15g + overfiltering

[littlefishie]

So when I picked up my 15g from Eric today, he told he he couldn't find the AquaClear Mini. Then he gave me an AquaClear 200 instead. Since it's rated for roughly 40 gallons, and my tank is a 15 gallon, I know this qualifies as overfiltering.

According to several aquarium calculators, my surface area accounts for 24" of fish. By adding overfiltering and extra oxygen [air pump ], does this mean I have room for more inches of fish?

 

[yvez9]

with overfiltration, you can handle a bigger bio-load. the stocking depends on how the tank looks and how fish seem to reaxt. If you have filtration for a 40 gallon, don' think 40 inches of fish will be happy in your 15 gallon. Don't neglect the current this filter will provide in a smaller aquarium.

Add a few fish at first and if you feel you have room for more, add more.

Ultimately, shoaling fish would be preferable since they hang out in a group, so small tetras or barbs would work out nicely.

 

[BobK]

At the very least your water should be very clear! I put a Penguin 125 in my 10 gallon tank and the water is perfect. The only thing is the current. My platies like it but I don't think the plants do although they've been growing nicely.

 

[BigSteve]

I have exactly what you do... 15 gallon with AquaClear 200 filter. This setup works great. Excellent filtration, and current is not really excessive. As far as inches of fish, I wouldn't put in more than 24-28 inches of fish, and that's just if they're smaller fish like my tetras. This rule wouldn't apply to bigger fish that might get to 3 or more inches long.

 

[littlefishie]

The current's not really that bad.. I have it on the medium setting, and so far just my guppies are in there. When I get my birthday money on Sunday, I'm picking up some more fish. I'm not getting anything huge -- the largest I've considered is corydoras or honey gouramis. I want lots of little bright and shiny fish. After all, it is a dorm tank, I need something shiny to watch!
I figured the 24" was more than enough, but I just wanted to be on the safe side to make sure. I will never go over 28", and I'd only risk doing that when I'm at home and don't have to worry about my don yelling at me for a 15 gallon tank when the limit is either 5 or 10!

[I only get away with having my 15 gallon as it is because he likes watching the fish occasionally. But if he finds out that I'm squeezing more fish into it as I promised to be really careful, I'll get in trouble.]

 

[AlexsDaddy]

I thought up a really good way to reduce current and surface movement from an over-the-back type filter. With this though you'll probably want to use an air stone, if you don't already, for airation as this probably cuts back on it alot. There is vertually no surface movement. (It's really good fore bettas by the way) Here's the thread that I put up about it with a couple of pics.

 

[littlefishie]

The current's actually really gentle even on the full setting. I assume so, since my baby guppies have very few problems with it.
I shall check out that thread, though.

 

[fufanu360]

there is no such thing as over-filtration!

 

[littlefishie]

I know you can never really overfilter, but wouldn't it handle a bigger bioload because it's actually rated for 50g [checked with the company on that one] and my tank is only 15g?

 

[fufanu360]

sure it would... but bio load is one thing, then theres also the swimming room of the fish... as long as there is lots of room!

 

[yvez9]

exactly, make sure your fish are comfortable and everything should be ok.

If you get bottom dwellers and top dwellers, you could have more.

Like corydoras and tetras for example. You'd be ablt to have maybe 12 fish in total or so

 

[littlefishie]

So far the plan is either otocinclus or cories, with neons and rasboras. I'm not getting any fish until Thursday, so I've got more time to work it out. ..My surface area accounts for 24" of fish according to the pinned aquarium calculators in this forum.

 

[Yenko]

there is no such thing as over-filtration!

Ok, so my betta won't mind me hooking up my dad's fluval 204 to his 5 gallon?