Can You Over Filter?

[justjon]

Hi all,

I've been thinking of buying an external filter aswell as my internal Juwel one that comes with the 120L Lido, at the moment I have the normal Filtration inside the tank, aswell as a tiny Fluval +1 filter for extra help.

I am looking at the Fluval 205 External filter, so that I have 2 big filters hooked up.

Is this a good idea, or is it pointless and can it also harm the fish or is there such a thing as "over filtering" ?

I was also wondering if it would allow me to add more fish in the future, the rough list i'm looking at with current filtration is;

3x Apistogramma Cacatuoides (Possibly, not got yet).
4x Male Platy (Have 2)
8x Glowlight Tetra (Have 4)
8x Silver Hatchet (Have 3)
2x Bulldog Plec (Have All)
6x Amano Shrimp (Have All)

Is the above ok for current filtration also, and can anyone reccomend something else other than the 3x Apistogramma?

Few questions in there =)

Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

[nbaker]

IMHO you cannot over filter but you can have too much water flow depending on stock.

I have a Fluval 305 on a 90 litre running at full whack, but then I have 10 Juvie Tropheus in there and they can be rather messy especially with lettuce.

 

[stang1]

As nbaker says, you can't over filter but you need to make sure that the flow isn't too powerful. The Fluval 205 does have a flow adjuster, so shouldn't be too much of a problem.
With regards to the Apistogramma Cacatuoides, I never had any success keeping them in trios, found they worked better in pairs.
Other than that, stocking looks fine.

 

[justjon]

Thanks guys,

What about in regard to adding more fish?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

The tetras and hatchets will love the extra company, go for it!

I'm "sitting on the fence" about the cichlids, as beautiful as they are!

 

[raptorrex]

Hi all,

I've been thinking of buying an external filter aswell as my internal Juwel one that comes with the 120L Lido, at the moment I have the normal Filtration inside the tank, aswell as a tiny Fluval +1 filter for extra help.

I am looking at the Fluval 205 External filter, so that I have 2 big filters hooked up.

Is this a good idea, or is it pointless and can it also harm the fish or is there such a thing as "over filtering" ?

I was also wondering if it would allow me to add more fish in the future, the rough list i'm looking at with current filtration is;

3x Apistogramma Cacatuoides (Possibly, not got yet).
4x Male Platy (Have 2)
8x Glowlight Tetra (Have 4)
8x Silver Hatchet (Have 3)
2x Bulldog Plec (Have All)
6x Amano Shrimp (Have All)

Is the above ok for current filtration also, and can anyone reccomend something else other than the 3x Apistogramma?

Few questions in there =)

Thanks in advance for your answers.

i feel the short answer is no. though you need to be cautious if you use carbon. (removal of trace minerals)
as for flow? just guess the flow of your average river. 5-7 x turnover will not harm, most, fish, in a tank. clealy, if the fish are all trapped at one end of the tank, your flow is a little high (lol). indeed some add power heads to supplement their filter flow. to me, your tank could do with a filtration upgrade. (the fulval only flows 300-400lph (at best) with full media). so flow could be upped.