Stocking question

[Anna94]

I currently have a Fluval C3 but am wondering if it's enough filtration for my 29g tall. Right now I have 17 fish (lemon tetras, cardinal tetras, Celebes rainbows, a horseface loach, and an oto), but I plan on adding 5 green fire tetras if my lfs gets any in, 4 more otos, and maybe 1 more Celebes rainbow. I have the foam/poly pad, Purigen and Matrix in the filter. I feed once every other day and I do weekly water changes and gravel vac during each water change. Is the Fluval C3 sufficient enough?

 

[april_fish]

I currently have a Fluval C3 but am wondering if it's enough filtration for my 29g tall. Right now I have 17 fish (lemon tetras, cardinal tetras, Celebes rainbows, a horseface loach, and an oto), but I plan on adding 5 green fire tetras if my lfs gets any in, 4 more otos, and maybe 1 more Celebes rainbow. I have the foam/poly pad, Purigen and Matrix in the filter. I feed once every other day and I do weekly water changes and gravel vac during each water change. Is the Fluval C3 sufficient enough?

Hi!

Well, you generally need a filter that is 10 times the tank size for the gph. The Fluval C3 filters 153 gallons per hour, and you would need 230-290, so it's not exactly going to be sufficient, but you might be able to get away with it if you keep up with your water changes. Ps: I'm not an expert, but I just wanted to give my input.

 

[Anna94]

I also have a sponge filter.

 

[april_fish]

I also have a sponge filter.

I've never used sponge filters before, but it looks like your filtration should be fine!

 

[FroFro]

You said you have 17 fish and plan to add 9-10 more? 27 fish seems like a bit too much for that tank. Along with your uncertain filtration issues, the extra bio-load from all those fish can potentially cause havoc in your water parameters. Plus a cramped environment like that with too many fish is not healthy and will cause undue stress.

 

[Essjay]

There are also fish unsuitable for the tank. The horseface loach needs a tank at least 48 inches long. The celebes rainbows need a tank 30 inches long, and a 29 gallon tall tank is unlikely to be this long.
I would rehome these fish.

 

[hobby5]

10x huh? I was always told 2 times is enough? A little more ok, but 10x?

 

[AbbeysDad]

I've been in the hobby for about 50 years. For much of that time a myth has perpetuated that you need 4x to 10x gph filter flow relative to the tank size. This is simply not logical! Good filtration is about how well we filter the water, not how many gallons we blast through a filter. When you think about it, if you were to filter every drop really well a couple of times an hour, you should be more than good. Now having said that, you also want good circulation, especially in a planted tank, but it too does not need to be a raging torrent....just a good circulation.

As to Seachem Matrix, DeNitrate and/or other types of specialized bio-media I feel they are marketing genius, but sponge material works every bit as good or better as a biological platform. Besides, in an established tank there is more biology in the substrate and hard surfaces than in any filter (which is why you can clean a filter and not upset the cycle!)

As to the bio-load, it seems you may already be at (or exceeding) the realistic capacity of your 29g tank (even if it was heavily planted) so I would not advise getting more fish regardless of your filter.

tips:
1) Gravel can trap detritus and uneaten food and become a nitrate factory if not routinely vacuumed. Switching to sand makes for a much healthier environment.
2) Living plants are great water filters and make for a more natural, healthier environment for fish.

 

[StevenF]

I would agree with Abbeydad on both points. You filter is probably fine for your tank. As to stocking the old rule is 1 inch of fish per gallon. That means about 15 inches of fish. The tank cannot accomodate the loach and Celebes are probably pushing it. YOur lemon, cardnal, and otto are each when fully grown will be clsoe to 2 inches long. And each does best in a in school of 6 or more. So 6 lemon, cardnal, and ottos might be a good mix. But this is just an old rule which my not be appropriate for all tanks.

 

[Byron]

I agree with what has been said in posts 8 and 9 about filtration, and these and other posts about stocking. I believe I pointed out some issues in another thread a couple weeks back...

It would help to know how many cardinals and lemons you now have; these are shoaling fish and need a group of at least six but a few more is even better for the fish. However, we are dealing with limited space. And the other issues mentioned already by essjay. Lemon tetra are rather active (I have a group of 22 in one of my 29g tanks, and there wouldn't be that many if they did not spawn so often, and 14 of the 22 are fry that survived predation and grew. But they are very active fish, and my point is they are not so suitable with sedate fish like cardinals. You could easily have 20 cardinals in a 29g with no issues.

As you mention fire tetras--depending what species these are they might be real trouble even without the other issues. Aphyocharax rathbuni are often fin nippers, sometimes badly so. Not good community fish in smallish tanks which only aggravates the problem.

Back to the filter issue. In both my 29g tanks I have a dual sponge filter, nothing else. You do not need raging currents, and these fish do not appreciate them at all. Cardinals for example occur in very still water.

Byron.

 

[NickAu]

10x huh? I was always told 2 times is enough? A little more ok, but 10x?

Indeed some fish require fast moving well oxyganated water. Eg, Hillstream Loaches and fresh water blue neon gobies.

 

[hobby5]

I agree with what has been said about filtering.

Indeed some fish require fast moving well oxyganated water. Eg, Hillstream Loaches and fresh water blue neon gobies.

For this circulation pumps have been invented

 

[Anna94]

Can red pencil fish a.k.a Nannostomus mortenthalers br with other community fish such as: cardinal tetras, lemon tetras, Celebes rainbows, and otos?

 

[Anna94]

I have a 29g with a 40 gallon sponge filter and a Fluval C4 hob filter. I do weekly 40-50% water changes and gravel vac each time. Right now I have 7 cardinal tetras, 6 lemon tetras, 2 Celebes rainbows, a horseface loach which I plan on either rehoming or donating to my lfs, and an oto, but I plan on adding at least 4 more. Besides adding more otos and getting rid of my loach, I wanted to add 5 green fire tetras. At that point would I be overstocked? If so, what do you all suggest?

 

[Byron]

More than once I have read a new thread/post of yours and the question sounded familiar; looking back, you have asked this previously, and some members including myself replied. Those threads seem to just peter out, then you ask the question again. It really would be better to stay with one thread for these topics; not everyone appreciates repeating things.

Here is the former thread:
http://www.fishforums.net/threads/filter-sufficient-enough.445392/

Byron.