Filter Advice

[The Duke]

Ok so in my juwel trigon 190 I have the big standard internal filter it came fitted with. Now because I am probably overstocked I was thinking about a new filter. I asked juwel and gave them my current stock list and their response was the internal filter will be fine. Anyone got any opinions? Would a new, more powerful filter be better? Could I put a second filter in alongside the current filter? Here is my stock list:
3 angelfish
2 pearl gourami
6 platys
7 sterbai cory
5 x-ray tetra
5 black widow tetra
3 guppies
2 Bolivian rams
10 neons
Thanks guys

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Filters only give the vital ammonia and nitrite processing bacteria somewhere to populate, the end product (nitrate) can be used by plants (especially fast growing ones) as food, but ultimately an overstocked tank is likely to reach toxic (typically >300mg/l for hardy fish, some need <50mg/l) unless the frequency and volume of water changes is high enough.

Which pumpset have you got in the Juwel? To an extent they can be upgraded (I have a 1000 in my Rio240) and the impellers from the various models can by and large be interchanged to alter the flow rate (eg. I had a 200 impeller in a 600 pumpset for a while in my Korall60 Persian Killifish tank). If you upgrade, you would need to keep an eye on the Angelfish at least, as they are not fans of strong current.

Stocking wise I think you need to decide upon...
Angelfish or Neon Tetras (the latter are naturally live lunch in the wild and your Angel babies will eventually try to snack, Angels may exceed the tank space and usually its a case of 1 or 6 unless you buy a bonded pair)
Guppies, Platies or Gouramis (all occupying the higher water levels)
X-Ray Tetra or Black Widow Tetra (both occupying lower open water levels)

 

[The Duke]

Thanks. It's a 600 pump at the moment. Juwel have sent me a 1000 today but they too warn against strong current and taking the good bacteria from the filter pads