Two External Filters - One Intake?

[Miss Wiggle]

provided they are the exact same filter you can run them in sequence.

from tank to in of pump 1, out pump 1 into in of pump 2
out of pump 2, to tank.

I have personally done this until I upgraded the filters and it works a treat

exactly what i was thinking, this way you've only got one input and output and no messing around with splitting. just run one filter into the second one.

 

[andywg]

provided they are the exact same filter you can run them in sequence.

from tank to in of pump 1, out pump 1 into in of pump 2
out of pump 2, to tank.

I have personally done this until I upgraded the filters and it works a treat

exactly what i was thinking, this way you've only got one input and output and no messing around with splitting. just run one filter into the second one.

However, the oxygen content of the water flowing into the second filter will be reduced from that of the tank by any bacteria in the first filter This will limit the ability of any aerboc bacteria to colonise the second filter. It is also unlikely to be deificent enough to allow anaerobic bacteria. The end result is that the second filter is not being allowed to filter as effectively as it should be.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

hmmm maybe, but in that case you'd arrange your media so all the boi balls and things like that were in the first one where the water's oxygenated, then put sponges, filter floss, chemical media etc in the second one as they're primary purpose is not to hold bacteria and as such don't need the highly oxygenated water

 

[raptorrex]

However, the oxygen content of the water flowing into the second filter will be reduced from that of the tank by any bacteria in the first filter This will limit the ability of any aerboc bacteria to colonise the second filter. It is also unlikely to be deificent enough to allow anaerobic bacteria. The end result is that the second filter is not being allowed to filter as effectively as it should be.

ahh i was looking at the physics of moving the water, this did not occur to me. it would effectivly giving you one and a half filters not two! an interesting point

 

[The-Wolf]

when I did this, the first filter was entirely for biological media,
the second was for mechanical filtration, half filled with floss.
it worked very well on my tank for around 6 months until I had the cash to
get a larger filter with just as much power as the two combined.

 

[andywg]

But you want the biological media last. If you have the bio media first it clogs up with mechanical waste before it is pulled out, thus lowering how effective the bio media is.

If you are in a position where you have little option for the short term, such as Wolf, then it should be ok. But ideally you want filters set up in parallel, not series.

 

[jgray152]

However, the oxygen content of the water flowing into the second filter will be reduced from that of the tank by any bacteria in the first filter This will limit the ability of any aerboc bacteria to colonise the second filter. It is also unlikely to be deificent enough to allow anaerobic bacteria. The end result is that the second filter is not being allowed to filter as effectively as it should be.

I highly doubt that the oxygen levels will be reduced to an alarming level with the high output on most filters, although the water velocity flow is drastically reduced when it enters the canister, I suppose if you had a monster like the 2080, then I would believe the oxygen levels would be very low.

ahh i was looking at the physics of moving the water, this did not occur to me. it would effectivly giving you one and a half filters not two! an interesting point

I think you would still get good bacterial growth in the second filter. I think of it this way, to have an oxygen depleted water resivour, you need a flow rate of around 2-14 gph for the benificial bacterial growth to consume all the air. Now on a large canister filter, im sure that rate the water flow would have to be for the oxygen levels to be depleated would be higher, maybe around (throwing a number out there) 50-100gph depending on the surface area and the amount of bacteria thats in the filter. Most filters out there are much higher than that. If you had a 200 GPH filter with LOTS of bio media and had another filter of similar rate, than I may agree about the oxygen levels.

That my honest opinion. Not so much facts just my theorys.

 

[T1KARMANN]

just do it the way i said and it will work

the 2 output pipes say both are 12mm into a T that changes both into 1 16mm pipes = 1 output pipe

like i said the input pipe will be the problem as if the 2 pipes are diffrent lenghts the one will flow faster than the other makeing 1 run dry

the only problem run 2 in paralel/1 after the other is you stand a good chance of blowing the 2nd filter apart if the media gets blocked you was very lucky if you have run it like this before

 

[MELVIN ASHLEY]

when I did this, the first filter was entirely for biological media,
the second was for mechanical filtration, half filled with floss.
it worked very well on my tank for around 6 months until I had the cash to
get a larger filter with just as much power as the two combined.

hi there just gang the 2 filters together ive got 7 ganged up you just take the in let to out let and so on hope this helps