Sand/tropica Substrate Or Eco Complete & Filtration Q

[zedd]

I've been gleaning information from the forum for a few weeks, and this has helped me collect some equipment, and a couple of questions.

Substrate
Originally I was going to go for Eco-Complete, but I've seen a couple of tanks with sand, and I like the look, plus it'll be nice for ground-dwellers.

How does a base of the Tropica plant substrate or TetraComplete, topped off with sand (Argos?) compare to a substrate like Eco-Complete?

Filter
My other question is whether a Fluval FX5 will be too much turn-over (for fish or plants) on a 350 litre corner tank (as opposed to a rectangular - longer tank)? I will have a Hydor in-line heater and may-be an in-line CO2 reactor as well. I have a Fluval 405 which I think might be strangled even more with the in-line equipment.

Equipment List
If it helps, the equipment is as follows:

• Fluval Venezia 350L corner tank
• 176watts of T5HO lighting
• Pressurised CO2 & Rhinox 5000 diffuser (however, I may use a DIY in-line external reactor instead)
• Fluval 405 to be changed for Fluval FX5 (I think)
• Hydor external in-line heater


Thank!
Z

 

[aaronnorth]

How does a base of the Tropica plant substrate or TetraComplete, topped off with sand (Argos?) compare to a substrate like Eco-Complete?

the eco will be better, so go for it if you are willing to pay the extra cost.

My other question is whether a Fluval FX5 will be too much turn-over (for fish or plants) on a 350 litre corner tank (as opposed to a rectangular - longer tank)? I will have a Hydor in-line heater and may-be an in-line CO2 reactor as well. I have a Fluval 405 which I think might be strangled even more with the in-line equipment.

Aim for 10-20x turnover. FX5 turnover 2300l p/hr so it will give you 6.5x turnover. adding the 405 will push it up to 9x so it would be better to run both.

 

[zedd]

Aaron, I feel myself on a slippery slope; I hear myself saying well if you're going to go for Eco-complete, then why not go the extra and go for ADA Aqua Soil

I really want to stay away from 2 filters, the reason being the Venezia has the intake/output drilled in the base of the tank, and the reason I went for this tank in particular was for this feature i.e. no pipes up the back of the tank. Is there another filter that would provide the extra turn over?

10-20 x filtration sounds a lot, and I guess would be difficult to achieve in very large tanks. Is this rule primary aimed at the smallest planted tanks, where water parameters are less stable?

 

[aaronnorth]

Aaron, I feel myself on a slippery slope; I hear myself saying well if you're going to go for Eco-complete, then why not go the extra and go for ADA Aqua Soil

lol, i hear you, eco complete is good enough, but again ADA takes it that 1 step further lol.

I really want to stay away from 2 filters, the reason being the Venezia has the intake/output drilled in the base of the tank, and the reason I went for this tank in particular was for this feature i.e. no pipes up the back of the tank. Is there another filter that would provide the extra turn over?

rather than an extra filter, you could add a powerhead?

10-20 x filtration sounds a lot, and I guess would be difficult to achieve in very large tanks. Is this rule primary aimed at the smallest planted tanks, where water parameters are less stable?

we say this for any tanmk is it makes sure that Nutrients & CO2 get pushed around and delivered to the plants effectively.

 

[zedd]

Yeah, I think I'll draw the line at Eco-complete, but would have liked watching loaches/corys in the sand - never mind. Considering the investment for plant growth, I guess I shouldn't skimp on the substrate.

For the extra flow - how about a Hydor Koralia: http/www.highpeakaquatics.co.uk/p/498327...-koralia-3.html

 

[SuperColey1]

I don't think Aaron rates my Tropica under Argos sand setup. lol (of course I would suggest that its a very good setup especially with Plecs, Corys or Rams)

You have a huge amount of light over that tank. Way too much. T5HO = double WPG rule = 352W/92USG = just under the equivalent of 4WPG. That is going to be hard maintenance and no room for error with filtration/dosing/CO2.

Pressurised CO2 is a must at that level so good job you have it.

I would upgrade to the FX5 and use the Koralia you link to.

Being a corner tank rather than a long tank you may get away with circulation issues but I am guessing it is quite tall and therefore you need to be able to get the nutrient and CO2 down as well as along!!!

Might be helpful for you to look through the journals page and find one with a similar tank to yours and see what issues they have had.

AC

 

[aaronnorth]

I don't think Aaron rates my Tropica under Argos sand setup. sad.gif lo

lol.

the tropica will be fine if you want it and the sand. Eco coplete comes with beneficial bacteria in its o it is ideal for new setps, apart from that i dont see many more advantages. You could still have catfishes with the EC, i used to have some cory's with gravel.

the tropica has a high CEC which is good.

I have heard good reviews on the koralia so it should be fine

 

[SuperColey1]

Is the beneficial bacteria the same as 'seeding' the substrate a la Tom Barr?

If so pour dirty filter content into empty tank. Put in Tropica. Put in Sand. Seeded substrate.

AC

 

[aaronnorth]

Is the beneficial bacteria the same as 'seeding' the substrate a la Tom Barr?

yes so i have heard....

 

[zedd]

You have a huge amount of light over that tank. Way too much. T5HO = double WPG rule = 352W/92USG = just under the equivalent of 4WPG. That is going to be hard maintenance and no room for error with filtration/dosing/CO2.

AC, the hood for my tank comes pre-fitted with 2x 39w HOT5s, and 2x8w T5s, a total of 94w of HOT5s. I thought this would be too little for the plants, so I bought an extra ballast to run another 2 x 39w HOT5 tubes.

Would the standard 94w be enough for a carpet of glosso and?

With reference to the substrate, it appears Tom Barr rates eco-complete on the same level as inert sand in terms of accessible nutrients to the plants:

[URL="http/www.barrreport.com/general-plant-to...o-complete.html"]http/www.barrreport.com/general-plant-to...o-complete.html[/URL]

I'm confused! lol

Also, I don't have an existing set-up take take mulm from. Is it considered safe to get some from my lfs?

 

[SuperColey1]

With the lighting I mean that you have a very large tank and therefore 1WPG on the WPG scale is of no consequence in relation to your tank. Larger tank require less light than the WPG scale, Nanon tank require much much more (sometimes up to 10WPG just to reach the same level as 2WPG on an average 20-40USG. Add to this you are using T5HO and you have more than wnough light for your plants. I would use the 94W 6 hours a day and build it up each week to between 8 and 10 hours. After you get to this point you can always use the 2 new lights as a 'noon burst' for the middle 2-4 hours.


Is this your first tank full stop? You have no other tank?

If you do have another tank then empty the dirty filter water from that one into this tank when you do a water change from it. If not then just go without it. Although you would put fish in your tank from the LFS, some people would argue against adding the water too. I would argue that although I do add the LFS water into my tank I wouldn't go as far as to dump the bacteria from their tank into mine. Depends how good your LFS is I suppose. If you trust them then go for it, otherwise just do without.

There are lots of different views on every substrate going, Tom included. There will be plenty of users that say it is superb.

I would just go with whatever you like the look of at the cheapest cost so long as it is a nutrient rich source. Some don't rate TetraComplete at all and say it is rubbish but I had no problems with it before I changed to Tropica.

AC

 

[zedd]

Thanks for the clarification AC.

Lighting is sorted then - I like the idea of the 'noon burst'. I'd love to have a dawn-dusk dimmer type set up, but can't seem to find a system that I can link to my fluorescents.

This isn't my first tank ever, but it will be my only tank. I last had a tank when I was 20ish, about 15 years ago.

I think I'm going to go for the eco-complete.

Thanks again
Z