# Filtration for 200g



## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

I will be setting up a 200g soon, and I was wondering if I have enough filtration for this tank.

Tank is 84x24x24

I have 3 Rena xP3â€™s, and 3 power heads for water movement. I also have a Fluval 403, but I wasnâ€™t planning on using it.

I think the xP3s are rated at 340 GPH. That would be over 1000GPH. (5x tank size)

Does that sound about right, or should I be thinking of going a different route.

?


----------



## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

I have over 17 times (rated) turnover on my 125 gal tank... I believe you will be very dissappointed with water quality if you only use 5 times (rated) turnover.


----------



## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

Toby_H said:


> I have over 17 times (rated) turnover on my 125 gal tank...


And how did you achieve that?


----------



## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

2 x AC110 (500 gph)
2 x Magnum HOT (250 gph)
2 x Magnum 350 (350 gph)

It is true that on big tanks the simple â€œturn your tanks volume over ten times per hourâ€


----------



## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

I am currently using 2 xP3s in my 90g, and the water movement, clarity, and filtration is excellent.

Maybe I should use the fluval in this tankâ€¦

Anyone know the GPH rating on the fluval 403.

.


----------



## kewlkatdady (May 15, 2007)

i'm not saying toby is wrong...
but i will say its exagerated...IMHO

If you do not over crowd the tank...

5x turn over will be fine...

I'd use 2 of them as bio filters and 1 as mechanical filter...
I'd add a ac 110 and use it for mechanical also.


----------



## Hoosier Tank (May 8, 2007)

I went for 5x turnover in my 180g... I have a head corrected 1000gph pump in my wet / dry sump, so of course it's not an apples to apples comparison with your canisters.


----------



## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

Hoosier Tank said:


> I have a head corrected 1000gph pump in my wet / dry sump, so of course it's not an apples to apples comparison with your canisters.


I am not too familiar with sump's...

How do they compare with a canister, are they better?

Does the tank need holes drilled?

Are they quiet?

Do they work both as a mechanical, and biological?

The one thing I donâ€™t want is 6 pumps & all the hoses & cords hanging all over my tank...

:-?


----------



## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

I'll confess my 125 gal has hoses & filters hanging off of it... the intakes/returns are fairly well 'hidden' in the dark background and thick rock work and are all tucked away behind/beneath the tank, but they are there and can be seen... But thatâ€™s the â€˜sacrificeâ€™ I make to have an immaculately clean display tank.

A "sump" can mean a lot of things... they can be designed to be quiet, but usually have some noise and sometimes are loud... They are usually 'better' than canisters... The tank does not have to be drilled, but using a drilled tank does create a few additional options... the return boxes used on non-drilled tanks do limit flow rates (or are expensive)... They can work as mechanical and biological...

A "sump" is simply an open body of water that is gravity fed and pumps water up to the tank... they can be huge or tiny, complex or very basic, extremely expensive manufactured housing or a $2 plastic tub, turning the tank over .5 times her hour or 45 times per hour (exaggerated, but possible), could be dead silent (very difficult) or louder than an HOB with a sucking noise to boost...


----------



## trigger (Sep 6, 2002)

If your critical water values stay below the limits, you'll have enough turnover... If you need 17 times, your filtration could use some improvement. I keep the values low to 0 with only 2 times turnover. It's a cichlid tank, not a wild river for rafting.


----------



## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

values of zero do not remove waste particles from the bottom of the tank... some of us choose to use filtration to do this...

It's silly to think I just put a bunch of filters on the tank with no logic behind it... sheeesh...


----------



## trigger (Sep 6, 2002)

Toby_H said:


> values of zero do not remove waste particles from the bottom of the tank... some of us choose to use filtration to do this...


I never said that... Waste can be removed otherwise. I just think it's silly to state you need 17 times turnover otherwise you'll be disappointed...


Toby_H said:


> It's silly to think I just put a bunch of filters on the tank with no logic behind it... sheeesh...


Well, that's my point also.


----------



## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Triggerâ€¦ You continually twist my words to try to make your pointâ€¦

Example -



Toby_H said:


> I have over 17 times (rated) turnover on my 125 gal tank... I believe you will be very dissappointed with water quality if you only use 5 times (rated) turnover.





trigger said:


> I just think it's silly to state you need 17 times turnover otherwise you'll be disappointed...


