i'm confused?

Question

i have a 55 gallon. some people say that u need 10xs how many gallons u have, which here equals 550gph. but the renafil star xp3 canister filter has 350gph, but it says its for up to 175 gallon tanks.but people say that this filter works really good and they have like 150 gallon tanks. i don't get it , HELP! what filter should i get? do powerheads accually filter or do they just circulate the water? i was thinking either the renafil star filter xp3 (350gph) or the aquaclear 901 powerhead (935gph) HELP!!! any ideas?

Answer 1

It depends on the fish you're keeping. If you're keeping a pig like an oscar or tons of leafy plants, then you need 10x. If you're keeping tetras & not overfeeding, then you can do with 5x.

Canister filters are generally more efficient at filtration than hang on filters, which also factors in to things. You can get the same job done in 0.X the gallons per hour with a canister that you could get done with a hang on. They suck all the water through a sleve instead of just filling up an overlflow trough & letting the overflow pass through a filter.

On my 55, I keep a magnum 350 canister & a emepror 400 hang on. its probably overkill for most setups, but I'm guilty of overfeeding, not pruning the plants enough & keeping pigs in the tank. I don't know about the filters you mention, but I like the magnums. Its a simple design with few points of failure. You can use DIY media with it also, which makes it easier to service. I never feel guitly changing the media in it once or twice a week, since i can just use pillow stuffing.

Many people get by just fine with a 350 gph canister filter on a 55 gallon tank.

Remember, the product package is for marketing... They're just trying to get you to buy it.

Powerheads are made to just circulate the water and provide a current for fish. They also make saltwater displays dance very nicely. You can add a pre-filter to them like a sponge or an under-gravel filter to add a filtration component. You can also add the same sponge to pre-filter your cainster filter. Most pre-filters for powerheads will absorb larger chunks of dirt & provide some space for beneficial bacteria to grow on. They're pretty unnecessary, but they can lend a hand.

Answer 2

10x is a little high - 5-6x your gallons is more normal and perfectly acceptable for HOB / power filters.
Canister filters tend to be more efficient than power filters because they have a much, much larger capacity for filter media - so less gph is required to acheive the same level of filtration was with a power filter.
The Rena XP3 is terrific, but I think that for your 55 gallon tank, a Rena XP2 would be sufficient. But if you want, definitely go with an XP3 - more filtration is always better. To give you an idea, I have an XP3 on my 85 gallon tank along with an AquaClear 70 power filter for oxygentation (I filled it with filter floss - the Rena has zeolite, carbon, ceramic cylinders and various sponges).

A powerhead only circulates water, it does not filter it. If you get a Rena filter, you can have the output of the water shoot out like from a powerhead for good circulation - however I find that it makes TOO much water movement, so I have mine on a spray bar.

Answer 3

Ok first that filter will be way to much pressure in your tank and prolly suck up your fish, you have a 55 gallon tank all you need is a whisper filter 30 to 65 gallons is good. But again it really depends on what type of tank you want,if its salt water reef tank then you need the powerheads, fresh water fish dont need power heads or nothing like that. If its your typical fresh water tank just buy a simple whisper filter the type you hang on the back of the tank with a tube in the water. If you want a salt water tank get a canister filter and the power heads maybe throw in a sump. Check out www.Dr.FosterSmith.com all there products have the exact filter size for your tank whether its undergravel, canister, wet/dry, or regular filters.