What filter for my 30 gal

[hendy8888]

Well i got the tank as a freebie a little while ago and it is running with a dynaflow 2 that it came with. I have 1 red tailed shark, 4 tiger barbs, and 2 yoyo loaches currently with all fake plants. (want to get a couple more fish but am undeceided on kind) I was thinking about getting a new filter and putting the dynaflow 2 on my 20 gal that was a freebie too(only using an aqua clear mini on it right now). I would like to get some comments on power filters vs. canisters and what size i should be looking at. This will be my only filter on the tank and i do 20% water changes 2x weekly.

thanks

 

[Riverfishguy]

I personally prefer HOB's due to cost, water flow, and better biological filtration if your using bio wheel filters. For a standard 30g I'd use a pair of penguin 350b's. If you online price match you can get them for about 27 bucks each from petsmart. Good water flow and plenty of biological filtration for how ever you want to stock. (within reason of course) Two filters also gives you redundancy incase on filter should fail.

 

[snickle]

I like the bio-wheels myself. A pair of 350s seems bit much. 700 gph means 23 changes an hour.

I would half that. My view.

A pair of 150s would be a good choice or a single 250. The emporers a really nice also, if you decide on a single.

 

[Riverfishguy]

If the fish aren't bothered I dont think it's really possible to overfilter. I've got 2 emp 280's and a penguin 150 on my 29 gallon datnoid growout which without media is 710 gph and they dont seem bothered. And with all filter slots on a 350 filled you will flow a fair bit less water but they polish quite well then IME. But either way I personally wouldn't suggest a single filter no matter what you go with.