henward

(Maybe this can be sticky'd) I think there are many beginners out there looking for gear for their aquariums. I am writing this myself - as recently I have done extensive work to reduce the costs of my hobby but more so to make it more efficient. That is key. Bang for your buck without sacrificing efficiency – or making things more efficient. This will cover Filters and pumps. More so – Power consumpsion vs price vs performance. I have found in the last few months, I have been looking at many options in the market. Filters and Pumps for sumps and internal flow is key to most if not all tanks. We all must use them. Filters: When looking at a filter, do not just look at the turnover. The way filters are measured is not turnover but capacity. For example, good value for money for large tanks are AQUA ONE NAUTILUS – specs below For aquariums: 400 to 700 litres Max. flow rate: 2700lph Max. head height: 2.0mt Filter volume: 22lt Wattage: 42w Low wattage is good, but if you look at the turn over vs rating for aquariums, you will see that its only up to 700L. Sure you can probably push that to 900L for a moderately to lightly stocked tank ( this is usually the formula you go by when they calculate capacity) The turn over vs capacity ratio is actually a large gap even though you save money first hand, You have to look at capacity. FLUVAL FX5 – 230-240V, 50 Hz - 48 W - 2300 L/H (607 U.S. Gal./H) - For aquariums up to 1500 L (400 U.S. Gal.) The FX5 has only 6 more watts of consumption, it has less turnover but a much higher capacity. The design is much better. More efficient. These 2 filters are the only one I will feature. Eheim is top of the line in terms of brand, reputation and reliability. But really – the capacity vs cost is not very cost effective. I like eheims but the cost of an eheim filter that is the same performance has a fx5 is almost double, and the capacity is not anywhere near double. When buying a filter, always watch out for the TURNOVER vs CAPACITY. This comes through a well engineered filter. Water direction in the canister itself. This is how the filter is designed so water flow is directed to the right places, how the fitting fits well so the water has no leakage and goes where it is supposed to go. Chinese rip offs I find have gaps while premium products like FX5 and Eheims are perfectly manufactured – everything just fits how it should. Rubber o-rings, trays, clips, lids, hoses all fit properly. The importance of POWER CONSUMPTION - APPLIES TO PUMPS and FILTERS. When it comes to POWER CONSUMPTION, this is something people hardly if ever look at. The other day I was in the market for a return pump. I saw the sun sun variety and some unknown Chinese generic stuff. The Dollar vs Turnover of pump ration is very good! Example: 5000lph was $99 while Via aqua was $145 for the same LPH. Face value one would get excited. And I'm sure that many people here and out there buy from online traders and petshops that stock these Generic Chinese brands. Little do they know is that these cheap generic pumps have a big problem. It is not the reliability – Pumps are simple, to get them wrong one must be incredibly stupid. It is the power consumption. The cheap 5000lph was rated at 150w – Via aqua was rated at 41w – Eheim pumps are even less power consumption for the same LPH rating. The design of the pumps must be efficient to make power savings. If you think you rather save $45 now and get something with more power consumption even t hough it is not translated to pumping energy – then you are foolish and have a false economy. The extra 100w of power use on 24/7 will end up 3 times the $45 you save. When buying filters and pumps, the power rating has to be take into account. Cost is not just the instant cost of purchase, it is the on going cost of running your tanks. If you do the maths you will see my figures are accurate. When you buy a return pump, you are better off paying 2x for a pump that has less power use and same LPH rating than a pump that is half, even a quarter the price that has more than double power rating. If you check out TM, and look at all the cheap pumps - you will see that some are rated to use very large amounts of power. Hope you enjoy this thread just my observation and research recently (and I got bored as I have a day off) :bounce:

My general rule of thumb. When the st up is small ish (under 800 litres of below. I would just go FX5) personally i cannot fault that product. (I am about to write a little article on little personal studies i have done with these products soon. a lot to cover) some of it i have already told you ally im sure some people know, but recently i got obsessed in a micro level. so ill put that on paper for who ever is interested anyways - sump is great, but there must be a good amount of flow on them, also good set up so water flows evenly through. Despite some vouching for them... I HATE BIO BALLS:D with freshwater anyways, i think they are kinda a waste of space.. Literally, for the same space you can get rougher ceramic noodles, efi substrate. A handful of efi substrat by eheim in a smaller canister does the job better than a larger amount of bioballs in my opinion, and yes, they do dry out and may kill bacterias anyways, i have both, canister and sump. Larger set ups, i find sump to be good - but i find sumps to take much much longer to cycle. canisters, i find cycle quickly my theory: is that canisters, the water flow is FORCED to go through media, while sump, if a portion of wool or foam is blocked, the water flows differently at all times, its never that consistent. I like the sump as well so you can put heaters in them, treating a tank is easy as you add stuff to the sump. your fx5 will do the job!

