Filtration overkill?

[Dow]

I have a 30g tank without a filter, currently. It is planted with a few fish, 4 1" discus, a tire track eel, banjo cat (where? Idk), neon tetras and a small school of tiny, unknown tetras. I'm doing a small water change every other day to keep the water clean but the plants are doing a pretty good job to take out the bad stuffs and I have a pretty awesome powerhead to keep up the circulation. I'm thinking an Eheim 2213 or a 2215 would do the trick for this tank but my dad thinks it's overkill. I always thought you should go by the 10x's rule. 10x(gallons)= the needed flow rate. If this is true, then I need upwards to a 2217!

[geoff_tropheus]

for most applications minimum is 5X using a canister or HOB(hang on back) type of filter.

The 10X rule applies to overstocked or large cichlids.

With 4 discus, I'd probably go with the 2215.

[supadave]

for most applications minimum is 5X using a canister or HOB(hang on back) type of filter.

The 10X rule applies to overstocked or large cichlids.

With 4 discus, I'd probably go with the 2215.

+1

[myjohnson]

Water change is just more important for these fish at this age.

[Dow]

Thats what I thought, with the water changes. Thanks all!

[BeefyG]

From what I was told when I bought my discus, to grow them out you'll want to do 50% water changes every day. Feed them beef heart (recipes on simplydiscus.com) but do a water change right after cuz its messy. Bare bottom is better than substrate while growing them out. Also they do better with groups of 5 or more and need 10 gallons per fish when full grown. You've got time but just stuff to keep in mind.

But then again discus and I didn't work out so take it for what its worth... (I think it was a parasite but never did figure out what happened)