# Filter for Dennerle Scapers Tank 50l



## martyg2010 (29 Sep 2015)

After reading numerous threads I seem to see that the general findings are that manufacturers overrate the flow capabilities of their filters.

Or they quote flow figures from filters without media.

So my question is, I'm setting up what will be an iwagumi style planted tank of 50 litres.  This will eventually be home to a dwarf puffer, some Otto's and shrimp.

I want an external filter and have been looking at the all pond solutions 1000ex.

At a quoted 1000lph will this be overkill on a 50l tank?

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## PARAGUAY (29 Sep 2015)

I think APS externals come with"bio filter wool  " in each basket with bio balls ,noodles,carbon sachets at top. So you could slow the flow down by adding sponges if needed,also its spray bar could be raised slightly at surface.


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## Harps (30 Sep 2015)

I have an Eden 511 set up mine. It's rated at 600lph, and seems to be doing the job well enough so far. I can't review it fully though as it has only been set up for a week.


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## MightyPumpkin (30 Sep 2015)

I would say that sounds high. I would be looking at maybe cycling min 3 times an hour upto 300lph max. not much waste with shrimps and ottos.  Sorry can't help more with the filter. 

But please reconsider the choice of fish. The puffer will eat your shrimp, and as far as I've observed they seem to do much better in groups of at least 5. They are very social fish.

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## MightyPumpkin (30 Sep 2015)

Good luck with the scape. Looking forward to seeing pics.

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## Martin in Holland (30 Sep 2015)

MightyPumpkin said:


> I would say that sounds high. I would be looking at maybe cycling min 3 times an hour upto 300lph max. not much waste with shrimps and ottos.  Sorry can't help more with the filter.
> 
> But please reconsider the choice of fish. The puffer will eat your shrimp, and as far as I've observed they seem to do much better in groups of at least 5. They are very social fish.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk


I had puffer in the past, they need enough space between themselves as they are not social, you need to feed them snails as main food and try to get them to eat other stuff, they (2 dwarf puffer in my 300 liter tank) didn't bother my shrimp at all.

As for the filter, 1000 liter/hour sounds a bit as an overkill, but if you stuff it with floss and other media, my guess is that it will be fine. You could even enlarge the holes in the spray bar to get less strong current and/or consider to inject CO2 with a reactor, this reduce the output by almost half.


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## MightyPumpkin (30 Sep 2015)

This article is I think particularly good and amusing. 
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=6358
I quote from the article. ..
" Where other fish may be streamlined and hydrodynamic, cleaving through water like aquatic gazelles, puffers tend to have all the manoeuvrability of an inebriated cow." 

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## martyg2010 (30 Sep 2015)

Shouldn't I be aiming for 10 times turnover?  That would mean at least 500lph.

Jebao do a 650lph external, maybe this would be better and might be closer to 500lph once media is fitted.

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## Bacms (30 Sep 2015)

martyg2010 said:


> Shouldn't I be aiming for 10 times turnover?  That would mean at least 500lph.
> 
> Jebao do a 650lph external, maybe this would be better and might be closer to 500lph once media is fitted.
> 
> Sent from somewhere using some electronic device.


The idea is to aim for one rated at 10x the volume of your tank, the assumptions is that you will get less than that but it will be enough. So you should be shopping for one rated 500lph


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## martyg2010 (30 Sep 2015)

Bacms said:


> The idea is to aim for one rated at 10x the volume of your tank, the assumptions is that you will get less than that but it will be enough. So you should be shopping for one rated 500lph


Thanks, that's helpful.

Time to scour the interwebs for a 500lph external then  

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## martyg2010 (1 Oct 2015)

Well I couldn't find an external with 500lph that was within budget, so ended up getting a 650lph Jebao 502.

Hope its decent despite the low price for an external.

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## alto (1 Oct 2015)

If you add in some "taps" such as these eheims you can adjust the flow
Also if you decide to use inline heater or inline CO2 reactor etc, these will all slow your filter significantly.
Intake/outlet choice will also impact flow.

Depending on species & individual temperament, some puffers do better in (compatible) groups.


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## martyg2010 (2 Oct 2015)

Well after wrangling with plants, water, tubing and cardboard boxes all afternoon, I've gotten the tank planted how I want it.

One question thought, the Monte Carlo seems to want to float, how do you keep the strandy bits in the substrate?






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## alto (2 Oct 2015)

I just bury them  

I don't recall if you've added substrate & plants all in one day but substrate gets a little less "floaty" as it saturates so you should see some improvement in that regard over a few days/week, you can also adjust/redirect flow so that it's not "hitting" the 'Monte Carlo'

Note that if you're adding CO2, it will be driven off by surface agitation so you might reduce that during daylight hours, then increase at night for fish - to prevent film you usually only need slight ripple.

Nice contrasts of green & stone


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## martyg2010 (2 Oct 2015)

Sorry that last post should have been in my journal thread, lol.

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