tony

i have 3 aquariums. a 55g with a penguin bio-wheel 350, a 20g with a penguin bio-wheel 200, and a 10g with a penguin bio-wheel 150. i kno that the 20g and the 10g have plenty of filtration but im not sure about the 55g. how many times should a tank cycle through in an hour as of now my 55g is cycling through 6.4 times per hour. is this enough the tank does not surrently have any fish in it but it will eventually be stocked to maximum capacity.

thank you

Butterfly

Usually you want to figure 10 x the gallons. So something like this 10 x 55g =550gph
Carol

tony

ok so that means i should get another penguin 350 for my 55g

pepetj

Hi Tony
That's exactly what I would suggest, get another Penguin 350, or you could go for another Penguin 200. Of course, the higher the rate, the best.

What are you planning for stocking?

Pepe
Santo Domingo

tony

i dont know yet. i want to get 2-3 angelfish and a small pleco. like a starry night pleco or a candy striped pleco. and maybe a dwarf cichlid. other than that i dont know

Tavel

you don't need as much turnover if you have a canister filter. HOB filters drop clean water right into the uptake...sounds efficient right? that's why they require such high flow rates.

COBettaCouple

I try to get at least 10 times the gallons, like Butterfly.

J J Indy

I feel like the more the better it will also reduce the need for frequent water changes

tony

ok so i will get another penguin 350... eventually. will i be ok for now with my penguin 350 on my 55g??

COBettaCouple

Yea, it can get by for a bit. I'd probably do a couple pwcs per week until the 2nd one is in, then go to 1 a week.

Butterfly

Actually if the HOB is doing it's job it's pushing water across the top layer of water, hitting the glass in front of it and circulating on around.
Carol

tony

Ok. I think i get what you're saying, but what's an HOB filter?

Butterfly

HOB = Hang On Back
Carol

J J Indy

Hang on Back

Butterfly

We were typing at the same time !!
Carol

COBettaCouple

It means Hobbits on Burros!

Butterfly

Oh not Hobbits on Burritos? You know how they like to eat I guess it depends on whether it's first breakfast or second whether their hungry enough to eat the whole Burro
Carol

tony

Ok. Thank you, but i have an extension that brings the intake all the way to the bottom of the tank. Does that make it much more efficient?

Tavel

It's actually probably more efficient than most set-ups then.

I have a 100gph HOB on my 10 gallon (10:1 ratio), and a 150gph HOB on my 20 gallon (7.5:1 ratio). but only a 165gph CANISTER on my 75 gallon, that's only a 2.15:1 ratio.

tony

So does that mean that i don't need the extra filter because the penguin 350 that i have now is more efficient?

COBettaCouple

I'd still recommend at least 10gph per gallon.

tony

OK. Thank you.