Filter recommendations for 30l tank.

[dw1305]

Hi all,

These adorable buggers

They are beyond cute <"Slow 60 (ADA 60p low tech)">.

What small live foods do you feed them with?

<"Daphnia, Micro (maybe Banana) and Grindal worms">. I'm having some (renewed) Grindal worm issues at the moment, but you are more than welcome to some Micro/Banana Worms.

PM if you want some.

cheers Darrel

 

[tam]

+1 for the mini pat .. I have two tanks in your kind of capacity (a 27L & a 35) and main filtration for both is a pat. In the smaller, primarily for shrimp, I put the output through a spray bar, in the larger I run one of the Marina Slim HOBs as a backup because it's a growout tank with heavy feeding, but it's probably belt and braces. Belt and braces on the shrimp tank is a small air-driven sponge. I just always like to have a spare sponge in my tanks with a good bacteria colony in case something else fails. Only downside for pats is the suction cups, fiddly and lose suction too quickly. Extending the tube is a great idea but space is too tight for me to do that.

I agree the suction cups are useless. One I brought separately had a hanger to go over the rim, but my original that came with a shrimp set didn't. I made my own hanger by heating up a bit of plastic and bending it then using small cable ties to attach the back plate. Obviously only works on rimless though.

 

[Conort2]

You can buy the parts pre-made here: Poret® Sponge Replacement for Aquael Pat Mini Filter 20cm - Envobee Shrimp

I like these with the mini pats for small tanks.
I supplement these with the ziss moving bed filters, although I’m not sure if these are actually required.

 

[hwscot]

I agree the suction cups are useless. One I brought separately had a hanger to go over the rim, but my original that came with a shrimp set didn't. I made my own hanger by heating up a bit of plastic and bending it then using small cable ties to attach the back plate. Obviously only works on rimless though.

I think all mine have come with hangers but I agree they're hopeless.
I may have a go at something like you describe: my first impression from the pics is that it's a work of genius.
Useless sucker cups are a problem generally though. I dreeeeam of someone producing a sucker cup that stays suckery for years.
All this said, the filters themselves are brilliant.

 

[LondonDragon]

Personally I am dithering between the Oase Biostyle 75 and APS Hob-500. Not too keen on a canister now due to cost and complexity.

@LondonDragon I saw from a previous post that you have a Biostyle 75? How do you find it?

It's pretty good, I use it on a 60l tank and it has never looked so clean, it is quite big though, so check the dimenssions properly before you buy one, I originally brought it for my 12l tank and its bigger than the tank LOL

 

[_Maq_]

5 pygmies, 2 guppies and 4 amanos so I do think its overstocked

I'm sorry for your fish.

I probably wouldn't go smaller than a 2' (60 cm) tank for them in the long term.

At least! They love both protected zones where to hide, and open spaces to school and enjoy fun.

These adorable buggers keep dying on me.

With fish, it's very difficult to keep a tank small like that healthy. Every time you feed, you create huge organics pollution and oxygen demand. That's a stressful environment and, as a result, fish easily succumb to various diseases or chronic poisoning.

The whole discussion about a proper filter for such a tank seems pointless. People expect "clear, healthy water" from their filters, but they don't work that way. Living water has self-cleaning properties, and microbes don't need a special colonization area to colonize your tank in sufficient numbers and species-richness. What they DO need is a lot of oxygen and more or less stable conditions.
Such a small tank can be fine as long as the animal stock is strictly limited and plants are abundant and in good health. A dozen of shrimps, or so. Even so, the tank is still prone to sudden changes, par example in temperature, and all the tranquillity may be lost.

 

[Lapul]

I would suggest a small hang on filter, like Seachem (Tidal 35), easy to maintain and with adjustable flow too.
Otherwise a small pump

Cris

 

[Calamardo Tentaculos]

It's pretty good, I use it on a 60l tank and it has never looked so clean, it is quite big though, so check the dimenssions properly before you buy one, I originally brought it for my 12l tank and its bigger than the tank LOL

Yeah I saw that. It was hilarious.

I'm sorry for your fish.

At least! They love both protected zones where to hide, and open spaces to school and enjoy fun.

With fish, it's very difficult to keep a tank small like that healthy. Every time you feed, you create huge organics pollution and oxygen demand. That's a stressful environment and, as a result, fish easily succumb to various diseases or chronic poisoning.

The whole discussion about a proper filter for such a tank seems pointless. People expect "clear, healthy water" from their filters, but they don't work that way. Living water has self-cleaning properties, and microbes don't need a special colonization area to colonize your tank in sufficient numbers and species-richness. What they DO need is a lot of oxygen and more or less stable conditions.
Such a small tank can be fine as long as the animal stock is strictly limited and plants are abundant and in good health. A dozen of shrimps, or so. Even so, the tank is still prone to sudden changes, par example in temperature, and all the tranquillity may be lost.

Thanks for the advice. I will be looking to move the fish to separate tanks as an upgrade to a 60l isn't possible at this time.

