that the canister filter has to
have it's motor at the bottom for some reason...??

They say this so that if/when your overflow dries out you don't burn out
your motor and hopefully the motor can suck in enough air to keep the
bacteria aerated.

It would remove the dead plant leave that float on my water and would
also hide most of the filtration equipment so it wouldn't distract from
the main thing - the plants...

That's your job, not the filters- leaving dead leaves to decay is a fast
trip to algae land.

~Empty

Thanks for your response...

Maybe I will have to look at an eheim surface extractor instead... Don't
want to blow up my filter...


"Empty" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 00:47:19 +1100, Justin wrote:

I my current tank, i notice a lot of film on the top of the water and
today when I was at the LFS, there was a 4x2x2 with a corner over-flow.
I
was wondering if I could use this to fill with media and then have it
running off to my eheim 2217 canister filter..?

Be very careful to never get your levels low. The main problem I see is
that you will have to top off very frequently to keep the water low enough
to flow in (instead of submerge) the overflow, and high enough that it
always has water.

I have done some reading on the net and the only mention of this type of
set-up, as most have a sump set-up, is that the canister filter has to
have it's motor at the bottom for some reason...??

They say this so that if/when your overflow dries out you don't burn out
your motor and hopefully the motor can suck in enough air to keep the
bacteria aerated.

It would remove the dead plant leave that float on my water and would
also hide most of the filtration equipment so it wouldn't distract from
the main thing - the plants...

That's your job, not the filters- leaving dead leaves to decay is a fast
trip to algae land.

~Empty

I have had an Eheim surface extractor for 5 years. It works well-no more
surface film. Originally I connected it directly to the suction side of a
Magnum 350 which was way too much flow for the surface extractor and it made
a lot of noise. Eheim sells a ' T ' so you can T it into the suction line
to your filter which solved the problem.

From time to time, I look for a better solution than the Eheim and have not
seen anything that looks better.

Good Luck
"Justin" wrote in message
...
Thanks for your response...

Maybe I will have to look at an eheim surface extractor instead... Don't
want to blow up my filter...


"Empty" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 00:47:19 +1100, Justin wrote:

I my current tank, i notice a lot of film on the top of the water and
today when I was at the LFS, there was a 4x2x2 with a corner over-flow.
I
was wondering if I could use this to fill with media and then have it
running off to my eheim 2217 canister filter..?

Be very careful to never get your levels low. The main problem I see is
that you will have to top off very frequently to keep the water low
enough
to flow in (instead of submerge) the overflow, and high enough that it
always has water.

I have done some reading on the net and the only mention of this type of
set-up, as most have a sump set-up, is that the canister filter has to
have it's motor at the bottom for some reason...??

They say this so that if/when your overflow dries out you don't burn out
your motor and hopefully the motor can suck in enough air to keep the
bacteria aerated.

It would remove the dead plant leave that float on my water and would
also hide most of the filtration equipment so it wouldn't distract from
the main thing - the plants...

That's your job, not the filters- leaving dead leaves to decay is a fast
trip to algae land.

~Empty