# How many GPH for 120 gallon tank?



## surferguy001 (Feb 6, 2010)

*** been into aquariums for a while and i know, GPH should be 5-10x the gallons in the tank; however, i just got a 120 gallon tank that came with two Fluval canister filters. the combined total GPH is 335. The manual says this will work fine for a 140 gallon tank. I have only had power filters thus far and was wondering if the 335GPH would be fine. Thank you in advance!


----------



## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

Most people will recommend that you have your tank turn over 6x if its run with canister filters and 10X for HOB filters. IMO if your water parameters are good (it should be with 2 big fluval canisters) and you are not overstock (overstocking need more surface water movement to get more oxygen) then you should be okay. So check your water parameters, if the filters is pack loosely with media then go grab a few biomax filter media and fill it up. That should do the trick!


----------



## miracleboy (Feb 28, 2010)

i have a 150g tank with 2 fluval 405 and they do just fine what size are your fluvals?


----------



## surferguy001 (Feb 6, 2010)

they are: 
1 - 204
1 - 403


----------



## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

I think those are some smaller filters aren't they? Not sure though, don't know much about Fluval.

I have a 120g and I have an XP4 (265g rated) and an Eheim 2028 (160g rated).

The XP4 is putting out 450GPH and the 2028 is putting out around 300-350GPH (think that's actually a little underrated). So in total I have about 800GPH, which would turn my tank over about 8x per hour.


----------



## bosco0633 (Dec 31, 2009)

I Have a 150 currently running 2000 gph. I would think in my opinion, I would add a big canister and toss one of the smaller canisters or maybe add a AC 110 HOB filter along with those 2 filters to up your numbers a bit. the AC 110 will give you 500 gph of added filtration.


----------



## bosco0633 (Dec 31, 2009)

I Have a 150 currently running 2000 gph. I would think in my opinion, I would add a big canister and toss one of the smaller canisters or maybe add a AC 110 HOB filter along with those 2 filters to up your numbers a bit. the AC 110 will give you 500 gph of added filtration.


----------



## fox (Jun 11, 2009)

srook23 said:


> The XP4 is putting out 450GPH and the 2028 is putting out around 300-350GPH (think that's actually a little underrated).


I am not sure the Eheim 2028 as delivered from the manufacturer is rated more than ~ 250 gph. I have read in some sales listings as it being 270gph.

I recently took a five year old 2028 after replacing the old media with new, (big waste of money coulda prolly got another 5 years outta that stuff), and did a flow test while timing measured amounts and with clean media installed got 250 gph. I would have to go back and check my posts but it was pretty close to as advertised.

300 - 350 gph is being very very generous.


----------



## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

Ah, it might be. I never actually saw flow rates for it, but I know what the XPs are rated at and I find the 2028 has more flow than my XP3 and probably the XP4 as well.


----------



## surferguy001 (Feb 6, 2010)

thank you everyone, i totally agree. i really want at least 700GPH, but just wasn't sure if the same rules applied for canister filters. thanks!


----------



## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

No, same rules don't apply. As stated above 6x should be good for a canister. Good luck.


----------



## LSBoost (Jan 21, 2010)

DON'T TOSS the Fluval 403! or any of the canister filters. If they are working good then there's no need to toss them. You can just add more canister filter if you feel the need for it. I have a FLuval 403 (picture under my signature), it works great. The only thing I did for mine was add in 3 boxes of biomax and it got the water in my 100gallon tank super clear. You may not have to add any media if your is still good. The water parameter is perfect on my 100gallon. I also have a emperor 400 and another HOB filter. Eventually I will replace the HOB with canister filters. I'm a fan of canister filters and not HOB filter because of the noise and lack of media room.


----------

