Filter Question

[Solarris]

I am planning on ordering a second filter today to put on my 55 gallon mainly for the purpose of making sure I have a filter ready to go if I ever need a quarantine tank. Right now I am running an Emperor 400 and the new one is going to be a Hagen Aquaclear, mainly because of all the good things I have heard about them on this site. My quarantine tank will probably end up being 10 gallons so I was originally planning on the HA 20 (100 gph) but I also thought maybe I should get the HA 30 (150 gph) so I would have a filter ready for when I start a smaller aquarium for the kids, even though that may be a while down the road. Would the 150 gph model be too much water flow for a 10 gallon tank?

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Most filters have adjustments so you can turn the water flow down, read the specs to find what the maximum and minimum flow is. Since it's a backup filter, just put it on the minimum setting.

 

[BigJim]

The Aquaclears have adjustable flow. I think you can reduce the flow down to two-thirds of the peak. Not sure, but I think that's what I remember reading.

You'd probably be ok with either filter on a 10g. I have an AQ20 on a 20L and it is very adequate. I have the filter at one end of the tank and I still get decent flow at the other end.

 

[bs6749]

For a QT tank I would go with a sponge filter when needed and not a hang-on style filter.

 

[dkpate]

My Bio-Wheels have an extra slot in them, and I would just get some polyfiber or sponge stuff to go in there to collect bacteria.
I have an AquaClear in my betta tank just because you CAN adjust the flow. You can adjust it to just about nothing. I like it, although it tends to get a little noisy.

 

[Solarris]

Thanks for all the advice! I decided to wait a day or two before ordering to do a little more research once I saw the suggestion of the sponge filter. Being new to this hobby I wasn't familiar with sponge filters at all. After researching this I am beginning to think it might be nice, and a lot less expensive, to go with the sponge filter. Not only for the cost factor but it looks like it would add a good amount of biological filtration to my main tank.