 

[Calamardo Tentaculos]

@LondonDragon so I seem to have underestimated its size as well. 🤣
Whilst I'm happy that I can fit a lot of biofilter in it, it looks ludicrous on my tank.

 

[PARAGUAY]

Sponge filter on a small power head is good for small tanks (and larger IMO) with good regular water changes

 

[LondonDragon]

View attachment 213214
@LondonDragon so I seem to have underestimated its size as well. 🤣
Whilst I'm happy that I can fit a lot of biofilter in it, it looks ludicrous on my tank.

I did warn you!! 😉
For a tank that size I would rather get one these:

Pardon our interruption...

I run these in 3 tanks, biggest a 30l cube and its perfectly fine, I use the 450L/H version! longest running is about 4-5 years!

 

[Calamardo Tentaculos]

I did warn you!! 😉
For a tank that size I would rather get one these:

Pardon our interruption...

I run these in 3 tanks, biggest a 30l cube and its perfectly fine, I use the 450L/H version! longest running is about 4-5 years!

I considered those but didn't want to lose any more valuable internal volume. Thankfully I can still mount it on my tank. Well, I have an excuse to upgrade to a bigger tank now. Just need to find one which doesn't cost me an arm and a leg.

Sponge filter on a small power head is good for small tanks (and larger IMO) with good regular water changes

Aye, I've been doing that all this time but I have to travel abroad for 2-3 weeks hence I'm looking for increased filtration to preserve my water quality while I'm away.

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

I’m currently running an Eheim Classic 250 with stainless lily pipes on a 37L and it really isn’t anywhere near being overkill in my view. I’ve actually had filters with a higher output on the tank. Only inhabitants on this particular tank are cherry shrimp so I use a fine sponge on the inlet so the youngsters don’t get sucked into the filter. It’s the smaller tank on the right.

 

[Calamardo Tentaculos]

I’m currently running an Eheim Classic 250 with stainless lily pipes on a 37L and it really isn’t anywhere near being overkill in my view. I’ve actually had filters with a higher output on the tank. Only inhabitants on this particular tank are cherry shrimp so I use a fine sponge on the inlet so the youngsters don’t get sucked into the filter. It’s the smaller tank on the right.

View attachment 213221

Nice tanks! Where did you get them from? I am thinking of upgrading to a larger tank.

I was thinking of the Eheim classic but was put off by the price.

 

[_Maq_]

Where did you get them from?

I've noticed that most of your tanks are purchased, not custom made. In my country, it's the norm to get custom made tanks. Almost any glassmaker will do it. Is it a vanishing skill in the U.K.?

 

[Calamardo Tentaculos]

I've noticed that most of your tanks are purchased, not custom made. In my country, it's the norm to get custom made tanks. Almost any glassmaker will do it. Is it a vanishing skill in the U.K.?

I honestly have no idea as I'm returning to this hobby after 20 years but apparently cheap and cheerful does not exist in this country. Everything is overpriced compared to incomes.

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

Nice tanks! Where did you get them from? I am thinking of upgrading to a larger tank.

I was thinking of the Eheim classic but was put off by the price.

The 60L is a Dennerle, and the 37L is an Eheim.
Other filters I’ve used on the 37L are Tetratec - very quiet but one leaked and the other had a damaged impeller.
A Sera 130+ UV which was noisy, and more recently a Fluval 207 which was also noisy. The vertical manifold on the Fluval also made hose runs problematic in my cabinet so I’m back to the Classic 250. Very little to go wrong with the Eheim but it’s not as quiet as the old ones made in Germany years ago.

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

I've noticed that most of your tanks are purchased, not custom made. In my country, it's the norm to get custom made tanks. Almost any glassmaker will do it. Is it a vanishing skill in the U.K.?

What got me back into it was the aesthetics of the Dennerle and Eheim Nano tanks with the rounded front corners. They look so much better than siliconed tanks to me. I’d like a bigger tank but I’d really want mitred corners and I’m not sure anyone here in the UK make them?

 

[tam]

I've noticed that most of your tanks are purchased, not custom made. In my country, it's the norm to get custom made tanks. Almost any glassmaker will do it. Is it a vanishing skill in the U.K.?

I think it's been the norm for a long time (decades). If you go into most fish shops they'll have a display of pre-made tanks to choose from. A lot of complete setups too - lights, filter all included. There is a much wider variety now than there used to be and more aimed at the aquascaping, rather than just fishkeeping end of the market. There's probably at least five places I can buy an off the shelf fishtank within 30 minutes drive.

You can go to a tank builder, but you'd find it harder to locate one, particularly one with good reviews. If you are ordering a custom tank, you will have to wait weeks, pay a premium for it but you expect perfect silicon etc. in return.

 

[tam]

What got me back into it was the aesthetics of the Dennerle and Eheim Nano tanks with the rounded front corners. They look so much better than siliconed tanks to me. I’d like a bigger tank but I’d really want mitred corners and I’m not sure anyone here in the UK make them?

Aquaone have used to do a range with rounded front corners I've a 70l one, I know they had a 200l ish one too, but not sure if it is still available or if they did anything bigger. They were all rimmed though I think.