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AquaClear 50 Power Filter, Fish Tank Filter for 20- to 50-Gallon Aquariums (Packaging may vary)?
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Neither of them are good. Honestly, I'd grab one from Amazon if you have time. Pick up an Aquaclear 30 or 50. They're 10x better than these.
Both these filters are some of the lowest on the market.
I guess it all depends on what you'll be stocking. There is no such thing as over filtering but at the same time you don't want your filter to be so over sized that its going to be blowing your plants and fish around. I would suggest going with an aquaclear 50. Its rated for tanks from 20-50 gallons. Just a tad more expensive on amazon that the aquaclear 30 you linked above.
Fluval 406 or 307 would be fine. Typically you can use the petsmart app to get a good discount. HOB is always a choice too. AquaClear
If you're looking for a filter suggestion: I'm a fan of Aquaclear filters. I run an Aquaclear 50 on my 20g. $30 on Amazon and comes with media.
If you upgrade or augment your filtration, and keep up with weekly water changes, I think it'll solve the problem.
I have this coming in the mail today: AquaClear, Fish Tank Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000260FUM/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_VSHKHVZERPF8YND9NQCG
I just realized my tank only came with a 20g filter even though it's 29 and the water is getting a bit cloudy.
Do you think the filter above will suffice?
I haven't kept a pleco myself, but it's my understanding that they need around 30 gallons minimum. You could probably find a tank second hand and get an appropriate lid/light off of amazon. I think my hinged glass lid was an Aqueon versatop and it's been great so far.
I like this AquaClear filter because you can change/customize all the filter media individually and it runs very quietly. I have the smaller model on my 10gal and just stuck sponges around the intake/output to keep the flow from disturbing my betta.
I have two Fluval adjustable heaters on opposite sides of the tank and they keep the temperature very stable and hold up well.
As far as decoration, make sure whatever you get has no sharp or rough plastic parts as they are apt to tear a betta's fins. If you end up going with fake plants, silk is best.
I'm sure other people will have plenty of suggestions as well. The care sheet on the front page of this sub is full of great info with regards to testing your water etc. so make sure you check that out too :) It's the most important part of keeping your aquarium safe and liveable for your fish. Best of luck!
In my experience, Whisper 10i is good in low bioload 3 gal tank (one fish and a lot of cleaning with water changes).
AquaClear 50 should be much better. It allows to use custom, suitable for you, filter media. You can even use micron pad for fine mechanical filtration. Remeber that filter only filters (collects) wastes, removing them from tank before they decompose is your job.
With cloudy water, keeping tank clean (manual cleaning until clean), using clumping agent like Seachem Clarity (and remove collected in filter aggregates) or UV sterilizer (it kills waterborn bacteria and algae) should help.
No problem, that's what this sub is here for.
For the time being, the best course of action if you want to keep the fish and upgrading is impossible is to change out the water in the tank very frequently, I'd suggest half the water twice a week, and upgrade their filter to something heftier if you only have a filter rated for 10g--I recommend something like this Aquaclear 50. Make sure you move the filter media from your old filter over to the new one if you get a new filter as to not crash your cycle.
It is large and will look ridiculous on a 10g tank but the important thing is that it will effectively convert your fish's waste into less harmful compounds as quickly as possible given the higher flow rate, and this is extremely important to prevent lasting health problems from prolonged exposure to ammonia before a dinky 10g filter can get around to filtering all their water (goldfish are ammonia-producing machines). If you find the current to be too much for your fish with a more powerful filter, you can baffle the output flow with a piece of sponge so the current is diffused.
I'd recommend the 50, at least. If you're keeping guppies still, the current won't wear them out. All of them are adjustable flow, so you can just turn it down if need be.
Of course, bigger is always better, in case you upgrade to a bigger tank in the future.
> I highly doubt the lack of an air pump would have caused this....If that were the problem you'd see him gasping at the surface maybe, rapid gill movement, that sort of thing.
Yes, that's my take too, that the air pump is an issue to fix, but not the cause.
Still, the tank has been pretty steady state for some time, and the food is all dried flakes, fed by the same person on the same schedule. So I'm at a bit of a loss how an infection was caused.
