Tank Setups • Fluval 306 OK for 36 gal with 9 or 10 Africans?

[EvvyThomas]

Going to upgrade my HOB filter to a canister for noise reasons. Either Fluval 306 or 406. I'd like to overstock my 36 gal bowfront a bit to 10 (maybe 12) fish total to include a couple cats, and plenty of Cichlid-friendly live plants. The fluval will be my first canister filter, and I've already done the 'chevy vs ford' research so I'm not looking for any opinions over that debate. Just want to know if the 306 is enough to handle the load of what I want to do or should I hold off until I can get the 406? OR, will the 406 be TOO much flow for a 36 gal tank? If the 306 will suffice, I will get it now and later on get two 406's when I get the 72 gallon I have been eyeballing..

So basically what I'm asking is this. Will double the filtration (306 in a 36 gal,) along with religious weekly 25% water changes be enough to keep up with the load of the stock I intend to keep?

Thanks in advance for your replies.
Evvy

[13razorbackfan]

Going to upgrade my HOB filter to a canister for noise reasons. Either Fluval 306 or 406. I'd like to overstock my 36 gal bowfront a bit to 10 (maybe 12) fish total to include a couple cats, and plenty of Cichlid-friendly live plants. The fluval will be my first canister filter, and I've already done the 'chevy vs ford' research so I'm not looking for any opinions over that debate. Just want to know if the 306 is enough to handle the load of what I want to do or should I hold off until I can get the 406? OR, will the 406 be TOO much flow for a 36 gal tank? If the 306 will suffice, I will get it now and later on get two 406's when I get the 72 gallon I have been eyeballing..

So basically what I'm asking is this. Will double the filtration (306 in a 36 gal,) along with religious weekly 25% water changes be enough to keep up with the load of the stock I intend to keep?

Thanks in advance for your replies.
Evvy

I would get the 406 with a heavily stocked tank of that size. The flow is somewhere around 340gph without media. With media installed it will be around 170gph or thereabouts. So too much flow will not be an issue. Go with the 406 and another when you upgrade to a 72g.

[EvvyThomas]

Argh.. not the answer I wanted but you are probably right. As a side note, I will be keeping the 36 running even when I get the 72. So are you saying the single 306 will not do the job on my current setup and that I should plan on owning three 406's in the long run?

[13razorbackfan]

Argh.. not the answer I wanted but you are probably right. As a side note, I will be keeping the 36 running even when I get the 72. So are you saying the single 306 will not do the job on my current setup and that I should plan on owning three 406's in the long run?

The 306 would do ok on you current set up but it wouldn't hurt to get the 406. If you are looking at doing dual 406's on your 72 then I would get one now and buy two more later and you will basically have 3 of the same filter which never hurts.

[bbortko]

I had a 405 on mine and its definitely not too much flow. When I bought the 405 there was around a $20 difference between the 305 and the 405, if the 06 series are similarly priced you might as well go bigger. $20 isn't much when you consider its a piece of equipment that you will use for years to come and not something you'll throw out in a few months.

[EvvyThomas]

Yes, it's only about a $30 difference on Amazon.. Same with the 305 vs the 405. The 305 is $90 and the 405 is $120. Anyone had a chance to compare the 05 series to the 06? I can get the 405 for the same price as the 306. I've read that it has a new impeller design that is supposed to be quieter and more efficient. And that the seal has been beefed up some. But gawd I HATE those white intake and flow nozzle peices!! Why would they do that? -shakes head- But if the quality difference is big, then I'd maybe get the 406 and spend the extra on the replacement tubes for the 405... Anyone know if the 06 is worth the upgrade from the 05?

Oh and btw.. Just went out and got a used 15 gal for a quarantine tank. Found the Aquaclear 30 HOB filter on sale for $25 at my local Petco. I'm pretty impressed with the design and flow through system on this filter. Having seperate media sections in a HOB filter was something I didn't know existed. And it's sooo much quieter than the Aqueon HOB that's on my main tank. So far I'm liking Hagen!

