Help! How Do I Set Up My Filtration Equipment?

I was given a tank because my friend couldn’t keep it, so I thought why not?but It’s been a little tricky to set up, as I am rather new to fish keeping. I have a 250 gallon tank with a pro clear 200 filter, and a non submersible pump.

 

Welcome to Fishlore, I’m not familiar with that brand but hopefully someone who is will be able to help with your question today

 

HI and welcome to the forum.
Let see if I can help you on this. To start off, lets look at the flow of the water.

1. Container attached to rear of tank.
   1. This is the first stage of the filter that captures water that flows naturally from the tank. There should be a hole in the back of the tank that feed water into the rear tank.
   2. The water from the tank flows into the rear container and flows through the sponge filter down to the first section of the sump. The second outlet in the rear tank at a slightly higher level than the sponge filter is an overflow. The overflow serves to moving water if the sponge filter gets full down to the first section of the sump. The second function of this overflow pipe is to act as a breather to let air out of the first section of the sump.
2. The second section of the sump is the left hand container (in the pics) below the tank. This section is the biological filter section. It has bioballs and sponge in it and this is where your bacteria colony will develop. The water enters the second container section from the rear container via the downflow pipe. It flows into the left and through to the right through the sponge and bioballs. When the water reaches the level of the hole in the second section, it flows out into the third section.
3. The third section of the sump is where you have filtered water and where you can start getting the water ready to back into the tank. You should place your heater here to heat the water. The water is drawn out of this section by the external pump that you can see in the third picture. The pump should have in the intake pipe in the third section of the sump and the outtake in the main fish tank.

To set the filter up, what you need to do (I assume here that you know about the nitrogen cycle - if not, please read this article WELL .

To set the system up:

1. Rinse all of the equipment in fresh tap water, using a 50% bleach solution to scrub things that you don't like the look off. RInse with tap water and leave for two days to dry out completely. Rinse and squeeze the sponge filter material in the rear container and the second container of the sump.
2. Set up the tank with all the non bio ornaments (no fish, no plants etc).
3. Place the return pipe from the pump into the tank and fasten it down to ensure that it doesn't drop out.
4. Check to see if all the other pipes are connected and not loose.
5. Start filling the tank up with water {please remember all about the nitrogen cycle }.
6. Once the water in the tank gets to the level of the hole in the rear of the tank, it will still flowing into the rear container. The level should go up, to the sponge and then the water will start flowing down to the second container of the sump.
7. The water in the second container should fill up and start flowing into the third container.
8. STOP adding water!
9. Switch the pump on and water should start flowing from the third container up into the tank.
10. Once the water starts flowing with no air pockets, top up the water in the last container of the sump up to about 1/2 the third container.
11. once the flow settles down, you can place the heater in the third section, set it to one degree above your desire temperature and plug it in.

Now you have to follow the Nitrogen Cycle until you are cycled. When you get to this stage you will probably want to start adding plants to your tank. As you add them, watch the water level in the last section of the sump as the level will go up as add stuff to the fish tank.

Let us know how it goes - good luck!

 

Just a quick follow up on my previous post:

1. I highly recommend changing the pipes from the rear container behind the tank to smooth tubing. The existing piping (like the type used to extract water from a washing machine) have folds in them which will collect dirt and scum. They are extremely hard to clean and could cause build up of unwanted biowaste.
2. In the final container, where I suggested you put your heater, you will notice bags of what looks like sort of carbon filtration material - it was probably being used to extract unwanted gases or chemicals in the water. You will probably want to through the carbon out as it has a limited life time and you cannot tell if it is still active or not. The carbon can be replaced with crushed coral if you have soft water or peat if you have hard water.
3. The final container is also a place where you can plant something like pothos or duckweed. If it grows like mad and you have to keep trimming it, that means that the plants are using up the Nitrates! Remember, they need light to grow

Hope you find this info useful.

 

HI and welcome to the forum.
Let see if I can help you on this. To start off, lets look at the flow of the water.

1. Container attached to rear of tank.
   1. This is the first stage of the filter that captures water that flows naturally from the tank. There should be a hole in the back of the tank that feed water into the rear tank.
   2. The water from the tank flows into the rear container and flows through the sponge filter down to the first section of the sump. The second outlet in the rear tank at a slightly higher level than the sponge filter is an overflow. The overflow serves to moving water if the sponge filter gets full down to the first section of the sump. The second function of this overflow pipe is to act as a breather to let air out of the first section of the sump.
2. The second section of the sump is the left hand container (in the pics) below the tank. This section is the biological filter section. It has bioballs and sponge in it and this is where your bacteria colony will develop. The water enters the second container section from the rear container via the downflow pipe. It flows into the left and through to the right through the sponge and bioballs. When the water reaches the level of the hole in the second section, it flows out into the third section.
3. The third section of the sump is where you have filtered water and where you can start getting the water ready to back into the tank. You should place your heater here to heat the water. The water is drawn out of this section by the external pump that you can see in the third picture. The pump should have in the intake pipe in the third section of the sump and the outtake in the main fish tank.

To set the filter up, what you need to do (I assume here that you know about the nitrogen cycle - if not, please read this article WELL .

To set the system up:

1. Rinse all of the equipment in fresh tap water, using a 50% bleach solution to scrub things that you don't like the look off. RInse with tap water and leave for two days to dry out completely. Rinse and squeeze the sponge filter material in the rear container and the second container of the sump.
2. Set up the tank with all the non bio ornaments (no fish, no plants etc).
3. Place the return pipe from the pump into the tank and fasten it down to ensure that it doesn't drop out.
4. Check to see if all the other pipes are connected and not loose.
5. Start filling the tank up with water {please remember all about the nitrogen cycle }.
6. Once the water in the tank gets to the level of the hole in the rear of the tank, it will still flowing into the rear container. The level should go up, to the sponge and then the water will start flowing down to the second container of the sump.
7. The water in the second container should fill up and start flowing into the third container.
8. STOP adding water!
9. Switch the pump on and water should start flowing from the third container up into the tank.
10. Once the water starts flowing with no air pockets, top up the water in the last container of the sump up to about 1/2 the third container.
11. once the flow settles down, you can place the heater in the third section, set it to one degree above your desire temperature and plug it in.

Now you have to follow the Nitrogen Cycle until you are cycled. When you get to this stage you will probably want to start adding plants to your tank. As you add them, watch the water level in the last section of the sump as the level will go up as add stuff to the fish tank.

Let us know how it goes - good luck!

First of all, thank you so much for replying, you’ve by far been the most helpful person on this. But you were saying that there should be a hole in the rear of the tank that naturally feeds into the container? I’m not seeing a hole, unless I interpreted wrong. Is it a hole in the glass?