Single Large Filter vs Two Smaller Filters?

[Nomi]

I have an inquiry regarding the benefits of two smaller filters as opposed to a single large filter. I've currently just been given the go-ahead to 'make over' my goldfish tank. It's a 35 G currently running on a fluval 205 with weekly %50 water changes. I am really looking forward to upgrading the filtration power, and I am planning on simply getting another fluval 205. However, are there any benefits to having a single large filter rather than two smaller ones?

[WakinAZ]

If the current filter has adequate biological filtration capacity, the primary benefit is redundancy in case one fails. You can also pair a power filter with a canister to take advantage of the benefits of both (better mechanical filtration for the power filter vs. better biological for the canister).

(Before I bought an extra filter for a 35 gal. system, I would put the money into a larger tank. Do they have craigslist in Canada? You can get great deals on complete setups from people that are moving, leaving the hobby, etc.)

[Nomi]

Unfortunately, I'm limited to this one tank due to my parents dislike for aquariums and complete unlikeliness to cooperate with switching out the old tank for a new, larger tank (one of the less desirable side-effects of being one of them darn teenagers). I do browse craigslist and kijiji, as well as the trade/buy/sell section of the forum of my local aquarium club, but as of right now I'm limited to dreaming of a larger tank.

[SeaWitch]

I run two filters on my 30g tank; a Penguin 350B and a Penguin 100B. As was stated before, I do this in case one of my filters stops working. I know that the 100B is not adequate to filter the 30g by itself, but it would give me some filtration until I could purchase another filter. I do plan on getting a canister filter for the 30g and dropping the 100b, eventually. I also like having more filters for the extra space for media. It is always nice to have cycled media in case you ever do start another tank, pond, etc.