[Train Tracks]

I've had my 55 gallon tank for over two years. Doing okay with it. Have some Tigar Barbs, Neons, Red Tail Shark and what not. Well about 6 months ago I started to take a look at Salt Water. Ever since I've been reading about salt water I was wondering if I could use this fresh water tank kind of as a trail run. I know I can't run foam filtration.

But what about adding a wet/dry filtration and running it under the tank? Then having the return come in from the other side and make my power head obsolete. That way I can put my digital thermonater and heater under the tank hiding those cords and being able to remove my two 40-60 gal Tetra filters to make a completely open view without any obstructions.

Last week I upgraded my lighting to Satellite's (I can't spell) 2 x 65w and hoping to grow real plants. I bought some bulbs from Wal-Mart and waiting for them to grow to see how well this will work out for me.

My LFS is really crappy. I hate to say it, but it's true. No live plants, only the basic bread and butter fish and no customer service. The owner is a mute with one word answers. I went through so many fish when I started with my ten gal. I didn't know that brackish fish needed salt. Well, the dude knew I just bought the aquairum from him days prior and never once questioned me about my nieveness. The next nearest fish store is about an hour away so I have to wait till I have a day open to go there when I can.

Could I run a trickle filter with my fresh water and if so, would the specifications be close to salt water. Or since fresh water is less dense, I could go with a less powerful one or so?


Really, how good are those Fluval Canisters? I've heard they are like underground filters. They work great first, but are a hassle to maintain and get clogged around a year or so.


I had to get it all out at once didn't I?

 

[musho3210]

sure, a wet/dry trickle filter that goes underneath the tank is called a sump and those are fine for your tank.

 

[herefishy]

Welcome, you'll enjoy it in this forum.
Maintianence on any aquarium is high. However, the bigger the tank the less maintainance there is. Just bigger stuff and usually more of it. Fluval makes a fine filter, just, to me, overpriced. Marineland (Magnum 350,ect) and Eheim also make great equipment. To each his own. I use Magnum 350's myself. I do have shut-offs and quick disconnects on them. Makes getting the cannisters to the sink ALOT easier.
All of my large tanks(75g and above) use multiple filtration systems, UG filters, power filters, and canisters. I guess I'm kind of anal when it comes to filtration. I run the undergravel filter in reverse flow, old concept making a real noise right now. I've been running this configuration since 1985. No trouble with gravel compaction and the system delivers better oxygenation to the filter bed. Makes for a healthier bio bed.
Any system runs at its optimum until it starts loading with detritus(goop).
Regular maintainence is a must. That includes gravel sweeps, filter cleaning and all of that other fun stuff.
I noticed you are from Iowa. My mother and some of that side of my family are from the Davenport/Calumus area. And my dad got my grandson into HO trains. What road do you work for?

 

[Train Tracks]

Thanks for the tips I'll start checking into the equipment soon. I think so far I've been lucky with my aquariums. I've never had any diseases yet, but did kill quite the number of fish during my ten gal days.

I'm pretty good with maintaince, the Python has made it much less of a hassle to do water changes. I should keep a log, but I keep putting it off.

I live sw of Davenport and work for UTLX. DM&E and I.C.E. are the lines that bring in the cars where I work. I work at a place that repairs the cars, grit blast interrior and exterior and does paint jobs on the cars that come in.

 

[jones57742]

But what about adding a wet/dry filtration and running it under the tank?

This will work.

Then having the return come in from the other side and make my power head obsolete.

My tank came prefabricated for wet/dry. The tank has four nozzles immediately below the overflow weir. I have three pointed downward toward the front of the tank the fourth upward toward the front of the tank (in order to generate surface turbulence).
IMHO if I was retrofitting a tank I would place the return flow (for example) at the back right hand corner of the tank and the weir at the upper left hand corner of the tank. The return flow would be split into four flows three of which would be parallel to the bottom of the tank; one pointed to the left, one pointed to the right and one directed diagonally across the tank. The fourth flow would be pointed upward in order to generate turbulence on the water surface.

That way I can put my digital thermonater ... under the tank hiding those cords ...

I do not know about this one.
Heaters in sump are OK but I found that the temperature in the tank varies 1F to 2F from the tempature in the sump and I have my thermometer in the tank now.
Having said that many folks do keep the thermometers in the sump.

Could I run a trickle filter with my fresh water and if so, would the specifications be close to salt water. Or since fresh water is less dense, I could go with a less powerful one or so?

Yes you can.
Although I have a freshwater tank the aquarium which I purchased was designed for salt water. I have added additional biological filtration in the sumps to the bioballs supplied by the factory.