# Too much filter?



## Sakij7 (25 Jan 2015)

Is the Cascade 1000 too much filter for a 20 gallon tank? It cycles 265 gph, and comes with a spray bar, so im hoping that it will make a big difference in flow/nutrient distribution. If it is too much id go for the 700 at 185 gph.

Cascade 1000: http://www.amazon.com/Cascade®-Cani...ade+1000&pebp=1422149917017&peasin=B0002DJ9NY

Cascade 700: http://www.amazon.com/Penn-Plax-Cas...ade+1000&pebp=1422149069829&peasin=B0002DJ9GQ


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## ceg4048 (25 Jan 2015)

Hi,
    No, it's not too much. It allows you to extend the spraybar across the length of the tank whiles still maintaining sufficient flow energy. It's very easy to reduce the flow if it's too much, but very difficult to increase it if you need to.

Cheers,


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## Sakij7 (25 Jan 2015)

ceg4048 said:


> Hi,
> No, it's not too much. It allows you to extend the spraybar across the length of the tank whiles still maintaining sufficient flow energy. It's very easy to reduce the flow if it's too much, but very difficult to increase it if you need to.
> 
> Cheers,


Ok glad to hear. This will sooth my nightmares of my fish being pushed around the tank uncontrollably!


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## ceg4048 (25 Jan 2015)

Well, fish with high/broad/long finnage typically don't like too much water movement, but torpedo shaped fish don't really care. The spraybar holes can be enlarged to reduce the velocity, or you can pack the filter with lots of high drag media to slow the flow if it becomes a problem. Worst case, you can simply install a reducer in the output line to choke the flow. These are the exact opposite of what we normally do when our flow rates are insufficient. Too much flow is a good problem to have...

Cheers,


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## Jan Larsen (25 Jan 2015)

Apart from the whole fish getting swept about (I know all about that with my Betta fish in the nano tank, he gets mightily upset with water movement) Is there such a thing as too much flow at all?


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## ceg4048 (26 Jan 2015)

Yes, there is a nominal range of flow rate, which is something like 1-2 Km/hour, but that's difficult even to measure, much less control at all locations and at all times. Too much flow can cause mechanical damage and instability in CO2 delivery - especially if the distribution of the flow energy distribution is not uniform. So we just have a general rule of thumb which is the 10X rule, this doesn't mean that depending on the lighting, tank geometry, temperature, that other values higher or lower won't work. Normally, as the filter collects detritus, as the plants add mass and as gunk builds up along the inner walls of the plumbing, the flow rate will decrease, so when the tank is first set up the 10X rule might seem over the top, but later proves to be a bonus.

Cheers,


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