# Filtration Recommendations



## tennis4you (24 Sep 2008)

I have a 125 gallon (6' long tank).  From what I am reading you guys are recommending a filter that can filter 10x the tank amount in an hour?  

With a tank my size filtering that much would require something like a garden hose on full blast to pump enough water through a filter 10x per hour.

Right now I have a Eheim 2217 canister filter which looks like it filters the tank once per hour or about that?

So I can understand everything correctly, what is the benefit of filtering so much in so little time?  I believe you that it is nice to have, just trying to understand it all.  And does that hold true for such a big tank like mine?  What kind of filter would I get?  It would have to be one heck of a filter!

Since I have added CO2 2 months ago and finally dosing with ferts my plants have taken a great turn for the better.  I want to make sure I keep things rolling strong though and if my filter is low I want to know what I can do about it.

Thanks!!!


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## GreenNeedle (24 Sep 2008)

The 2217 does 600lph max (with no media, no inline equip and minimal hosing) so if you add a small powerhead of approx 4-600lph then you should be OK.

I have a 125 with a 700lph filter and a 400lph powerhead.

If you dont want a powerhead then look for a filter in the 1200-1400lph range.

Marineland do a 1200 which is the american version of the Tetratec a few of us use.

AC


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## ceg4048 (24 Sep 2008)

tennis4you said:
			
		

> I have a 125 gallon (6' long tank).  From what I am reading you guys are recommending a filter that can filter 10x the tank amount in an hour?
> 
> With a tank my size filtering that much would require something like a garden hose on full blast to pump enough water through a filter 10x per hour.
> 
> ...


Good to hear your tank is on the upswing. The 10X per hour rule of thumb is offered for several different reasons but is not cast in concrete. Depending on lighting, plant species and CO2, some tanks can get away with less while others need this level or more. As you plants grow in though you could get into problems with flow. Carefully study the data provided in this thread:=> High water turnover - discussion

There is also some good information in this thread New Filter for 240L Aquarium

More food for thought can be found in this thread=> Water flow in the planted aquarium while the nitty gritty is explored in this=> inline devices

Cheers,


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## Stu Worrall (24 Sep 2008)

could i ask a thicko question?  when you say to add a powerhead as well as the external o you mean install it in the tank as an extra outlet or attach it to the existing external filter in some way?


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## LondonDragon (24 Sep 2008)

stuworrall said:
			
		

> could i ask a thicko question?  when you say to add a powerhead as well as the external o you mean install it in the tank as an extra outlet or attach it to the existing external filter in some way?


You place the powerhead somewhere inside the tank where is maximises flow to the places you want.


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## Stu Worrall (24 Sep 2008)

that explains it then. i wasnt sure whether it needed to go through the filtration media


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## GreenNeedle (24 Sep 2008)

Just spotted in Cegs 'quote' that its a 125 gallon!!!!I misread it and thought you had 125ltr.  Ignore what I said before.  You are way way below the 10x and you are right about the 1x.  You need 2 big big filters on that tank ideally to get you up to anywhere near the 10x mark.  Maybe if you check on TDILine's journal, I know he has a big tank.  See what he uses.  There are other big tanks on here but that one springs to mind first. lol

Sorry for the misinformation.

AC


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## JazzyJeff (24 Sep 2008)

I have just added a Fluval FX5 too my 110gallon Discus tank and it seems too be doing the trick its 1200l an hour turn over which is twice what I had, Discus are messy eaters and I was suffering with a bit of mulm build up in my carpet plants, but not any more !!!!!!


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