# Tell us about your filtration and configuration



## chauceringram (11 mo ago)

I hope it's not just me, but I'd like to know what filters you guys use and how they're packed. Why? To see configurations that I haven't considered that may improve my water quality.

Penguin bio-wheel power filter 150-Currently on my hospital tank. I confess to a lot of disappointment with this unit. I guess I expected more as far as this filters configuration. My unit is reconfigured with spare sponge and fancy ceramic media that CAN burn nitrate under the right conditions.

Fluval FX6-The Beast. This is the 2nd FX I've owned. The 1st was trashed due to an annoying leak that I've since learned how to fix if needed. The Beast is currently used for 3 liters of protected BB media and dense mechanical filtration with varied PPI.

Fluval FX4-The Baby Beast. We use this unit mostly for mechanical/chemical filtration. The 1st media tray has 3 PPI ratings of mechanical media and foam. The second trays support tray has 1/2 liter of another hard media, a bag of seachem renew, and 2 bags of seachem purigen. This is the newest configuration, but so far performance looks great after 2-weeks.

Maxpect XF350 flow pump. Another expensive disappointment in terms of design engineering, design and materials. I popped for it with the idea of maximizing tank flow and O2 surface agitation, to avoidhaving to use an air stone. While it does these things well, it's difficult to service and is deteriorating quickly.

Now, tell us how you do things and why?


----------



## FishTankExpert (Jun 19, 2021)

Honestly I have the same problems. I go through about 4 filters a year. I now have a bunch of destroyed filters that I keep trying to replace/repair and I've only gotten two of them (and barely) working throughout years. I think I am going to end up making DIY filters.


----------



## Death_by_Dinosaurs (11 mo ago)

FishTankExpert said:


> Honestly I have the same problems. I go through about 4 filters a year. I now have a bunch of destroyed filters that I keep trying to replace/repair and I've only gotten two of them (and barely) working throughout years. I think I am going to end up making DIY filters.


Do you clean your filters?


----------



## judeloningram (11 mo ago)

FishTankExpert said:


> Honestly I have the same problems. I go through about 4 filters a year. I now have a bunch of destroyed filters that I keep trying to replace/repair and I've only gotten two of them (and barely) working throughout years. I think I am going to end up making DIY filters.


Wow, that's a surprising failure rate. What make and model are you using, and how are they breaking?


----------



## Death_by_Dinosaurs (11 mo ago)

If he’s using bottom line tetra filters, then that checks out. I’ve busted a couple, before I got a good one.


----------



## chauceringram (11 mo ago)

FishTankExpert said:


> Honestly I have the same problems. I go through about 4 filters a year. I now have a bunch of destroyed filters that I keep trying to replace/repair and I've only gotten two of them (and barely) working throughout years. I think I am going to end up making DIY filters.


We've recovered from the worse string of tank disasters yet. Both of my filters failed over the span of 3-weeke. Both were corrected by replacing both pumps and impellers. I had an electrician look a the support wiring as well, JIC. The worst wrinkle was losing my oldest most beautiful fish, Micky. We had him for about 12-years, nearly as long as our dogs. The only good part of this is the chance to augment my stock.


----------

