Filter upgrade

[Barneykirk3]

I am looking to upgrade my external filters on two 125 litre planted tanks but getting lots of conflicting information about flow rates etc. Been looking at Oase filters and thought the 250 or 350 versions would be ok, but being told the 600 version is way to go, but that does seem quite a flow rate. Have already had to reduce flow rate from aps ef1000 filters as fish were struggling with flow but wanted to make sure plants are getting enough. Also looking at Fluval, Tetra, JBL and Betta choice filters.

Any advice.

 

[Uberhoust]

It would depend on the fish you have in the tanks. I find that for low fish stocking in a planted tank that a flow rate of 5 times the volume of the tank works for my low flow type fish like Angels, based on weekly water changes of at least 25% or more. My plants do OK but are not exceptional. I am cycling a filter now for another tank and have double the flow to about 10 times the volume and my angels are not very happy due to the flow, I have had to place a diffuser over the outflows to make it tolerable for the angels. By your filter choices and the fact you are using metric suggests you are in Europe, in North America I like the Aquaclear filters because they are essentially an box you can mix and match your own filter material in.

 

[Barneykirk3]

It would depend on the fish you have in the tanks. I find that for low fish stocking in a planted tank that a flow rate of 5 times the volume of the tank works for my low flow type fish like Angels, based on weekly water changes of at least 25% or more. My plants do OK but are not exceptional. I am cycling a filter now for another tank and have double the flow to about 10 times the volume and my angels are not very happy due to the flow, I have had to place a diffuser over the outflows to make it tolerable for the angels. By your filter choices and the fact you are using metric suggests you are in Europe, in North America I like the Aquaclear filters because they are essentially an box you can mix and match your own filter material in.

Yes am in UK. Got mainly tetras and rasboras who struggle with the flow with my EF1000 which is 8 times flow. Have recently made bigger holes in the spraybar which has lessened flow. So difficult to judge what flow would work.