double canister filter?

[Liam]

is it possible to get two canister filters have one input tube in the water, have the output tube connected to the input tube of canister #2 and still run efficently.

actually, I know that it's possible. but what I'm unsure of - would the second pump on the canister burn out because it would constantly be spinning but not pushing out as much water as it should?

same type of filter, so same gph, but the first filter is mechanical and the second would bio. the only thing I'm worried with that mechanical (1 micron, filter floss, felt etc) is going to create a lot of drag on the water lowering the flow, and the pumps might burn out (bad) lol.

 

[Bderick67]

yes it may be physically possible, but I don't think the effiency would be very good. Instead of hooking inline with one another, get some "y" fittings and run them in parrallel. Will need to upsize the intake and return lines though.

 

[nfored]

what would be the point of doing this?

your wasting circulation and effectiveness, a filter at each end is much better then one filter, at circulating and cleaning more water. What you describe would double clean the same water rather then clean double the water. Also instead of doubling the turnover rate your cutting it in half, and biologic filtration works better the higher the turn over.

If you have to have just 1 tube for in and out then get a tube that's bigger then the hoses on the canister and use a Y adapter like mentioned above

 

[nfored]

Also it would be better to split it up instead of having one be just mech filter and one be bio filter, split the media in half and make them equal, that way each one works half as much and you get double the cleaning.

 

[joey02]

Ive done this with a Rena Xp3 and a fluval 405. It worked well at first, until a power outage, when the power came back on, the 405 came back on but the xp3 could not start again. i had the water comming into the 405, then into the xp3 then out to the tank, seemed like it would, but it didnt. If i only had the 405 on and the xp3 off, i was running the 405 too hard. with both on, the xp3 could not start again unless the 405 was off.
It may work if both canisters are the same though.

 

[tylerperkins]

just hook them both in to some pvc overflows with t-fittings and ball valves both inlets on one and both outputs oon the other that way they mix the water

 

[Liam]

thanks, I think I'll go same input on both (T-fitting) and same output with both mech and bio.

 

[cvermeulen]

biologic filtration works better the higher the turn over.

Can you explain that statement? what do you mean by 'works better'? I don't agree with that as it's written, but maybe you meant something different.

Anyways, unless you are absolutely constrained by the amount of space you have for hoses or something, this would work, but you'd be shooting yourself in the foot for some of the reasons already mentioned. Also, if you have two running in parallel you have a fail-safe. If they are in series and one plugs, you lose both.

 

[nfored]

Can you explain that statement? what do you mean by 'works better'? I don't agree with that as it's written, but maybe you meant something different.

Anyways, unless you are absolutely constrained by the amount of space you have for hoses or something, this would work, but you'd be shooting yourself in the foot for some of the reasons already mentioned. Also, if you have two running in parallel you have a fail-safe. If they are in series and one plugs, you lose both.

I have read many articles and write ups on bio filtration, and while they maybe wrong, and I am no expert, they all agree that bio filtration is increase as the turn over is increased. The faster flow provides better source of O2, for Bio filtration, and slower lower pressure flow works best for mech filtering.

With all that said you can get by with 3x on a sump.

 

[cvermeulen]

I have read many articles and write ups on bio filtration, and while they maybe wrong, and I am no expert, they all agree that bio filtration is increase as the turn over is increased. The faster flow provides better source of O2, for Bio filtration, and slower lower pressure flow works best for mech filtering.

With all that said you can get by with 3x on a sump.

OK I think I see what you're getting at, there are other ways of making your bio filtration effective with low flow rates though. You've made another statement though that I don't agree with : "slower lower pressure flow works best for mech filtering." - I'd say the opposite is true. More turnover keeps the waste from settling in the tank, and the more pressure you can use to force the water through the media, the more finely you can filter it.