# Your Tank vs. Filter Size



## Tom (22 Apr 2011)

I just thought it might be interesting if anyone would like to list the size of tank they have, and what they are using to filter it. Also, details of who uses what media might be good. I want to find out just how important filtration actually is, compared with Flow. My main successful tanks all featured a Hagen Elite Mini internal filter with foam as the sole filtration and flow. No problems. Later moved onto a Fluval 105 when I got my lily pipes which took some adjusting but it stabilized fine. Now on an Eheim Ecco Pro 300 with spraybar (the biggest I've used yet), and I'm having far too many problems (I'm not blaming the filter yet, although it's the same system otherwise with less light!) 

My current ones are:

25 liter - Eheim Ecco Pro 300 (700lph) 
Eheim Bio Balls, Plastic rings, Foam

8 liter - Azoo Mignon 120 HOB (120lph)
Fine Floss only

Tom


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## Johno2090 (22 Apr 2011)

*Your tank vs. Filter Size.*

210ltrs - Running 2 tmc Powerbox 400's @ 1200lph each. 

5 Media trays which are loaded the same in each:
Ceramic rings
Ceramic rings
Empty
Floss
Foam pad.


100ltrs - Penplax Cascade 700 @ 700lph & 1 korrila nano @  500 lph?

3 baskets loaded:

Floss
Ceramic rings
Foam pad.


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## mdhardy01 (22 Apr 2011)

500ltrs running fx5 2 baskets of Eheim substrat pro 1 basket purigen
Eheim 2180 2 baskets ceramic rings 1 basket subtrate pro 1 fine filter pad
3 x koralia 1600
Matt


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## Anonymous (22 Apr 2011)

60liter + JBL e700 (ceramic + foam + eheim substrat pro + floss)
73liter + JBL e900 (ceramic + foam + eheim substrat pro + foam)
7liter + Hailea SL 106 (eheim substrat pro + foam)

Cheers,
Mike


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## strat100 (22 Apr 2011)

450lts  2 x eheim 2262,3400lph both filled with lava rock/chips 

Graham


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## billy boy (22 Apr 2011)

210 Litres- Fx 5- purigen-seachem matrix- floss.

54 litres-fluval 205-purigen-matrix-floss


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## nayr88 (22 Apr 2011)

20l - mignon 360lph - ehiem ball thingys planted tank 
200- 2xfluval 305 1000lph(ithink) jack dempsey tank 

previously on my 15l nano i had a fluval 105, really high turn over but inline heate and UPatomizer oh and glassware. still stopped any debris setting on the moss,


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## a1Matt (22 Apr 2011)

All planted tanks. Many just mosses...

0.5l to 5l (multiple) - frogbit and salvinia filtration. daphnia for water movement (stop it going stagnant).
5 to 10l (multiple) - air filters (suisaku eight filters with gravel and floss inside) 
10l - Dennerle eckfilter
10l - emergent plant filtration (2 x ferns)
15l - huey hung style sponge filter
160l - Tetratec ex1200. sponge pre filter. noodles. foam. floss.
EDIT - 240l - Fluval 205.



			
				Tom said:
			
		

> I want to find out just how important filtration actually is, compared with Flow.


I do not think much media is needed for biological filtration on a low tech planted tank with low stocking levels.  For example, I believe that sufficient bacteria are present on the sponge pre filter alone on my main tank, and that that the media inside the filter is redundant (biologically that is, floss is useful for mechanical filtration). I came to this conclusion as I can get a bacterial bloom when swapping out the pre filter for a new one.  Yet, I completely removed all the media from inside the filter (for a couple of weeks as a test) and there was no difference to the tank (other than more mulm buildup).

Again, in a low tech planted tank, flow is good to keep mulm in suspension, but not needed otherwise IME\O. My sponge filter tank has just the gentle put put put of the sponge filter (i.e. almost zero flow) and plants grow fine in there. (Obviously different rules apply when injecting co2 as you want to move the co2 round the tank, etc.)


