I am new to fish keeping and have learned a lot on here...Thanks to everyone that has answered my questions...but I have one more. I have a 29 gallon fish tank with 3 goldfish. I was at the pet store today and was told to buy a bigger filter I am using a topfin for a 30 gallon right now and bought a 40 gallon filter today. My question is, is it ok to use both? will to much filtration hurt the water levels (ph, nitrates)? I understand i don't really need both but if I have them I am thinking I should use them. Thank you
2007-01-02 14:40:32 · 6 answers · asked by starlight 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
I couldn't hurt as long as the current isn't too much. Also I'd ue both for a week untill the new one builds up it's biological filter.
Keep in mind a filter doesn't remove nitrates, or change the pH. Food -> ammonia -> nitrites -> nitrates. It's a biological fact. It doesn't matter if you have a filter. If it's eaten or not. It's nitrate in the end. Filters reduce the amount of ammonia, and nitrate by converting it to nitrates. Which is good as nitrates are over x10 less toxic.
There are only 2 ways to remove nitrates. Replace some of your water. Have 10-30x the mass of healthy growing plants as you have fish, and remove dead plat matter. (Pretty much impossible stick to water changes.) Of course not over feeding mean less food and thus less nitrate. Keep in mind in nature you'll have 1 fish per 100-200 gallons.
2007-01-02 17:13:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Using 2 smaller filters is actually much better than using 1 big one. This way, if one filter quits, you still at least have something until you can get another filter.
Of course, you could do what I did, and just go ahead and get 2 big filters. lol I have a 30 gallon filter and a 40 gallon filter on a 20 gallon tank. I also have a 10 gallon filter on the same tank.
2007-01-02 15:41:36 · answer #2 · answered by fish guy 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
2 filters are fine and will not effect the ph levels. It may effect the nitrate levels simply by providing more bacteria to break down ammonia, but the nitrates are really tied to how much you feed and how many fish are in the tank.
2007-01-03 08:03:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nah, the more filtration, the better. This is especially true with goldfish, since they are much dirtier than most fish.
2007-01-02 15:58:37 · answer #4 · answered by Amanda 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Use both but only one with the charcoal in it just use the straining filter in the other the more circulation the better
2007-01-03 03:35:09 · answer #5 · answered by Larry m 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
no such thing as to much filtration. The current might be a bit bad if you don't position them correctly though.
2007-01-02 16:40:20 · answer #6 · answered by verruca22_22 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