overstocked

[jm1212]

270 GPH is not enough for a 37 gallon tank.

as i said before, either skip both the 170 and 100 and go with the 350, get a 200 to go alon with the 170, or just get a second 100 and use it with the 100 you ahve and the 170

 

[phaedraeos]

i always take what they recommend on the package and cut it in half. it's like when a car dealership tells you that this car gets 25 miles/gallon. that only happens when you're not using anything extra, the car is empty, it's the second tuesday of the fourth month and pluto is in line with saturn and there is a full lunar eclipse in cambodia. it's rare that you get that full 25 miles/gallon.

That is 100%, completely, totally, universally, TRUE!! :joe:

As for filtration, I have dirty fish so I always filter 10x the gallon capacity of my tank. i.e. I have a 50 gallon with goldfish et al. in it, and I have an Emperor 400 and an Eheim Ecco canister on it, with a combined filtration rate of about 560g/h. You probably don't have to go that high, since goldfish are about the nastiest fish out there, but you get the idea.

 

[Star_Rider]

generally it's a good idea to have 10x turn over.

btw, the filters are rated with no media in them..it is the gph of a new pump with no restrictions.

 

[Mitchl17]

so i should get a filter with how many gph...i'm looking at the bio wheels as well as aquaclear filters.

 

[H3D]

first, you should kick down the number of kuhlis to 5.

you will also need to get another filter. a penguin 170 and penguin 100 is not enough for a 37 gallon tank. if you were to get only a penguin 350, that would be sufficient (by itself, without the 170 or 100). if you want to keep the penguin 170, get a penguin 200 to go along with it OR use the penguin 100 you have and then get another.

If he is diligent in maintenance and performs weekly water changes than IMO 7 Kuhli loaches will be OK. However I agree more filtration is needed. I would swap the Bio-Wheel mini for an AC 70. That would bring him to 470 gph of filtration.

 

[Mitchl17]

one last thing....for the gouramis...2 male, 2 female or 1 of each...thx