Filteration For Africans

[jakeroberts]

well I am just wondering what size filter i would need for a 34 uk gallon cichlid tank at the moment i have 2 internal filters that = 800 lph but i am thinking of upgrading to a canister so how many lph would i need.

Regards Jake

 

[Ferris]

Min 10x tank volume per hour - preferrably nearer 20x

 

[darrel69]

34 uk gallon = 155 litre , that right ?

if so, you'd need 2 or more filters that together turn over aleast 1550 litres an hour.

For example, i have a 190 litre, and at the moment have a tetratec ex1200 (1200 lph) & a fluval in3+ (700lph) that together turn over my water exactly 10 times

 

[jakeroberts]

well what if i bought a external filter are there one's that do that many lph cause i would prefere to try and get rid of internal filters

 

[Ferris]

You could go for 1 hefty filter like a Fluval FX5 or 2 smaller ones. I run 3 filters on my Mbuna tank, which means i don't have to worry and I can completely clean out 1 filter every so often without destroying the entire bacterial colony.

 

[fry_lover]

well, well all this turnover talk is interesting

In my 300 litre quite heavily stocked Malawi tank, i have x2 Eheim 2028's, according the Eheim specs a 2028 is 1050 litre/hour

So that gives me 2100 litres per hour in a 300 litre tank, so i make that x7?

And i really do think thats plenty, and my ammonia and nitrite levels (always undetectable) agree with me!

In fact i have x4 tanks and the Malawi at x7 has the highest turnover. I remain open minded though if someone wants to tell me thats not enough.

Surely approaching x20 would be like a washing machine in your tank? LOL, although i havent tried it, so cant be sure!

EDIT: i've also not observed any behaviour indicating lack of o2 in the water

Of course you can take out all your media to ensure maximum flow rate just kidding!!!

Shall watch the thread with interest and like i say stay open minded about "turnover"

 

[Ferris]

IMO 7x tank volume is a little light for a fully stocked adult Mbuna tank - adult being the operative word, filtration is less relevant when the fish are juveniles. That said - the larger the tank (water volume) the more you can get away with 300 litres is a decent size.

People will always do what they want at the end of the day but the general opinion offered by most sources is that 10 x tank volume is a minimum level to aim at for an overstocked Mbuna tank. I for one am not going to argue with the likes of Ad Konings when it comes to keeping Mbuna.

Surely approaching x20 would be like a washing machine in your tank? LOL, although i havent tried it, so cant be sure!

Filtration has little bearing on the current produced in the tank as many filters have adjustable flow and 2 or even 3 filters can be setup as desired in terms of water flow.

 

[fry_lover]

yep, a lot of my malawi are Juvenile

I would work towards x10 i reckon if they were adult having done some surfing on net over last 20 mins.

 

[jakeroberts]

i have decided to on a external filter then but i won't be getting it for a couiple of months as i have to save up the money

 

[Ferris]

I've always run my Mbuna tanks at between 12-15 x but I would be perfectly happy at 10 x.

 

[jakeroberts]

thanks everyone for all the help

 

[chr15_8]

my 185 litre tank turns over at least 15x the water now.

i have 2 external filters which claim to filter a 350 litre tanks together.

i also have a ugj systems with 6 jets (each jet blows out about 400 litres per hour) the only filtration part on this is a pre filter sponge.


my cichlids seem love it, they look healty. they are still Juveniles but when they get bigger i can turn the pump up more. at max the tank can move the water about 4600 litres per hour which is just under 20x the tank size. (thats if the was no media in the filter trays.

chris

 

[jakeroberts]

hi well i have been looking at ug j and i am wondering if i should build one for my tank as i already have the power head from somthing else

 

[jgray152]

my personal rule is 2-3 cycles per hour but around 5 is good for me. I have a 55 and if I put mny fx5 and full blast, around 550gph, the fish get pushed around. So 110gph - 165 gph with a good amount of bio media surface area. I have my fx5 cut down to now less than half and is doing a great job.

 

[chr15_8]

hi well i have been looking at ug j and i am wondering if i should build one for my tank as i already have the power head from somthing else

are you talking about pvc pipe under the gravel with x amount of jets or are you talking about the big plates that cover the bottam with a uplift in the corner?


this is what im one about
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ug_jets.php

chris