Red tail shark is chasing tetras

My guess is if you have 2 filters, clean one and wait 2 weeks before cleaning the other one, that way if you mess up and kill the Benefitial Bacteria on 1, you still have the other filter to rely on .

Ok thanks

Breaking the surface is to help with gas exchange, if your filter is already causing movement you wouldn't need air bubblers to increase it. On a 40 i'd still do two as it never hurts to provide more filtration (also makes it easier because you can alternate filter cleanings so you do not lose your filter bacteria).

Waver makers are designed to cause no stagnant areas in the tank, or in the case of marine tanks where they are most often used to create current for there to be no place that has stagnant water or allowing live rock to stay live. If you have the filtration this is also an unnecessary thing in a freshwater tank - it is an underwater pump that moves water around more effectively because it can be positioned wherever in the tank - however I'd say a shark would try and swim into the propeller and possibly hurt itself (happens with the noodle shaped fish and often anemones) so you'd have to cover it with a stocking or similar to prevent any accidents.
I don't think you'd need a wave maker to get enough flow to prevent stagnant places in the tank, as well as it possibly being to strong for the long finned white skirts.

With 2 filters if there is still areas where there isn’t surface agitation is that when I buy like air stones or do I know need ripples in the water every where on the surface?

 

Ok thanks. I have a question what do you mean my alternate filter cleanings?

If you have two filters you can clean out one once a month and do the other the following month. So you keep your bacteria intact between filters cleanings rather than possibly recycling everything you change something on the filter being cleaned.

 

If you have two filters you can clean out one once a month and do the other the following month. So you keep your bacteria intact between filters cleanings rather than possibly recycling everything you change something on the filter being cleaned.

By clean out do you mean rinse everything?

 

By clean out do you mean rinse everything?

Doing whatever it is that takes to lean the gunk out to maintain flow and filter ability.

 

Doing whatever it is that takes to lean the gunk out to maintain flow and filter ability.

Ok

If I want to have 2 filters for my 40 gallon tank what size of filter should I get?

And what size of filters for a 55 gallon tank if I want 2 or would it be better if I had 3 filters for a 55 and what size?

 

Aim for a total of 4-6 times tank turnover per hour. So for 55gal that's a total of 220 to 330gph. To ensure that you achieve that, halve the manufacturer's stated flow rate for the filters.

 

What do you mean “halve the manufacturer's stated flow rate for the filters.”? And would I get 2 of those filters since I want 2 filters or should I half the 220 to 330gph and get to with half of the gph?

If I got this would I still need 2 filters.

 

What do you mean “halve the manufacturer's stated flow rate for the filters.”? And would I get 2 of those filters since I want 2 filters or should I half the 220 to 330gph and get to with half of the gph?

I find that, in practice, canister filters when hooked up and full of media usually produce about 60%-70% of the output stated by the manufacturer. So it's just a matter of taking that into account when calculating the total output of your filters to achieve 4 to 6 times turnover of tank volume per hour.

However, I don't use HOB's and don't know if the same applies to them. Since you're considering them it's probably best for someone else to comment on the model you're looking at.

Might be best to start a separate thread on filter selection since it is off topic.

 

If I got this would I still need 2 filters.

I find this brand to be a lower quality filter that could break fairly easily without warning.

Yes, for HOB (hang on back) filters you want 8-10 times the volume of the tank for turnover (320-400 gallons per hour for a 40 gallon tank is what you are looking at). So two filter is going to make it easier. Generally being full of media (whether it be carbon, filter matting, or some other media) drops the flow rate of filters, regardless of if they are canister or HOB. Something rated for a 120 or slightly larger for a hob would be enough for a single filter on a 40, however two smaller filter is easier to get and easier to keep from losing your bacteria.

 

So for a 55 gallon what size of filter would I need if I got 2?

And 320-400 gallons per hour is that what I would get for 2 filters for a 40 gallon tank or would I get that for 1 filter for a 40 gallon tank?

 

So for a 55 gallon what size of filter would I need if I got 2?

550 gph for 10 times volume.

And 320-400 gallons per hour is that what I would get for 2 filters for a 40 gallon tank or would I get that for 1 filter for a 40 gallon tank?

Either. Both options would work.