310 Litre Tank - 2 Filters

Hello

Can anyone see an issue with me having 2 filters in a 310l tank. Tank does not have a sump. The filters are suitable up to a 200l tank (I would have 2 exactly the same). I'm just very happy with this make and model and would like to stick with a make that has served me well.

Thanks

 

Having 2 filters is fine.

What is the flow rate? For a 310 litre tank you want the total litres per hour to be around 2480-3100 lph.

 

Am I being a bit thick. Technically data says this which is WAY of what you have said?

L/h: 250-500L/h
Aquarium Capacity: 100-200L
Power: 6.5W

The same company also have one listed that states....suitable for aquariums with a capacity of between 200L and 400L.

Filter flow rate of 800L/H. Flow is adjustable.

 

The people selling filters always say they can be used for tanks much larger than they would actually work for. Usually I just ignore what it says on the pack and just base it of the flow rate. You should also take into account the amount of media it can hold. If you try to use them on a 310 litre tank you will notice that a lots of the dirt is just sitting on the substrate because the flow won't be powerful enough.

Do they make a larger model you can use?

Edit: didn't see your second post. Maybe you could use 3 of the 800l/h filters? The general rule is a flow rate of 8-10x the volume of the tank per hour.

 

Thank you so much for your help. This is my first time setting up a bigger tank so I want to get it right!

 

HI and welcome Alison.p
BottomDweller is absolutely right. Just so you get some point of reference, I have a 450litre tank with two Tetra EX1200 filters i.e. flow rate of 2400l/h (gives 5x tank size in water flow).

I bought identical filters so that I only have to carry one set of spare parts (taps, motor rotor, rubber rings - gaskets). If this is your first large tank, what you are looking to achieve is:

1. good water filtering
2. good water flow throughout the tank

I have set mine up in the following manner:

1. two canister filters under the tank
2. plumbing is the plastic tubing that comes with the filters
3. I take in water (to the filters) from the far left of the tank - the intake to cannister one is located at the bottom of the tank and the intake to cannister two nearer the top. I did this to ensure that I get water flow between the layers of water as well as pull out water that may contain different amounts of biowaste.
4. Once filtered the water comes back to the tank on the far right and I push back in the opposite way to where I took it out i.e. the water that came out of the bottom of the tank now enters the top and the water that came from the surface now gets pushed down to the bottom of the tank. Do this by using different lengths of pipe in the tank.

Do not try to connect the cannisters together to common inlets or outlets. I spent a lot of time with a water engineer understanding the dynamics of the water flow - trust me on this one.

Voila!

 

I guess I may be better with an external filter......

I'm just a worrier about things leaking

 

I guess I may be better with an external filter......

I'm just a worrier about things leaking

Canister filter filters are GREAT! Just get a good one (or two) and you will be ok.

 

I've been doing a fair bit of research and I think I will...

Think I'm just paranoid about a leak...like some people are paranoid they've left the oven on!

My husband has put his foot down about the large tank so looks like I'll be getting a 200 litre tank which is 100cm long. 40cm deep and 50cm high

Also...am I right in saying some canister filters also heat the water?

I was thinking about this...

EHEIM professionel 4+ 350 External Filter

And it says...There are 3 sizes available for aquariums up to 250, 350 and 600 litres. The models 250 and 350 are also available with an integrated heater as thermo filter (T). In addition, the professionel 350e can be electronically controlled from a PC.

 

Alison.p
EHEIM filters are a good choice!
I need to get a little bit technical, so you size your filter right. The specs are usually presented in the following way:

For aquariums of about. 180.00 l
For aquariums up to approx. 350.00 l
Pump power (50 Hz) per hour of approx. 1,500.00 l
Pumping head approx. (H max at 50 Hz) 2.20 m

So assuming your tank is 200 litres, 40 cm high and sitting on a stand around 70cm tall, what you have is a pumping height of 110cm, which is 50% of the pumping head. This means that the you are looking at 50% of 1500l/h through put = 750l/h.

If your tank is 200 litres, then you require a throughput of 200x3,5=700l/h.
Theoretically this filter will work.
If you are not cash strapped, get two and run them parallel for all the reasons given in this post above. Otherwise you start with one and as your bioload rises as you add fish, you can add a second one. However it is much easier to plan and install everything when the tank is empty.

Good luck!

 

Can you see the data on the picture below about it?

 

Interesting - your specs are different from mine on the 350t.
I thought I took mine directly from the Eheim website, so I can only assume that my dyslexia in reading and multitude of things that I am doing at the same time caused me to read the flow rate wrong. Apologies!

If however your specs are correct, then your pump power is capable of pushing 1050l/h and the pumping head 180cm, which according to my calculation gives {180-120cm }/180x1050l/h = 350l/h. Give that your tank is 200l, then you would need 700l/h, so you need need two of these filters for nominal filtration.

 

They do a model up...but it sounds huge. But I guess you can't over filter can you?


Tank dimensions...

I wasn't planning on the filter being not that far off the cost of the tank...want to get it right though


The installation height is confusing me

 

A lot of people over filter. It has its merits, as it:

1. allows to manage ammonia spikes
2. it removes part of the nitrate from the water minimising water changes

I would still go for two smaller filters than one large one. It provides for some comfort when you are cleaning one of the filters or have a filter failure - which would otherwise lead to recycling the tank.