Waht kind of filter do I need for a 180 gal?

[Diamondhitch]

What kind of filter do I need for a 180 gallon tank? I have a Rena Filstar XP3 on another tank at home it is rated at 175 gallon tank and moves 350GPH. is this enough filter or would I be looking for trouble using it on a 180? This is the largest capacity external filter that I have been able to find so far.
What do I need?

 

[vanimate]

Depending on your bio-load, even if it was light, I wouldnt recommend just using a single xp3. Get a big cannister or multiple cannisters, and preferably a wet/dry.

If your looking for a larger capacity external filter, I would get an eheim 2250 or 2260.

 

[Oddball]

A good rule of thumb is to get a filter that circulates the tank 8 times an hour. Riverine species may even require higher flow rates due to higher DO requirements. If you're going to go with a canister filter (like an XP3), you'd be better off with a FX5 that has a 900 GPH flow rate and a much larger media load.
IMO, any tank 100 gals or over should be filtered with a wet/dry system. And, the wet/dry bio-chamber needs to hold sufficient material for the tank size and bio-load (approx. 2.2 gallons of media per 100 gallons of tank). The return pump needs to circulate approx. 8 times per hour just like a canister. But, the flow rate of the pump needs to be the rate measured at head (ex. 4ft from sump to tank level). For a 100 gal tank needing 800 GPH flow rate, it may require a pump rated at 1100 gph to achieve an 800 gph flow rate after 4ft of head distance.

 

[rallysman]

My bro inlaw has an XP3 and two AC110s on his 180, and it does fine (he doesnt have a lot of big fish though)

If it was me I would go with a wet/dry. They're the best for any tank IMO.

 

[Hasi]

A good rule of thumb is to get a filter that circulates the tank 8 times an hour. Riverine species may even require higher flow rates due to higher DO requirements. If you're going to go with a canister filter (like an XP3), you'd be better off with a FX5 that has a 900 GPH flow rate and a much larger media load.
IMO, any tank 100 gals or over should be filtered with a wet/dry system. And, the wet/dry bio-chamber needs to hold sufficient material for the tank size and bio-load (approx. 2.2 gallons of media per 100 gallons of tank). The return pump needs to circulate approx. 8 times per hour just like a canister. But, the flow rate of the pump needs to be the rate measured at head (ex. 4ft from sump to tank level). For a 100 gal tank needing 800 GPH flow rate, it may require a pump rated at 1100 gph to achieve an 800 gph flow rate after 4ft of head distance.

Excellent advice.

 

[metant]

A good rule of thumb is to get a filter that circulates the tank 8 times an hour. Riverine species may even require higher flow rates due to higher DO requirements. If you're going to go with a canister filter (like an XP3), you'd be better off with a FX5 that has a 900 GPH flow rate and a much larger media load.
IMO, any tank 100 gals or over should be filtered with a wet/dry system. And, the wet/dry bio-chamber needs to hold sufficient material for the tank size and bio-load (approx. 2.2 gallons of media per 100 gallons of tank). The return pump needs to circulate approx. 8 times per hour just like a canister. But, the flow rate of the pump needs to be the rate measured at head (ex. 4ft from sump to tank level). For a 100 gal tank needing 800 GPH flow rate, it may require a pump rated at 1100 gph to achieve an 800 gph flow rate after 4ft of head distance.

Well said.

But it will still depend on you bio load. Your XP3 is enough if you put for example 1 or 2 aro or maybe 1 or 2 stingrays.
To avoid guesswork, maybe you could use a test kit (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) for the first few weeks to eliminate any doubts if your filter can accomodate your bioload.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

My 220 gal tank is running just fine with a Eheim 2080 canister ...

I don't care for the plumbing involved in a wet/dry

HarleyK

 

[rkc772]

my friend has two xp3 on his 180. he has two 2ft silver aro, one 12" red tail cat, one 14" pacu. the only problem he told me is that the fish keeps on moving the fiter tubes. not really a problem. i have a 180 too and i use a CPR CR3000 with mag drive 18 (1800gph). My tank has 15 dats (ranging from 3"-6") and two 8" ornate. water is crystal clear no problem. my only suggestion is go for the biggest one you can afford. you might have few fishes but you wouldn't know.

 

[cichlid_keeper91]

Over by me I saw an xp4 for 400 gallons 1000 gph

 

[cichlid_keeper91]

And I saw a filter for 5000 gallons.