Filter Gph

[bry1105]

I know this is somewhat of an issue that can be debated forever, but Ive been researching filter flow rates. Ive found answers for cycling the total volume anywhere from 4-10 times per hour. Thats quite a large range. Whats the minimum? Whats prefered? Whats best? Ive got a 46 gallon bowfront, which Im guessing actually holds 40 (46 minus substrate & decor).

The issue I have is: currently I have a c-360 canister filter on it (360/40 = 9 cycles per hour) which is plenty fast flow rate. But 360gph is WAY too fast for a UV sterilizer Id like to hook up. Should I replace the c-360 with a c-220? 220gph would work better for the sterilizer, but Id also be reducing the cycle rate from 9 per hour to 5.

Is it worth losing some gph to add a sterilizer? What would you do?

 

[elisew]

I don't know anything about the uv sterilizer to be honest so can't offer any advice on that I'm afraid, but I think the majority here tend to go with the concept of the lph for a filter is recommended at 10x the volume of water in your tank.
I guess it would also depend on what fish you keep? Light stocking would mean you could possibly look at a lower lph but heavier stocking would mean slightly more.
Hope this helps

 

[Bignose]

Is it worth losing some gph to add a sterilizer? What would you do?

I wouldn't bother hooking up the UV sterilizer because I wouldn't want to pay the extra cost of the unit, replacement bulbs, and electricity for an object that isn't needed if you practice good husbandry in the first place. But, that's just me.

 

[bry1105]

Is it worth losing some gph to add a sterilizer? What would you do?

I wouldn't bother hooking up the UV sterilizer because I wouldn't want to pay the extra cost of the unit, replacement bulbs, and electricity for an object that isn't needed if you practice good husbandry in the first place. But, that's just me.

Thanks for the input. Thats kind of the way Im leaning. Ive got plenty of filtration power and I keep up on regular water changes.

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum Bry.
Quit worrying about flow rates. The reality is that even 1/3 volume per hour past a mature filter will remove all nitrites and ammonia from your water. Chances are that any commercial filter will exceed that value. That means that whatever filter you have is automatically enough. The planted tank people will tell you that a 5x filter is minimal and that a 10x filter is better. That is simply hog wash. The high flows need not be produced by any filter. High flows, to avoid any stagnation, can be accomplished by any combination of filter flows and power head flows and will have the same effect. Many, but not all, of my tanks run with nothing more than a simple air driven sponge filter. That poor sponge filter would have a hard time exceeding 1x flow rates but does a great job of supporting my fish in those tanks. There is an enormous difference between adequate filter flows to support proper biological processing and adequate flows to prevent localized peaks in ammonia or nitrites impacting algae formation in aq tank that experiences high lighting levels.

 

[ian]

Let me just step-in here stick up for planted tank keepers...in a planted tank we look at turn over rates not filtration rates. Your filter could turnover x3, but if you have a koralia that turns over 7x that is fine. This is all just a guideline btw, the reasons we go for this turnover is for even distribution of elements around the plants, nothing more. So hogwash it may be that 10x filtration is needed by planted tanks, 10x turnover of the tank isn't hogwash.

Ps the higher tech your tank the higher turnover you go, I have seen Walstad tanks with no turnover, when you start injecting C02, you need to take the turnover up to at least 10x