underfiltration?

D

D Bass

AC Members
Jul 27, 2006
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Toronto Ontario
Hello,

This is my first post/question and I have a couple hundred more so I hope you can help!

This is probably not the most pressing issue right now but it happens to be the one stuck in my head at the moment so here it is:

My 50 Gallon aquarium is now starting its second week of cycling (have 6 Black Ruby Barbs, which are great :) ) and things seem to be going really well but the thing on my mind right now is under-filtration.

I'm sure I'm fine for now as I'm not putting much load on my filter but in the future I'm afraid I may have made a classic rookie mistake by not getting a big enough filter. The filter I have is a Eheim 2213 classic which says its good for up to 66G but apparently, as Ive been reading, it isn't even enough for my 50G!??

I guess the question is, what would be the best economical/practical way could I upgrade/improve my filtration without doing a total overhaul or breaking open the piggy bank??

I think I've thought of the most obvious answers to my questions but I havent liked any of them solutions so I'm hoping the more experienced can help.

Thanks in advance
 
I think eheim has over rated thier canisters, as the 2213 wich is suposedly good enough for a 66g, only pumps 116 gph; I use 100gph for a 10g.

But then again, the same can be said for many other filters, so it's best to get a filtration system that is suposed to handle a tank atleast twice the size of the tank.

So, your best course of action is to buy a second filter that can handle a 50g tank, such as an aquaclear 50.
 
I personally think that it is best to have 1)"too much" filtration and 2)multiple filters in case one dies (so all your fish are not belly up the next morning). Another canister would be Ok or a hang on the back (an aquaclear or Emperor) would also be great.
 
Thanks for the reply.

By buying a "second filter" ,you are meaning a second filter to compliment the first one right?

Unfortunately due to the construction of my hood, a power filter that hangs on the back (which is what the Aquaclear 50 is right?) will pose a few problems for me unless I want to alter the hood some (which of course I dont really want to do).

Any other suggestions?
 
Well you could always purchase an internal filter, that is it will be completely inside the tank itself. Another option is to purchase a couple powerheads with prefilters. These also go completely inside the tank. I have 2 Penguin 660R units that pump 170gph and they work great. They also come with the prefilter which is nice as it is one less thing to buy. You can have them set to blow bubbles or simply close the hole off so no bubbles are made. If you have a petsmart you can get them for about $19US as long as you print it off of there website. They will pricematch the price from the site. 2 of the above and your current filter should be enough for the tank.
 
Grundy said:
I personally think that it is best to have 1)"too much" filtration and 2)multiple filters in case one dies (so all your fish are not belly up the next morning). Another canister would be Ok or a hang on the back (an aquaclear or Emperor) would also be great.
Click to expand...
If I got another Canister do you think the "Eheim Ecco Comfort Canister Filter- 2232" would suffice?

It says its for max35G and my 2213 says its max 66G...so that would be Max 101G for my 55G.
 
D Bass said:
Hello,

This is my first post/question and I have a couple hundred more so I hope you can help!

This is probably not the most pressing issue right now but it happens to be the one stuck in my head at the moment so here it is:

My 50 Gallon aquarium is now starting its second week of cycling (have 6 Black Ruby Barbs, which are great :) ) and things seem to be going really well but the thing on my mind right now is under-filtration.

I'm sure I'm fine for now as I'm not putting much load on my filter but in the future I'm afraid I may have made a classic rookie mistake by not getting a big enough filter. The filter I have is a Eheim 2213 classic which says its good for up to 66G but apparently, as Ive been reading, it isn't even enough for my 50G!??

I guess the question is, what would be the best economical/practical way could I upgrade/improve my filtration without doing a total overhaul or breaking open the piggy bank??

I think I've thought of the most obvious answers to my questions but I havent liked any of them solutions so I'm hoping the more experienced can help.

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Hey read this thread that I posted. Who wants anything cheaper from petsmart then the regular price. In Freshwater Products & DIY topic. It will help you to get a filter that you want for way cheaper.
 
Grundy said:
multiple filters in case one dies (so all your fish are not belly up the next morning).
Click to expand...


:joke: Somehow that made me laugh...I mean, come on...fish aren't going to die immediately without filtration. In fact, they can live in a tank without filtration at all as long as there are consistent water changes. :hi:


But it's still true - two filters as a failsafe, especially on a larger tank like a 55g or bigger. This is also good for maintenance, as you're able to maintenance the filters on a rotating schedule.

Not only do they allow for the obvious increase in filtration, but they also circulate the water more because you're able to place them on different parts of the tank. One unexpected benefit that I noticed when I added a Penguin 150 to my 55g as an extra filter was that the intake tube was very short (I had cut it for my 20g long but switched back to the 125 due to ridiculous current) and I had no extra length to extend it down. But then when I saw it in the tank it hit me - not only is this filter taking in from a different part of the tank than my Rena, but it's also taking in from a different height as well. Could only be a good thing!
 
echoofformless said:
Not only do they allow for the obvious increase in filtration, but they also circulate the water more because you're able to place them on different parts of the tank.
Click to expand...
Actually that reminds me of another question I was eventually going to ask because my present filter seems to be creating a fairly big current as it is. In fact I think its creating more current than I would like however I would like others opinions on it (maybe I can take a small video). Adding a second filter would only compound this issue right??
 
With filtration gph can be misleading and is not the key factor. Media volume is as, if not more, important than gph. Eheims normally hold a much larger volume of media than comparable filters of equal gph, especially when compared to power filters.
 
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