# 55 gallon setup filtration



## c0pp3r (Mar 18, 2014)

So I'm setting up a 55 gallon mbuna tank and already have one AC70 and looking at either another 70 or the AC 110 (leaning towards the 110). Being rather new to the hobby in general I have always used carbon in my HOB. Can I have some opinions on if both my HOBs should have carbon, none, one? Also, in place of carbon do you put in anything extra like additional ceramic discs or sponges?

Thanks


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

These days a lot of people don't use carbon unless its needed for a specific task such as removing medications. I do not run carbon, haven't seen the need to. The beauty of Hobs is you can add it any time you like. Look up a product called purigen i'd use some of than instead of carbon for normal operation. One trick many do with the AC110 is just to put 2 sponges in it, not sure how well that works for biofiltration. I'd try that or add extra biomax or perhaps floss to one of them.


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## dledinger (Mar 20, 2013)

Go with the AC 110. I run a single sponge, biomax, and I add 4 bags of AC70 biomax. This gives me lots of media for cycling new tanks. No need for carbon. I have never ran it in any of my tanks.


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## c0pp3r (Mar 18, 2014)

Thanks very much! I think I will do that. Sounds like a good setup to me to make sure I have good numbers for the overstocked mbunas.


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

If you're setting up an overstocked Mbuna tank, 2 AC 110s would be better than 1 70 and 1 110. When I ran a fairly stocked 55G Mbuna tank I had 2 AC70s and a 2215.
Carbon is totally unnecessary unless there's something specific you want to pull out of the water. It actually removes trace elements which is detrimental to your fish.


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## c0pp3r (Mar 18, 2014)

Gotcha. I already have the 70 so I'm going to start with that but might upgrade to another AC 110 later on.


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## dledinger (Mar 20, 2013)

pablo111 said:


> If you're setting up an overstocked Mbuna tank, 2 AC 110s would be better than 1 70 and 1 110.


Agreed, but I don't think he needs to run out and buy a second AC110 anytime soon if starting with juvies.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

Don't bother with carbon, and i agree 2 filters would be ideal. Not so much for bio filtration at the moment but for flow. 55's do have a long footprint, one filter on one side isn't going to give all that great of a water flow around the whole of the tank. So if you don't want to buy another filter now, i'd at least get a powerhead for that side.


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

CrypticLifeStyle said:


> Don't bother with carbon, and i agree 2 filters would be ideal. Not so much for bio filtration at the moment but for flow. 55's do have a long footprint, one filter on one side isn't going to give all that great of a water flow around the whole of the tank. So if you don't want to buy another filter now, i'd at least get a powerhead for that side.


Running a 55G with a single AC70, even with a powerhead for circulation is really cutting it close IMO. I think the best course is to buy an AC110 now, run the 70 with the 110 and eventually replace the 70 with another 110.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

While i agree, he dosn't want to do that right now. If you have a ac70 on one end, and a power head on the other it should work alright for flow, but that will come down to what powerhead he would use.While a 55g is long, it's still thin depth wise, easy to bounce the flow off the glass to get a water current going in the bottom, and move it to the other side. He'll just have to learn the hard way lol


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

CrypticLifeStyle said:


> While i agree, he dosn't want to do that right now. If you have a ac70 on one end, and a power head on the other it should work alright for flow, but that will come down to what powerhead he would use.While a 55g is long, it's still thin depth wise, easy to bounce the flow off the glass to get a water current going in the bottom, and move it to the other side. He'll just have to learn the hard way lol


Why does he have to learn the hard way? We should not be condoning underfiltration or suggesting workarounds for it. This is a forum about keeping fish responsibly IMO and IME.


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## dledinger (Mar 20, 2013)

IMO, an AC70 isnt enough for the lightest stocked 55. I run them on 20 gallon tanks.


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

dledinger said:


> IMO, an AC70 isnt enough for the lightest stocked 55. I run them on 20 gallon tanks.


Thank you. :thumb:


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## Raiderdane (Sep 23, 2013)

You definitely don't want to run only 1- AQ 70 on a 55 Gallon Mbuna tank, you will want to go and get one more HOB ASAP. Run them with 2 sponges and 1 bag of Bio-Max, save the brand new bag of carbon in case you need it in the future when medicine might be needed for your tank. You have to remember, with Mbuna...the more filtration the better. I would actually suggest 2-AQ70's and a Canister filter.....but that might be more than you are willing. This is a place to ask questions and get alot of peoples opinions and ideas.....and most of us have kept these type of fish our whole lives, and we are each individuals with ideas and practices that are proven to work, so when we pass on info. it is from experience, but the good thing for you is, you get to walk away with a lot of proven ideas that will definitely work no matter which one you go with.


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## jimmie (Oct 23, 2002)

Go with the A.C.110 and also use a power head for water movement, Marineland powerhead is fine,


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

jimmie said:


> Go with the A.C.110 and also use a power head for water movement, Marineland powerhead is fine,


Maxi Jet (Marineland) is a good product I agree. You can change them from normal powerhead to Koralia pump type operation by swapping out the impeller and cover.


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## jimmie (Oct 23, 2002)

pablo111 said:


> jimmie said:
> 
> 
> > Go with the A.C.110 and also use a power head for water movement, Marineland powerhead is fine,
> ...


Thats right, I know, I setting one up in my saltwater tank, the old maxi jet didn't use to come like that


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

pablo111 said:


> CrypticLifeStyle said:
> 
> 
> > While i agree, he dosn't want to do that right now. If you have a ac70 on one end, and a power head on the other it should work alright for flow, but that will come down to what powerhead he would use.While a 55g is long, it's still thin depth wise, easy to bounce the flow off the glass to get a water current going in the bottom, and move it to the other side. He'll just have to learn the hard way lol
> ...


Not condoning anything, and without water parameters being shown no one knows if he's actually under filtered, just assuming based on a piece of equipment used. Everyone looks at filtration by piece's of equipment, not by water parameters these days, and just push products. The AC70 could very well be enough at the moment. Learning the hard way would be him seeing by testing his water the frequency of how often he's having to do water changes to remove nitrate's given ammonia, and nitrites are remaining at 0.


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