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Real Flow of Filter / Recommendations for a Replacement Filter?

mattyc

mattyc

Member
Joined
17 Oct 2008
Messages
526
Location
Thelwall, Warrington
Hi all.
Does anyone have any information of the real life flow of filters.
I have been running an Eheim Pro 3e for nearly 15 years and it seems to be giving up, the lights are just scrolling and its running at best 50% of its normal output.
I am therefore in the market for a replacement filter but am a little out of touch with the best filters at the moment.
This filter is running on an 80L tank and the replacement needs sufficient flow for the tank on its own. I don't like using power heads in a tank of this size.

Thanks
 
15 years is going to be hard to beat! Eheim Pro 3 are still out there, would you consider rolling the dice on the same brand/model?
 
I would consider the same brand but probably a newer model. Just not sure the advertised flow rates are what I will get. I was looking at the Pro 4+ but it would need to output 64% of advertised. Does this seem realistic?
 
mattyc said:
I would consider the same brand but probably a newer model. Just not sure the advertised flow rates are what I will get. I was looking at the Pro 4+ but it would need to output 64% of advertised. Does this seem realistic?
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The general rule is that the filters don't output the top rate published - and between 50-66% of the advertised rate is the rule.
This is not simply because of 'manufacturer tricks' but because every environment is different - longer hose runs, installation head height, etc.

Only Fluval seems to provide both a manufacturer rate and a working rate. I have Oase filters and about 60% is about right on my setup.

To be honest, its a bit of a minefield.
 
mattyc said:
I would consider the same brand but probably a newer model. Just not sure the advertised flow rates are what I will get. I was looking at the Pro 4+ but it would need to output 64% of advertised. Does this seem realistic?
Click to expand...

As Bradders has said, there are many variables and most manufacturers list canister flow rates without any restrictions (tubing/head height/filter media etc). There are ways to maximise flow if your filter is slightly underpowered, by fine tuning the placement in relation to your scape, using a jet flow pipe as a couple of examples. What was the LPH of your previous filter?
 
The spec of the filter says 1850L/h but I expect that at least when it was new I was getting about 60% of that so 1100 L/h but I think I am getting about half that at 500, the flow is significantly lower than it has been.
 
mattyc said:
The spec of the filter says 1850L/h but I expect that at least when it was new I was getting about 60% of that so 1100 L/h but I think I am getting about half that at 500, the flow is significantly lower than it has been.
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Even if we say there there is a 50% loss, that would still be 925l/h which is well over the rough guideline of x10 turnover in a tank with CO2 injection. Assuming you're running CO2 injection, I would just be aiming for a filter with around 600-800lph. Any reason why you went with so much turnover for an 80l tank?
 
FrozenShivers said:
Even if we say there there is a 50% loss, that would still be 925l/h which is well over the rough guideline of x10 turnover in a tank with CO2 injection. Assuming you're running CO2 injection, I would just be aiming for a filter with around 600-800lph. Any reason why you went with so much turnover for an 80l tank?
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I had the filter running on a much larger tank then moved house and down sized the tank but not the filter. I turned the filter flow rate down a bit for the smaller tank.
 
mattyc said:
I had the filter running on a much larger tank then moved house and down sized the tank but not the filter. I turned the filter flow rate down a bit for the smaller tank.
Click to expand...

That makes sense. Are you using CO2? If so then 600-800l/h will give you around 8-10x turnover which should be sufficient for that volume of water. If you are low-tech then I'd go with around 250l/h+, which is around x3 turnover.
 
mattyc said:
The spec of the filter says 1850L/h but I expect that at least when it was new I was getting about 60% of that so 1100 L/h but I think I am getting about half that at 500, the flow is significantly lower than it has been.
Click to expand...
Are you able to check the actual AC power usage to see if its coil is still taking the manuals quoted Wattage,.
If its within spec then likely its ok , could be worth trying a new impellor and associate impellor parts, replacing the hoses, filter pads/sponges and giving all the internals a good clean including the channels in the head unit.
 
I don't have a way to test the current draw of the filter. I did however replace all the pipework, clean the inflow and outflow pipes and the filter. The flow rate is much better but the filter still has a fault where it's stick in it's purge mode. I think I need to look at a replacement.
 
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