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## Garuf (22 Apr 2011)

Can we see some photos of your set ups, Matt? They sound fascinating?


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## m_attt (22 Apr 2011)

180 litres, eheim 2076 (1750lph) and a eheim ecco 300 (750lph)


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## a1Matt (22 Apr 2011)

Garuf said:
			
		

> Can we see some photos of your set ups, Matt? They sound fascinating?



Thanks, they're pretty basic really. Set up so they need minimal maintenance.
I've been meaning for ages to get some pics online.
Have got the next week off, so will pull my thumb out.


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## BigTom (23 Apr 2011)

Hehe, probably not at all useful for the purposes of the thread but -

Tank size: 240L
Filter: None


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## George Farmer (23 Apr 2011)

I usually use external canisters to gain a minimum of 10x turnover.  I'm not a fan of powerheads in the tank.

Currently -

60x30x36cm - Fluval G6
120x45x45cm - Fluval FX5
25 litre nano - Built-in 300lph.


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## chump54 (23 Apr 2011)

for my 60 x 30 x 36 cm i use a tetratec 1200 - no lily pipe or spray bar just the pipe work straight in - I'm working on a better solution 

chris


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## sanj (23 Apr 2011)

Approx 1600 litres

Fluval FX5 (2300 lph)
Tetratec ex1200 (1200 lph)
Aquamanta 400 (1400 lph)

ceramic and sponge media

Flow boosted with 2x MP40s

Second tank approx 360 litres

Eheim 2080 (1700 lph)

ceramic and sponge media

supplementary flow via MP10 and koralia.


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## Garuf (26 Apr 2011)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> I usually use external canisters to gain a minimum of 10x turnover.  I'm not a fan of powerheads in the tank.
> 
> Currently -
> 
> ...


Are you using the adapters I sent you? How are they getting on?


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## nayr88 (26 Apr 2011)

I was running a fluval 105 on my 15L tank. Because I was running inline heater and Upatomizer aswell as having lillys pipes, I got paranoid my flow was not enough so I only had the foam and 1 basket of eheim bioballs, I had a small group of shrimp that I gassed soon after.

Question is..having less stuff in the filter would of made flow stronger but could it also have a bad effect on the beneficial bacteria?


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## dw1305 (27 Apr 2011)

Hi all,
60cm x 38 x 30: Eheim 2213 (1/2 filled with ceramic rings, PPI10 filter sponge on the inlet and venturi on the outlet) and an Eheim Aquaball (with sponge).

60cm x 38 x 30: Eheim 2211 (3/4 filled with Eheim Substrat Pro, PPI10 filter sponge on the inlet and spray-bar on the outlet) and an Maxi-jet 400 (with "Kettering Koi" 10cm cube sponge).

Fish R Fun 21 litre hexagon: 12v. over-tank trickle filter filled with ceramic rings and  PPI10 filter sponge on the inlet.
This is surprisingly good.

Chromatography tank - about 20 litres - Maxi-jet 400 (with "Kettering Koi" 10cm cube sponge).

I've got a fewer larger tanks not set up, but I have a  Eheim Liberty HOB 2042 (throw away the cartridges, add a filter sponge and fill with ceramic rings), a couple of Eheim 2213's and an Eheim Ecco 2236. I also have some pumps (mainly Maxi-jet) for use with planted over-tank trickle filters.

cheers Darrel


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## LondonDragon (28 Apr 2011)

125l = JBL CristalProfi e1500 External Filter 1500lph + 2xKoralia 1 1500lph each (full high tech planted)
60l = Eheim Aquaball 2210 Internal Filter 550lph (low tech planted with shrimp)
15l = Niagara 300 HOB Filter 300lph (low tech planted with shrimp)
15l = Niagara 300 HOB Filter 300lph (low tech planted with shrimp)


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## Morgan Freeman (28 Apr 2011)

25L - 300LPH internal from APS.

20L - As above.


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## madlan (28 Apr 2011)

325l drilled = Fluval FX5 External (2300lph) Output split between AM1000 and Hydor external heater.
Have a Koralia 4 (4000lph) but probably not going to need it with the above!


