Too Much

[fishylittleNemo]

Is there any such thing as too much filtration?? Because I have been thinking of getting another filter for my 29 gallon. I have some algea issues because of the stuff in there. 3 cichlids which are 4" a piece, a tiger barb, a catfish, 2 sucker fish..plus the decorations. I have a Whisper 30-60 model power filter. I was thinking about getting a Diatom filter to help out. You's think it wouldn't really be too much filtration? Any opinions would really help, thanx.

 

[DaisyTattoo]

I really dont think you can over filter a tank just like you cant do too many water changes...you can however cause too much of a current for certain fish, but if your fish arent sensitive to strong current then go ahead and put the other one in. I have to powerheads in my 55g and have no problems.
I have also heard that live plants help with algae problems, might be something worth looking into.

 

[patoloco]

Ditto. Having two filters is way better than one, but makesure you are not producing a hell lot of current.

Go ahead and good luck with the diatom. I've never used one but I've gread they keep your water cristal clear.

Not asked, but:

Please tell us whay kind of suckerfish you have there. If you have plecostumos (¿?), the most common kind grows up to 16" long and they produce a lot of waste.

Also, are your catfish corydoras? They are not to be alone. If you get a group of 3 or more they will hang out togheter and will be really fun to see.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?ei=UTF-8&fr=sfp&p=corydora

 

[JinxXx0085]

Occasionally, I read that people only break out the diatom filter for algae outbreak or to remove the "nasties" stuff from the water column.
They usually would run it for a couple of hours or over night instead of continously.
I just thought that I'll comment about what I've heard about the diatom filter. I'm not sure how well it will function for long term w/o being clogged.
The diatom filters defintely helps w/ water quailty, it makes the water looks crystal clear. I've never used one before. I'd love to get one and only use it when needed. It is on my "fishy items" wish list.

 

[RTR]

Algae has a cause. What are the nitrate levels in the tank versus the tap water?

More filtration will not hurt so long as the current is not excessive for the fish, but filtration does not replace either filter maintenance or water changes.