The Misses First Cube.

[Brainjuice]

The girl friend has had her first attempt at setting up her own tropical planted tank which she's done a really good job of.  To the slight announce of me as I'm starting a new one and I think her's might end up being better than mine.  We'll let you lot decide thought, as when mines done we're doing to put it to a fun vote on here, maybe with a silly fore fit of something!!!
 
Anyway I digress some what, she's got a little problem at the moment, even though the tank as a whole looks VERY good, there does seem to be a lot of muck settling on the wood and plants, it's only a fairly small tank 350mm x 350mm x 350mm.  She tried putting a nano water circulator in to get the water moving and stop the muck settling and hopefully get sucked up by the filter.  But it was to powerful and ended up causing to much chaos!!
 
So we were just wondering if anyone had any othere ideas to stop the muck settling and spoiling a rather lovely tank?
 
http/i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b639/Brainjuice99/DSC_0028_zpsed5b2321.jpg
 
http/i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b639/Brainjuice99/DSC_0030_zpsd2f237c8.jpg
 
http/i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b639/Brainjuice99/DSC_0033_zpsbee76e26.jpg

 

[thereverendturtle]

Adding a spray bar to the outlet of the filter may help. Adding shrimp, pygmy cories or dwarf chain loaches will also keep things stirred up as they move around. Btw, going to look really good once its filled in. The hardscape is very well done.

 

[MBOU]

Looks like an Askoll tank to me I never thought much of the wet/dry kind of filter systems but people keep assuring me these filters are good. I know personally that the same style filtration in Aqua One tanks left me with the same problem and I ended up ripping out the filter to put an external on the tank.
 
That said, it might be worth looking at how the filter media is laid out and maybe modifying what is in the compartments? That is the plus side of those sort of filters over internal filters... they at least give more room for modifying media.
 
I would also keep trying to find a small powerhead, perhaps one made for a small co2 kit? Will see if i can find what i mean...
 
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TUNZE-PUMP-MINI-5024-040-NANO-REEF-POWERHEAD-LATEST-MODEL-/200797912384?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item2ec07cfd40

 

[Brainjuice]

Adding a spray bar to the outlet of the filter may help. Adding shrimp, pygmy cories or dwarf chain loaches will also keep things stirred up as they move around. Btw, going to look really good once its filled in. The hardscape is very well done.

She has mentioned about wanting some Cories in there, and shrimp could be a good idea seeing as we do seem to have an ever expanding population of them.
As for the hardscape yes she's done very good.

Looks like an Askoll tank to me

I never thought much of the wet/dry kind of filter systems but people keep assuring me these filters are good. I know personally that the same style filtration in Aqua One tanks left me with the same problem and I ended up ripping out the filter to put an external on the tank.
 
That said, it might be worth looking at how the filter media is laid out and maybe modifying what is in the compartments? That is the plus side of those sort of filters over internal filters... they at least give more room for modifying media.
 
I would also keep trying to find a small powerhead, perhaps one made for a small co2 kit? Will see if i can find what i mean...
 
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TUNZE-PUMP-MINI-5024-040-NANO-REEF-POWERHEAD-LATEST-MODEL-/200797912384?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item2ec07cfd40

Top marks on Askoll!  I think the problem with the filter is that it just doesn't circulate enough water.  She may end up going for an external filter.