You should really slow yourself down and read more thoroughlyâ€¦

You should also ask questions before you are so quick to criticize. My 125 gal is densely decorated which reduces currents in the tank. The AC110s are the primary source of current and mechanical filtrationâ€¦ Iâ€™ve found that using 2 Mag 350s with micron cartridges makes the cartridges last 4+ times longer which saves me moneyâ€¦ I still had a few dead spots in the back of the tank so I added two Mag HOT filters. Sure I could have used powerheads but based on the location they would go in it was easier to clean the Mag HOTsâ€¦

Ask a question and youâ€™ll learn a lotâ€¦ make a judgement based on assumptions and youâ€™ll display your ignoranceâ€¦


----------



## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

Toby_H said:


> I still had a few dead spots in the back of the tank so I added two Mag HOT filters.


I use custom made, 3 jet returns for my xP3â€™sâ€¦ There are no dead spots in my tank.

I think 3 or 4 power heads placed in the right locations will keep the waste off the bottom of the tank.



trigger said:


> If your critical water values stay below the limits, you'll have enough turnover... If you need 17 times, your filtration could use some improvement. I keep the values low to 0 with only 2 times turnover. It's a cichlid tank, not a wild river for rafting.


Exactlyâ€¦
Iâ€™m not trying to blow the fish out of the waterâ€¦ I just want to make sure I have plenty of filtration

.


----------



## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Turning the tanks volume over 10 times per hour has been an old school suggestion for Cichlids that has survived the test of timeâ€¦ I didnâ€™t make that upâ€¦ itâ€™s been around the fish hobby since at least the early 80s when I startedâ€¦ My 17 times rated gives me approx 10 times actualâ€¦



CICHLUDED said:


> trigger said:
> 
> 
> > If your critical water values stay below the limits, you'll have enough turnover... If you need 17 times, your filtration could use some improvement. I keep the values low to 0 with only 2 times turnover. It's a cichlid tank, not a wild river for rafting.
> ...


10 times actual turn over rates will not blow your fish out of the waterâ€¦ nor will it create a â€œwild flowing riverâ€


----------



## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

Toby_H said:


> I have no problems with people choosing not to take my advice, itâ€™s your tank do with it as you please. But when I see people being mislead with misinformation I feel compelled to address itâ€¦
> Best of luckâ€¦


I am not choosing not to take your advise (all help is appreciated) I am just trying to work with what I have before I go out and spend $600 on filters that I may not needâ€¦

I have heard of the â€œ10 times per hourâ€


----------



## mithesaint (Oct 31, 2006)

I think the 3 xp3's is a good start, and *may* be enough, depending on what biotope and stocking you choose. A tank full of tetras won't be a problem. 10 Oscars and you'll need a bit more. I'm being silly, but I never saw what you were planning on stocking or how you were decorating. That will help with recommendations a bit.

Any reason you can't put the 403 on there as well? You've already got it, might as well use it. It certainly won't hurt anything. On the other hand, you can always start with the xp3's and add more later. Your waste levels will gradually increase as the fish grow anyway, so you can always add more filtration later.

my $0.02


----------



## Heyguy74 (Aug 11, 2005)

For a tank that size I would suggeset a wet/dry filter(sump). This will give you the most biological filteration, for the least amount of money. As long as you are handy and can build one yourself. A wet/dry should be cheaper than buying multiple cannisters. I use my wet/dry's for biological filteration and a HOB filters for mechanical filteration.


----------



## CICHLUDED (Aug 4, 2006)

mithesaint said:


> I never saw what you were planning on stocking or how you were decorating.
> 
> Any reason you can't put the 403 on there as well? You've already got it, might as well use it.


I currently have about 30 adult Mbuna, and I plan on adding 4 to 6 med sized Haps (depending on what will work with the mbuna)

The 403 came with the tank, and Iâ€™m not sure if it even works. (I was told it works) I guess I will try it.



Heyguy74 said:


> For a tank that size I would suggeset a wet/dry filter(sump). This will give you the most biological filteration, for the least amount of money. As long as you are handy and can build one yourself. A wet/dry should be cheaper than buying multiple cannisters. I use my wet/dry's for biological filteration and a HOB filters for mechanical filteration.


That will be a future projectâ€¦ I will need to do some research on sumpsâ€¦ Thanks.


----------



## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

CICHLUDED said:


> Toby_H said:
> 
> 
> > I have no problems with people choosing not to take my advice, itâ€™s your tank do with it as you please. But when I see people being mislead with misinformation I feel compelled to address itâ€¦
> > Best of luckâ€¦


I am not choosing not to take your advise (all help is appreciated) I am just trying to work with what I have before I go out and spend $600 on filters that I may not needâ€¦

I have heard of the â€œ10 times per hourâ€


----------

