My water for the most part stays crystal clear. I try to never use chemical media. I also only feed every other day. Yes I do use polyfil and a pre filter on my intake. Gx4 on my 75 with an internal filter. I have s sicce whale 500 on my 40 breeder with a fluval 50 hob.
I Got 1 FX6, 2 Sponge Filter's and 2 Emperor Power 400 Filter's. So I'm Trying To Do My Best in Keeping My Water Clear And Healthy For My Stocked African Cichlids.
[First tank in 6 years] I inroduced Metal objects as aquascape into the water of a new tank... 2 days later whole tank was filled with rust and filters were clogged and coated with orange rust . 50% water change, new filter cartridgs, and just about every chemical they sell at petco to help benifit new fish tanks. Thanks to that oxidization I bought a Second filter aswell. now I have. Twenty Gallon Tank + Two HOB Filters Rated 100GPH Each. Clear as crystal now It took About 3 days in-between to go from extreme rust to imaculate crystal water.
@@CichlidCharmer Cheers. I did buy a bag of poly fill. I’ll add some next time I clean the filter. I picked up a FX2 to replace my 407. I’m sure my boys will love that! My tanks are 66 gal. So the FX2 should do a great job. My LFS sold me a female sunshine, thinking it was a male, yet to colour up. Anyways. It hooked up with my male Lwanda yesterday and they did some spawning and I had nothing but chaos in my tank. I wasn’t happy! So I caught the female and back to the LFS. I’m not set up to raise fry “yet”. But I will be at some point. Anyways. Just thought I’d share that experience & excitement LOL
@@brett_Thorpe the polyfil will be good. You know a disreputable seller sold me a female accidentally and so wound up with fry. They were eaten all except one (by the fish, not me 🤪). Good to remove her. I didn’t even know there was an fx2! Hope it works great for you!
@@CichlidCharmer I would of liked to keep her and get some fry to raise. But my other tanks are full of community fish. I’m going to have to make a decision one day and possibly make the switch from community fish to an all Peacock, and maybe Mbuna tank set ups. Yes the FX2 is brand new. Just released a few months ago. It’s rated for 175gal. I’m sure you’re looking it up now. Lol.
I'm running a ehiem 2217/600 and a fluval 407 on my 100 gallon peacock and hap tank with about 30 4"-9" males planning on adding something smaller like a little penn plax 700 for a polishing filter but the setup I already have it working fantastic my tank is pretty much spotless.
They like higher ph. Around 7.8 or so. A great way to increase your ph is to add aragonite sand. It raises it naturally. Can get it online or Petco sells it.
Which tip from this video helped you the most? Do you have any tips not listed here? Let everyone know! See the first video here: th-cam.com/video/oJvnXXVaegk/w-d-xo.html
I use a fluval 307 and 407 in my 55 gallon for my peacock tank. When I go with my 75 gallon in a few months, I will be using a fx4 along with the established 407 and 307. Fx and 407 will house biological and 307 will be the polishing filter with chemical filtration. I know, a bit overboard.
LOL all you really need is an Unscripted Aquarium Clarifier (UAC) and routine doses of tap water conditioner to control ammonia and nitrite levels. Tiny ultra-safe device that can easily clear up 300-gallon tanks. It even tackles green water as good as 100- or 50-micron filter felt does.
I commented yesterday on a short and you replied but It’s still got the same problem. So to make it short I have a 29 gallon cichlid tank with 6 young cichlids and a medium sized pleco. I just recently upgraded filters to a fluval 55 and I have a large sponge filter as well. It’s on the opposite side from the fluval and there is like a super fine small particle all throughout the tank. I do weekly or biweekly water changes and have my fluval stuffed with 2 pads and poly fill. I’ve also used aqua clear in case it’s an algae thing and no help. Any information is greatly appreciated!! I wish my tank would look like one of yours!! Edit: I have a seachem 55 not the other
Maybe give this flocculant a try: Seachem Clarity 500ml a.co/d/j6SfoXv. I haven’t used flocculants, but it could be what you need. It makes the smaller particles clump together so they become large enough for the filter to catch. Make sure any air you have in the tank is away fro the 55 filter, also. I’m guessing you don’t have any air besides the sponge though. Also I am assuming you tested the water and it is definitely cycled. Bacterial blooms can cloud up that water too
@@CichlidCharmer I appreciate it I'm going to try the clarity that might fix it. And yes everything else you assumed is correct, all parameters are fine and the only air is the sponge. It's been up for about 6 months and this is just starting. Thanks for your time and knowledge.
