Best Filter For 90l Planted Tank

[lgarvey]

Hi,

I have a 90L that i'm setting up as a planted tank. I currently have a 1200 lph rated external filter and it's wayyyy too strong. I can't see any obvious controls to diminish the filters output, but currently i have the spray bar immersed in the tank and it's so strong i have turned the spray bar upwards to deflect some of the current. Unfortunately it's like a mini water fountain, which I know can't be good for C02.

So, I need another filter. I'm thinking about a fluval internal filter rated for a 90L tank, as I don't want something big and powerful, which I would expect any cannister filter to be -- but this may be because I only have experience of 1200 lph filters.

Anyway, advice appreciated. What woudl be best for a 90L tank?

Cheers,
L

 

[JenCliBee]

Hi,

I have a 90L that i'm setting up as a planted tank. I currently have a 1200 lph rated external filter and it's wayyyy too strong. I can't see any obvious controls to diminish the filters output, but currently i have the spray bar immersed in the tank and it's so strong i have turned the spray bar upwards to deflect some of the current. Unfortunately it's like a mini water fountain, which I know can't be good for C02.

So, I need another filter. I'm thinking about a fluval internal filter rated for a 90L tank, as I don't want something big and powerful, which I would expect any cannister filter to be -- but this may be because I only have experience of 1200 lph filters.

Anyway, advice appreciated. What woudl be best for a 90L tank?

Cheers,
L

tetratec EX600 would work quite well in that size tank and the flow is quite reasonable no major flow had 1 in a 60L and it worked fine.... internal i would go with maybe a fluval 3


jen

 

[Schmill]

Another option is to just modify the output of the filter. The 'flow' is just a combination of the pressure of the water and the area it is applied over.
If you want to reduce the turnover rate of your tank then sure get a lower powered filter, but if you just want to reduce the flow then you can do it with a bit of imagination on the outlet.
Spread the outlet over as much area as possible, (spray bars usually have smallish holes, as they are designed to 'spray'), you can try opening the holes out on the spray bar, and/or if you have the space attaching another length of spray to the existing one. Either of these methods should reduce the 'speed' the outlet water enters the tank and reduce the 'current' effects you are getting.
Anohter method is to use plastic (from an old 2L bottle maybe), and wrap this loosly around the spray bar, this then acts to diffuse the water from the spray bar and allows it to enter the tank much calmer. (A variation on this is to mount the spray bar vertically, and actually ahve an entire 2L bottle in the tank. The spray bar is then lowered down through the neck of the bottle. Then the swirling and the harsh currents take place in the bottle and a smoother flow exits from the neck of the bottle. If even THIS flow is too harsh then you can make extra holes at various places in the sides of the bottle. Each hole you make will generally reduce the current caused by the others). Of course these methods depend on how well you can hide the plastic bottle in the tank

 

[aaronnorth]

you want 10-20x turnover anyway, at the moment you have 13x so it is fine.

The reason for this is to push nutrients & CO2 around effectively, stop any dead spots occuring, and to prevent detrius settling.

 

[lgarvey]

thanks. That's really helpful!

I think I will figure out a way to minimise the current from it, perhaps by mounting the spray bar vertically the back corner of the tank perhaps sat inside another tube the same height as the spray bar. Hmm ,great idea! =)

L