I have been on a break from fish for a while but i recently dug out my Eheim canister filter. I think it is a 2228. I had it on a 125 gal tank which I no longer own. I was thinking about getting a 29 gallon tank or maybe something a little larger. Is that filter too much for a 29 gal ?
Is it possible to over filter?
- Thread starter Xar
- Start date
2228.....280 gph?
I think it would be overkill and you would have current/flow issues. It really is about half of what you should have had on the 125.
I am a proponent of over filtering, but flow can be excessively rough on some fish and plants. You probably need something like 100-180 gph for the 29.
I think it would be overkill and you would have current/flow issues. It really is about half of what you should have had on the 125.
I am a proponent of over filtering, but flow can be excessively rough on some fish and plants. You probably need something like 100-180 gph for the 29.
the flow depends on the type of fish, how well the media is packed in there (the gph ratings are the highest that pump can put out, so if there is a bunch of media packed in there like there should be, it will be reduced) as well as how fast the flow is dissipated in the tank. if the flow is pointed at a wall or there is a lot of rock or woodwork in the tank, the flow will be very dissipated and be fine for most fish.
The eheim GPH is low anyways for the size tank they say it can handle. I think it will be fine unless you have fish that want really still waters like discus which is not likely in a 29. Seriously though, I have an eheim canister filter going on my disus tank that is rated for a tank that is twice the size of the tank that it is on.That in addition to another filter and the fish are fine. I do not think that you can over filter a tank unless you think it looks like a cyclone is going on inside the tank, then there might be too much flow for the little guys. I think that the filter that you have will be fine on that tank. If after you set it up and you think that it is too much for that tank then you can slow the flow down or get another filter at that time.
Marinemom
Marinemom
if your tank water looks like the water in the toilet when the water is flushing
if you have more water in the filter than in the aquarium
any freshwater tank under 50 gallons does not need a sump/wet-dry filter system, for the giant fish like oscars etc. that need alot of filtration
if you have a ring of 3 gallon internal filters around the top of your 20 gallon then i consider that overfiltering
if you have more water in the filter than in the aquarium
any freshwater tank under 50 gallons does not need a sump/wet-dry filter system, for the giant fish like oscars etc. that need alot of filtration
if you have a ring of 3 gallon internal filters around the top of your 20 gallon then i consider that overfiltering
as everyone has said, there's no such thing as overfiltering. The biggest problem with using a way oversized filter would be too much flow. If you see your live plants getting torn up, or your fish having trouble staying in place, then you know the flow is too strong.
As Marinemom said, it's generally recommended by advanced aquarists to use a filter rated for twice your tank size. Another rule of thumb I use is to use a filter that circulates 10 times your tank volume per hour (either way, you end up with the same filter size). Those gallon per hour ratings are usually done without any filter media. So once you add media, you're probably down to 5-7X tank volume circulated per hour.
Try your Eheim and see how it goes. If it doesn't work, save it for your next tank upgrade!
As Marinemom said, it's generally recommended by advanced aquarists to use a filter rated for twice your tank size. Another rule of thumb I use is to use a filter that circulates 10 times your tank volume per hour (either way, you end up with the same filter size). Those gallon per hour ratings are usually done without any filter media. So once you add media, you're probably down to 5-7X tank volume circulated per hour.
Try your Eheim and see how it goes. If it doesn't work, save it for your next tank upgrade!
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