Filters

[Vieira]

Hello all

I just bought a 180 with overflows Im planing to keep it bear buttom with just few poted amazon plants. I want the plants to trive so Im planing to use co2 with ph controller. I know Im going to use a sump and canaster filter but my question is what kind, what do you guys like and why? What kind of lighting I should use too grow out healty amazons swods?

[Vieira]

No post guys

Thats ok :)

[Eddie]

To be honest, I dont think you need to mess with Co2 to have healthy potted swords. I think you will do fine with adequate lighting (1.5-2WPG) and a good fert tab in the subsrate.

Thats just my opinion since you will only have potted swords.

Eddie

[Vieira]

Thanks Eddie

[Eddie]

No problem Rich. I wish I could help you in suggesting a canister but I use all Japanese made Kotobuki canister filters and they are AMAZING. I know many people have had good things to say about the Rena XPs and the well-known Eheim Pros.

Take care,

Eddie

[Cooldadddyfunk286]

I use Eheim 2217 classic canisters. they rock. give those a shot bud :D

[Vieira]

thanks Jason and Eddie

[shoggoth43]

If you do go with CO2, you could just use a simple lamp timer to control it. The plants won't need CO2 when the lights are off. The pH swing caused by CO2 is not something to worry about as many tanks have a pH swing daily as the plants "kick in". It's very common for pH to be much lower in the morning as CO2 has builtup overnight and then higher in the afternoon as the plants have been using up the CO2.

Eheim 2217s are currently the best bang for buck in the Eheim line if you shop online. You can get two of them and still be ahead of the game vs. the Eheim 2028 model. Lighting for swords is not super critical. Just try your best to make it EVEN. There's no need to go MH, PC, or T5 for them.

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S


Hello all

I just bought a 180 with overflows Im planing to keep it bear buttom with just few poted amazon plants. I want the plants to trive so Im planing to use co2 with ph controller. I know Im going to use a sump and canaster filter but my question is what kind, what do you guys like and why? What kind of lighting I should use too grow out healty amazons swods?

[Vieira]

If you do go with CO2, you could just use a simple lamp timer to control it. The plants won't need CO2 when the lights are off. The pH swing caused by CO2 is not something to worry about as many tanks have a pH swing daily as the plants "kick in". It's very common for pH to be much lower in the morning as CO2 has builtup overnight and then higher in the afternoon as the plants have been using up the CO2.

Eheim 2217s are currently the best bang for buck in the Eheim line if you shop online. You can get two of them and still be ahead of the game vs. the Eheim 2028 model. Lighting for swords is not super critical. Just try your best to make it EVEN. There's no need to go MH, PC, or T5 for them.

-
S

Thanks for info

[GrillMaster]

Do what Eddie suggested! Thats all thats needed. :)

[Vieira]

How about the ocean clear?

[shoggoth43]

I've heard great things about the ocean clear / nu - clear lines. One thing to watch for is the clearance needed to get the filter cartridge out. That's the one complaint that I've seen on them. Other than that they seem pretty foolproof. Just chain a mech module then a bio module together. You'll need a hefty pump though as these are pressure rated designs so your power consumption will be a touch high. I was considering them but ended up going with dual eheim 2028s. I'll probably also throw on a wet/dry as well on my 120/180.

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S

[Vieira]

I've heard great things about the ocean clear / nu - clear lines. One thing to watch for is the clearance needed to get the filter cartridge out. That's the one complaint that I've seen on them. Other than that they seem pretty foolproof. Just chain a mech module then a bio module together. You'll need a hefty pump though as these are pressure rated designs so your power consumption will be a touch high. I was considering them but ended up going with dual eheim 2028s. I'll probably also throw on a wet/dry as well on my 120/180.

-
S

Thanks for the advice

[seanyuki]

Browse around for Ehiem 2217 and best price is $137.95 at Kenfish.com(also a sponsor here.) I got my Ehiem Pro 3 2080 from him last year.Great person to deal with.

http://www.kensfish.com/eheimcanisterfilters.html

Dr.foster & pets for $169.99

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+3580+3603&pcatid=3603

That's pet place for $168.99

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/10593/product.web

Hope this helps

[mmorris]

I swear by the Eheim 2217 but it's probably too small for what you want. I guess it depends on how much of an additional filtering `boost' you want a canister to provide over and above the sump.

[Noodles]

I know this is an old post but just in case I did want to throw in my two cents. I have had a planted community tank and never had to replace any of my plants for the two years it's been up and running. I have all low light plants Anubias, swords (depending on variety can be low or high light), java moss etc. I do not add co2 they are in a mixture of river pebble gravel, black regular gravel and eco complete at about 3 inches if not more. When I started them I had way too much light 1 48" Flora-Glo by Hagen and 2 24" Aqua-Glo by Hagen. I found that the same plants under the same conditions save the lighting in my 75 were doing much better when I pulled them all to put in the same tank (root system wise) So now everything is the same except they are only under 1 48" Flora-Glo. Thats 40 watts which equal out to be not even one watt per gallon in the 75. There might be other mitigating factors so that under the same circumstances (lighting substrait and no co2) in your aquarium the results could be different. It is a joy to keep a planted tank when you don't have to keep replacing dead plants.
http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx32/Noodles24_photos/Fish001.jpg<br><br>http://i739.photobucket.com/albums/xx32/Noodles24_photos/Fish007.jpg

[Noodles]

sorry for the bad pics camera battery died will add a full tank shot tomorrow.

[rwong2k]

I'd be careful with the co2 controller also, I have a planted tank with co2 etc etc. and I own a ph meter/controller but it's not plugged into the soleniod valve

first of all depending on the quality of the pH probe, make sure it's calibrated and depending on the probe how often you'll need to calibrate it or else you'll be dumping too much co2 into your tank.

Eddie's correct and sword plants are mainly root feeders from my experience they react well to substrate fertilization.

Another fact to consider is how long the pH probe lasts, my pinpoint lasts around 1~ 1.5 years before it doesn't calibrate properly,

I mainly use the pH meter to check the swing and difference in pH as oppose to have it plugged into and control the soleniod valve,

putting the soleniod on the timers with the lights is a pretty good option

[migetguy]

I think the XP3 is pretty good. I've been using it for about 5 years now with out and problems on my 90 gallon.