Finznfangs Posted July 24, 2013 Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 Ok, What would you reccommend for a 1200mm x 300mm x 450mm tank holding around 17ish Electric Yellows and a couple of cichlids i dont know what they are, will post a pic if i could get a hand with ID.. (later tonight if i can snap the little beeeeep) I am currently running a CF1000 and Aquaone 300 HOB (which i will be removing to put in my fry tank its just been cycling on the main tank) I am wanting MORE flow in the tank there are dead sopts at both ends of the tank......Wavemaker or Internal Filter?? I am thinking Filter because well more filtration the better.... Thoughts?? http://www.hollywoodfishfarm.co.nz/deta ... 04f/m/930/ I am thinking the above??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godly3vil Posted July 24, 2013 Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 Definitely try to get another filter, a cf1000 is not enough for a tank that size especially with cichlids dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finznfangs Posted July 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2013 Yeah i know, hence why i chucked in the 300 HOB in when i got the set up. It only came with the CF1000. Will get the internal filter today. Poor cichlids . They have still managed to breed though. Battlers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 For the price of an internal, you could nearly get a small canister and run them both, one at each end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finznfangs Posted July 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 Spray bars at the ends of the tanks for the flow?? rather than on the back of the tank?? or would that create a washing machine type flow?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 I always put my spray bars on the side to push from one end to the other.But that maybe personal preferance over function. Or you could have one on the side, one on the back. Yeh, it would most likely give the swirly wirly motion in your tank.Your Africanos will love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finznfangs Posted July 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 do you reakon a CF500 would be big enough??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 I would think that a 1200 would do a good enough job, so 1000 and 500 should be fine. But the bigger the better, if you can get another 1000 or 1200 do that. Or try something in the sunsun range, or a small Eheim or Fluval Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finznfangs Posted July 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 I have wanted to try the SUNSUN, but by the time you get them shipped here its cheeper to get one at the pet shop. Ok, will get these cichlids some more filtration and flow. Exciting times. cheers for your help And Cam - did you drain some of the water from your tanks after the quake??? Mine are still about a third empty. I had some spillage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 a Cf1000 is good enough for that tank. Gross amount of water you will have is 162L, less glass thickness, substrate and anything else you have in the tank and less what ever water level is below the top of the tank. I'd estimate 140 to 150L of water so that means your turning over 6 to 7 times the volume per hour and i have always worked on 5 or 6 times so in my experience your all good with what you have. If you want more flow put the spraybar on the end panel aiming down the length of the tank with the outlet at the same end, i have always set up my 4 footers like that and it works well. I also keep a lot more than 20 cichlids in a 4 footer and i always over feed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 +1, position of return will change dynamics in tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 No I didn't change a thing, mainly because I am running 2 sumps so I changing the water level just isnt gunna happen. I didn't notice any spill in my nonsumped tanks, I figure if its big enough to move a decent amount of water out of the tank, its probably big enough to move the tank of a stand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finznfangs Posted July 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 a Cf1000 is good enough for that tank. Gross amount of water you will have is 162L, less glass thickness, substrate and anything else you have in the tank and less what ever water level is below the top of the tank. I'd estimate 140 to 150L of water so that means your turning over 6 to 7 times the volume per hour and i have always worked on 5 or 6 times so in my experience your all good with what you have. If you want more flow put the spraybar on the end panel aiming down the length of the tank with the outlet at the same end, i have always set up my 4 footers like that and it works well. I also keep a lot more than 20 cichlids in a 4 footer and i always over feed. I was doing the math also before i went out and purchased.. With all the rocks in there with water displacement also. I think i am going to take your advice and change the position of the spraybar to the end of the tank, obviously shorten it because it wont fit thus that will make the flow faster with fewer holes etc, if it seems to be struggling to get the water back into the tank i will drill some more holes in it. See how they react to the change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 Wavemaker or Internal Filter?? Wavemaker! More flow. MORE FLOW! My tank has, ideally, over 8000 LPH of flow in it(For about 20X) and could use more. I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finznfangs Posted July 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 Yeah I think I will be getting a wave maker.... Just handy to have, How's Upper Hutt going, it's my home town. Yes I did just admit that. :facepalm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 i think a wave maker will be way too much but give it a go and see what happens. I just put the 5000lph in a 2.0m tank and it's too much for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 What makes you think the 5,000LPH is too much for your 2m Smidey? I have a 12,000 and 6,000 in my tank and don't get that impression Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 What makes you think the 5,000LPH is too much for your 2m Smidey? I have a 12,000 and 6,000 in my tank and don't get that impression the fact it has way to much flow. my plants are bent over and teh fish look like they are in a fast flowing stream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 Seems strange to me wanting so much flow for lake-dwelling fish. I don't use spray bars on canisters, they seem terribly restrictive to me and the piss-weak trickle that comes out of them does nothing for circulation. If you're getting waste building up try replacing the spray bar with just a 90* elbow. Air stones can also be useful for helping prevent crap building up in certain spots too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 I don't use spray bars on canisters, they seem terribly restrictive to me and the piss-weak trickle that comes out of them does nothing for circulation. If you're getting waste building up try replacing the spray bar with just a 90* elbow. Air stones can also be useful for helping prevent crap building up in certain spots too. all my CF canister create quite a good flow. On my 1200x500x500 it creates quite a flow with the spraybar aimed down the length of the tank and the outlet at the same end as the spray bar. When you throw food in it quickly goes to the far end of the tank and heads back toward the outlet, certainly more than enough flow for africans and to remove most or all solid waste (depending on what is on the bottom stopping it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 What makes you think the 5,000LPH is too much for your 2m Smidey? I have a 12,000 and 6,000 in my tank and don't get that impression Yeah, I'd say that's a good amount of flow. I really don't like the "stagnant" look of many tanks and even lakes, especially big ones, have a bit of current. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 in reality it is too much. I have aimed it toward the surface and back wall to try to reduce the flow in the tank, it's still too much but it's not as bad as straight down or across the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 in reality it is too much. I have aimed it toward the surface and back wall to try to reduce the flow in the tank, it's still too much but it's not as bad as straight down or across the tank. Maybe you need some less weak girly plants. My plants are tough manly plants and they just wave peacefully in the current. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 Maybe you need some less weak girly plants. My plants are tough manly plants and they just wave peacefully in the current. i'd rather not get girly plants thanks, tempting but no thanks. the tropheus destroy most plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted July 25, 2013 Report Share Posted July 25, 2013 I have my 12,000 aimed at a big bit of wood at one end so it breaks the flow, and halfway along the 5,000 points to the front glass breaking the flow again. I seldomly see any fish being pushed off of their course unless they swim rite up close to it, but that would happen with the spray bar anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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