Ok I have a question for ya. As you know. I just got the FX2. I’m trying to decide how I should do the change over from my 407? Just hook up the FX2 with all new media and let it run for a month or so, so it can build up beneficial bacteria. While the 407 stays running. Or take all the media out of the 407 and add it to the FX2. Sponges aren’t the same size. But I could rinse them over the new sponges etc? And just take the 407 Bio and put it in the FX2 trays etc ? What do you think?
I think it's best to have two filters running at all times, so I would keep two. I thought you were keeping two anyway, but I have a poor memory 🤪. So I would just add the Fx2 with all new media right alongside the 407. That way if one dies, you still have another up and running. If you only want one filter, I would move the bio into the fx2 and keep the sponges from the 407 in the tank next to the intake for a few weeks. Remove one sponge every week or so. That way you don't lose too much BB all at once while the Fx2 is seasoning. Of course keep an eye on your boys whenever you remove a sponge. That's just how I would do it. I like to play it safe 😃 Also, if the Fx2 is like the Fx4 & 6, be aware that after you start it, it will shut off after a minute or so. It is just purging air, and it will come back on within a few minutes.
@@CichlidCharmer Well I was planning on just the FX2 running. It’s good for 175gal and my tank is 66g. So that’s plenty of filter. I hear ya when you say use two filters. I guess I could. My tanks Fluval Shakers, all 3. They are drilled tanks. So all hoses come up from the bottom. Very neet and tidy. No hoses in sight. If I run two filters. Then I’d have to have hoses etc on the outside of the tank. Kinda takes away from the Shaker idea of a drilled tank. Anyways. I like your idea to change over all the biological media and put the sponges in my tank by the intake. I guess I could also rinse them with tank water over the new sponges to kick start them and also pour all the filter water from the 407 into the FX2 canister? Well I got back into this hobby a year ago and it hasn’t slowed down one bit lol. I’m doing a water change today. Fluval is putting out a video on how to install the FX2 on a shaker aquarium using the 407 very soon. Once I see that I’ll just do a filter change and not a water change on the same day.
@@brett_Thorpe oh gotcha. So maybe just the one filter since it’s a shaker. I would have a Wavemaker directed to the top of the tank creating surface agitation. They like it, plus if the filter dies, your fish will still have O2. I’ve never rinsed the media over other media to transfer bb. Maybe it works, but it seems like you’d leave a lot on the media itself. And you can do a water change same day as you change the filter if you keep the media and do not do a gravel vac or large cleaning. You probably already know that the water holds almost no bb.
@@CichlidCharmer Good idea with the wave maker. I think I’ll do what you suggested and put the sponges in the tank by the intake. That’s the safest bet. I’m sure all will go well. But we always wonder eh. Just finished my water change 75%. The boys are spunky now. 😁
So I am new to the hobby. I have had my aquarium (60 gallon tank) for about 2 months, I started doind water testing 3 weeks ago and all levels are good, is a water change still necessary even is all Ph, amonia, nitrates and nitrites are good?
Nitrates will pretty much tell you when to do a water change. However, I would still do at least a 25% change every month or so to replenish minerals unless you are topping off pretty regularly.
@@CichlidCharmer Thanks for the feedback. That makes perfect sense. I have 2 fx6s and a Sicce 500 on my 210 gallon African cichlid tank and I only turn them off while I am feeding.
@@seanlyons8053 I would have two fx6s. I like redundancy, especially in case one goes down. If your water parameters are good and water is clear, you may not need it, but you’re not turning over the water volume typically suggested.
@Sean Lyons it's not so much about gph. It's more about the proper amount media. I think the gph has been such a big thing in this hobby because people add more filtration and their tanks improve. When what really helped is the added media. Sadly to increase media you typically need another filter to house it.
My water for the most part stays crystal clear. I try to never use chemical media. I also only feed every other day. Yes I do use polyfil and a pre filter on my intake. Gx4 on my 75 with an internal filter. I have s sicce whale 500 on my 40 breeder with a fluval 50 hob.
Thanks for sharing your setup 🤘
I use a sunsun 704 b and a Marineland canister filter it's the one next to the biggest one they have
I have a 90 gallon aquarium and i use Two Tidal 110 filters on it. 😃
Do you like them? Wanted to get a 110 for my 55 gal
@@Ceobub They are very Nice But, i put them both on the shelf, I now use one FX6 Filter.
Try Aquael ultra max 2000
Pretty good, huh?
@@CichlidCharmer I wouldn’t lie if I told you it’s the best after using several brands .
I have a 20 gallon sump for my 75 gallon African cichlid tank - Keeps it quite clear
I Got 1 FX6, 2 Sponge Filter's and 2 Emperor Power 400 Filter's. So I'm Trying To Do My Best in Keeping My Water Clear And Healthy For My Stocked African Cichlids.
