Aqua Clear 70 too big for a 40 gallon tank?

I'm not sure if the flow is going to be too strong.

 

I don't think so. The AC's come with an adjustable flow knob and you could also put in a prefilter sponge on the intake tube to help reduce the flow. Is that the only filter you'll have on it? If so, you're slightly underfiltered as you will want at least 320-400 gph on it. The AC 70 has a turnover of 300 gph.

 

I have ha AC70 on my 30 gallon long and it works great. Like el337 said it comes with an adjustable flow knob.

 

I have a 29 gallon MalawI tank running an AC70 and a marineland penguin 200 side by side. That would be 500 GPH if it wasn't packed with media. I run sponge on bottom, Purigen and polyester batting in the middle, and and matrix and Biomax at the top. The penguin only runs two cartridges. I put a really small Aquaclear sponge right where the water comes out of the inlet inside the filter. Nothing but success.

 

I don't think so. The AC's come with an adjustable flow knob and you could also put in a prefilter sponge on the intake tube to help reduce the flow. Is that the only filter you'll have on it? If so, you're slightly underfiltered as you will want at least 320-400 gph on it. The AC 70 has a turnover of 300 gph.

I'm confused, if that filter works for up to a 70 gallon tank, I'm 30 gallons short of its rated limit.

What makes it the right size, the flow or media size?

 

They advertise that for how many gallons are turned over every hour (gph) without any media in it. Once you add in all the media, it slows down the flow quite a bit which is why people often recommend to get a filter that turns over at least 8-10x your tank size.

 

They advertise that for how many gallons are turned over every hour (gph) without any media in it. Once you add in all the media, it slows down the flow quite a bit which is why people often recommend to get a filter that turns over at least 8-10x your tank size.

Thank you for the info el337. Now the calculation for 8 to 10, is it based on a fully stocked tank?

 

Thank you for the info el337. Now the calculation for 8 to 10, is it based on a fully stocked tank?

I would say so. If you're going to understock, then I'm sure you can get away with less filtration. Same with overstocking (not that you should just to justify more filtration) or with fish that have huge bioloads like goldfish, more would be better.

 

I use a 110 on a 20G

 

I have an AC 110 on my 40 breeder. You can get away as mentioned with a AC 70 if you have a planted tank that's under stocked. Under stocked would mean only having one school of fish or going nano fish. Right now in my 40B I have 8 cories, 3 guppies, and I'm planning on getting 12 lambchop rasboras and 20 cherry shrimp