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How Big Is Too Big - Filter For 55 Gallon Tank With Goldfish


signet_planet
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I have a 55 gallon tank with a 10", 8", 6" and 5" comet goldfish. The filter is the marineland penguin bio wheel 350 that came with the tank and until recently was performing very well.

I was using some pellet food that were left over from our fish pond that came with the house but when I went to replace them a few weeks ago I learned they stopped making that brand a number of years ago (sorry fish, I didn't realize your food was so old). So about 6-8 weeks ago I moved to a quality food (NorthFin Goldfish 3mm slow sinking pellet). The fish go crazy for it but in that short time they all grew significantly bigger and with that they produce more waste even though I'm actually giving them less volume of pellets in a day (following NorthFin's recommended amount).

The problem is the penguin filter "clogs" up now enough to restrict flow that I can't even make it week before at least one of the bio wheels stop turning. I'm thinking this filter is not enough for the load these fish produce. I should note I change 40% of the water weekly.

I'm thinking a canister filter would be the best option for me and I was leaning towards the Penn Plex Cascade Canister 1000 filter which is supposed to be good for 100 gallon tanks (so pretty much double the amount of water in my tank). However because comets are such dirty fish and they just keep on growing I wonder if I should not be going for the 1500 which is what they recommend for a 200 gallon tank and with that I have more room for bio media in the filter.

I'm also hoping this one canister filter can completely replace the penguin filter. I thought about running two but I don't really like the idea of doubling the amount of filters I need to clean. Is it a bad idea to go too big? I'm also thinking I might try running the canister filter without any active charcoal in it as well - is that a bad idea with goldfish?

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You can't really go wrong with over filtration. As long as the fish aren't put off by the water movement some big canisters offer.

Simply set up the new canister, squeeze the crud out of your old filter into the water, this will seed the new filter with bacteria to kick start it. Let both filters run for a couple weeks together then unplug the old one. See if the new one can maintain proper water parameters for a day. If it can't, simply plug the old one back in and wait another week and try it again.

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That would be a good choice for a filter. They don't like a lot of current.

My wife's goldfish tank 60 gal with 5, - 3 inch orandas needs a 75% water change per week to keep the nitrates down below 40.... they do make a mess but love them just the same.

J

Edited by geleen
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You can't really go wrong with over filtration. As long as the fish aren't put off by the water movement some big canisters offer.

Simply set up the new canister, squeeze the crud out of your old filter into the water, this will seed the new filter with bacteria to kick start it. Let both filters run for a couple weeks together then unplug the old one. See if the new one can maintain proper water parameters for a day. If it can't, simply plug the old one back in and wait another week and try it again.

Thanks Jay (my name is Jay too...well or Jason but I go by both). I was a bit worried about water movement as I read comets typically like calmer waters and I see they often sleep in the side where there is no filter (little water movement) but then increased water movement also means less cleaning. Right now a lot of their waste floats on top and much of it is often still there when I do my weekly water change. This filter comes with a spray bar which spreads it out so it's not just one blast so I think I'll be okay.

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