Romeo Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 Gidday, I've just spotted a canister filter on TradeMe, and I thought it might be good for my Koura tank (1 small crayfish in exactly 50 litres of water, 800*30*30). The problem is that it's 600lph, my current filter's 180lph. My current filter seems to get clogged up and slow down after a few weeks. Would this be totally overkill? //EDIT: It's also 15w, which seems a little high - would this power usage be noticable on a monthly basis? Cheers, Romeo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 No and no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindy500 Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 its overkill when the livestock are squashed against the side because of the currents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 its overkill when the livestock are squashed against the side because of the currents No that just means your fish are weak and need to harden up. But seriously you can't over filter, it's just the output water blast from your filter you need to worry about. Have a think about the water flow through even a slow flowing local stream, it's tons more than any filter is going to produce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted September 21, 2008 Report Share Posted September 21, 2008 suphew wrote: But seriously you can't over filter, it's just the output water blast from your filter you need to worry about But how can you control the "the output water blast"? Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whetu Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 suphew wrote: But how can you control the "the output water blast"? Caper Just think about where the output is pointing, and where the current will be strongest. You can point the output down-ish, and maybe put a pile of rocks there to break up the current. Most torpedo-shaped fish handle a strong current really well, it's more the ones with the very fancy fins that might have trouble with it. Just make sure you have some quiet areas in your tank where your slower fish can go to get out of the current and have a rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 You can also point the spray bar towards the glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoody Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 or put a cork in the outlet??! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant N Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 The further apart(vertically) the filter and tank are (called "head")the less flow you will have. Otherwise as above. Or even split the outlet in two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 If its for your koura tank Romeo, I dont think flow will be to much of a problem. Most of the streams that koura reside in flow much stronger than the filter can create in a small tank. JMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catfish Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 You can also point the spray bar towards the glass. That's what I do, I always keep at least 2 filters on every tank. I like back up for my back up and I like to do the overkill on the filtration. This however does help when I set up new tanks or am preparing a fry tank and need to cycle quickly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 Overkill? Probably. Going to harm your Koura? No way. //EDIT: It's also 15w, which seems a little high - would this power usage be noticable on a monthly basis? It will cost you about 7 cents a day to run, about $2 a month. If your current filter is 7watts, then thats only one dollar a month more. If you fitted a spray bar it would break up the flow and slow it down a bit, and you could get a nice gentle current from one end of the tank to the other. Koura are happy to live in fairly fast slowing streams, so a bit of current wont bother them. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 Koura are happy to live in fairly fast slowing streams, so a bit of current wont bother them. It is odd that. They can be found in very fast flowing streams, but in the aquarium are utterly pathetic at coping with current. Hell, these things can barely cope with *gravity* on a good day :roll: I wonder if it is more of a microhabitat they inhabit that has a much slower flow, or more protection from the flow (stones and things to hide under) that allows them to live in the fast bits. Maybe they don't actually spend a lot of time in the flow? I don't know. I just know they suck at holding on. (and these are much stronger flows than your cray could ever be subjected to by a filter) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 The further apart(vertically) the filter and tank are (called "head")the less flow you will have. Otherwise as above. Or even split the outlet in two. You'll have more friction in the hoses, but you will NOT have more static head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted September 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 Hell, these things can barely cope with *gravity* on a good day :roll: LMAO, so it's not just my cray that's utterly pathetic at climbing on things. It seems the higher it gets, the less stable it is. You should see it climbing on my plants, it's little legs are constantly flailing about trying to regain it's balance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 whetu & Caryl...but you can't control it if they are hang on the back filters right? Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 22, 2008 Report Share Posted September 22, 2008 Hang on the back filters don't come big enough to create a problem unless it was a lrge one on a very small tank. It is the big external filters that have forceful water return through spray bars and tubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougstark Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 Some if not all the filters that hang off the back of the tank have a Knob that can control the intake flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 Some if not all the filters that hang off the back of the tank have a Knob that can control the intake flow One of mine does, but I have it open all the way. Caryl wrote: It is the big external filters that have forceful water return through spray bars and tubes So aiming these towards the side of the tank cuts down on the "blast" to the fishies but still creates enough water movement??? I've never seen an external filter, can't even buy them here. OH wait now, we are supposed to be getting a Pets Unlimited pet store in December, yah! Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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