Big Enough Filter?

[Ben M]

hi, today i bought a superfish aqua qube 40 and it comes with a superfish aqua flow 50 filter which it says is fine for tanks upto 50l. however it only turns over 100l/h and has hardly any room for media. i'm either going to be using liquid carbon or yeast based co2. the tank will be stocked with lots of cherry shrimp, 2 Stiphodon gobies and a decent sized shoal of either Boraras brigittae or threadfin rainbows.

do you think this filter is suitable for the tank, or is it too small?

cheers 😀

 

[LondonDragon]

I assume the tank is 40l, I have on my 12l tanks 300lph filters! and one my 56l 2x400lph

From the sound of it I don't think its up to the job for the stock levels you are planning.

 

[Ben M]

thanks, that's what i was thinking. my parents are saying that i don't know what i'm talking about and it must be big enough of it wouldn't come with the tank. i do have another little filter that came with a 23l tank ages ago that is 23l/h, if i used both of them would that be sufficient filtration if i ran both of them? or do i need a bigger one? i was going to buy a maxijet 600 powerhead and attach a sponge so that the shrimp could feed off the bacteria, but as a filter came with the tank i decided not to bother. but it didn't say which filter came with the tank. 🙁 do you think running both of the fiilters would be enough, or do i need more than that?

cheers 😀

 

[LondonDragon]

Not a lot of filter media is required to properly filter a tank that size, but you might have dead spots where sediments build up due to low flow and that can cause you problems in the future, I have learned in the past that compromising is never a good idea, while filtration might be adequate, in terms of flow you might have issues.

 

[Ben M]

thanks, i think i'll try to get a bigger one, how much l/h would you recommend?

 

[LondonDragon]

Minimum 400lph, there are some internals that have a mini spray bar that helps spread the flow, external is better but not always easy to accommodate in a small tank! You could also get an hang on filter if the tank as no hood.