Is my filter too strong?

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
 
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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
 
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.
 
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