Thanks for asking about the filter, because I was going to order some new foam and charcoal and forgot until reading your post.
It's a 30 gallon tank, the filter itself is an AquaClear 50 like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-50-Power-Filter-Listed/dp/B000260FUM/ (listed at 200gph)
On Friday I replaced the foam and the charcoal from the filter, cleaned the algae from the glass and topped up the water. I've been doing that every six weeks or so for the past two years.
And yes, I removed the charcoal about an hour ago... I'll put in some more melafix tomorrow.
I changed 30% of the water this evening, should I do that again, and if so when?
So I'm planning on getting a 55 gallon planted tank and was looking around for HOB filters. Would getting two of this be overkill? My hope is to keep the tank as clean as possible at all time with little water changes per week.
You need:
- Tank. You have that, so move on.
- Lights. You seem to have those. They might not grow live plants, but they'll do, so move on.
- Filter. You don't seem to have that. I suggest buying one of these as soon as possible and starting your fishless cycle.
- Heater. If you're not going to dip below 72 year round, you won't need one. Consider a chiller though if you'll be above 80
- Substrate. This can be as simple as the gaudy color gravel you see, or as fancy as some of the plant-specific aquarium soils. For no live plants, gravel is fine.
- Air pump. This puts oxygen into the water column and is necessary if you don't have live plants. Any basic air pump and stone will be fine.
It kind of sounds like you may have had an under gravel filter given to you, which I'd discard in favor of the aquaclear I linked above. In my experience, under gravel filters are more trouble than they're worth.
Ah, that's a 29 gallon tank - I've got one of those. Plenty of space which means you get a lot of options for stocking!
You will need:
- About 30lbs of substrate - gravel, sand, whatever looks good. You want it to be about 2 inches deep.
- A filter. A hang-on-back filter (usually abbreviated to HOB) is a good cheap option. You can also use a sponge filter powered by an air pump. I use the Aquaclear 50, without the little bag of activated carbon and with more cheap sponge in there.
- A heater, unless the fish you want to keep don't need one. You probably want a 100W heater, more if your house gets cold. Always keep a spare.
- A light. If you want to grow plants (which I strongly recommend!) I'd recommend something like a Finnex Stingray 2. Otherwise, something like a cheap Nicrew Classic will do. Grab a timer plug from the hardware store while you're at it.
- A separate thermometer, I like the classic analog ones like this model.
- A gravel vacuum and a 5-gallon bucket for cleaning substrate and changing out water. Or get a fancy water changer that hooks up to a sink.
- Dechlorinator. I strongly recommend Seachem Prime. Go to your local fish store to get a big bottle.
- Cheap pipettes to dose your dechlorinator.
I have not included decor, plants, or the actual livestock. Those are the fun parts anyway!
Aquaclear 50 is what I use on my 20 gallon, and it works well - you can skip the bullshit cartridges that most manufacturers use, I added some floss padding and purigen to polish the water (clarity) and threw out the charcoal filter that came with it. You also might need to cut the sponge that comes with it in half laterally to fit all of this and still have the bio media submerged, but that's easy.
Your LFS will likely have all of these things as well, so it's up to you if you're in a rush or want to save a few $$$ by using Amazon.
And, lastly, this is just what works for me. You might try a different setup - but many other HOB filters don't allow you to customize the filtration all that much, and are just there to sell you cartridges.
HOB filters are the Gilette of the aquarium hobby.
