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View Full Version : Large Freshwater Filter Recommendations Needed


oarie
12/04/2006, 01:21 PM
First, let me say that I was referred here by DrsFosterSmith.com.

I have a 1000 gallon freshwater aquarium which I need to upgrade my mechanical filtration on. I currently have four foam filters, a 2000 gallon wet/dry filtration system, a 36" fluidized bed filter and four Ocean Clear 340 in-line filters and a 1000 gallon UV sterilizer. In all I believe the ratings on my filtration is for over 4000 gallons. Where it seems to be lacking though is on the mechanical side.

What I've been wondering about is what my best approach would be toward clearing up the water in my tank. I test my water quality frequently to check for ammonia and nitrites which are always at 0. My nitrites are doing very well also, I believe they were around 100 as of the last time I checked and they are pretty stable around that point. My current mechanical filtration can no longer keep up with the load in my tank as my fish are growing quite large. I have several black sharks and some of them are nearing two feet in length. The water is beginning to take on a brownish color (waste) even with weekly gravel vacs and carbon changes.

I've just begun looking into this but the water clarity conditions are worsening by the day as my mechanical filtration isn't able to keep up. What I've considered so far is a pond filter or perhaps even a swimming pool filter. Whatever I end up with my goals for this device will be the following:


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Clean & Quiet: Or quiet as possible anyways. This will be used indoors so I don't want something that is loud or messy which may be intended solely for outdoor use.
Easy to Clean: I want something I can clean fairly easily with the turn of a few valves. I have no problem with having to clean it frequently (every couple of days) but weekly or bi-weekly would be preferred. Must be a failrly easy process though.
Size: I have a good sized area to put it in but obviously smaller is better.
Carbon Chamber: Another location to add some more carbon would be nice but not necessary.
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Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

zachluhrs
12/04/2006, 05:00 PM
First off, your Nitrates are way too high. You want to keep your nitrates as low as possible. For Freshwater, 20ppm or lower is ideal. Algae loves high nitrate and phosphate. Which is why you have a brown or green tinge in the water. The only way to lower nitrates in a freshwater tank is to change the water(Not Top Off). You have more than enough filtration on that tank even mechanical, but maybe not enough flow. If your doing the water changes weekly and the water is still bad, somethings not right. You should be performing 15% water changes a week or 30-40% a month. Check your water source, is it well water or city water? Are you siphoning the gravel until it comes clear? Carbon should be changed every 3-4 weeks. How often do you change the Micron cartridges in the Ocean clear canisters? Has the UV bulb ever been replaced? They need to be replaced every year. Circulation is key in a tank that size, so lots of flow. What main pump are you using? You should have one that can produce 5000-10000 gallons per hour and handle any head pressure. Thus, turning your tank over 5-10 times an hour. How exactly does the water go from your tank, to the filtration, and then back to the tank?

oarie
12/04/2006, 06:12 PM
Thanks for your response. According to the aquarium book I have the nitrates are not dangerous unless over 200ppm. I figured 100ppm was not bad, I guess I was wrong.

That being said though my filters are constantly requiring cleaning which tells me that I do not have enough mechanical filtration. I literally have to clean the filter media every 2-3 days and when these cartridges are full of sludge and water they are not very easy to clean out. I replace these cartridges with new ones ($50 each time, each filter) every month. I was hoping to get something which has a way to backwash the filter as opposed to the steps I need to take to clean out all of my filters.

I have been doing at least 25% changes per week. My water source is a well and I run that through an R.O. into a storage tank before it goes into my tank. I add R.O. right and kh-plus to the stored water to bring it to the hardness levels which are recommended for my sharks. I have four Little Giant pumps although I forget the model numbers. I do know the tank is turned over 5 times, at minimum, per hour.

I hope this information answers all of your questions. Thank you again for the response.

Hop
12/04/2006, 07:16 PM
I think you would have better success and save money if you thought less filtration and more utilization:)

Maybe add a few hundred gallon sump/fuge area. Allow the mulm to settle somewhere other than the filters and let the plants use the waste. Up the flow in the main display in order to keep the waste suspended and then settle in the fuge type area. Then once a month syphon off the extra waste from the plant bed. I think that the plantedtank.net may help a lot. Plantbrain there just helped build a 1600 gallon planted tank if I remember correctly.

We could bat ideas around all night, but in reality you have a special system that is going to require special needs:) Needs much different than typical reef systems

:D