Sizing a tank filter
 

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

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

"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

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

"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

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

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

"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