Is there a new forum?

[icarp...@aol.com]

Most of my other groups have migrated to other social media, at least be default.  Is there a similar information/discussion group on Facebook?

I want to resume my aquarium hobby with a 75-100 gallon freshwater tank and I wanted to see if there were some ggod archives on selecting a cannister filter, or if that was even the best choice.

Matt

[NetMax]

I've been so busy with work, I haven't looked for any other sites.  I don't think Google's 'new' newsgroup interface is very popular though : (

Canister's are generally lower flow rate but have higher quality filtering than HOB filters.  They also can direct their outflow better and will hold more media for chemical, biological and mechanical filtering.

In the end, it depends on what you're stocking the tank with.  For example, big South American cichlids would do better with HOBs (quicker media change, faster pickup of detritus) while smaller active fish with a canister and tiny tetras with sponge filters.  Always good to have multiple filters and multiple types too.  HTH

NetMax

[John Klingler]

FWIW, I run HOB's, mostly Panguins, on my smaller tanks (20-35 gal) and canisters on my larger tanks (75 gals). Actually, my two 75s both have 2 Rena Filstar XP2's so that I can alternate filter cleanings and maintain good bio filtration. One of my 75s is a high-tech (4xT5HO, CO2 injected, fertilized, etc.) heavily-planted aquarium with a relatively over-stocked hodge podge of tropical fish - 3 veil tail angels, 3 3-spot gouramis, a red-tailed shark, 3 clown loaches, a gang of white clouds, and some Sterba's Corys (it's in the living room so it's stocked mostly with whatever makes my wife happy). My other 75 is a Malawi hap tank with 3 Red Empress, 3 A. baenschi's, 4 O. lithobates, and a few syn. petricolas. I do keep up with maintenance - 20% weekly WC on the hap tank and 50% weekly on the planted tank with a filter clean-out on each tank every other week so each each canister is cleaned once a month (I clean one canister each week).

I'm also a big believer in UV sterilizers. A few of years back I had a problem with the hap tank where I would have fish suddenly act very lethargic and then die within a couple of days. I tried aeration, small daily water changes, talked to the folks at my LFS, had them test my water (since I my tests showed nothing) all to no avail. This went on for about 8 months - leaving the empty but running and cycled for a month or so between re-stocking. Nothing worked - everyone was stumped. It was killing me to not know what I was doing to hurt my fish so as an off-chance attempt before I stripped the tank and bleached everything, I picked up a cheap (about $50) in-tank UV unit and within two weeks the algae on the rocks was receding (I didn't have algae problems, but even the normal "character" algae was dying back) and I haven't had a friend die since. Everyone is healthy and active. I've since upgraded that UV unit added UV units to a couple other tanks just for good measure. I may not have really needed them in the other tanks, but a few dollars to avoid the sinking feeling of being responsible for one of my fish dying is worth it to me.

JFK