too much filtration?

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Phoenixphire55

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
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would it be a bad idea in any way to put an Emperor 280 (for up to 50 gallons apparently) on a 20 gallon long?
 
IMHO, no
I think the capacities they state are over rated by quite a bit.
I think this filter should be just fine, especially if you put the pick-up in one end and the outlet in the other to get some cross-flow, the extra flow capacity will help with the long tank.
 
There is a difference between too much filtration and too much flow. I would downgrade. When it comes to a hob, I aim for roughly 10x turnover rate. You are looking at 14. You could try it but I'd aim for more like 200 gph. It also depends on the type of fish taht are in the tank.
 
There is a difference between too much filtration and too much flow...

My thoughs exactly. Because when it comes to aquarium filtration, we're usually concentrating on the nitrogen cycle (as opposed to removing fine particulate mater from the tank).

When it comes to the nitrogen cycle, your filter (indeed the whole tank) is only going to contain just enough bacteria that can survive on the given bioload of your tank.

As an example, think of taking a 55 gallon tank filled with 100 guppies and a filter that is properly handling the bio-load of those guppies. If you remove 99 of the guppies, then about 99% of the bacteria in your filter driving the nitrogen cycle is going to die because the tank is no longer producing enough ammonia to keep the current level of bacteria alive. Basically, most of the bacteria is going to starve to death.

However, on the flip side, when you start adding more guppied back to the tank, the filter will rapidly repopulate the lost bacteria, because once the proper bacteria for the nitrogen cycle has established itself, it can replicate very quickly. While I don't recall the exact numbers, lets say all the bacteria can double itself in 24 hours. Well, if you suddenly drop 99 guppies back in the tank, in 1 day you will have enough bacteria for two guppies (you'll need to do a PWC). In 2 days, there will be enough to support 4. In three days, enough for 8, in 4 days, enough for 16, in 5 days, enough for 32, in six days, enough for 64, and in a week, your tank is back to fully cycled for the 100 guppies.

Now this isn't EXACTLY how it works (after all, I think the numbers are something more like the ammonia -> nitrite bacteria can double in less than 12 hours, while the nitrite -> nitrate bacteria is something more like a day and a half or something.
 
As long as you dont blow your fish into a salmon spawn stream style current.. you will be fine.. i have a fluval 305 and 2 emperor biowheels (rated to 275gallons..) on a 125 gallon tank.. the flow isnt to much for the fish.. my 10 gallon tank i have a filter rated to 30 gallons.. but it doesnt disturb the water to much for the fish to stay in 1 spot.
 
What the filter is rated for and the gph are completly different. My 29 gal tank filter is rated for up to 70 gal, but has a rating of 300 gph which is just over 10x turnover rate. When it comes to my canisters, my 150 has a turnover rate of 4.1 but the filter combination is up to 300 gal tanks. Completly disregard the manufacturers recommended tank size and go with the turnover rate.
 
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