Is my filter too strong?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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

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.

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