# Need help choosing filtration for 75 gallon tank!



## Daniel1515 (Oct 11, 2019)

Hey everyone! I'm very excited to start my first cichlid tank. I've got a 75 gallon tank that I want to overstock with mbunas. I've been thinking about different combos, maybe I'm overthinking what to get but right now i'm thinking to have a fluval fx4 with an aquaclear 110 HOB. Will that be enough? Should I go to an fx6? My other idea that I've seen other people have is to have 2 aquaclear 110's with one fluval 407. My preference is to just have two filters, the fx4 with the 110 but if anything else is a better option please let me know! I'm open to any other suggestions, filters I didn't mention too. If I can save some money with other options even better. Thank you!


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## punman (Oct 24, 2003)

I am a fan of the AquaClears. On a 90 gallon I run two 110s or one 110 and one 70 depending on the number of fish. On a 75 gallon I'd think a 100 and a 70 would be enough. That is over 10x turnover per hour. One canister and one hang-on-back would be fine too.
I always like two filters going in case one malfunctions.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

What is the GPH of the FX4 and the 110? If the total is 8X to 10X you should be good?

The proper level of overstocking for a 75G mixed gender mbuna tank would be 20 individuals, assuming your species are not too aggressive and not too difficult to keep (like demasoni would change things for example).

Think in terms of 4 species max with 1m:4f of each.


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## Old Newbie (Feb 18, 2017)

If you want to save some money, quite a bit in fact, look at Sunsun filters. I have two 304b Sunsun canisters on my 90 gallon that flow over 500 gph each and a 302 and 304 on my 75 gallon. I have used them for years without issue; never a leak and replacement parts are inexpensive. The 304's have 4 media trays that will hold over a kilo of media each; the 302's have 3 trays nearly as large. Lots of filter capacity and flow for your money.


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## Ralph493 (Dec 1, 2018)

I've never used canister filters so no opinions on them. HOB I've used Aqueon,Aquaclear,Marineland and a few others. Frankly one of my favorites? The Marineland 400. I know this is probably a minority opinion but I prefer it to the comparable Aquaclear and it cost less. Some say they're noisy filters but mine haven't been. I don't use cartridges but customize my media as I do with all my filters.


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## AV8TOR (Feb 23, 2019)

I use a FX4 and a Eheim 2215 on my overstocked 75 gallon tank mbuna tank. The water is super clean with no chemical filter media. I like the redundancy of two filters.


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## malagabee (Mar 8, 2017)

Late response but I've been running Marineland 360 canister from Amazon for $87 for a year and it gives good flow and surface agitation. 35W power draw. Not the quietest but no complaints. I run a wave maker in the 75 grow out with 30 juvies and on occasion but it's mostly not needed as the Marineland is powerful enough.


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## DRose1836 (Oct 27, 2019)

I'm using the cascade 1200 currently with fluval and seachem bio media. As well as I have activated carbon and purigen inside. Along with the sponge filters it came with. My water is Crystal Clear.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You can get crystal clear water without carbon or purigen. The actual media does not make a huge difference, as long as you have media. Plastic scrubbies from the dollar store provide plenty of surface for beneficial bacteria to grow. Whatever comes with your filter is likely fine.

The FX and Ehein and API Filstar XP filters are a better quality than the cascade or the Marineland, but any of these will work. Aqua Clear is good for hang-on-back.

No experience with Sunsun as yet.


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