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## toadass (1 May 2011)

Haven't set up yet but have bought for 200ltr

JBL Cristalprofie1500 - standard media but replaced last sponge for purigen

Eheim 2028 - Ehfimech & substrate pro

Hopefully work well 

Toad


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## niru (4 Nov 2011)

For my 180 litres I run

Juwel Internal: Upgraded to 1000 lph (ceramic rings, Eheim balls, coarse sponge, fine filter wool)

Eheim Ecco Pro 200: 650 lph (Eheim media, no sponge)

Tetratex EX1200: 1200 lph (default media that comes with filter), with inline Dupla CO2 Reactor S causing 60-65 % drop in flow. Will be changing to Up Atomizer to see if the flow increases for the better.

Koralia nano once in a while if plant mass grows too much...


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## Westyggx (4 Nov 2011)

For my Fluval 125 i am using a Fluval FX5 for filtration using the standard foam and balls.


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## roadmaster (4 Nov 2011)

80 gallon low tech with 75 assorted tetra's,barb's,cory's.
Aquaclear 110.
55 gallon pleco palace ,Six 4to 5 inch pleco's and approx two dozen White cloud minnows.
Eheim 2217.
29 gallon low tech with cardinal Tetra's and German blue ram.
Aquaclear 70.


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## Matt Warner (4 Nov 2011)

I have a juwel rio 125l and also using an fx5. This filter with media probably only produces about 1500lph so this is about 12x turnover. Works brilliantly.


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## Alastair (4 Nov 2011)

Matty1983 said:
			
		

> I have a juwel rio 125l and also using an fx5. This filter with media probably only produces about 1500lph so this is about 12x turnover. Works brilliantly.



The fx5 was tried and tested against the 2080 both with then eheim media and the fx5 came out with just over 1900 lp/h that's why I picked it lol. 

450 litre 
Fx5 plus 3000 l/hr powerhead. 
Soon to replace powerhead with eheim pro 3 700 rated at 1850 litres an hour


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## Westyggx (4 Nov 2011)

Matty1983 said:
			
		

> I have a juwel rio 125l and also using an fx5. This filter with media probably only produces about 1500lph so this is about 12x turnover. Works brilliantly.



I'm not alone then haha, i have a Koralia 2 to go with that as well.


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## Matt Warner (4 Nov 2011)

I don't know about you but my tank has never looked so good since I put this filter on. All of the plants are swaying around now and algae is going away. My tank is a bit of a jungle so I need the extra flow to get through all the plant mass. It is is rated at 2300lph but all filters only produce 75% of what they are rated once full of media, if your lucky!


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## Matt Warner (4 Nov 2011)

> For my 180 litres I run
> 
> Juwel Internal: Upgraded to 1000 lph (ceramic rings, Eheim balls, coarse sponge, fine filter wool)
> 
> ...



Niru, do you have all of these filters on one tank


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## Westyggx (4 Nov 2011)

Matty1983 said:
			
		

> I don't know about you but my tank has never looked so good since I put this filter on. All of the plants are swaying around now and algae is going away. My tank is a bit of a jungle so I need the extra flow to get through all the plant mass. It is is rated at 2300lph but all filters only produce 75% of what they are rated once full of media, if your lucky!



Mate i had BBA all over my substrate and plants, its not almost gone and hardly grows back and i put it down to the new filter. When i first got it i thought it might be overkill but it works just as i wanted.


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## Matt Warner (4 Nov 2011)

Alastair, 1900lph is still 15x turnover in 125l tank, which is nothing compared to what some people have. George for example has used over 20x turnover I have seen somewhere!


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## Matt Warner (4 Nov 2011)

I know mate I was having problems with BGA and since putting this filter on it seems to be disintegrating! I too thought it might be overkill too but I have the flow on maximum and it is fine, plants are swaying around nicely and the fish play in the outflow all day long! I would turn the flow down if I thought it was too much but no problems at all on full flow!


