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Aiming for 5x or 10x?

Buggy

Buggy

Member
Joined
15 Mar 2022
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60
Location
North West, England
My 245L aquarium came with an external filter with a turnover of 850/LPH. I am trying to get everything in place before I start so I have been collecting bits and bobs whilst also researching. I had assumed that whatever came with the aquarium wouldn't be exactly great, so I've been prepared to wait patiently until understanding more of what is ideal.
From watching a Balazs Farkas video from a year ago, I learnt that aiming for a turn over 5x the aquarium capacity would be ideal. This was also backed up by George Farmer's book. When I came to look on here however, I noticed that a lot of the posters recommend 10x, so that left me a little confused.
Either way, it would appear that the external filter I have isn't especially ideal for the aquarium, but is it a case of using what came with it (the light is a similar situation) and then over time learning what it is that I need extra (or less) of? Or do I foresee that now and get more appropriate equipment?

(I plan to run CO2 and plant heavily)
 
Most tanks with filters and lights are for fish only or low tech tanks (no CO2 injection). Choosing to use CO2 does require more specific hardware which most tank packages do not account for. A 245l tank is a large tank to start CO2 injection on, I started with a 500l tank so it is doable, just do your homework before you start 😉
 
Buggy said:
This was also backed up by George Farmer's book. When I came to look on here however, I noticed that a lot of the posters recommend 10x, so that left me a little confused.
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His 5x seems to be talking about low tech/low energy. In his book he hedges by saying high energy (i.e. high tech) may need more.
you can check out his channel. He's using Oase Biomaster 600 with his 60cm tank. Thats maybe more than 10x flow.
 
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erwin123 said:



His 5x seems to be talking about low tech/low energy. In his book he hedges by saying high energy (i.e. high tech) may need more.
you can check out his channel. He's using Oase Biomaster 600 with his 60cm tank. Thats maybe more than 10x flow.
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Thanks, that was reassuring.
 
Just to be annoying, filter turnover doesn't matter as much in planted tanks as total water turnover imo. If you have a filter then you can just buy a powerhead to add more water movement if you need it. We tend to overfilter our tanks. There is lots of advice on here about really stripping the filter to the bare minimum, in terms of filter media, to maximise water turnover.
If you have a filter you like and it will cope with your fish load then you could look at adding something else for water movement rather than shelling out for a massive new filter.
 
mort said:
filter turnover doesn't matter as much in planted tanks as total water turnover
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Correct, filter output is just a means of creating flow in the tank. I took it to extremes and made the filter redundant for flow generation by fitting twin XF 330 Maxspect Gryes which are fully configurable for flow on a schedule
 
mort said:
Just to be annoying, filter turnover doesn't matter as much in planted tanks as total water turnover imo. If you have a filter then you can just buy a powerhead to add more water movement if you need it. We tend to overfilter our tanks. There is lots of advice on here about really stripping the filter to the bare minimum, in terms of filter media, to maximise water turnover.
If you have a filter you like and it will cope with your fish load then you could look at adding something else for water movement rather than shelling out for a massive new filter.
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That's interesting, thanks.

I do think that my fish load will be relatively light. On top of that I also have more of a fondness for nano sized fish.
One concern I have, regarding my choice of fish, is that they will be negatively affected by the water movement that'll be needed in order to more evenly distribute CO2.
 
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So 18000 LPH plus filter and ehiem skim - I ignored the later two.
500l tank so x10 = 5000LPH target
theoretical output to tank size ratio 18000 / 500 = x36
Didn't have the gryes on at 100% had them on a schedule which varied at night and peak CO2 light periods about 70% alternating for 5 mins every hour during photo period about 50%/40% alternating every 5 mins for rest of photo period at night had them on low 10-20% and Off alternating hourly - which gave the 'cleanup' crew time to clean them

Fish seemed to like the flow, however I did have a 3cm limit on max fish size and when well planted and hardscaped fish can find lots of places to rest
 
Fish and flow isnt normally a problem . Most fish will cope with anything sensible that distributes the co2. Some fish like fancy bettas need low water flow but for the majority of fish in a planted tank, they will have enough space to evade strong flows if they really wanted. I'm similar to zeus in that I've seen small fish actively play in the current.

The only thing that sometimes makes me whince a little when I see people's tanks are small fish/shrimp and unguarded powerheads. Most seem to get away with it but I prefer a pump with a sponge covering the intake, just to be safe.

If you set you tank up with the existing filter and a drop checker than you can see how the distribution is. You might not need to add anymore flow but that might change when it grows in. I'd wager most of us don't have particularly high turnover in our tanks as filter manufacturers tend to overestimate output and the drop of flow from clogged media reduces it further.
 
I have my first aquarium on order (60x45x35) so around 94l, it's going to be a low tech planted tank so no CO2. My filter just arrived, I ordered it before I decided to upsize the aquarium, it's a Seachem Tidal 35, which is rated for x5, should I take the hit and return it and get a Tidal 55 or would I be ok? Thanks!
 
Buggy said:
That's interesting, thanks.

I do think that my fish load will be relatively light. On top of that I also have more of a fondness for nano sized fish.
One concern I have, regarding my choice of fish, is that they will be negatively affected by the water movement that'll be needed in order to more evenly distribute CO2.
Click to expand...
High flow doesn’t necessarily mean high velocity, which is what some smaller fish dislike (my embers have always preferred the less turbulent areas in my tanks). If you use multiple sources of flow or spread the flow out using a spraybar you can have a high turnover without areas of high velocity flow that can upset fish and shrimp.
I have also found some fish, particularly my CPDs love high velocity flow in parts of the tank and will swim into it constantly, almost like a treadmill.
 
FrozenShivers said:
I have my first aquarium on order (60x45x35) so around 94l, it's going to be a low tech planted tank so no CO2. My filter just arrived, I ordered it before I decided to upsize the aquarium, it's a Seachem Tidal 35, which is rated for x5, should I take the hit and return it and get a Tidal 55 or would I be ok? Thanks!
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Hi, welcome

You will likely be fine with the filter you have but swapping it might not be a bad thing if you may decide to upgrade again in the future.
 
JacksonL said:
High flow doesn’t necessarily mean high velocity, which is what some smaller fish dislike (my embers have always preferred the less turbulent areas in my tanks). If you use multiple sources of flow or spread the flow out using a spraybar you can have a high turnover without areas of high velocity flow that can upset fish and shrimp.
I have also found some fish, particularly my CPDs love high velocity flow in parts of the tank and will swim into it constantly, almost like a treadmill.
Click to expand...
That was very helpful. thank you.
 
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