b0n3ZA

I have a Dolphin c500 canister filter.
How many litres/gallons does this filter an hour?

I bought it second had, so I dont have the box.

Isabella

Usually, you should be able to find the information about your filter online. Did you try typing your filter name / model in your browser? If so, any results returned? Is "Dolphin c500" the correct name? Because I can't find any info about it online.

b0n3ZA

yes i tried

http://guppiesforyuppies.co.za/prodt...ageHistory=cat

There is a site that sells them, it is a local (south african) store.
However i see korean/asian writing on the box, so im not sure...

rarrrr.

Isabella

It says (in very small print) that it pumps 500 L per 1 hour (hence probably the name "Dolphin 500"). 500 L = 132 U.S. gallons, so it pumps 132 gallons per 1 hour

b0n3ZA

Ok i have a 60gallon.
I have that filter, + a powerhead filter which does 200l/hour.
I have a smaller powerhead that I'm not using. It does about 100l/hour.

So thats about 3-4 the amount of water in the tank per hour. Is that ok?

Isabella

Generally, you want filtration of at least 10 x the size of your tank. In your case, it's 600 gallons per hour (10 x 60 = 600). It can be slightly less than that, but it's always best to strive for filtration of around 10 x the volume of your tank.

I was also told by Gunnie that for canister filters, the rule is to have at least 5 x the volume of your tank.

Your "Dolphin c500" pumps around 130 gph. Assuming you need only 5 x the volume of your tank (300 gph) with a canister filter, this filter still gives you less than half of the filtration you need.

What do you mean by "powerhead filter"? Is that a filter or powerhead? Filters are filters, and powerheads are used only for better water movement/circulation in a tank. They are not the same as filters.

If I were you, I'd simply add another filter to your existing Dolphin filter. If you get another canister filter, make sure it pumps at least 170 gph (or something around that). If you get a normal (external) power filter (the one that hangs on the tank), it should pump around 300 gph. With two filters, one on each side of the tank, you don't really need 2 powerheads. Unless your water movement is really bad and you're getting stagnant water.

P.S. You certainly can get a total filtration of 600 gph with 2 canister filters too. It wouldn't hurt.

b0n3ZA

Well I have these dolphin powerhead filters.
They act like powerheads, sucking water in, and powering water out at the top into the takn to create a current. But throughout the device, there are 2 sponges, as well as a medium box where you can put filtration media in, like charcoal or whatever. So i guess this acts as a filter + powerhead?
Let me know, thanks.

Isabella

If these powerheads contain mechanical media like sponges and biological media like various bio-cubes, then they surely can act as filters themselves. They don't necessarily need chemical media like activated carbon / charcoal / zeolite but if you use these as well, that's perfectly OK. If you currently don't have anything in the additional media box, use biological media there instead of activated carbon / charcoal / zeolite. You never have to throw away the bio-media, which ensures the Nitrogen Cycle goes on uninterrupted. Activated carbon / charcoal / zeolite, on the other hand, needs to be replaced every month and in your case it would only take up the space for the much more important bio-media.

Now, you said that your 2 powerheads pump 200 L/hr (53 gph) and 100 L/hr (26 gph). That's a total of approximately 300 L/hr (80 gph). Your Dolphin canister filter does 130 gph and the 2 powerheads do 80 gph. Your tank is 60 gallons. Normally, you'd need 600 gph of filtration in that tank. Since you're using a 130 gph canister filter, you need only about 5 x the volume of your that with that filter, which is about 300 gph (10 x 30 gallons). As for the powerheads, if you intend to use them as the only additional filtering devices (next to your current canister filter), they should pump 10 x the volume of your tank, not 5 x the volume of your tank. You basically need 300 gph from your canister filter and you're currently getting only 130 gph from it. That means you need additional 170 gph of filtration. Your 2 powerheads give you 80 gph, so that leaves you with 110 gph still needed. If you use more powerheads or regular HOB filters, that number of filtration should be doubled (220 gph). If you use another canister filter, that number can stay as it is (at 110 gph).

Sorry if it's confusing to you, but canister filters and external HOB power filters (or powerheads in your case) should be calculated a little differently in terms of wpg required.

b0n3ZA

ah stupid me. It was just missing a piece to hold the propellor in place
Oh well its all fixed.

so now i have 1100L/h, an 800L/h and a 500L/h.
So thaaats 2200L/h. 10x my tank

Isabella

1100 l/hr (290 gph) + 800 l/hr (211 gph) + 500 l/hr (132 gph) = 2400 l/hr (633 gph)

This is perfect for a 60 gallon tank