Whats the best filter for.......

[supasi]

A 50 litre 60 x 30 x30 planted tank

Daltons Aquatic mix and Propergating Sand

Plan the be a planted tank rather than fish tank, but will prob have small school of smaller tetras or some rams.

dont want to much water movement but sufficient filtration.

Any sugggestions people?

[cichlid7]

i would think an internal filter would be good as they are good filters and dont move the substrate.

[HummingBird]

An Eheim 2008 would be fine for that size of tank, and since it's internal it's totally silent. I've got one on a planted-ish tank and it's great. You can pick one up for less than $50 from Pet Planet.

[fishboi]

if it's well planted u wont even need one.

[Plantman]

if it's well planted u wont even need one.

you will probably still need it, though.

the pump will keep a good circulation in your tank.

a good filter (ext one) will generate good bacteria and thus good clear water and good health for your fish. it will be good if you can place some ceramic noodles in the int filter.

the more plant you have in your tank, the bigger the water flow is require.

[fishboi]

what about just an air pump? ur be hard to beat the circulation that an air pump gives out and good bacteria grows on every in the tank.

[Navarre]

Hi , I have a plant tank, and have in it a range of crypts dwarf sag and a few other bits and pieces, that I set up about 6 years ago.

I used small gravel (about 3-5mm) with laterite under it and it is about 100mm deep. I think the tank is about 150 l.

I use Fluro lights and I have superb coverage and growth. I have had no probs with algae but I do get a little when the seasons change and I put this down to photoperiod or wave length changes.

I had Indian fern as a "starter" plant and in all this time even when I was using C02 I have never ever had a filter of any kind.

I have never cleaned the glass and I do a water change about 1x mth.

So how many fish well I have ottos, bristle nose's, a couple of kribs and as many guppies as have ever bred.

The heater is placed at the bottom of the tank so hot water rising generates water movement.

HTH and good luck

Navarre

[supasi]

Cheers for the replies.

the way im thinking is to go for a small internal filter.

anyone use one of those elite stingray types, they look like they can be discretly hidden behind the taller plants at the back of the tank..???

[alanmin4304]

I have a number of heavily planted tanks and I use rio filters. The only reason I use them is that they are all the same and if I want to reset up an old or set up a new tank I just swap the sponge parts over with one already operating to get the bugs. The other use is to stop temperature layering (they are on the bottom and pointing the outlet up) Aeration drives off CO2 and should be limited. When water supplies have a problem with excess iron the cheapest way to corect it is aeration because it takes the CO2 out and this is what is making it acid and keeping the iron in the ferrous and soluble state. The only planted tank I aerate is one completely enclosed in a cabinet in order to keep fresh air over the water and that is only light aeration. If you have no water movement you may encourage blue/green algae and plants that don't like water movement like cabomba can be placed in a "quiet" part of the tank. That is my reasoning, but you will have to do what works for you.

[Adrienne]

I have had for the last 3 months an elite stingray 15 in a planted tank of the size you are talking about. Have had about 15 fish and a couple of bristlenose in it and its been great. Same sort of substrate as you as well. No algae on plants or glass, a gentle steady flow of water.

[Adrienne]

Heres a link to the tank I'm talking about - the stingray filter in on the left hand corner at the bank. Could have been hidden behind plants if i had wanted to.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q96/ ... emales.jpg

[Aquatopia]

When you have a planted tank with fish in how do you clean the gravel (esp if it has those nutrient pellets in it) ? Im worried that it will get all pooey !!!

[alanmin4304]

Pooey is good---your plants will love it. Just get rid of what you can get at.

[Aquatopia]

really alan ? but wont it affect water quality for the fishes ?

[Adrienne]

I give it a decent vacuum gravel each week when I do my water changes, its about knowing how deep you can go into the gravel without upsetting the substrate under it. The only damage you can do is suck a bit up and maybe the water will go a little murky where you have touched it but not for long and you soon get to know. I just use a smaller sized vacuum gravel or even sometimes just airhose to get around plants. But fish poo is good for plants anyways.

[antwan]

I'd just go with a little sponge filter for that size. They really do quite a good job. Plus if you get fry one day it won't suck them up.

[supasi]

yeah ant, was a toss up between one or a small internal

i was leaning toward internal as was eventually gonna set up a yeast co2 set up, and didnt really think all the air from sponge filter would help.

regarding the poopy stuff

just hover vac just above gravel and it sucks up the larger stuff, and the plants will take care of the rest.

there will be far more plants than fish in the tank so i dont think that with the stocking level i will have that i will even need to worry bout vacs.

[antwan]

That's a common misconception with sponge filters; although they blow air out the top they don't actually add much oxygen to the water column from the bubbles, it's the agitation of the water's surface that does it. If you want CO2 to stay in the tank, go for a filter that has creates less surface agitation.

[alanmin4304]

That is why I use rio filters. You get a sponge without the air bubbles. It is not the air bubbles that do the work with a sponge filter it is the water between the bubbles, so if you want to retain CO2 use a mechanicl sponge filter. In my opinion it would be a waste of time using aeration with CO2.