[First tank in 6 years] I inroduced Metal objects as aquascape into the water of a new tank... 2 days later whole tank was filled with rust and filters were clogged and coated with orange rust . 50% water change, new filter cartridgs, and just about every chemical they sell at petco to help benifit new fish tanks. Thanks to that oxidization I bought a Second filter aswell. now I have.
Twenty Gallon Tank + Two HOB Filters Rated 100GPH Each.
Clear as crystal now
It took About 3 days in-between to go from extreme rust to imaculate crystal water.
Wry impressive comeback! Thanks for sharing your journey
Now i want gft
The best
Thanks, Manu!
Great video and tips. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.
Thanks, Brett - Good to see you 🤩
@@CichlidCharmer Cheers. I did buy a bag of poly fill. I’ll add some next time I clean the filter. I picked up a FX2 to replace my 407. I’m sure my boys will love that! My tanks are 66 gal. So the FX2 should do a great job. My LFS sold me a female sunshine, thinking it was a male, yet to colour up. Anyways. It hooked up with my male Lwanda yesterday and they did some spawning and I had nothing but chaos in my tank. I wasn’t happy! So I caught the female and back to the LFS. I’m not set up to raise fry “yet”. But I will be at some point. Anyways. Just thought I’d share that experience & excitement LOL
@@brett_Thorpe the polyfil will be good. You know a disreputable seller sold me a female accidentally and so wound up with fry. They were eaten all except one (by the fish, not me 🤪). Good to remove her. I didn’t even know there was an fx2! Hope it works great for you!
@@CichlidCharmer I would of liked to keep her and get some fry to raise. But my other tanks are full of community fish. I’m going to have to make a decision one day and possibly make the switch from community fish to an all Peacock, and maybe Mbuna tank set ups. Yes the FX2 is brand new. Just released a few months ago. It’s rated for 175gal. I’m sure you’re looking it up now. Lol.
@@brett_Thorpe I kind of wish I had only haps right now. Peacocks are being jerks. You’re right, I looked up the fx2 immediately, 😆
I'm running a ehiem 2217/600 and a fluval 407 on my 100 gallon peacock and hap tank with about 30 4"-9" males planning on adding something smaller like a little penn plax 700 for a polishing filter but the setup I already have it working fantastic my tank is pretty much spotless.
Sounds like you’ve nailed it
@@CichlidCharmer I love it alot also a 6 foot tank is come soon aswell in about a year super pumped
@@brendanhall9346 you are going to love the six-footer!!
Where are those rocks from?
Aquadecor
What ph is safe for cichlids. I’m new to the cichlid tanks. Thanks for the info
They like higher ph. Around 7.8 or so. A great way to increase your ph is to add aragonite sand. It raises it naturally. Can get it online or Petco sells it.
Which tip from this video helped you the most? Do you have any tips not listed here? Let everyone know! See the first video here: th-cam.com/video/oJvnXXVaegk/w-d-xo.html
Hola 👋,excelente información .mis peces comen Dr bassleer un alimento muy bien formulado y que no ensucia nada el agua ,a parte les encanta.
I use a fluval 307 and 407 in my 55 gallon for my peacock tank. When I go with my 75 gallon in a few months, I will be using a fx4 along with the established 407 and 307. Fx and 407 will house biological and 307 will be the polishing filter with chemical filtration. I know, a bit overboard.
Yeah that’s a little overboard. It’s also EXACTLY what I have running on my 75 😆. Thanks for sharing your setup!
LOL all you really need is an Unscripted Aquarium Clarifier (UAC) and routine doses of tap water conditioner to control ammonia and nitrite levels. Tiny ultra-safe device that can easily clear up 300-gallon tanks. It even tackles green water as good as 100- or 50-micron filter felt does.
@@Urjfhskioeuwjd I've went to a 125 gallon since
I commented yesterday on a short and you replied but It’s still got the same problem. So to make it short I have a 29 gallon cichlid tank with 6 young cichlids and a medium sized pleco. I just recently upgraded filters to a fluval 55 and I have a large sponge filter as well. It’s on the opposite side from the fluval and there is like a super fine small particle all throughout the tank. I do weekly or biweekly water changes and have my fluval stuffed with 2 pads and poly fill. I’ve also used aqua clear in case it’s an algae thing and no help. Any information is greatly appreciated!! I wish my tank would look like one of yours!!
Edit: I have a seachem 55 not the other
Maybe give this flocculant a try: Seachem Clarity 500ml a.co/d/j6SfoXv. I haven’t used flocculants, but it could be what you need. It makes the smaller particles clump together so they become large enough for the filter to catch. Make sure any air you have in the tank is away fro the 55 filter, also. I’m guessing you don’t have any air besides the sponge though. Also I am assuming you tested the water and it is definitely cycled. Bacterial blooms can cloud up that water too
@@CichlidCharmer I appreciate it I'm going to try the clarity that might fix it. And yes everything else you assumed is correct, all parameters are fine and the only air is the sponge. It's been up for about 6 months and this is just starting. Thanks for your time and knowledge.