So here it is, keep in mind you can change it as much as you like, no one size fits all:
1 Tank (petco still has a $1=1Gallon up to 40 gallons):
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/aqueon-standard-glass-aquarium-tank-40-gallon
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2 Skimmer (its internal, so no mess when it overflows): https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/tunze-comline-doc-skimmer-9004.html
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3 pumps (get 2, point somewhat at the surface to agitate the water): https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/sicce-voyager-nano-530-gph-stream-pump.html
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4 filter (fill it with purigen/activated carbon/whatever you like): https://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-50-Power-Filter-Listed/dp/B000260FUM
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5 Sand: what you have is good also add (40 lb total): https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/special-grade-arag-alive-live-reef-sand-caribsea.html
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6 rocks (40 LB): https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/marco-reef-saver-dry-aquarium-live-rock.html
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7 heater (no need for more expansive heaters, they are all shit, ask me how i know:)) ): https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/finnex-hmo-heater-w-digital-led-controller.html
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8 salt (orange is better for coral over purple, buy in bulk its cheaper): https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/instant-ocean-reef-crystals-salt-mix.html
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9 light (kessil a160 would be better, but im over budget as is :( ): https://www.amazon.com/OceanRevive%C2%AE-Arctic-T247-Spectrum-Dimmable-Aquarium/dp/B00YOYD3K2
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10 get RO/DI water from LFS (pro tip get an RO/DI Filter, saves u a lot of time) gonna cheat and not include price in total.
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Total pre tax: $819 with kessil it will be about $1k (cause you need 2 + mounts)
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Typical rule of thumb is ~$25 per gallon of volume before you add fish and coral, go lower and quality suffers, go higher and you will get the best but idk, seems silly to overspend.
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Anyways i'm sure others will have better suggestions as well:)
Would recommend this one: https://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Clear-Power-Filter-AquaClear/dp/B000260FUM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1536260246&sr=8-2&keywords=aquaclear+filter
It would work good for a 20 gallon tank and it has an adjustable flow switch, so you can mess around with that to find the perfect flow for your axolotl, they are all different and it depends on the size. But it would never hurt to also have a sponge filter in there, but a single sponge filter isn't going to cut it as the only source of cleaning.
Yes I have an aquaclear and I like it very much, here is a link for them. aquaclear
TL;DR - New fish owner, tank is becoming more cloudy white over time, please help
I am new to owning fish and I currently have an Electric Yellow Cichlid and two Peacock Cichlids in a 20 gallon tank (they're young, about an inch in length). I've had these fish for almost three weeks.
I'm really concerned about my fish because my tank has a white cloudy color to it. I've read this can be a few things such as lack of oxygen, dirty gravel, or a bacteria bloom. I've talked to the fish expert who tested my tank water and they said it is doing great and there is a lot of Nitrates in it.
I gravel vacuum my tank once a week, I've done one water exchange, and I recently just replaced my carbon filter. I have a magic eraser to wipe down the sides of the tank when they get too slimy but this white cloudy form has slowly been building.
I might be just overly paranoid because I've read that certain bacteria can build in your tank and essentially make your fish suffocate to death and I'd rather prefer that not to happen.
For reference the filter system I use is: https://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Clear-Fish-Filter-Gallons/dp/B000260FUM
I've been happy with this filter system except when I went to change the charcoal (rinsed well) I noticed the sponge filter on the bottom of the three tier system is a heavy black color and I wonder if that's from the charcoal leaking onto it and affecting it maybe preventing it from doing its job correctly. I read the top layer (deer pellets) are what hold the bacteria so I'm not sure what the sponge is for.
Any help is gladly appreciated, I've been reading as much information as I can but it can be hard to find.
I can provide a picture of the tank, chemical test reading, and the filter mediums if needed.
The stuff that comes in this filter (minus the charcoal)
And then I think I added some of https://www.amazon.ca/Fluval-Biomax-Bio-Rings-ounces/dp/B000HHSG5M/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=fluval%2Bfilter%2Bmedia&qid=1637899489&rdc=1&sr=8-9&th=1
since they came with one of my canister filters
| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| AquaClear Hagen Power Filter | - | - | 4.4/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item B000260FUM | - | - | 0.0/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
Hey sure if we are thinking to get a filter for the size of your acuarium I would say this in my experience the brand aquaclear are very good look for one for your tank size I would encourage you to buy it in you local fishstore to support them but of course is up to you You also could go to oversize the filter for your acuarium, something like this https://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Clear-Fish-Filter-Gallons/dp/B000260FUM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=aquaclear+hang+on+back&qid=1634292408&sr=8-3 The bigger the size the more biological filter material you can put inside them. Watch this acuariumcoop video about customising your hob filter https://youtu.be/hRNBUbqzzuw And there are a bunch of methods to slow down the return of the filter I prefer a sponge put in the cascade of the filter, but you can search in YouTube for other methods!
