au01st

OK, after tinkering around with the motor and impeller, my Whisper60 filter is still loud as can be. I'll keep it for a rainy day as a back up or if I ever have a tank in a room that noise isn't a problem. I still have a Penguin Bio-Wheel 350 on the other side of the tank, so I'm not too worried about the filter struggling. I'm really more concerned about there being enough surface agitation. I have a Bio-Wheel 200 on my 10 gallon tank in a different room. Would I be better off moving the filter from the 10 gallon to the 55 and getting a new filter for the 10 gallon, getting a new filter for the 55, getting a powerhead for the 55, or getting a bubble wall for the 55? My tank will house 2 Anglefish, a Dwarf Gourami, a school of Cardinal Tetras, a school of Julli Cories, a BN Pleco, some Kuhli Loaches, and possibly some invertebrates. I was told the Gourami don't like strong currents, so I don't want anything that will overpower him as I intend for him to be the star of the tank.

The tank has a brace in the middle, so there's no moving the filter to the middle to distribute the water coming out evenly. Should I even worry about it?

Chief_waterchanger

A bubble wall would be a fun thing to watch the cories and kuhlis play in.

pepetj

Hi au01st:
This is what I would do:
1) put the Penguin Bio-Wheel 200 to the 55gal. That will give you the minimal but optimal filtration of 550GPH (10 times your tank volume per hour). Then adjust the flow as needed. No need to worry about the middle brace. A powerhead would give you as strong current as its output rating, some are adjustable but most are not; even more, in some models you can adjust/divert the output angle(s) or even divide the stream in two.
2) add airpump and device (large airstone(s) or the bubble-wall tube-accessory) to the rear of the 55gal, your fish will love that!, remember to use a check-flow valve.
3) use the filter media -or a good part of it- from the noisy filter to seed a new filter in the 10gal so your cycling time is not lost.

One question: what are your stocking plans for the 10gal?

Pepe
Santo Domingo

au01st

Hey, that's what I planned on doing. I'm ordering a filter from DFS this week, as well as a bubble curtain and air pump. As for the powerhead, I was told Gourami don't like the strong currents.

10gallon looks like it's going to be a Betta and 4 Ottos.