Sizing a tank filter

[Dan White]

Hi. I was told by two fish stores (one expert store and one big box) that
you need to buy a filter that is sized for twice the size of your tank. So
if you have a 55 gal tank, you need a filter that is sized for a 110 gal
tank. In other words, ignore the recommendations on the box. This didn't
sound right, but two different places recommended the same thing.

Any comments?

thanks,
dwhite

[Gill Passman]

Dan White wrote:
> Hi. I was told by two fish stores (one expert store and one big box) that
> you need to buy a filter that is sized for twice the size of your tank. So
> if you have a 55 gal tank, you need a filter that is sized for a 110 gal
> tank. In other words, ignore the recommendations on the box. This didn't
> sound right, but two different places recommended the same thing.
>
> Any comments?
>
> thanks,
> dwhite
>
>
Hmmmm....it really depends what you intend putting in the tank and your
stocking levels....I have managed to do deals with my LFS's when buying
a tank to switch out the bundled internal pumps with externals...I tend
not to run any of my tanks with the pumps/filters that are sold with the
tanks...If you are going with a very low stock level (and by this I mean
below the 1" per gall) you could probably get away with what you are
sold with the bundle....personally on my bigger tanks I go for externals
and sometimes use an internal as backup...IMO you cannot over filter a
tank - in reality it comes down to budget - if you can do a deal and
swop out when buying a tank it will not cost you too much more and will
give you and your fish peace of mind

I'm not sure about the twice the tank size rule but I always put in
additonal filtration....over and above what is given with the tank off
the shelf - but that is just what I do...I'm not saying you wouldn't be
OK with what is offered by the manufacturer

Gill

[NetMax]

"Gill Passman" > wrote in message
.. .
> Dan White wrote:
>> Hi. I was told by two fish stores (one expert store and one big box)
>> that
>> you need to buy a filter that is sized for twice the size of your
>> tank. So
>> if you have a 55 gal tank, you need a filter that is sized for a 110
>> gal
>> tank. In other words, ignore the recommendations on the box. This
>> didn't
>> sound right, but two different places recommended the same thing.
>>
>> Any comments?
>>
>> thanks,
>> dwhite
>>
>>
> Hmmmm....it really depends what you intend putting in the tank and your
> stocking levels....I have managed to do deals with my LFS's when buying
> a tank to switch out the bundled internal pumps with externals...I tend
> not to run any of my tanks with the pumps/filters that are sold with
> the tanks...If you are going with a very low stock level (and by this I
> mean below the 1" per gall) you could probably get away with what you
> are sold with the bundle....personally on my bigger tanks I go for
> externals and sometimes use an internal as backup...IMO you cannot over
> filter a tank - in reality it comes down to budget - if you can do a
> deal and swop out when buying a tank it will not cost you too much more
> and will give you and your fish peace of mind
>
> I'm not sure about the twice the tank size rule but I always put in
> additonal filtration....over and above what is given with the tank off
> the shelf - but that is just what I do...I'm not saying you wouldn't be
> OK with what is offered by the manufacturer
>
> Gill

Just to add to Gill's good comments, I try to use two filters, each rated
for about 75% of the tank (or more). This way, in the event of a
failure, the one remaining filter will carry me through any needed
repairs on the other.

More ramblings about filters:
http://www.2cah.com/netmax/basics/filters/filters.shtml
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Dan White]

NetMax wrote:

> Just to add to Gill's good comments, I try to use two filters, each
> rated for about 75% of the tank (or more). This way, in the event of
> a failure, the one remaining filter will carry me through any needed
> repairs on the other.
>

OK, thanks guys. Sounds like they were pretty much on track.

dwhite

[ch]

"Dan White" > schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
> Hi. I was told by two fish stores (one expert store and one big box) that
> you need to buy a filter that is sized for twice the size of your tank.
So
> if you have a 55 gal tank, you need a filter that is sized for a 110 gal
> tank. In other words, ignore the recommendations on the box. This didn't
> sound right, but two different places recommended the same thing.
>
> Any comments?
>
> thanks,
> dwhite
>
>

Hello,

my filter is dimensioned that about one tank content pass it in one hour. I
heard this is good for the bacteria culture which lives in it.

greetings

Christoph

[Dan White]

ch wrote:

> Hello,
>
> my filter is dimensioned that about one tank content pass it in one
> hour. I heard this is good for the bacteria culture which lives in it.
>

The filter we currently have, for which I can't find replacement filter
cartridges anymore, is sized for "up to a 75 gal tank" and it moves about
300 gal/hour. I have a 55 gal tank and the circulation seems fine. A
circulation of 55 gal/hour seems very slow, but maybe it is fine, too.

dwhite

[ch]

Hello Dan,

you wrote:


> The filter we currently have, for which I can't find replacement filter
> cartridges anymore,...

I have a similar problem. I solved it by cutting the right piece of filter
material out of a filter from an other manufacturer.


> A circulation of 55 gal/hour seems very slow, but maybe it is fine, too.

It also brings some O2 in the water if the surface of the waster is a bit
moving and doesn't brings too much CO2 out.
The other advantage, in my opinion is that a throttled down filter won't let
algues growth as an throttled up one.


greetings


Christoph

[Dan White]

"ch" > wrote in message
...
>
> Hello Dan,
>
> you wrote:
>
>
> > The filter we currently have, for which I can't find replacement filter
> > cartridges anymore,...
>
> I have a similar problem. I solved it by cutting the right piece of filter
> material out of a filter from an other manufacturer.
>
>
I'm not sure this will work in my case. Each canister is kind of a figure 8
shape and it seems difficult to get the filter to attach to that kind of
frame without gaps forming. Might be worth a try though. thanks,

dwhite