filter for a 75 gallon LPS/softie tank thoughts?

[EastCoastJon]

do you guys think this filter maybe two of them (I will add more media to it) would be enough for a 75-gallon reef with softies/lps and a low to med stocking? i use the smaller one for my 10 gallon nano and it works like a charm just want your guys thoughts (i dont wanna use a sump and all the canaster filters i can find are not powerful enough

 

[EastCoastJon]

also, i will have powerful wave makers for adequate flow too

 

[Fish Fan]

Wavemakers and flow and rock = filtration for your tank, anything else is just a tool to help manage water quality.

Plenty use a Hang On Back (HOB) Filter like that with great success. Personally, I like the old Hagen/Fluval AquaClear HOB filters. The SeaChem Tidal is also popular.

Those Marineland filters I think of as kind of gimmicky. They usually take thier own filter cartridges, which can be expensive and not very efficient. And for me personally the spinning bio wheel thing always stopped turning, so I don't see that as a big selling point either.

This is just my personal opinion here, I hate canister filters, I think they are a huge pain to clean and I've had them leak on me. But, there's no way a hang on back filter is going to be "more powerful" than a canister filter. A good canister filter would easily drive a 75 gallon tank.

If you don't want a sump, I'd focus on the circ pumps for good flow in your tank, and then maybe consider a HOB refugium or HOB protein skimmer. Or at least, look at the AquaClear or SeaChem Tidal HOB filters before that Marineland, in my opinion.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

 

[Bohemian Waxwing]

I run a 60g mixed reef. The only filtration I run is 60lbs of live rock, 2 wavemakers and an Eheim Surface Skim350.

Growing SPS, LPS and softies no problem. Spend the cash on good variable flow wavemakers and lighting!

Some pics from my budget 60:

 

[ScottJ]

The SeaChem is nice because it has the built in surface skimmer (it's not a protein skimmer,it's takes water in from the surface, not below)

Aqua Clear has more room inside and is more versatile. Both are good.

 

[Bohemian Waxwing]

The SeaChem is nice because it has the built in surface skimmer (it's not a protein skimmer,it's takes water in from the surface, not below)

Aqua Clear has more room inside and is more versatile. Both are good.

I ran the biggest Seachem Tidal and I personally found it was a bit noisy and created bubbles, but also the skimmer didn't work very well and the flow pattern from the outputs was a bit annoying to work around. You need to have LR right up against the output.

Was very glad when I eventually just took it off and replaced it with the little Eheim Skim350.

 

[FUNGI]

do you guys think this filter maybe two of them (I will add more media to it) would be enough for a 75-gallon reef with softies/lps and a low to med stocking? i use the smaller one for my 10 gallon nano and it works like a charm just want your guys thoughts (i dont wanna use a sump and all the canaster filters i can find are not powerful enough

FX6.

 

[ScottJ]

I ran the biggest Seachem Tidal and I personally found it was a bit noisy and created bubbles, but also the skimmer didn't work very well and the flow pattern from the outputs was a bit annoying to work around. You need to have LR right up against the output.

Was very glad when I eventually just took it off and replaced it with the little Eheim Skim350.

You have to get the water level right on the Seachem. It has to be pretty high. If it's too low, it will make noise, not skim well, and shoot bubbles. I have one on a QT tank that I'm too lazy to take down when I don't need it. If I hear it making noise, I know it's time to top off :p

I agree the output isn't optimal. I think an Aqua Clear is a better filter.

 

[LPS Bum]

HOB power filters are fine for a softie/LPS tank. They’ll give you some mechanical filtration and the ability to run carbon or GFO if needed.

Just rinse out and swap out the filter pads frequently to avoid a nutrient trap.

 

[EastCoastJon]

thanks guys! ill look at all those other options I will have plenty of live rock too for more filtration too

 

[EastCoastJon]

I run a 60g mixed reef. The only filtration I run is 60lbs of live rock, 2 wavemakers and an Eheim Surface Skim350.

Growing SPS, LPS and softies no problem. Spend the cash on good variable flow wavemakers and lighting!

