What Filter For 450Litre

[Ps3Steveo]

Was looking at Eheim 2078 but that's like 4 x full tank turn over per hour, how many turn overs do you require in a fully planted tank per hour, I know you need high flow to stop algae and to get the CO2 and fert's dispersed well but I dunno what to go for really?

 

[KittyKat]

I am currently running my 2076 on a 420 litre without problems (I just upgraded from a 215 l to the 420), to be honest, it is coping well with the larger tank, but I do plan to get a small second filter or a very small power head (I aim to get one rated for an under 100 litre tank) to help with the circulation in one of the corners. A 2078 should be fine, I think. Good circulation is much more important than total turnover.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Cool, I was planning on glass inlet and outlets, I take it the best thing to do with larger tanks for flow and circulation is to put the inlet and outlet side by side so it flows right round the tank then is pulled back in? Well thats what it looks like in a lot of scapes I've seen. Was also thinking of using an inline diffuser too, what are poeples opinions on these?

 

[StandbySetting]

In a fully planted tank you're looking at about 10x turn over, so I'd recommend a Fluval FX5 which would give 2300 LPH, then I'd add a Koralia circulation pump or two to make it up to 4500LPH, you can also use Lily pipes if you wish, this is where the inlet and outlet are both next to each other, but the intake is at the bottom, and the outlet sends water over the top of the tank which in theory then circles and runs in the opposite direction along the bottom back into the inlet.

 

[KittyKat]

I currently have the inlet and outlet on opposite sides: this is the first time that I have done it this way, normally having both on the same side. I can't say that I have a preference either way, it all depends on the set-up.

As for turnover, I have had heavily planted tanks anywhere from 2* to 15* turnover with good results. I pick the flow rate based on the fish I want to keep nowadays, not trying to whack in as much as I can.

 

[ian]

personally i think it's how you're gonna run your planted tank to how much turnover. If your going down the EI, pressurised set up then you deffo need 10X +. Also on a larger tank i would go with a spray bar.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Whats a Koralia circulation pump?

 

[KkAaNnEe]

Whats a Koralia circulation pump?

Link http/www.aquazones.co.uk/Koralia-Pumps/Hydor-Koralia-NANO-900-Circulation-Pump-p-882.html

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Just looked at those pumps, I dont see how they would help as they create current, they dont boost how much your filter turns over, plus this is going to be a heavily planted tank with Discus so dont really want ugly black pumps in the corners. Wouldn't 2 x F5's or Eheims do the trick? could have two lots of lily pipes on the same side of the tank that way?

 

[StandbySetting]

You could go for 2 FX5's but it'd be expensive.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

2nd hand same price as 2 x new koralia pumps.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Just a thought, if discus dont like turbulent water then how am I gonna achieve this scape with Discus lol.

 

[StandbySetting]

Good circulation doesn't have to mean turbulent water, the koralia pumps are a good example of this, the circulation with koralia pumps is not concentrated where as a standard power head has one jet.

It depends on what you want to achieve, in a low-tech set up the importance of flow isn't has high as it is in a high-tech setup, but it's still imperative that nutrients are reaching all areas of the tank.

 

[ian]

you'll find a lot of planted Discus tanks run successfully with Koralia pumps as the don't jet the water, they push a volume of water. I use them and there is no turbulence in my tank. This is one of the reasons i suggested that you use a spraybar rather than a lily pipe. IMO you get more of an even distribution of water.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Yeah may have to do that with the spray bar if you can get clear ones as I dont want anything looking ugly in the tank, is there a way of connecting 2 x FX5's to a single spray bar? I'm thinking of having it run the length of the tank so the flow should be good hopefully and so will the LPH. Then I could have it just rippling the surface rather than spraying into the top of the tank as here will be plenty of O2 in the water from the plants. Good idea?