just recalibrated funny the new models, all you do is turn off the heater from the socket. turnthe dial to the temp that the tthermometer indicates, and plug in, thats recalibrated the older one has the tab you pull up and push down. none the less, i have done it:D works now:D

ok, in case the subject doesn't make sense. when you buy them new, they are pre calibrated, then when you eventually use them, in time i find that you gotta move the dial higher and higher to compensate? who experiences this?

yup, all covered.

funny its very common. i just dont get it! the whole boring tank set ups. there is a huge myth out there that arowanas suit bare bottoms, its like... sure, in the wild and breedingponds where their colours are unbelievably awesome, they actually have a glass bottom. .... strange concept. it must be a minimalist thing. i agree, i reckong fish are happier with natural looking set ups. when i look at fish that are in bare bottoms and with substrate, i always find substrate makes the fish mroe active, secure.

David! for crying out loud.... do not say things like that............ !drool: ..... snap out of it! :facepalm: anyways moving right along... tank fully set up, getting clearer, tomorrow i will post a vid. the theme is - forest.

yeah looks deep enough. high enough too for a heirarchy sort of levels the thing is, size of tank can work for you when its smaller for aro comm. concentrated numbers and good size can be more effective than larger tank and less fish just from what i have heard in asia. but in saying that, if i had the cash to fork out for that many xbs - i would forout for an 8 to 10 foot tank! and fork out for another 3 xbs:D :facepalm: i sound like a drug addict!

yeah, he said he has a back up so hope it turns out ok. aro pairs have a very remote chance of working, different spiecies even less. but it has worked before if you are lucky conditions that may work in your favour is that the rtg does not see the black as any threat.... but when bigger it will. OR the rtg is still settling in, when settled, will commence the carnage. OR you have good luck and you will find it works indefinitely. either way, be prepared but looks cool though.

ok next time i will :thup:

yeah, its realy a grow out tank! also strategically placed to avoid me making another large tank purdchase:D

72.5 cms:D and they told me it wouldnt grow much past 50:D lol my new fire eel, hopefully gets bigger:D

good to see t hem together and alive

yeah he is!

what contest?

that oscar i gave you was not at all agro in my tank but in sa ying that, the rtg kept it in control oscars can be very .... active when it comes to agro. i would say remove the oscar and reintro after a few days when black is introduced!

stocking, 37 clown loaches ( 30 approx of which are all oddball patterns) parrot apollo shark fire eel 3 ornates (tiny ornates) 2x large BN niveatus plec 30 cm+ BGK (growsitting fruju's 5 bichirs - 2 palmas 3 dels) THeme is goint to be a river bed covered in twiggy covers... like a jungle with fallen branches all over it. mazes of branches for the bottom dwellers and eel:) watch this space, for pics

like any arowana, it will get to 50/60 cms. it will get big. jardinii are also aggressive, so eitehr expose them to tank mates from very small or be prepared for many deaths of fish. i would recomment 180x80wx60h as a MINIMUM. or even 70 H as jardinii is not a top dweller like silver and black aros, they tend to go everywhere.

Thanks for teh comments, very happy with him Stoked THANKS KING! in fact, posting in on Arofanatics to gauge potential, i get alot of "very good potential comments" from experienced keepers, due to the already dark finnages and base scale colour ( as what king said also - though at first thought it was a sales pitch untill i asked what to look for in a good specimen) and apparently, dark scales, fins and red lips from young, also early colouration whcih mine apparently has. all good signs, 2 months, another update:D

I was gonna call him Stalin, he somewhat dictates the terms in the tnak, and hes red:D but no, too cheesy haha brutus is his name. Maximus, i like the sound of it:D lets do a vote :slfg:

Penelope... just kidding Brutus!

Yeah good point.... the bears i would worry about..... I hear peoples periods attracts bears.........................................................................................(anchorman joke) I swear im not picking something up from Mr thomsons book! yeah, was thinking of mounting a laser on brutus' head:D

i have booby trapped the room:D there is a bear trap in there