Is my filter too strong?

[CaitxSith]

I don't know but I have a strange feeling that my filter is too strong..

20 gal, I THINK 100 gph...? or maybe 150..



*NOTE*This will probably be my second to last post (look at my latest topic for details)

[CaitxSith]

I don't know about double posting but...

Can I replace my EHEIM power filter with a bio-wheel filter?


and forget about the second to last post thing :p:

Someone answer please? :(

[ROLLIN]

With the fish you have, 100-150 gph shouldn't be a problem. I have had more than 400 gph in a 20 with similar fish and they were fine. As for switching filters, yes you can, but try to put as much (preferably all) of your current filter media into the new filter to aviod ammonia and nitrite spikes. Remember that your filter media is where the vast majority of the benefical bacteria live.

[CaptnDan]

You fought a real battle getting that tank cycled with some major setbacks. Having done all that, please don't swap filters unless you can move all of the liter media to the new one - that is where the bacteria you fought for is located.

[emperorted]

the more filter the merrier. the entire volume of my tank is filtered almost 10 times an hour, and it is still necessary that i change my water on a regular basis. realize that in the wild fish practically never deal with the same water for more than a moment (in most instances). it is simply not possible for you to over-filter your aquarium.
that being said, if you're changing to a different filter, CaptnDan and ROLLIN are right. try to keep as much of your beneficial bacteria as possible.

[Mudfrog]

I use an Aquaclear 110 on my 29 gallon. You really can't over filter unless the fish are having trouble swimming in the current.

The Aquaclear 110 is rated at 500gph (without media) if that gives any indication of current in my 29.


the entire volume of my tank is filtered almost 10 times an hour, and it is still necessary that i change my water on a regular basis.

You do water changes to remove Nitrates, filtration does not remove Nitrates, only water changes do, you could filter your water 100 times an hour and the nitrates will remain the same.

[CaitxSith]

hmm.... can I add both filters? I mean, I don't want to risk losing more fish but then I REALLY want that bio-wheel filter......


So I add ALL my EHEIM filter cartridges into the new one? Won't it produce ammonia?

[Marinemom]

Please do not give up! I know it can be hard with everything semingly happening in such a short time but sometimes that is just the way it is. Believe me, I know. I have been fish keeping now for more than ten years and things still happen. Last week on 10-2-06 my saltwater reef crashed meaning that just about everything in it died within 24 hours. All of the corals except for one, all of my inverts, two of the five fish(one being a prized yellow tang), and I do not see a lot of life on the live rock. I know the feeling of wanting to give up and total dispair! But I have decided to not give up and forge ahead. Trust me, it will get better from here. When you are this far down, the only other way to go is up.(I read your other thread).

As far as the filters, I would run both filters on the tank if you can at least for a couple of weeks so the new filter can be seeded from it. The old filter has a lot of very benificial bacteria that the tank needs to run properly and for the fish to thrive. This will give the new filter time to catch up and retrieve the good bacteria from the old filter. I believe in overfiltering anyway. This means more oxygen for the fish.Can't have too much of that. If it were me I would just add the new filter and keep the old one too if there is enough room for both of them. I think you mentioneed that the old filter is an eheim. I love eheims! I think they are some of the best filters out there on the market today. (Canister right?) I don't see any reason why you can't run a canister filter on the tank in addition to the bio-wheel. Which bio-wheel are you considering for the tank?

Keep up the good work and keep us updated as to the progress of your tank. I wish you all the luck in tbe world. This hobby can be very rewarding. You just have to go along for the ride.


Marinemom

[kjf91004]

If it helps at all, my Eheim 2217 is too much for 38 gal tank. I just don't use the spray bar or anything else on the out flowing tube. I just have the tube pointing at the glass on one side of the tank to help dissipate the flow.

