Filtration

by **Timshouse (4)** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 5:18 pm

I have recently set up a 55 gallon saltwater aquarium, its been up and running for about 6 weeks now, my filter system is an under gravel filter with 2 power heads, so far everything seems to going well, this is my first saltwater aquarium. The fish store I have been dealing with has there filtration systems set up like mine and have been do so for over 30 years with no problems. I was just wondering what you think of this filtration system.

by **lou zello (370)** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 5:48 pm

i had the same kind of setup on my 55gal for years only my powerheads were REVERSE flow and it worked better cause nothing built up under the filter plate.it keeps the tank a lot cleaner.i have since switched to 2 MARINELAND c-220 cannisters one in each back corner and like them even better.over the 50+yrs i have kept fish i NEVER used a better filter,i will never use anything else as i allso use them on my 40gal now.of course this is only my opinion,and everyone has their own.

by **ScottFish (2528)** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 6:18 pm

Welcome to our Forum Timshouse!

by **Timshouse (4)** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 9:12 pm

Thanks for the warm welcome, so far i have 3 Chromis, 1 Maroon Clown, 1 Royal Gramma, 1 Scooter Blennie, 2 little crabs, 1 Chocolate Chip Star,and 1 Green Brittle Star. i had 2 maroon clowns but one died so i tried to replace it but my clown tried to kill it right out of the gate so i had to take it back to the store, he seems to be doing alright without a mate so far

by **Timshouse (4)** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 7:15 am

When you had you undergravel filration system, how ofter did you do water changes? I was doing water changes once a week, but every week i test my water before the change and it comes out good, so should i still do water changes once a week ?

by **lou zello (370)** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 5:09 pm

allways without fail!!!!!!!once a week water changes are the best thing you can do for your fish!!!!!!!! as i was told years ago,NO WATER CHANGES IS LIKE LIVEING IN A TOILET!!!!!!!! how would you like it!!!!!!!!

by **J.B. (5331)** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:30 pm

With your current setup, I'd recommend you continue with the frequent WCs. Ask your LFS that is using the UGFs for 30 years if they are also utilizing protein skimmers, I'm sure they are. I'd recommend you get one, if you chose to use the UGF.

UGFs were good filters, back when there were no other choices, but by today's standards, they're inefficient.

by **Timshouse (4)** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 11:53 am

The fish store who got me set up never use skimmers, my only problem with doing water changes every week is that its gonna cost me a alot of money in salt

by **J.B. (5331)** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 12:38 pm

Yep...the saltwater side of the hobby isn't for someone on a tight budget. If you'll spend the money on a good skimmer, you can forego so many WCs. A good skimmer, for your size tank, is probably going to cost you $150+

by **Freshwater Tropic (1656)** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:30 pm

Well, To start off with. . . Welcome to the Forum Timshouse. Glad to see another Salty!

Anyway, As J.B. Stated, The salty side of the hobby is rarely a cheap one. When you get into a Saltwater tank you should be prepared for a little more expense than your average FW Tank. As for using an undergravel Filter. I have not myself ever used one or even thought about it. There are a lot more efficient filters that are easy to maintain out there. It is a first for me to hear of an Undergravel filter used in a SW setup. What kind of Substrate do you have in the tank? I personally have went with Sump n' Sock or Canister for SW. Sump n' Sock to me is SO easy to maintain and keeps the water really crisp. It can be a little expensive considering the socks cost about $7-10 per sock. But they are machine washable. They hold up for quite a while. Though you do have to replace them once a year or so depending on how often you clean them. I myself bought 7 Extra bags that way I can build up a collection of dirty socks and wash them all at once with a VERY little bit of Bleach(With an extra rinse cycle). Other than that I am not familiar with using your type of filtration. Do you have any photos of the Tank. I would love to see it!

Here is some videos of my Setup and its Filter.

This is the Tank, So you can see how nice it looks with this filter: