FaintingGoats Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 Hey All! I am thinking about getting a Fluval 207 external canister filter for my 29 gallon planted tank (currently 2 dwarf loaches and 5 panda corys with plans to add more fish 🙂). I currently have 2 sponge filters in the tank and they can't keep up with the murk that my 7 panda corydoras are mixing into the water column. Would the 207 be powerful enough or should I go a 307? I know over filtration is never a bad thing but it seems that the 207 should fit my tank. But I don't want to just blow my fish around the tank with the power 🙂 When I get the external filter, I know I should leave my current filters in the tank to keep the biological filter. However, should I leave a bubbler from the sponge filter in the tank after it is all said and done to help disrupt the surface and provide oxygen and carbon exchange? Basically will the external filter be enough to put enough oxygen in the water? Would you recommend doing a surface skimmer part of the filter or should the normal filter be fine? And finally 🙂 what media would you use for the filtration or would you use what comes with the filter? Thank you SO MUCH for your help! I love this forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 I have all the 07 models. Size is dependent on stocking rather tan tank size for me as the fluval has completely adjustable outflow. 207 is just fine unless you go heavy stock. I use only the sponge that comes with the fluval canisters. The rest I stuff with aquaneat 30ppi sponge from Amazon. If it’s planted DO NOT USE the green phos pads that come with it. I also do not use the white floss it clogs to quick. This is lengthwise down my 40 breeder just before water change using only sponge in the fluval. Leave your current sponges  for aeration and you never know when you need a cycled sponge. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flumpweesel Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 I would expect the 207 to be enough (without checking) I have a 306 on 60g (just older models). The fuval website is quite good at giving you outputs and comparison charts. It's worth noting though that the step up in price isn't normally that bad and if you'd be considering upgraded the tank in the future it might be more cost effective to ensure your filter could accommodate expansion they last a long time. You will probably be successful with whatever media it's supplied with I don't like carbon so I always swap that out for either additional sponge or ceramic media . Those old sponges could come in handy there. Air stones optional I'd just look at how much flow the filter generates. Again with the spray bar probably not needed set up as standard then see how it feels. Remember flow is controllable on the fluvals 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HH Morant Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 The effectiveness of the filter is a lot higher if you use 30 ppi foam, as @Guppysnail suggests. You could use the media that comes with the filter or you could spend a lot of money on the latest new super-porous media,, but neither will be as good for biological filtration as 30 ppi foam. See aquariumscience.org articles regarding filtration and fiilter media. The canister pump performance depends a lot on how far up the pump is having to push the water. The shorter the vertical distance from the pump to the top of the tank, the more gallons per hour the pump will move. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gannon Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 I have a 207 on my 29 gallon tank. It supports 6 sterbai cories, 1 bristlenose pleco, 15 cardinal tetras, and one honey gourami. Granted, my tank is very densely planted and has been established for 1.5 years and slowly stocked in that time, but Ive never had a problem, even when taking a bunch of filter media to give to other tanks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaintingGoats Posted January 21, 2022 Author Share Posted January 21, 2022 Thank you all for the advice!! I feel so much more confident in my filter change!! I think I will go for the 207 filter and get some of the 30ppi filter media that GuppySnail mentioned!! Thank you again for all the advice!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 I have the 207 on my 33 gallon long. Very happy with it. Agree with @Guppysnail's advice about foam but especially about removing the floss. It makes you have to open it up far more often, with leakages more likely to occur. Enjoy! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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