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## Westyggx (4 Nov 2011)

Matty1983 said:
			
		

> I know mate I was having problems with BGA and since putting this filter on it seems to be disintegrating! I too thought it might be overkill too but I have the flow on maximum and it is fine, plants are swaying around nicely and the fish play in the outflow all day long! I would turn the flow down if I thought it was too much but no problems at all on full flow!



I could probably deal with more flow in the tank tbh but then again i might be being greedy lol. Iam thinking of doing the mod to the FX5 outflow pipe so that it only comes out of 1 nozzle (so the flow velocity isnt broken down)


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## Matt Warner (4 Nov 2011)

I've only had mine on about 3 days now, I have the outlet at the centre of the tank pushing water towards the front and to the sides. I don't think I have one plant now which isn't moving. I also have the standard juwel filter running too


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## Alastair (4 Nov 2011)

Mike I've got elbows specifically for that of you want just the one nozzle mate. Can send You one with the diffuser. It's just a 90 degree clear piece that pops in where the original outflows are. Whirlpool time though ha hs. I've also got spray bars for it too

Matt I wasn't making out your flow was too much mate, just saying that the actual flow of the fx5 with media is more than 1500 litres that's all mate. 

Anyway back to them thread lol oops


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## Matt Warner (4 Nov 2011)

No mate I wasn't being funny at all I probably worded it wrong that's all. Your ok mate.


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## sanj (6 Nov 2011)

New one:
Dennerle 60 litre using and Eheim Ecco pro 130. Output is 500lph on a low tech no co2 added tank.


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## andyh (6 Nov 2011)

I so missed this thread, a little late but here is mine

180l = Eheim 2075 (eheim media balls, plastic rings, sponges etc) plus eheim 2324 thermofilter
35l = Eheim 2222 (eheim balls and rings, plus sponges)
60l = Eheim 2222 and Eheim 2324 thermofilter (eheim balls and rings, plus sponges)

As an extra comment I don't over fill the media trays i normal aim for 75-80% capacity.

cheers
Andyh


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## thewizardhunter (9 Nov 2011)

Tank: Jewel Rio 240 (Upgraded from Fluval Duo Deep 180 ltrs two veeks ago).
Filter: Fluval FX5 with standard sponge and all baskets filled with ceramic rings (Fluval biomax). No floss. Upgraded from Fluval 405 to match new tank)


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## morefirejules08 (20 Nov 2011)

tank: 582l
pump: oase ecomax 4000
filter: laguna pressure flo 12000
media: sponges and jbl micromec
future additions: tetratec ex1200 with purigen and maybe something else!


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## craigthor (21 Nov 2011)

Tank: 150g
Filtration: 2- Eheim 2262 Cannisters 925 GPH ea loaded with 10L of Ehfimech, 20L of Substrate Pro, 6L of EhfiFix between the 2 of them
Powerheads: 4- Hydro Koralia 1's run off a Hydor Wave Maker.

Craig


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## fish bait (21 Nov 2011)

Tank Fluval 240
Fluval 305 with ceramic rings and coarse sponge. Filter that came with the tank.
Sun Sun, All Pond Solutions type external filter 1400lph with Eheim bio balls, ceramic rings, coarse sponge and fine filter pads.
CO2 fire extinguisher and EI dosing.
Substrate gravel with miracle grow granules.
Lighting 2 T8 tubes.


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## wandgrudd (26 Nov 2011)

Tank : 100l
tetra ex 700 - stock media (gold fish - low tech heavy planted)
Tank: 450l
juwel jumbo with 1500 pump stock media + tetra ex 700 (2x ceramic ring trays)(community tropical-low tech heavy planted )
Tank : 15l
Aqua clear 10 - foam + ceramic rings (java fern and moss shrimp tank)
Tank :  20l (temp step gap tank)
Supafish aqua100 - foam (storage tank few shrimp Co2 plants in pots awaiting use.)
Tank : 40l to replace the above 2 tanks 
Jad nano external filter + foam and ceramic rings) + supafish 50 full of filter floss


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