Best filter for fire-bellies?

[hattori]

I am aware that they don't like currents in their tanks, so have been hesitating to put a filter in, but know that I will eventually need to.

I have a repto-min filter with whisper technology available, but wanted to know preferred filters from all you caudata-members.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Azhael]

You don´t need to. It´s not an absolute necessity at all. Filters are completely optional given the right conditions. Your newts will actually apreciate it if you don´t use a filter.

 

[JWERNER]

An air driven filter is best.

Without carbon the water will smell no matter what but at least a air driven filter will prolong it a bit between water changes by agitating the surface.

 

[evut]

I started with a filter and now I'm not using one - and the water really isn't any worse. I thought that somehow you have to have a filter but now that I finally listened to the advice given here I'm a convert :happy: The newts really enjoy the still water.
Get them lots of plants instead of a filter. My personal recommendation is red ludwigia - grows very well even in low light (not red but still growing fast).

(As for the filter I had a Fluval Mini and it was good but small - the foam inside is tiny so the filtration is very weak...but if you get anything bigger then the currents will be a lot worse.)

 

[JWERNER]

How often do you guys that have no filter change the water? I can not stand the smell of stagnant water. Especially in a Vivarium.

 

[Azhael]

The usual 10-20% partial change every week or so. Less frequently in the bigger tanks, and i may skip the odd week every now and then. None of my tanks smell of stagnant water, in fact i love the pond-like smell they have.

 

[Jennewt]

This article might be helpful in sorting through the options:
Caudata Culture Articles - Filters
My personal favorite for firebellies is the good old fashioned box filter. No heat, no current, does a halfway decent job of removing dirt.

 

[otolith]

If you need a filter your best bet is probably some sort of small sponge filter. These are inexpensive, effective and easy to maintain. The sponge also will eventually get colonized by infusoria and cyclops which are good foods for tiny newt larvae. Most of the time though (especially with cynops in a large enough tank) filtration should not be necessary if there are plenty of plants and you do weekly water changes.

 

[freves]

I am currently only using air driven sponge filters along with partial water changes (no carbon) in most of my salamander enclosures and none of them smell. In some enclosures I use only live plants and an air diffuser and in one only live plants (this one has little more than a large water bowl in it at the moment).
Chip

 

[JWERNER]

Sponge filters are easy to DIY also but if your not handy I suggest one of these babies!

They are pretty bad little devices.

 

[corientalis]

I used canister filter or sponge filter in my previous tanks and they were both good, but I changed them for a built-in filter in the newest one. I I divided a not too wide parcel with a large sheet of glass parallel with the back wall of the tank (130 l), and then I made smaller parcels with different filter materials too, just as it would be a canister filter. The water comes through a sponge sheet and a small, cheap water pump lifts it into the filter where it runs through the parcels in a zig-zag way and runs back into the newt-keeper section through a piece of plastic mesh at the other end of the aquarium. The living area of the animals became smaller approx 20 percent, but the filter works fine with the large surface for bacteria and it was much cheaper than a real, large canister filter, plus the current is minimal because of the possibly smallest water pump. I change water quite rare, maybe once or twice in a month, but the water parameters are still all right. I built it because I couldn't use living plants nor substrate for a reason, so the simple sponge filter would have been too weak for the job I think.