Some pics from my budget 60:

i love the tank hopefully i can get mine like that soon!

 

[EastCoastJon]

Wavemakers and flow and rock = filtration for your tank, anything else is just a tool to help manage water quality.

Plenty use a Hang On Back (HOB) Filter like that with great success. Personally, I like the old Hagen/Fluval AquaClear HOB filters. The SeaChem Tidal is also popular.

Those Marineland filters I think of as kind of gimmicky. They usually take thier own filter cartridges, which can be expensive and not very efficient. And for me personally the spinning bio wheel thing always stopped turning, so I don't see that as a big selling point either.

This is just my personal opinion here, I hate canister filters, I think they are a huge pain to clean and I've had them leak on me. But, there's no way a hang on back filter is going to be "more powerful" than a canister filter. A good canister filter would easily drive a 75 gallon tank.

If you don't want a sump, I'd focus on the circ pumps for good flow in your tank, and then maybe consider a HOB refugium or HOB protein skimmer. Or at least, look at the AquaClear or SeaChem Tidal HOB filters before that Marineland, in my opinion.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

i am able to put extra media in the back of those that's what I would do regardless of which one I go for that's the marine land filter I have on my 10 gal clown/nem tank

 

[legionofdoon]

I use two tidal 100s on my 75 freshwater, they are incredibly loud if you don't keep the water level right. One reason I like them over aqua clear is that they are self priming so you don't have to worry about it if the power goes out. I live in South Florida and our 2-3 o'clock (pretty much everyday during our wet season) summer storms routinely knock the power out.

 

[Bohemian Waxwing]

I use two tidal 100s on my 75 freshwater, they are incredibly loud if you don't keep the water level right. One reason I like them over aqua clear is that they are self priming so you don't have to worry about it if the power goes out. I live in South Florida and our 2-3 o'clock (pretty much everyday during our wet season) summer storms routinely knock the power out.

I loved that about mine too.

I guess the trade off is you need to have the pump in the tank taking up space to accomplish this, but for most that’s not a big deal. I found it a bit of an eyesore. At least it’s black though!

 

[Fish Fan]

I use two tidal 100s on my 75 freshwater, they are incredibly loud if you don't keep the water level right. One reason I like them over aqua clear is that they are self priming so you don't have to worry about it if the power goes out. I live in South Florida and our 2-3 o'clock (pretty much everyday during our wet season) summer storms routinely knock the power out.

I've had many AquaClear filters over the years, I don't think I've ever had one fail to restart after a power outage :-)

I loved that about mine too.

I guess the trade off is you need to have the pump in the tank taking up space to accomplish this, but for most that’s not a big deal. I found it a bit of an eyesore. At least it’s black though!

The black is great, but am I the only one annoyed by the blue plastic knobs and things that they used? The blue sticks out like a sore thumb, I just took them off lol!

I much prefer the Hagen/Fluval AquaClear filters, they work very well and have a lot of aftermarket media baskets and things to make them even more efficient for reef tanks. Just my $0.02 here :)

 

[legionofdoon]

I've had many AquaClear filters over the years, I don't think I've ever had one fail to restart after a power outage :)


The black is great, but am I the only one annoyed by the blue plastic knobs and things that they used? The blue sticks out like a sore thumb, I just took them off lol!

I much prefer the Hagen/Fluval AquaClear filters, they work very well and have a lot of aftermarket media baskets and things to make them even more efficient for reef tanks. Just my $0.02 here :)

I'm surprised, over 20 plus years of using aqua cleares they always eventually fail to pull a siphon after a power outage.

 

[Fish Fan]

I'm surprised, over 20 plus years of using aqua cleares they always eventually fail to pull a siphon after a power outage.

40 something years here, never seen it :)

 

[exnisstech]

I've never had an aquaclear hob fail to restart. The only way i can get one to not restart is if i don't fill the tank so the water level is too low . I've ran 110 hobs for years in fresh and salt. I currently have one on this 40g breeder.

 

[legionofdoon]

I must have been doing something wrong then.