[DJRansome]

What are the dimensions of the 36G? What kind of Africans are you thinking of keeping in it? Sounds like a lot of fish for the tank, but maybe you are keeping something I am not familiar with.

[EvvyThomas]

Not sure what kinds of Cichlids I will be going with in the long run. I have more research to do. I currently have a m/f pair of Aulonocara German Reds, a Zebra Obliquiden, a Cobalt Blue and a Yellow Lab hybrid. I like the idea of having only 2 or 3 types per tank and maybe getting into breeding. And like I said a couple of posts ago I am already pricing out 72 gal setups. So when the fish outgrow the 36 gal I can move them over to the 72. My online research has lead me to believe that overstocking is pretty common with Cichlids to help spread out the agression. The key being overfiltration and religious water changes, which is why I started this thread regarding the size of filter I need for my plans with this 36 gal tall bowfront. Is this not true? Do you think that having 10 small to med sized Cichlids in my 36 is too much? They will not reach full size before they are moved over to the 72 gal.

[Deeda]

The video looks like the tank is a bowfront. What are the dimensions?

Instead of purchasing additional non-white intake/output pipes, you could always use Krylon Fusion spray paint in your choice of color to paint them. Much cheaper and I've used it in my tanks with no problems. Just be sure to cure the painted parts for 7 days before using.

[EvvyThomas]

Oh yeah.. From Aqueon's webpage: 30.3" x 15.5" x 20.9"

I can paint them, huh? That's cool then. But I still wonder if the difference between the two versions is worth the cost.

[DJRansome]

Do you think that having 10 small to med sized Cichlids in my 36 is too much? They will not reach full size before they are moved over to the 72 gal.

Yes, if we are talking about obliq, cobalt and peacocks in a 30" tank then I think the fish are too big. You could do six yellow labs in a 30" tank, but only because they are so peaceful. That would be the proper level of overstocking.

If they are like one inch now and you are buying the 72G in less than 6 months, that might work. I would not mix the cobalt with peacocks though.

[EvvyThomas]

Yes, if we are talking about obliq, cobalt and peacocks in a 30" tank then I think the fish are too big. You could do six yellow labs in a 30" tank, but only because they are so peaceful. That would be the proper level of overstocking.

If they are like one inch now and you are buying the 72G in less than 6 months, that might work. I would not mix the cobalt with peacocks though.

I'll have the 72 within two months, if not sooner. But explain to me how 10 is too much for my 36 if I am keeping up on the water parameters. Is it because of agression? More thorough explainations of your replies would help me learn.

[13razorbackfan]

Yes, if we are talking about obliq, cobalt and peacocks in a 30" tank then I think the fish are too big. You could do six yellow labs in a 30" tank, but only because they are so peaceful. That would be the proper level of overstocking.

If they are like one inch now and you are buying the 72G in less than 6 months, that might work. I would not mix the cobalt with peacocks though.

I'll have the 72 within two months, if not sooner. But explain to me how 10 is too much for my 36 if I am keeping up on the water parameters. Is it because of agression? More thorough explainations of your replies would help me learn.

Yes....as for now with them all being small juveniles they will be PROBABLY be ok. Sometimes even juveniles can be VERY aggressive. As they start to mature.....that is where you are going to run into problems.

Also....I would not mix the zebras with peacocks. The zebras will likely stress, nip, attack, etc....the peacocks.

[EvvyThomas]

yup, I have noticed that.. the zebra is all over the German Red male and his tail fin has come up missing a chunk as of late... so I have to factor in types when it comes to agression as well. where can I read up on what Cichlids are best kept apart and why? or should that be my google search? Thanks again guys for all the helpful info. I'm sucking up this knowledge like a sponge. Love this forum!

[EvvyThomas]

..and do I have this right? The reds are peacock, the cobalt and yellow are mbuna? and the zebra is victorian? these are the categories for Africans?