Hey guys
i have a 75 gal I'd love to set up, but i don't have any filters for it. I'm planning on using two, because a 75 gal is huge and i'm worried it won't stay clean enough with just one. Only problem is, a filter for a tank that big can get pretty spendy..
i thought i heard someone here had gotten a filter off ebay or something - is this a good/safe idea? are they reliable? how should i clean them if i get a used/ebay one?

thanks for any advice!

For a 75 gallon tank, you really need at least 750gph turnover. I would recommend that this is not all done in one filter, but,instead, comes from multiple filters.

On a large tank, you really cannot beat a cannister for the biological filtration you will get. So a combination of a cannister and a HOB is a great way to handle the filtration on a larger tank.

The used filters on ebay and such, I am sure, are like just about everything else. There is good and bad. By and large, as long as all the parts are there - or you know specifically what parts are not there - you should be able to do ok. I would find the exact model that is being sold and see what it retails for, new. Do not buy a filter that is not being sold currently - for you will never find replacement parts should you need them. You will not be able to find a reasonable price or instructions or anything.

Ask at your local fish store. Ours had a 45 gallon tank with 3 filters - all for free - to give away for a client. If you live near a university - many people give up tanks as they come and go. That is a good source. Ebay can, also, be a wonderful source. Just check the prices and make sure EVERYTHING is listed.

BigAls on line is a good place to check prices. They often have good sales, too. You may just find ones that you can have.

If you are a subsciber here on Koko's you can enter the giveaway, presently featuring a A Penguin 200 - a good start for your tank.....