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Thread: Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

  1. #16
    Registered Member barron's Avatar
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    Hi ODwyerPW

    Great set-up

    I lived up in or down, in Rockland county. I now all to well about the basement. I miss the place, may move back up north by Cooperstown. Got a southerner for a wife.

    Barron 8)

  2. #17
    Gold Member FischAutoTechGarten's Avatar
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    Do you mean Cooperstown?

    I absolutely love it there. If my wife ever gave up on the idea of heading South, I would move to Cooperstown or the Fingerlakes.

    Ever go to the Glimmerglass Opera House?

    I digress..this is a filter thread..my apologies..

    The large sump of this Wet/Dry accomodates a good size heater to make up for temp losses that one can expect in a cold NorthEastern basement. It's a good distance before the water finds it way back into the warmth of the main tanks.

  3. #18
    Registered Member barron's Avatar
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    Hi ODwyerPW

    I will keep it short.

    That is a yes on Cooperstown.

    I also fished the Beaverkill great trout. I like Liberty and Livingston Manor area, off Rt-17. All pretty close by.

    Your set looks like it is going to be great. I like the plumbing
    in the front.

    Barron

  4. #19
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    Great system. I wish I had seen that before I redid the sump for my reef tank, it would have saved some arguement with the husband (engineer). I ended up using rubbermaid tubs, part of the old sump (the tower that held the bioballs), and a spray bar for the output.

  5. #20
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    I have a 70 gallon planted discus tank, with six, 8-10 month old, discus, 6 cories, 9 green fire tetras, and 4 Mystery snails.

    I have two questions; First: I use two Aqua Clear 300s, with a sponge, biological media, and peat (occasionally carbon). I was wondering if it would be more affective to use a canister type filter, such as a RENA FILSTAR XP3 CANISTER FILTER or similar product? I would like to know if the canister would be a higher quality filter, and/or if it would be more Appropriate for the use with a planted discus tank (more flexible with inlet/ outlet tube postion, etc).

    Second: what is the general Consensus of this forum with the use of activated carbon in a discus tank?

  6. #21
    Registered Member ronrca's Avatar
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    Different types of filters have their advantages and disadvantages. You will find that opinions vary when it comes to types of filters. There are a few things to keep in mind though. One being surface agitiation which will disapate C02. Second, ease of maintanance.

    AquaClears are very popular filters for a couple of reasons. They are easy to maintain and clean. They also do not require priming when the power goes off or the water level drops. However, they may cause surface movement therefore if you are using C02, you may need another alternative.

    Canister filters IME are more difficult to maintain requiring you to disconnect them (despite the quick disconnect methods used), open them up, remove the media, rinse, etc, etc. While canister filters do have a large media capacity, in a planted tank you may not need it. Depending on the plant density of your tank, the only thing the filter really need to do is filter crap out of the water rather than function as a bio filter. The advantage of canisters is that the output is quite flexible allowing you to place it vertical/horizontal thus being able to minimize surface movement.

    Carbon! I do not use carbon at all unless in my Qt tanks when medicating.

  7. #22
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    I appreciate the input concerning the differences between Canister and back filters. I have been concerned not only about the surface of the water being disturbed and CO2 lost with my back filter, but also the lack of water movement at the bottom of the tank.

    Back to the activated carbon issue; I only use it periodically. Maybe once ever couple of weeks for about a 12 hour period. I have been told that this will reduce toxins such as lead and other metals, but I do not leave it in as filter median. But I had heard from various forums that the use of activated carbon was correlated to hole in the head disease, and that was what I was wanting a discussion about. Any thoughts? :-\

  8. #23
    Registered Member ronrca's Avatar
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    But I had heard from various forums that the use of activated carbon was correlated to hole in the head disease, and that was what I was wanting a discussion about.
    It has not been scientificly proven that carbon is the cause or part cause of HITH! It is a theory and I can not say it is so or it isnt!

    About carbon removing certain metals! Well, I would recommend getting a water report from your area and checking it for the metal levels of concern. It would give you a better indication if you actually need to use carbon or not. If you have that much lead or other toxins in your water to be concerned with, you better not be drinking it either! ;D

  9. #24
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    Another good thing about plants....they do a bang up job of removing heavy metals from the water.

  10. #25
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    Thank you Ronca and Phil. The people on this forum are the best. ;D

  11. #26
    Don_Lee
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    Wow-what a great setup!
    Don

  12. #27

    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    I am using an dry-wet on my 95 gallon planted tank and itīs going well!


  13. #28
    Registered Member Luca's Avatar
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    Hi guys,

    few questions:

    Firstly, consistency of pH is important but CO2 lowers ph due to carbonic acid. I have a DIY system and it lowers my tank's pH to 6.8. The problem is my tap water is 7.8. How do you guys overcome this? (especially when discus require such frequent water changes).

    Secondly, if you go for a CO2 tank, how do you hook up airline tubing to it? Do they all have an outflow small enough to allow that or do you have to rig up some DIY system?

    Thirdly, i have heard plants almost instantaneously absorb ammonia, is this why you don't really need a biological filter on planted tanks?

    Thanks for any feedback

  14. #29
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    Luca,

    "Firstly, consistency of pH is important but CO2 lowers ph due to carbonic acid. I have a DIY system and it lowers my tank's pH to 6.8. The problem is my tap water is 7.8. How do you guys overcome this? (especially when discus require such frequent water changes)."

    You can either a: age your water or b: let the pH settle out on its own. I usually opt for b and the fish don't seem to mind terribly much.

    "Secondly, if you go for a CO2 tank, how do you hook up airline tubing to it? Do they all have an outflow small enough to allow that or do you have to rig up some DIY system?"

    Check the pictures in the very first part of the thread, that shows my CO2 system. Home Depot sells barbed male adaptors for airlines that you can use to hook your line up to PVC.

    "Thirdly, i have heard plants almost instantaneously absorb ammonia, is this why you don't really need a biological filter on planted tanks?"

    Technically, yes. However your plants are going to miss some of the Ammonia in the water from lack of contact and a good filter helps make up for that.

    I hope that's answered your questions,
    Phil

  15. #30
    Registered Member Luca's Avatar
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    Default Re:Filtration system for a Planted Aquarium

    Thanks Phil, that did help.

    About the pH and CO2; aging water involves off-gassing the CO2 which would raise the pH correct? Then when you diffuse your CO2 into that water, it would lower it. Thus you have the same, if not worse, problem of the CO2 lowering the pH of tap or aged water.

    How often do you do water changes on your planted tank and of what quantity?

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