[McLendon]

Yeah you can just add the other filter and let it run no reason to pull the other use them both.right now I'M running 2 AC 110's and will add a big canister later as my fish load goes up

[Dan06]

I did a substrate & filter change in one day, housed 3 fish that crapped a LOT and saw no mini-cycle even.

I simply scraped some of the scum out of the old filter, dropped it into the bottom of the new filter, added my existing sponge & bio-bag on one side of my twin filter and never saw any ammonia/nitrite spike.

As for a strong current, place live or fake plants underneath the current. This will help break up the current and weak swimming fish will be just fine.

[CaitxSith]

@Marinemom

I use an EHEIM power filter... My teacher has a marine tank and he uses an EHEIM canister lol.

So then I'm going to have 2 power filters...

and there are types of bio-wheels? I just thought the bio-wheels were just a filter product that came in different sizes...


will adding a new filter create ammonia or nitrite or both? If it does, wouldn't it kill the fish?

[Rbishop]

The new filter does not create the ammonia and nitrites. It is a place for beneficial bacteris to grow. That bacteria converts ammonia to nitrites and nitrites to nitrates.

Why would it be your last post? Hang around read and learn. MTS is only a step away. Plus, your experiences can help other newbies!

[CaitxSith]

Now i'm thinking that.....
When the bio-wheel's done getting the bacteria, I'm going to replace it with the EHEIM.

and the EHEIM is for 30 gallons >_>
BUT it has flow control:)
But I put the flow control on max..

the bio-wheel i'm going to get is for 20 gallons...

[Marinemom]

Can you use both filters on this tank? I think it would be the best of both worlds.

Marinemom

P.S. Adding the other filter will not kill your fish. If anything it will only help them.

[CaitxSith]

I just want to ask, how strong is too strong?

Like, what does the fish do when it's too strong?
or when it's ok flow?

[Marinemom]

If it is too strong than the fish will stear away from it as if they are afraid of it. If not, they look like the are playing in it.

Marinemom

[CaitxSith]

well the fish swim behind the tube thing but not alot...
most the time, they just swim randomly either hiding or in the outside (the middle) wading...

[justintoxicated]

I have an aquaclear 200 on my 10g and it is fine!!!!!! thats 200 GPH on a 10 gallon (I don't think it actualy flows that though) and yes I leave the flow controll on HIGH :P I just rubber banded a spong at the outlet and I have very little surface agitation or current, my fish love it! I'd recomend a larger filter if you have a heavily stocked tank or don't like alot of maintanence, theres always thigns you can do to decrease the current it creates.

I also have a Fluval 204 on my 20 gallon, It really helps to overfilter a tank IMO, less maintanence with the filters. I do see the fish play in the current sometimes but they usualy don't go right up to the outlet.

As it is I still have to clean my AC 200 every week! The 204 can go almost a month wih no maintanence.

so in short ABSOLUTLY NOT!

[CaitxSith]

Ok....
Should I use bio-wheel 100(up to 20 gal) or bio-wheel 150(up to 30 gal)? I noticed that the stick thingy looks shorter, the more gallons you need to filter. Or did they just shrink the whole thing in the picture...

I'm planning on penguin bio-wheel but...
it says "marineland" penguin bio-wheel. Isn't "marine" saltwater? Is it ok to use in a freshwater tank?
Wrap this up:
1)Bio-wheel 100 or 150.
2)Does the stick thing get shorter?
3)Should I use bio-wheel over EHEIM?
4)Is the "marineland" penguin bio-wheel compatible with freshwater tanks?
5)To start seeding bacteria on the bio-wheel, I need to put it WITH the EHEIM, right?
6)Well, for how long do I put them together?
7)Using 2 filters rated for 30 gal (or if biowheel 100, 30 and 20 gal), wouldn't it be too much current?
8)Wouldn't it be too much current with just a 30 gal filter itself?
9)Can someone give a more detailed explanation on how to determine that the current is too strong?
Extra:
10)Does the wheel really remove ammonia and nitrites? (i'm already cycled but just wanted to know for fun :D )

[justintoxicated]

I don't like bio wheel filters myself because I have planted tanks and they create surface agitation which releases CO2.