Aqua clear.
AquaClear Power Filter, Clip-On Aquarium Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000260FUM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_MXHXMGZS8DF08BH0JPYR?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I had a planted 20 gallon fish tank when I was living on campus and it wasn't too hard to maintain (I understocked my tank and kept microfish + shrimp which reduced workload). The work revolved mostly around changing the water once a week, trimming plants / algae, and feeding them every other day or so.
Pet Stores
In terms of pet stores, there aren't too many in Boston (especially within walking distance) but the closet one to campus would be Petco in Allston (probably need an Uber to get there). Petco and Amazon IMO are the best in terms of prices for everything that is not fish. I wouldn't source fish from chain stores, as they may have a good chance of harboring disease. I would check out r/aquaswap for live fish and plants, as hobby breeders tend to take much better care of fish, not to mention the increase in quality.
Equipment
In terms of equipment, the best filter would be the AquaClear Brand. For heaters, Eheim Jager has a good reputation. For lighting, Beamswork has the best bang for your buck for plant lights (make sure to buy the dimmer device if you have a shallow tank). For fish food, Fluval's Bug Bites are much better than the standard fish food.
Fish Ideas
Since I take it that you are new to the hobby, I recommend getting forgiving fish. My personal favorites that are not too demanding are fancy guppies (only get males, they breed like rabbits) as they are pretty tolerant of a wide set of parameters and are quite nice to look at too. Other good fish include zebra danios, cory catfish, and neon tetras. Invertebrates are also excellent for the health of the tank, as they clean up algae and uneaten food. Good inverts would be nerite snails and red cherry shrimps (the latter can get quite pricy though). The best algae eater would be amano shrimps though.
Other
My most important tip is to make sure that you cycle the tank properly, which is basically establishing microorganism colonies that can process fish waste. A common mistake for new fish keepers is to introduce fish to their tank without properly cycling it, causing unnecessary fish deaths. This is a relatively long process, taking around 4 weeks, but can be reduced to less than 2 weeks using liquid ammonia cycling and seeding the tank with bacteria.
Personally, the AquaClear's are really nice because they have a nice big squarish box area to put a lot of media in. It depends on your stocking, but on my 29 I have an AC 70 and an Aqueon 30 and a sponge filter. On my 20 long I have an AC 50 and an Aqueon 10 and a sponge filter. So, you do want to over filter you don't have to do as much as I do. I'd pick up at minimum the AC50 and you could always add more filtration later. Then plant moderately and stock at no more than 80%. Use Aqadvisor.com as a GUIDE. Keep Filtration Capacity Percentage at about 150% and you should be good. I Love BIoHome Media but it's expensive and sort of big. I also like NeoPure Media that Buce Plants sells. You can also get cheaper Fluval ceramic and use that and the sponge filter portion of the AC and you're fine. AquaClear 50.
Just barely if you want to give it a go (60-110gal). You could also try two filters at once. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000260FUM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_gdrFFb4K2THFJ
So would this be the one that you would recommend? Aqua Clear - Fish Tank Filter https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000260FUM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BDyvFbY0T40F8
[Would this] ( https://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Clear-Fish-Filter-Gallons/dp/B000260FUM?th=1 ) be a good replacement for my current filter?
Take a look at AquaClear and Fluval C4.
Short lip (means splash sound) vs long lip (quieter). Easily accessible for cleaning area, where you can put any custom media vs more restricting structure.
Now do image search for Fluval C2 and DIY to see how filter media could be customized. This is enough to make a decision.
I had only AquaClear, not Fluval, and just don't like it, while other swear by it.
I have this filter on it right now. I could probably get away without it though. I just have it for looks. I like the water flow, and it clears up the water quickly after a trimming session.
I'm looking for guidance from you guys to help me figure out the best way to spend the rest of my current budget of $150 to complete my setup. I just got myself a 20g long the other day at petco for $23 bucks but I still need all the other stuff to set up my aquarium.
Using the "How do I start a new freshwater aquarium" link on the sidebar I came across this "if you have a 20 gal tank purchase a filter that's rated for at least a 40 gal aquarium" I came across the AquaClear Power Filter - 110 V Will this be good enough?
