29 Gallon Tank Sponge filter running with Cannister filter?

Hello!

Just wanted some advice on over filtering. I recently purchased a fluval 207 filter to replace my aquaclear 50 and moved all the media from the HOB into the canister. While it worked great, the HOB clogged up pretty quick after two weeks and I grew tired of hearing the water fall while I was sleeping.

I have a lot of nano fish in my heavily planted 29 gallon (13 chili rasbora's, 10 celestial pearl danio's, 7 pygmy cory's, 3 forktail rainbow fish, with 4 more in quarantine as I just bought them, 60+ blue velvet shrimp, and 5 amano's and numerous little snails).

I've been using aqadvisor and it claimed the fluval 207 wasn't enough filtration, though I'm aware it doesn't really take into account planted tanks. I've been told from the LFS that these fish don't have much a bioload to begin with and the plants will help. Parameters haven't been an issue with nitrate ranging at most .10 even after two weeks.

Would a sponge filter that's rated for 30 gallons even help? While I know more filtration is never a bad thing, would it even help while I have the powerful canister running? Just want to make sure there will be no issue down the line since I may be a bit overstocked in my tank.

Would definitely love to hear from those of you who run two filters in their tanks


Thank you!

Photo below is pre canister

 

I usually run 2 sponge filters in every tank at the least, sometines with an HOB too.

 

Hello!

Just wanted some advice on over filtering. I recently purchased a fluval 207 filter to replace my aquaclear 50 and moved all the media from the HOB into the canister. While it worked great, the HOB clogged up pretty quick after two weeks and I grew tired of hearing the water fall while I was sleeping.

I have a lot of nano fish in my heavily planted 29 gallon (13 chili rasbora's, 10 celestial pearl danio's, 7 pygmy cory's, 3 forktail rainbow fish, with 4 more in quarantine as I just bought them, 60+ blue velvet shrimp, and 5 amano's and numerous little snails).

I've been using aqadvisor and it claimed the fluval 207 wasn't enough filtration, though I'm aware it doesn't really take into account planted tanks. I've been told from the LFS that these fish don't have much a bioload to begin with and the plants will help. Parameters haven't been an issue with nitrate ranging at most .10 even after two weeks.

Would a sponge filter that's rated for 30 gallons even help? While I know more filtration is never a bad thing, would it even help while I have the powerful canister running? Just want to make sure there will be no issue down the line since I may be a bit overstocked in my tank.

Would definitely love to hear from those of you who run two filters in their tanks


Thank you!

Photo below is pre canister

Honestly adding four more fish is unlikely to be too much for your canister, if it has been keeping your parameters great so far. You'll really be adding minimally more ammonia produced I'd imagine. If you want to be sure, up the feeding to how much you'd expect to feed with the addition of the new fish. If parameters are still fine then, then that means your filtration is perfectly okay.

 

I have three tanks running currently and they all have a sponge filter in them as well as their HOB or canister filters. Sponges are great for instantly cycling a new tank when you see something you just HAVE to have and need a new tank to support or if you add fish to a tank and the current bio load can’t keep up with the new fish. Great backup! Run them like crazy if you feel so inclined. They really clear up the water too.

 

Thank you for the advice! It seems more filtration wouldn't hurt but the cannister would probably be able to handle the load. There is new media that came with the cannister so it'll probably take some time for the bacteria to colonize it but the existing old media I have should take care of things for now. I have a backup sponge filter I just bought ($5 on amazon). Since I have an airstone already running in the tank, I'll make room for the sponge filter in a corner and add it in. I'll be a useful backup for anything unexpected in the future.