How much is too much...

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
ecoli73 said:
What is in your tank?


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Click to expand...

Tank is 6x2x2

32cm Black Shark
25cm King Kong Parrot
23cm Green Terror
15cm Synspillum
13cm Oscar
12cm Jack Dempsey
12cm Blue Acara - (Going soon hopefully)
10cm Festea
10cm Flowerhorn
10cm Polini
10cm Firemouth - (Going soon hopefully)
9cm Red Devil
7cm Convict
7cm Green Terror

6 x 12cm Clown Loach
3 x 15cm Pleco
 
Filter manufacturers ALWAYS overstate their filters rated capacity. You cant always believe what you read.

Is it enough bio-filtration? No one is ever going to be able to give you a definitive answer on that. If you have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites in your tank then you have enough. If you have readings of any of those 2 then you do not have enough. Remember also that you are going to have bio-filtration from your substrate, your decorations, etc. The bacteria grows everywhere, not just in your filters. Bio-filtration is easy.

Is it enough mechanical filtration? I would say you are sorely lacking in that deptartment.

A little perspective for you.... I have an Eheim 2080 on a 75G tank and an Eheim 2217 on a 38G tank. Those tank sizes are about perfect for those filters IMO. For your tank I would sell both those filters and get at least one Eheim 2262, maybe two.
 
Rayne said:
Filter manufacturers ALWAYS overstate their filters rated capacity. You cant always believe what you read.

Is it enough bio-filtration? No one is ever going to be able to give you a definitive answer on that. If you have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites in your tank then you have enough. If you have readings of any of those 2 then you do not have enough. Remember also that you are going to have bio-filtration from your substrate, your decorations, etc. The bacteria grows everywhere, not just in your filters. Bio-filtration is easy.
Click to expand...
I have zero for all these readings, my 2080 is filled as follows:

Bottom Tray: Eheim Mech Pro (4L)
Middle Tray: Seachem Matrix (4L)
Top Tray: Seachem Matrix (4L)

Rayne said:
Is it enough mechanical filtration? I would say you are sorely lacking in that deptartment.
Click to expand...

My classic 2217 has a 2.5L prefilter which is full of Eheim Mech Pro, and the whole canister is filled with Eheim Blue pads and a single Eheim white pad at the top.

My water is crystal clear with floating debris only after feeding but that clears very quickly.

A little perspective for you.... I have an Eheim 2080 on a 75G tank and an Eheim 2217 on a 38G tank. Those tank sizes are about perfect for those filters IMO. For your tank I would sell both those filters and get at least one Eheim 2262, maybe two.[/QUOTE]

I cannot sell my 2080 , I have only had it for about 2 months, and to get it i had to shut down and sell 3 fish tanks about 250 fish including my prize collection of L Type Cats!

(My wife went mental when she found out i bought it andshe essentially said "Send it back or sell the other tanks..." so i sold up and now i only have 1 tank!

Also before buying my filter i contacted Eheim directly: here is an excerpt from the email reply:

"Here is the response from Eheim:

"Both Pro 3 and the large Classics (2260 and 2262) provide the same level of filtration. The difference between these units is the ease of maintenance and the flow rate. The 2080 Pro 3 will pump a maximum of 450 GPH while the 2262 will pump the double (900 GPH). The Classics rely on high flow rates, the 2080 relays on media contact time.

Considering that the Classic series does not have baskets nor a maintenance indicator and can not be used with regular filter pads, I will consider the 2080 as a more complete unit. However if you are looking for more flow, the 2260 or 2262 will be your best choices."


Add to the points they made the lower watt draw of the 2080 (cheaper to operate) and the TWO intakes on that unit, and I also think the Pro III is the top performer for most people.

Let us know what you decide!"

I was tossing between these 2 but then i decided that since they have the same level of filtration using different methodologies I went for lower power consumption and ease of cleaning.

Personally having never used a 2262 I cannot comment but since both filters cost the same amount in my area I went for the 2080.

Is there any particular reason you favour the 2262 other than it is a classic workhorse?
 
ecoli73 said:
As your tanks get bigger, I find flow becomes more important. In my 8*2*2, I am using 2 2262s and going to replace my smaller filters with a third soon.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Click to expand...

Ok, but just because the tank gets bigger the filter still functions the same thought right, and since bio filtration is about media contact time rather than flow surely having plenty of bio is the key.

Maybe I'm missing something in my inexperience but Eheim said that the 2262 and the 2080 cope with the same size tanks in a using a different methodology.

If this is the case surely flow can be created using a power head? (That is a genuine question)

Also if the 2080 is rated for a 1200l tank,I don't understand why Rayne stated that the max tank size for a 2080 was a 300l.....I have had a300 stupidly over stocked running only a 2217-water was perfect clear and the parameters were 0-0-5.

I'm still trying to understand the need for the huge filtration?is it an old school thing?

Using Rayne's logic I would need 3 x 2080 to run my 180 when my water is perfect as it is...I actually thought I was over killing the filters!

I started this thread because I wanted to remove 2 moving bed filters, to find out that I actually need more filters

(I'm not being argumentative I'm trying to learn and understand)

Sent from my Evo 3D GSM using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
There are two thoughts on this. Those that like to go overkill and those that don't. The approach to how much filtration is needed has changed over the 14 years I have been keeping fish. I will tell you this, if you consistently test your water and its 0-0-0, then you are fine. If you did not have enough filtration those numbers would not be zero. If you are so concerned, I would remove one filter, but not sell it. You can then test your water parameters to see how things are and adjust as needed.

After reading so many posts about filtration, I think it very quickly gets to a "lets whip our dicks on out on the table" and demonstrate how much filtration we have on our tanks versus, how much do you need.
 
Everyones setup is different, the type of media used effects things alot. Some people prefer everkill filtration. If your testing good and theres no debree in the tank then theres no need to add more. It would be a want.

You can remove the 2 moving beds and see.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
I have never used bed filters.

8L is a lot of Matrix, but that stock is pretty heavy. THE ONLY THING that can tell you if you have adeqaute bio filtration is the Ammo/Nitrite readings.

So, if you're determined to remove the bed filters, you could start to remove the media from the bed filters gradually (Like 1/10 weekly) while monitoring the Ammo/Nitrite readings. How many liters of media do you have in the bed filters?


Edit: I think I was typing at the same time nzafi was. He said it better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom