Stocking a 150 Gallon

[Vallisneria]

The Rena XP3 is good for up to 175 Gallons

The Rena XP4 is good for up to 260 Gallons

Filter "good for up to" ratings are a bunch of crap.

For filtration, you want 5-10x your tank volume an hour. With african tanks you will want closer to 10x.

[Boom]

Degrassi is exactly right, those "rated for up to" numbers on filters are absolutely useless information IMO and need to be taken with a LARGE grain of salt.

They are measured with NO filter media in place, NO head height accounted for and NO bends or other resistance (gunk build up etc) in the lines.

The ## gph on a filter, lets say 350 gph for the XP3 (which I have as a secondary filter on my 55 gallon), is measured at the factory straight from the motor.

When you account for all the above mentioned things, your looking at closer to 250 gph true filtration (water flow). That is not nearly enough for even a 55 gallon tank! (Not even 4 times per hour).

So no, it's not enough filtration.

I've tryed making this point to a friend of mine that runs a XP4 on his 150. His tank is constantly dirty and looks disgusting. But some people just don't seem to get it.

Boom :boom:

Edited December 4, 2008 by Boom

[Dmaan.]

The Rena XP3 is good for up to 175 Gallons

The Rena XP4 is good for up to 260 Gallons

it's pretty bogus in my opinion - what it says on the labeling and packaging.

once you stock your filter with media

the size of tank that filter is good for goes down significantly.

i'd say

2 xp3's for a 175 would be minimum.

2 xp3's for a 150 would be pretty good though.

i run my 120 gallon on an xp3 and an xp4.

bought them both from big al's in edmonton.

they work great.

[gordo]

Thanks for all your advice. I will defiantly consider another filter to accommodate.