Hello & Advice Needed

[veccy888]

Hi, I am new to the forum & have just bought a 48''x18''x12'' tank.
just want some advice as to what filter, heating & lighting would be suitable for a mixed tank with plants & sand.

 

[TetraLinz]

Hi. Welcome to TFF

Personal filter recommendation would be a Fluval or Eheim externals (the Eheims are a bit pricey, but well worth the money). For your tank, the Fluval 205 or the Eheim I've heard some good things about Tetratec filters too but have no personal experience with them. Heaters . . . You'd need a 150w or 200w heater, but tbh, they all do pretty much the same job, so which one you go for is really up to you.

As for lighting, I just use the Glo range.

As well as the above, you also need a test kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH. I recommend the API liquid based test kit. It comes with everything you need, and is user-friendly. You can get the master test kit on Ebay for around £16.00

I'd also recommend you carry out a full fishless cycle first This is when you use household ammonia to simulate fish waste so that the filter can grow 2 colonies of bacteria. More information ON THE FISHLESS CYCLE HERE

 

[rabbut]

First off, to TFF

I agree with Tetralinz on the test kit and fishless cycling. I have no experience with the Glo range of lights; I either build my own our buy "Silver Sun" units through an ebay member EQJ-trading. They deliver from germany within 3 days at rock bottom prices, and wrap the units in so much packaging that you could throw them off a 100ft cliff and still have a working unit at the bottom... Makes them a pain to get into though You can pick up units that would cost about £250 in the shops for arround £70

If you use and exturnal filter, get yourself a Hydor in-line heater, they are far more efficient and can keep the temperature even across the whole tank, as they utilise the filter to spread the heat If you want a conventional internal heater, get a Visitherm, some of these are 30+ years old and still going strong

Filters will bring lots of debate. I run Tetratec on most of my tanks now, and they are cracking filters. Just be careful about seating the impeller cover though, as I have nackered a ceramic shaft by not doing in right. At £15 for the replacement, a mistake like that isn't cheap....Otherwise they are well thought out and solid

Eheim's have the best reputation, but avoid the Ecco range, and their thermo filters. They are both awful, as are the thermos from any make. I have heard good things from JBL users, though they are hard to find outside mainland europe, and I've never seen one, let alone used one...

I hate Fluval with avangance though, so again I find myself in dissagreement with Tetra..... I find them stuborn to work on, they suffer channeling issues they can only go 2 weeks without a clean on my tanks and many sight reliability issues with them Also, my strat pump came bust and the replacement only lasted about 4 weeks After using most other makes, many Fluval users don't go back... Shops stock them because they sell, and because Hagen (the makers) offer a generous discount on bulk orders... Try by all means, there are two experienced members other than tetra who use them (Miss Wiggle and Colin_t) but most dislike them (CFC, Andywg, both of whom have had them empty 75+g tanks for them....)

HTH
Rabbut

 

[adamgreen240]

Hey , welcome to the forum. As to filtration, i would get a Tetratec EX1200 external, and for heating a 300w heater would do. You can get external heaters which would connect to your EX1200 , they are made by Hydor,

If you have any more questions please do ask us!

Thanks,
Adam