The guide also suggested I get myself a bottle of Seachem Prime & API Master Kit. Hope these are the correct ones.
I still need Lights, hood, heater & substrate. The guide mentions to get sand if I'm interested in "bottom feeders" which I am. I'm also interested in "very low-light plants such as Anubias, Java Fern, and mosses such as Java Moss" that the guide mentions if my budget allows it.
I'm not opposed to drive to stores to find some items you guys recommend but I do prefer to use Amazon because I have Prime.
Except switch it to the 5-20 gallon one.
Cherry and blue dream are the same species and will interbreed.
I would recommend picking one or the other.
When they interbreed, you won't get purple, instead you'll get some poorly colored blues, some poorly colored reds and a lot of "plain" which are basically mostly clear with some light brown.
Also neocardinas like lower temperatures, if you're looking to build a colony you should avoid tropical fish since they prefer warmer temps. If you're keeping shrimp a heater isn't really necessary.
I agree to wait for the $1 per gallon sale, it really is difficult to beat.
Over the last few years I've had 6 20g's going at the same time with slightly different set-ups from sponge filters to HOB to canister. I experimented with all methods, hi-tech, low-tech, waldstadt.
The most important thing you can do is think about what your end goal is. You'll make mistakes at first, everyone does. But if you plan ahead you can minimize how costly they will be.
If I were to recommend a set-up to a beginner.
$20 aquarium PetCo $1 per gallon sale
$35 AquaClear HOB filter https://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-20-Power-Filter-Listed/dp/B000260FUM
$8 SunSun powerhead https://www.amazon.com/SunSun-Submersible-Aquarium-Hydroponic-Powerhead/dp/B00OUJ60RY
$90 LED + full spectrum. As far as lighting goes, I've never been let down by Current USA, but I've never tried this model. https://www.amazon.com/Current-USA-Satellite-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B00C7OTE0O
$40 Substrate I recommend aquasoil https://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Soil-Amazonia-Liter-Normal/dp/B00519832W
$80-$150 for hardscaping. I would recommend Seiryu, Manten, or Ohko stones. You'll want 20-30 lbs and the cost ranges from $3 per lb to $6 per lb.
$10-$25 for plants. For starting off I'd recommend something easy and fast growing like hygro pinnatifida, cabomba caroliniana, dwarf hairgrass, and rotala indica.
$10 initial livestock. Get everything set-up and planted. Then buy 5 white cloud minnows to cycle your tank for the first month. These guys love the same parameters as your soon to be purchased shrimp.
$5 second livestock purchase, get 2 otolincus catfish. By this point your tank should be cycled and some algae may be growing, otos will clean that up in no time.
Now you buy your shrimp. You can get decent quality fire red cherry shrimp for ~$3-4 each, or blue dreams for $5-7 each. You'll want to start off with 10. Be good with your 20% water changes every week and soon they will be molting afterwards. Soon you'll get babies, after your first batch is born, buy another 10 to improve the gene pool a bit.
Aquaclear 50.
Here, let me make this easy for you: Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-50-Power-Filter-Includes/dp/B000260FUM%23 would this be a good choice?
I run a dual setup in my 40 gallon long tank; a canister alongside a HOB. I love this setup and recommend it to anyone for larger tanks. It gives you the large size of the canister filter for a good amount of bio media, but you also have the HOB to add any small little things you need to for the tank. For example, in my HOB, I run filter floss, foam, and purigen. While in my canister I run bio balls, foam, and PhosGuard. Oh and I should mention that the HOB I use is an AquaClear 50, and the canister is an Eheim Classic 2215. Specs on those: Eheim: 164 GPH Total Filter volume of 1.1 Gallons Rated for tanks up to 92 US Gallons AquaClear 200 GPH max (depends on how much filter media is inside) Rated for tanks up to 50 gallons
My vote is for the Aquaclear 50 for $40.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000260FUM
or for $10 more move up to the "70" for a bit more flow and media volume (Hagen I thought has always kind of undersized their filter recommendations and I tend to size one up from what the box recommend.
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