@@unknownyoutuber8176 hope it works. Let me know!
There is no audio on this video...
Thank you for letting me know.
Ok I have a question for ya. As you know. I just got the FX2. I’m trying to decide how I should do the change over from my 407? Just hook up the FX2 with all new media and let it run for a month or so, so it can build up beneficial bacteria. While the 407 stays running. Or take all the media out of the 407 and add it to the FX2. Sponges aren’t the same size. But I could rinse them over the new sponges etc? And just take the 407 Bio and put it in the FX2 trays etc ? What do you think?
I think it's best to have two filters running at all times, so I would keep two. I thought you were keeping two anyway, but I have a poor memory 🤪. So I would just add the Fx2 with all new media right alongside the 407. That way if one dies, you still have another up and running. If you only want one filter, I would move the bio into the fx2 and keep the sponges from the 407 in the tank next to the intake for a few weeks. Remove one sponge every week or so. That way you don't lose too much BB all at once while the Fx2 is seasoning. Of course keep an eye on your boys whenever you remove a sponge. That's just how I would do it. I like to play it safe 😃 Also, if the Fx2 is like the Fx4 & 6, be aware that after you start it, it will shut off after a minute or so. It is just purging air, and it will come back on within a few minutes.
@@CichlidCharmer Well I was planning on just the FX2 running. It’s good for 175gal and my tank is 66g. So that’s plenty of filter. I hear ya when you say use two filters. I guess I could. My tanks Fluval Shakers, all 3. They are drilled tanks. So all hoses come up from the bottom. Very neet and tidy. No hoses in sight. If I run two filters. Then I’d have to have hoses etc on the outside of the tank. Kinda takes away from the Shaker idea of a drilled tank. Anyways. I like your idea to change over all the biological media and put the sponges in my tank by the intake. I guess I could also rinse them with tank water over the new sponges to kick start them and also pour all the filter water from the 407 into the FX2 canister? Well I got back into this hobby a year ago and it hasn’t slowed down one bit lol. I’m doing a water change today. Fluval is putting out a video on how to install the FX2 on a shaker aquarium using the 407 very soon. Once I see that I’ll just do a filter change and not a water change on the same day.
@@brett_Thorpe oh gotcha. So maybe just the one filter since it’s a shaker. I would have a Wavemaker directed to the top of the tank creating surface agitation. They like it, plus if the filter dies, your fish will still have O2. I’ve never rinsed the media over other media to transfer bb. Maybe it works, but it seems like you’d leave a lot on the media itself. And you can do a water change same day as you change the filter if you keep the media and do not do a gravel vac or large cleaning. You probably already know that the water holds almost no bb.
@@CichlidCharmer Good idea with the wave maker. I think I’ll do what you suggested and put the sponges in the tank by the intake. That’s the safest bet. I’m sure all will go well. But we always wonder eh. Just finished my water change 75%. The boys are spunky now. 😁
@@brett_Thorpe you must be so excited to get this new filter going. Have fun with your new fcichlid adventure, man!
So I am new to the hobby. I have had my aquarium (60 gallon tank) for about 2 months, I started doind water testing 3 weeks ago and all levels are good, is a water change still necessary even is all Ph, amonia, nitrates and nitrites are good?
Nitrates will pretty much tell you when to do a water change. However, I would still do at least a 25% change every month or so to replenish minerals unless you are topping off pretty regularly.
"don't pull out all your hair like I did" 🤣
😆 thanks for that
Just curious, do you run your filters 24/7? Or do you give them any breaks?
They are always on. Your aerobic bacteria needs the flow, plus it’s good for the fish. Wavemakers I use intermittently, however
@@CichlidCharmer Thanks for the feedback. That makes perfect sense. I have 2 fx6s and a Sicce 500 on my 210 gallon African cichlid tank and I only turn them off while I am feeding.
@@groutline123 that’s when I turn off mine. And when I do a water change and the water gets too low
So my Fluval Fx4 on my 125gallon cichlid tank is not enough?
Totally depends on type of fish, how many, how often you change the water, etc.
Ok
I have about 30 3-5 inch peacocks haps mbuna. Water changes ever 5-7 days
@@seanlyons8053 I would have two fx6s. I like redundancy, especially in case one goes down. If your water parameters are good and water is clear, you may not need it, but you’re not turning over the water volume typically suggested.
@Sean Lyons it's not so much about gph. It's more about the proper amount media. I think the gph has been such a big thing in this hobby because people add more filtration and their tanks improve. When what really helped is the added media. Sadly to increase media you typically need another filter to house it.
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