Fishy is happy

Well, after dealing with a backed-up filter a couple of times now Marla and I decided to buy a heavier duty filter for our jack dempsey. Or as Marla calls him, your jack dempsey. We had a good hanging filter on the tank (aquaclear 300 now known as aquaclear 70) that had a max output of 300 gallons per hour (gph). It's probably a fine filter for non cichlid tanks, but with my messy poopy jack dempsey it just couldn't handle the fish's output. I did somewhat solve the backup issues by removing the filter sponge but that was the only form of mechanical filtration and within a short time the tank was filthy with algae.

Our new filter is a Fluval 304 which is made by Hagen. Output is rated at 260 gph but this is a much better filter (so far anyway). The total capacity is 6 litres which I would say is twice as much as the aquaclear and it hold much more filter media. Where as the aquaclear held one carbon sack and one... I can't remember what else I had in there except for the sponge.. anyway, three modes of filtration in total the Fluval has two large sponge filters and six compartments for other filter media. It came with three carbon sacks and three bags of "bio balls". The water output is definitely more forceful than the aquaclear and the filter is very very quiet. Set up was really easy with the exception of the manual neglecting to warn about the amount of time it takes for the filter to expel all the air trapped inside.

Other than that it's been fine. It's only been running for an hour or so and I can already see a difference in the water quality. Thumbs up so far for Fluval 304.

Here's a pic of the tank (35 gallons), the fish (can you spot him?) and the filter (that grey thing under the tank (duh).