Hi thereee... Well I finally got an amazingly awesome FIFTY FIVE (55) gallon tank. It's beautiful, it's perfect, and I can't stop oogling.

Anyways, my questions are about the filter, it's an Emperor filter and had "media cartridges", but nothing came with the filter to fill them with, and I'm wondering if just running the filter with them in empty is fine...? I'm probably going to buy some stuff to fill it with and what not, but wondering if it's okay anyways.

Also, the filter tube was so long that we couldn't fit it into the tank, sooo we just didn't use the extension or the mid-way strainer... Are these things necessary? It's running fine without it but I dunno what that strainer thing does... My dad suggested it might add more suction as the tube is longer... But wanna confirm!

Hmm... Not much else to say except... OMG YES. IT'S AMAZING. The lighting is sooooo nice. So much nicer than compared to the crappy yellow-tinge my teeny tank has (yes my fish can finally move out into their real home...! only took a lot of bugging of the parents).

Pics will be posted eventually XD Hmmm... Any other tips would be welcomed. I put some of the fake plants and a little gravel so the cycle can get started... *excited* Can't wait to put the fish in!!!

Thanks in advanced

Congratulations on your new tank. You can trim the intake extension so that the strainer "pulls" water from near the tank bottom. You need the strainer to avoid sucking in any fish.

I have an Emporer, and it comes with cartridges that contain activated carbon. You can run them with these cartridges as the bio-wheel provides some degree of biofiltration.

Good luck and have fun.

Dennis

i have an emperor 400, penguin 350 and 280. i took the empty cartridge thing out and filled the back with bioballs i got from www. bigalsonline.com. you can also use ceramic media and just buy the blue filter floss stuff so you don't have to buy their replacement cartridges. you don't really need the carbon anyway, unless you're medicating.




i took one of my mom's gardening tools and hacked away at my extension. i got it as close to the bottom of my tank as possible because i have a bare bottom. but the mid-way strainer really helps pick up some of the floating debris.. keep it open. i like it... i wish all my filter intakes had them. and of course you NEED that bottom one on there... haha don't have a gaping hole big enough to suck up a fish. but i'm pretty sure you're taking about the top one.



haha yeah the lighting is great on the bigger aquariums. did you purchase your own lighting? or did it come with the set up?




congratulations on the new tank!!! can't wait to see your pictures!

::edit previous post:: sorry it's an emperor 280 not a penguin.

The lighting came with the set up. I was afraid it'd be like the crappy ones but thank goodness it's nice Really cheap too, just managed to squeeze it all under $200 (filter too!). Still need to buy gravel and what nots though. But that's for later.

As for that extension tube, the filter already has something on it... It looks like
right now.

I'd prefer not to be cutting an extension tube if I don't need to but I will if it's really neccessary to fit that mid-level strainer thing.

Hmm yeah... I'll probably just end up cutting that extension tube down now that I think about it since the filter is only midway and won't pick up poo on the bottom when fishies are added...

Thanks guys

-Edit- Oh! I do have one question. Is the filter supposed to be that loud? It's just a slight rumbling and water trickling and I don't really mind but I'm wondering if it's supposed to be like...less loud XD

Don't worry. If something go wrong after you cut it which is not going to happen, you can call customer service. They are going to send you a new extension free. This is what I like about that company. Congrat on your new fish home

i really like my mid-strainer thing... it picks up a lot of stuff that tends to float or stuff that is pushed around near the top of the tank but just doesn't ever get sucked into the intake at the bottom.

as for the sounds, if you sort of meddle with the flow rate of your filter, sometimes you can get it to stop making the noise. it shouldn't be horribly loud, but it will make a little bit of noise. if you have the filter with the knob on the side that turns, just experiment. if you have the one with the little tab at the top right that you pull up or push down, pull it all the way up. haha hope that wasn't too confusing!

Ah yes I have the one with the knobs. We did mess with them so they'd work and it still makes a little noise, but it's only a little so all good now



Oh really? That's really awesome! Then I don't have a problem cutting and I'll do that tonight

Thanks!