Hello, this is my first time using this site, and had a question about filtration. I currently have a 30 gallon freshwater fish tank that houses a single goldfish. Lately I have been noticing that the tank water is not staying clear, and think it is a problem with my filter (quietflow hang on filter). I want to upgrade to a Cascade 1000 filter rated for up to 100 gallons. I was wondering if this would be too big/overpowered for a 30 gallon tank? Thank You
Filtration Question
- Thread starter Dwp5352
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J.Mcpeak
Aquarium Advice Addict
No. I have a Fluval 205 on a 60 litre tank, that's about 180gph on 15g.
My puffer loves it!
Gph/tank volume gives turnover. 2 or 3 times per hour is normal. You'll be just above normal. I can't see it causing any issues. The fish will probably enjoy it!
My puffer loves it!
Gph/tank volume gives turnover. 2 or 3 times per hour is normal. You'll be just above normal. I can't see it causing any issues. The fish will probably enjoy it!
BBradbury
Aquarium Advice Addict
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Tank Filtration
Hello Dwp...
The mechanical filter that moves water around the tank doesn't do much to keep the tank water clean. It simply takes in dirty water and returns the same water a little less toxic. A lot of tank keepers overpower the tank with high end filtration systems, thinking it will keep the water clean, it won't. All they need to do is remove and replace the water more often. The large, frequent water changes are the real filter.
Your 30 gallon tank only needs a filter with a gallon per hour (gph) rating of 4 times the volume of the tank in gallons. This amount will provide sufficient gas exchange to support the tank. Moving the water's surface to release carbon dioxide and mix oxygen into the water is the main job of the filter.
Change half the water in your 30 G every few days to keep the fish and plant wastes out the tank water and you'll have no tank problems.
B
Hello Dwp...
The mechanical filter that moves water around the tank doesn't do much to keep the tank water clean. It simply takes in dirty water and returns the same water a little less toxic. A lot of tank keepers overpower the tank with high end filtration systems, thinking it will keep the water clean, it won't. All they need to do is remove and replace the water more often. The large, frequent water changes are the real filter.
Your 30 gallon tank only needs a filter with a gallon per hour (gph) rating of 4 times the volume of the tank in gallons. This amount will provide sufficient gas exchange to support the tank. Moving the water's surface to release carbon dioxide and mix oxygen into the water is the main job of the filter.
Change half the water in your 30 G every few days to keep the fish and plant wastes out the tank water and you'll have no tank problems.
B
J.Mcpeak
Aquarium Advice Addict
The surface area of the tank is where gas exchange occurs and has little to do with the filtration method.
Increasing surface agitation will in turn increase gas exchange, this is because the surface area increases with the folds of water, it makes the water surface greater.
(It was explained to me like this) take a 2 foot square piece of foil, keep it flat, that's the amount of gas exchange available with still water, now take a 4 foot square piece and crumple it so it fits within the 2 foot boundary, now you have all that extra gas exchange with an agitated surface. This can be achieved with power heads alone and they have very little actual filtering ability.
The filters have several stages within them, mechanical, biological and sometimes chemical. The end results are usually quite similar.
Nitrate. This is what water changes are for, nitrate reduction.
(Although this is simplified water changes do a great deal more)
The mechanical filter element will remove suspended matter, decaying plants, fish waste (solids) and that type of thing, this is usually sponges followed by a floss, the floss element takes care of the finer particulates.
Next up is the biological stage, these are normally ceramics or sintered glass, this area is where the ammonia and nitrite is converted into nitrate.
The chemical element when used is wide ranging, many things can be employed here to perform a similarly wide variety of tasks from phosphate or nitrate reduction down to tannin removal depending on what media is used.
You should rate your filter to the type of fish you are keeping, a high turnover would not suit slow water fishes (bubble nesters etc)
A slow turnover is not ideal for fast river fish.
Another thing to take into account is the mess the fish makes when eating, messy eaters normally have a more powerful filter system fitted.
The amount of water you need to change will depend entirely on the stock you have and the amount you need to feed that stock.
The amount of mechanical filtration you need will depend on how much mess the fish make. Big sucker mouth cats will easily need double that of regular fish.
Having said all that, there is nothing that replaces a water change.
Hope his helps.
Increasing surface agitation will in turn increase gas exchange, this is because the surface area increases with the folds of water, it makes the water surface greater.
(It was explained to me like this) take a 2 foot square piece of foil, keep it flat, that's the amount of gas exchange available with still water, now take a 4 foot square piece and crumple it so it fits within the 2 foot boundary, now you have all that extra gas exchange with an agitated surface. This can be achieved with power heads alone and they have very little actual filtering ability.
The filters have several stages within them, mechanical, biological and sometimes chemical. The end results are usually quite similar.
Nitrate. This is what water changes are for, nitrate reduction.
(Although this is simplified water changes do a great deal more)
The mechanical filter element will remove suspended matter, decaying plants, fish waste (solids) and that type of thing, this is usually sponges followed by a floss, the floss element takes care of the finer particulates.
Next up is the biological stage, these are normally ceramics or sintered glass, this area is where the ammonia and nitrite is converted into nitrate.
The chemical element when used is wide ranging, many things can be employed here to perform a similarly wide variety of tasks from phosphate or nitrate reduction down to tannin removal depending on what media is used.
You should rate your filter to the type of fish you are keeping, a high turnover would not suit slow water fishes (bubble nesters etc)
A slow turnover is not ideal for fast river fish.
Another thing to take into account is the mess the fish makes when eating, messy eaters normally have a more powerful filter system fitted.
The amount of water you need to change will depend entirely on the stock you have and the amount you need to feed that stock.
The amount of mechanical filtration you need will depend on how much mess the fish make. Big sucker mouth cats will easily need double that of regular fish.
Having said all that, there is nothing that replaces a water change.
Hope his helps.
I am curious what filter you have now. Has the tank been established for a long time? How long has it been running, and how long have you had the GF? Did you replace filter elements etc? Seems strange that the filter capacity would be a problem all the sudden.
I currently have a quiet flow back of tank filter that I believe is rated for 35-40 gallons. The tank has been established for about 2 years. Lately large particles and extra food are not being filter as well as before.
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