Is Fluval 107 overkill for my 37 liter small tank?

[maverick786us]

I am using sun sun XBL-400 for me 37 liter tank I was thinking of upgrading with a good quality external canister filter and add lily pipes for aesthetics to provide more surface agitation, more oxygen flow, better filtration and less cleaning.

Looking into the specification of Fluval 107, which has a filter rate of 30 gallons per hour, I thought would be the right filter. The height of this tank is 12 inch and the thickness of the substrate is more than 2 inches. So which steel lily pipe should I use in this case?

 

[FrozenShivers]

Fluval 107 is a great filter (I have two 207’s) and you can adjust the flow on it if required. I’ve linked the metal Lily pipes I’m using, remember you can lift and lower Lily pipes to get the desired height.

 

[maverick786us]

Thank you, yes for my big tank which is 24 x 16 x 16 inches I will use Fluval 207 filter. But fit this small tank I felt 107 will be ideal.

While lifting lily pipes, the surface skimmer attached to those pipes will go way up from the water level. How do you handle that.

 

[FrozenShivers]

Thank you, yes for my big tank which is 24 x 16 x 16 inches I will use Fluval 207 filter. But fit this small tank I felt 107 will be ideal.

While lifting lily pipes, the surface skimmer attached to those pipes will go way up from the water level. How do you handle that.

You are welcome! You didn’t say you wanted ones either attached skimmer. Usually they have a certain parameter they work within so some may give you more leeway than others, other option is to have a separate skimmer, either works fine 🙂

 

[maverick786us]

Thank you, I have seen the surface skimmer doesn't work with my Sunsun XBL 400 and I sometimes worry that it might suck nano fishes inside

 

[AlecF]

How do you baffle a filter with that much power in such a small tank?

 

[maverick786us]

If you are talking Sun Sun XBL 400? No doubt the flow looks great but they filter start clogging after 15 days and I have to clean it. Even when its flow is at its peak, it doesn’t look sufficient for my 37L tank.

 

[maverick786us]

You are welcome! You didn’t say you wanted ones either attached skimmer. Usually they have a certain parameter they work within so some may give you more leeway than others, other option is to have a separate skimmer, either works fine 🙂

So that brings me to the next question. How important is Surface skimmer in a planted tank aquarium. I sometimes fear that surface skimmer might suck nano fishes and shrimps

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

I’ve got an Eheim Classic 350 on a 37L tank and it’s definitely not overkill. I had a stainless steel Lilly pipe set with surface skimmer and it didn’t work properly even without attempts to stop shrimp being sucked in. I replaced it with a plain insert and started using an airstone to break up the surface film instead. The air pump comes on and goes off with the lights.

 

[maverick786us]

Ouch. I think I will buy plain Lilly pipes and will use bubbles instead of surface skimmer. Though I don’t have any shrimps but I do have nano fishes juvenile Harlequin Rasbora