If you NEVER plan to try a DIY Co2 setup they are ok though. I have one on my eclipse and it works very well. (I dose flourish excel instead of DIY CO2). They can also make some noise untill they wear in.

I personaly like Canister filters.

Theres no perfect way to determin if the current will be to strong or not, but with something like an aquaclear HOB you can definately get a larger filter than needed and simply put a sponge under the outlet.

With a canister you can direct the output into a corner of the tank or against a wall etc. With a Bio Wheel options depend more on design and where the wheel is located.

I'm a big fan of over filtering liek I said I have a filter made for a 50 gallon tank on my 10 gallon and I still have to clean it all the time...

marineland is JUST a brand name, nothing to do with marine only.

The Wheel is ONLY a place to house the beneficial bacteria that convert amonia into Nitrite and from Nitrite into Nitrate (Read up on what cycling is). All filters house these bacteria but by exposing them to the air I guess they work more efficiently plus the constant motion in the water allows them to feed (same as directing water through filter media). You don't want to clean or replace the bio wheel other than to make sure it is spinning constantly. So no it does not actualy REMOVE them it just CHANGES them into Nitrate, the same as any other filter. but it preserves beneficial bacteria you would be throwing away using Carbon cartridges. I don't use carbon in any of my tanks I simply use sponges and wring them out in a bucket of tank water durring water changes. It costs less and does not mess with the bacteria conony much. (same idea as having a bio wheel)

Using 2 filters is good because if one breaks the other will hopefully continue working, other than that I'd say just get a big one and save money.

Yes the bacteria will grow faster on the new filter if you leave the old one in there for a month or longer. I use ceramic rings in my canister) if I need to setup a quarantine tank I take them out of the canister and put them in the Q-tank next to the intake on my small whisper filter (espcialy if it has new media in it) This helps it to cycle very quickly.

Your other option is to fit the media from the eheim into the the new filter.

I doubt the "stick thing" (intake) is any shorter the filter just gets larger...They usualy come with an extentions for them in the box

[Marinemom]

O.K. so Marineland is just the brand name and I have used thier products on my freshwater tanks for more than ten years now so it will be fine for a freshwatrer setup or a marine setup. The choice is yours. I think that you are asking which bio-wheel filter to get. Well, just for referance, I have the penguin 350 running on my 25 gallon freshwater tank and it is not too strong for the fish. I have livebearers and yo-yo loaches in this tank and they seem to enjoy riding the current. If they do not like it they stay lower in the tank and stay away from it. This filter also put out by Marineland has a gph of 350 and is fine and not too strong for my fish in the 25. Oh, Is there a reason why you do not want to use both the bio-wheel and the eheim? More filteration=better water quality=more oxygen for your fish=happier and healthier fish. I would go with the biggest filter you feel comfortable with on that tank. Definetely run the eheim with the new filter so the new filter can be seeded from it. This way you will see very little but probably no cycle for your main display. I am sure that it will not be too much current for your fish unles it looks like you are having a typhoon inside the tank. Then you would have to worry that there might be too much current. Otherwise don't worry about it. And also the bio-whieel is a place for the good bacteria to grow so that your tank becomes healthy and stays that way. It ends up breaking down the ammonia and nitrite so the tank wil mature. The bio-wheel as it goes through this process, will start to look darker and move slower. This is all good. It is a sign that the tank is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. As long as the wheel keeps moving; even if it moves slowly it is operating correctly.

Hope this helps.

Marinemom

[CaitxSith]

Yaaay lol.
Ok then, i'll put them both.

from what I read does that mean I should use the 125 on 20 gal with a 150?
Those are EHEIM and Bio-Wheel.

*EDIT* lol i fixed the 150 gph to 125 gph. That's the REAL flow thingy. Got it from the main site lol.