Filter dilemma

[PheonixBlayne81]

So i'll try keeping this as brief as i can, I was due to buy a Fluval Roma 240 tank so went ahead and purchased a fluval 307 canister filter but the tank turned out to be smaller than advertised so i decided not to go ahead with the purchase, i then found another unbranded tank for sale which is actually 500L (unsure what that is in gallons 110 perhaps?), Im due to collect it tomorrow and started panicking as this 307 is rated for a maximum of 303L, ive just been watching Corys video from 1st of July 2016 about filters and it has me wondering if maybe this will actually now do the job fine. Any ideas?

Edited March 30, 2021 by PheonixBlayne81

[Samanthabea]

The fish store recommend for mine a 307 fluval canister and a 110 top filter as well as my protein skimmer I only have a 55 gallon but my plan is saltwater without the option of a sump his words were theres never enough filtration but at petco they said a 200 aqueon would work fine with my protein skimmer I went with the fish store recommendation you could just buy an additional top filter as it also makes sure when cleaning filters you don't take out to much good bacteria (again what the guy at the store said and why I went with that choice) I think personally it all depends on what you want in the tank as well like the difference is waste like with an eel vs a mollie

[PheonixBlayne81]

Im going to be housing American Cichilds, Severum, Acara etc which i believe are pretty messy fish, i have a internal filter i could probably use aswell as the canister i guess ☺️

[Eric R]

1 hour ago, Samanthabea said:

The fish store recommend for mine a 307 fluval canister and a 110 top filter as well as my protein skimmer I only have a 55 gallon but my plan is saltwater without the option of a sump

I'm not sure if the LFS mentioned it, but canister filters on saltwater tanks require a lot of regular maintenance, otherwise they can become nitrate sources and cause excess algal growth. Are you planning on doing a fish only with live rock tank or a reef tank?

[Jungle Fan]

2 hours ago, PheonixBlayne81 said:

So i'll try keeping this as brief as i can, I was due to buy a Fluval Roma 240 tank so went ahead and purchased a fluval 307 canister filter but the tank turned out to be smaller than advertised so i decided not to go ahead with the purchase, i then found another unbranded tank for sale which is actually 500L (unsure what that is in gallons 110 perhaps?), Im due to collect it tomorrow and started panicking as this 307 is rated for a maximum of 303L, ive just been watching Corys video from 1st of July 2016 about filters and it has me wondering if maybe this will actually now do the job fine. Any ideas?

500 L are just a hair short of 133 U.S. gallons. Did you already use, or alter the filter? How long ago did you purchase the filter, and do you still have the receipt? After all you're talking a performance rating shortage of round about 200 L and manufacturers generally exaggerate their product performance by a bit anyway.

If they won't let you upgrade your filter, which I don't see why they would not want to let you because you'll have to spend additional cash to make that happen, then you can always add either an in tank filter, or one, or multiple HOB filters. I don't know if they are available where you live but the Aquaclear 70 HOB would be my go to filter if that were the case because they are highly customizable.

[PheonixBlayne81]

7 hours ago, Jungle Fan said:

500 L are just a hair short of 133 U.S. gallons. Did you already use, or alter the filter? How long ago did you purchase the filter, and do you still have the receipt? After all you're talking a performance rating shortage of round about 200 L and manufacturers generally exaggerate their product performance by a bit anyway.

If they won't let you upgrade your filter, which I don't see why they would not want to let you because you'll have to spend additional cash to make that happen, then you can always add either an in tank filter, or one, or multiple HOB filters. I don't know if they are available where you live but the Aquaclear 70 HOB would be my go to filter if that were the case because they are highly customizable.

Its still fully boxed as i dont have the new tank until later today, problem is money is really tight and after spending on substrate, rock, lights and other bits and peices this was all i could afford. I was however looking at an All Pond Solutions EFX+ which is £40 cheaper and does upto 1000L but it has mixed reviews so im alittle bit dubious about it.

[Jungle Fan]

The other option would be to under stock it for a while and run the internal filter as well and get a larger filter later, or to return the canister and just go with large customizable HOBs like the Aquaclear 110s which might also be cheaper, or you could run a 110 and a smaller version of it. Keep in mind 500 L is around 133 U.S, gallons. Here are the ratings on the Aquaclear

• AquaClear 20: for aquariums between 5 to 20 gallons capacity
• AquaClear 30: works with aquariums of 10 to 30 gallons of capacity
• AquaClear 50: aquariums with a capacity between 20 and 50 gallons will work just fine
• AquaClear 70: this is made for fish tanks with a capacity between 40 and 70 gallons
• AquaClear 110: this is the last and biggest, that works from 60 up to 110 gallons

Check out the HOB review:

 

[PheonixBlayne81]

It was Corys video that started me questioning if the 307 might be enough if i setup the foam and media in a particular way.

https://youtu.be/SIMNLeXB8Pc

[Colu]

Have a 307 on my 60 gallon it does a great job  407 is good for tank up to 500liters but  I would consider an fx4  rated for 250 gallon tanks

Edited March 31, 2021 by Colu

[Eric R]

Filtration is a funny thing. Some people run no filters and just keep heavy planting and light stocking. Clearly that works less effectively with larger, messier fish. Cleanup crews help break down waste. Plants make a great surface for beneficial bacteria. Filters accomplish multiple things: mechanical filtration, so removing debris from the water, water polishing to increase clarity,  you can use carbon to provide chemical filtration, and biological filtration using bacteria to breakdown ammonia and nitrites. They also provide flow, which helps to keep your water oxygenated and helps to remove particulates from the water. Plants also provide oxygen though.

You can probably (?) get away with a smaller filter as long as you plant heavily, do regular (weekly?) water changes, and clean your canister filter regularly (monthly?) by squeezing out your media in old tank water. Make sure you have flow throughout your tank, you want to avoid deadspots that allow debris to accumulate. Make sure you also have enough surface agitation for gas exchange.

The best way to tell if you have sufficient filtration is to regularly check your water parameters and visually inspect your tank. If the water stays clear, and your ammonia and nitrites are at zero, and your ph stays stable and where you want it, and your fish and plants are healthy and active and eat well, I personally feel like that's a sign that your tank is working fine. With a smaller filter and messier fish it may just mean that you have to do more frequent and larger water changes and have to clean your filter media more often than you would with a larger filter. 

YMMV

 

[Eric R]

You can always add another filter if it seems like it's necessary. Sponge filters are effective and inexpensive. You can also look for used filters if money is tight. HOBs tend to be pretty bulletproof, I have used whisper power filters which still work great. If you don't need more filtration but just more flow, you can try adding a powerhead instead of a second filter. Or you can setup a spray bar on your canister filter.

 

[PheonixBlayne81]

12 minutes ago, ererer said:

You can always add another filter if it seems like it's necessary. Sponge filters are effective and inexpensive. You can also look for used filters if money is tight. HOBs tend to be pretty bulletproof, I have used whisper power filters which still work great. If you don't need more filtration but just more flow, you can try adding a powerhead instead of a second filter. Or you can setup a spray bar on your canister filter.

 

Yeh i was thinking of just setting up the 307 with optimum filtration and biomedia, see how that goes, ive got a wavemaker for pushing detritus and debris back to the filter and i have a few air pumps laying about and was wondering about adding a few big sponge filters in the tank if it comes to it.