Should I Use Two Canister Filters In One Fish Aquarium?

Canister filters are renowned to be the most efficient fish tank filters on sale today. Yes, they may be expensive but if you can afford to install one, they will save you a whole lot in terms of time spent maintaining them and of course money. But for people who have already installed a canister filter in their aquarium, what now comes to mind is whether they should then install two filters and will this be beneficial to the overall filtration of the fish tank water?

Actually, this is a matter of preference that most fish breeders cannot agree on whether it is a good idea or not to have two canister filters in one tank. That question has been argued about since canister filters were invented. Instead of taking sides, this article will look at the effects of hacing two canister filters in one fish tank and will leave it to you to decide if it is a good move or not.

The obvious reason for most supporters of two filters is backup. That is to say that you will have a spare filter running in case one of them needs repair, thus ensuring that the water in your fish tank remains filtered. This would be a good reason especially if you live far from a good pet store and won't be able to repair the faulty filter quick enough.

The other reason for having an additional filter is how big the tank is. Supporters to multiple filters argue that if the fish tank is too large, filtration done by one canister filter will not sufficiently purify the entire tank because there will be areas around the tank where water will not flow to the filter. Having two canister filters with their inlet positioned at opposite ends of the tank will ensure that there are no blind spots.

The downside of using multiple filters is the rate of water movement. The movement of water in the aquarium affects the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Water that moves at a faster rate will cause the CO2 to be expelled faster therefore reducing its amount in the water. But isn't this supposed to be good? Well, it isn't if you also have fish tank plants in there. Plants use CO2 and give out O2. By doing so, plants actually help maintain a healthy balance of CO2/O2 levels in the water. Having insufficent carbon dioxide levels will stunt the plants growth and cause them to lose their lustre.

Too much filtering will also remove the important nutrients that plants need, along with other waste matter. In actual fact, plants provide a much more efficient biological filtration than beneficial bacteria ever can.

And lastly, and this is especially important for fish that naturally come from a slow moving environment, too much water movements will actually be bad for the health of your fish. Too much movement places unnecessary stress on them as well as actually stunt their ability to breed.

These are the advantages and disadvantages of setting up two canister filters in one fish tank. If you do plan to install an additional filter, just remember to reduce their suction rates to counter balance the disadvantages.

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