Question: Upgrading tank and filter

[OpalRaven7]

I am upgrading to a 29 gallon aquarium, and need some advice on what filter to upgrade to. I need something not terribly expensive as my funds will be mostly used to buy the new tank :crazy: Right now I think I have an Elite Mini on a 10 gallon, so I'll definetally need something bigger for the 29 gallon.

 

[Jennewt]

I'd recommend the Tetra 20i or 40i (you can find it on google). It's quiet and very easy to change the cartridges. The filter and cartridges are fairly inexpensive. You might even get away with the Tetra 10i, but you'd have to change the cartridge more often. You might also be able to find a comparable hang-on-back type model. Whatever you consider, be sure to comparison price the cartridges or filter media, since they end up being the larger expense in the long run.

 

[Opacum]

A good rule of thumb is that you want to turn the water over ten times per hour. So if you have a 29 gallon tank completely filled with water, then you would want a filter that was rated at 290 gallons per hour. If you had the tank 1/2 filled, you would be looking at 145 gph, and so forth.

 

[OpalRaven7]

My boss is going to rebuid me a fluval 100 and something I forgot the exact model number. Hopefully the replacement parts dont cost that much but hes not charging me much for the actual machine :happy: hopefully it does the job

 

[Opacum]

That's probably a canister type filter so that can run a little slower to promote beneficial bacteria buildup. Should be OK I would think as I don't anticipate you filling that 29. Just watch your ammonia levels once the cycling calms down and keep an eye on nitrates. If you find that the nitrates keep elevating quickly, you may have a problem. Stay current with your water changes and don't overfeed and all should be golden.

 

[Shizeric]

It was probably a fluval 104 or fluval 105...a very good canister filter.

 

[OpalRaven7]

Yes, I decided to go with the canister because there is more surface area inside the filter for the good bacterias to grow and live. I dont have any substrate on the bottom of the tank for the bacterias to live so I figured the canister would be best. Plus my boss is giving me a pretty good deal

 

[Opacum]

Boy, do I miss the ol' employee discount...