# Hydor, Sicce or Tunze?



## Manisha (1 Aug 2016)

Hi all,
When I initially set up my 240l tank as a planted tank I didn't know about the 10x recommended flow so it's very under par at the moment with a eheim ecco pro 300 (rated 750l/hr). Ive got away with it so far & it's not caused too many issues so far as my tank is low tech but there are dead spots so I've ordered a second ecco pro 300 and will run parallel to the current one with flow directed through two spraybars toward the front.

I hope to supplement this with an additional power head in the centre of the tank and wondered if anyone had used any of the brands above and could offer any feedback. 
The Tunze turbelle nanostream 6015 is rated 1800 l/ph and perhaps overkill.
The Sicce voyager is rated 1000l/ph.
The Hydor Koralia is rated 900l/ph.
Slight problem is that I have a internal juwel background fitted so may make positioning a power head centrally a bit tricky (scratched head in confusion).
Many thanks


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## Paul L (1 Aug 2016)

You will need a 2000 litre pump in my opinion.
I've got a 55 gallon tank running two eheim filters, 2071 +2075 , and a Tunze 6015 , and I've still got dead spots. I'm planning to replace it with the 6025 soon. 
The tunze pumps are near silent, and very well made.


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## Daveslaney (1 Aug 2016)

I havent got any experience with the makes you quote in your post title.
But i would say go with the higher flow rate too. I know it sounds like overkill in theory and you think your tank will end up like a washing machine.
But in practice it works really well and the flow rate isnt a violent as you think.
I have a simular size tank to yours and i have a tetra ex1200 running through a spraybar pointing at the front glass. A fuval 306 running through a lilly pipe mainly for surface agitation also point towards the front glass.
And two fuval sea 1600 ltr powerheads also pointing at the front glass. This gives me a good flow pattern throughout the tank and isnt nearly as turbulant as you would think.
Works really well.


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## Manisha (1 Aug 2016)

Paul L said:


> You will need a 2000 litre pump in my opinion.
> I've got a 55 gallon tank running two eheim filters, 2071 +2075 , and a Tunze 6015 , and I've still got dead spots. I'm planning to replace it with the 6025 soon.
> The tunze pumps are near silent, and very well made.



Paul L - Tunze seems to have the vote, with highest flow  Though your two eheims have a combined flow of about 750l/ph more than  two ecco pros... so if you still have dead spots wonder if the tunze 6015 will be enough? I wrote off the 6020/6040 as being too much but was attracted to the design & wide outflow pattern, Have you considered these models at all?



Daveslaney said:


> I havent got any experience with the makes you quote in your post title.
> But i would say go with the higher flow rate too. I know it sounds like overkill in theory and you think your tank will end up like a washing machine.
> But in practice it works really well and the flow rate isnt a violent as you think.
> I have a simular size tank to yours and i have a tetra ex1200 running through a spraybar pointing at the front glass. A fuval 306 running through a lilly pipe mainly for surface agitation also point towards the front glass.
> ...



Thanks Dave - I really liked the fluval 305 - did you manage to do away with the filter hosing to install the lily pipe? Does your tetra ex 1200 run the whole length of your tank? And do you place your power heads at the sides? Sorry so many questions - trying to visualise it ☺ Have you found two power heads more efficency at distributing flow than one. As for me installing two either end may be easier than one centrally with the internal background!


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## Daveslaney (1 Aug 2016)

Yes i took the ribbed hose off the fuval to install the lilly pipe easy fix really.
Yes the ex runs to a home made spraybar that runs the lenght of the tank. I did this because that is the line my co2 reactor runs on so the co2 if diffused down the lenght of the tank. I intend to change the spraybar to a clear one once i find sone clear acrilic to make one from.
Dont know if you can make it out from the photo one powerhead is on the left one on the right and the lilly pipe from the fuval is on the right too.


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## Daveslaney (1 Aug 2016)

In your tank with the background the powerheads do turn so they face at right angles to the suckers that stick them to the glass. So it may be easier for you to fix one to each side glass of the tank as you say.
Regards Dave.


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## Manisha (1 Aug 2016)

Lovely set up ☺ you wouldn't really notice the eheim green unless you we looking for it its quite discreet. I'm thinking two powerheads at either end would work better - definately given me a few options to think about & as low tech - will see how flow is with two externals running & see how it looks then decide how much more I need & where ☺ thanks again!


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## Daveslaney (1 Aug 2016)

Thankyou still a work in progress.More rocks and plants to go in yet.
Photography not one of my strong points though.


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## Manisha (9 Oct 2016)

My set up has changed to include two 2 eheim ecco pro 300 filters running with a spraybar (6x flow) - along the rear of the tank. Although it seems I researched a 10 times flow to be most suitable, my low tech maybe is sufficient with less ( & my cabomba caroliniana & echinodorus vesuvius hasn't looked so poorly  ) Considering running a JBL e150l alone  (eventually after a fer months) alone the short side of the tank. Is this very inadvisable for any reason?


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