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Just starting out, help choosing filter

storm

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26 Jan 2022
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10
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United Kingdom
Hi

I'm just starting out in the hobby and have got my self an 80l aquarium similar in size and spec to the dennerle scapers tank.

I plan to keep shrimp and plants only and wanted to get some advice on filtration.

Should I go internal or external and what sort of flow rates am I looking for?

Thanks in advance!
 
Jbl or tetratec with a min turnover of 10x so circa 800lph will be a good “budget” option.

Eheim are “the rolls royce” option in the minds of many aquarists and generally speaking it’s my experience that they are. The 2224, for how quiet it is alone, are the filter I keep returning to for anything up to 70l and for what they are they are pretty close to faultless, if a little gutless when dirty.
 
Hi

I'm just starting out in the hobby and have got my self an 80l aquarium similar in size and spec to the dennerle scapers tank.

I plan to keep shrimp and plants only and wanted to get some advice on filtration.

Should I go internal or external and what sort of flow rates am I looking for?

Thanks in advance!
I would advise an external filter. An internal filter will occupy too much space inside a small 80l tank. As @Garuf said, any filter with a flow rate around 800 lph would be most appropriate. Since you are not planning to have fish, the bio-load will be low and a filter with a lower turnover rate would also work. Note that you need to add a fine mesh to the filter intake so that shrimp are not sucked in.
 
Thanks for your replies. I am hoping to find a filter with an integrated heater so I don't have to place one in the tank or inline

I have been looking for filter intake guards but have yet to find one
 
You can also buy stainless mesh to put round the inlet. That’s what I did with my stainless steel set.

My post is here.

I’ve got three external filters. An Eheim Classic, a Sera and a Tetratec. The Tetratec is virtually silent and the other two are noisy. I’ve just ordered another, slightly bigger Tetratec as I’m fed up with the noise of the Eheim! :D
 
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I was looking at a tetra ex 800 plus with a flow rate of 790lph... would that suite shrimp and plants and if ever I do put fish it would be 10x max tetras

Sent from my CPH2009 using Tapatalk
 
I was looking at a tetra ex 800 plus with a flow rate of 790lph... would that suite shrimp and plants and if ever I do put fish it would be 10x max tetras

Sent from my CPH2009 using Tapatalk
With fish aim at around ~10x the water volume, so a minimum of ~800 lph.

If you are looking at filters with integrated heater have a look at Oase Biomaster Thermo 250 or EHEIM professionel 4+ 250T. Both have a flow of ~900 lph and integrated heater. But these filters are quite more expensive than the Tetra (around here 90 EUR for the Tetra vs. 180 EUR for the Oase vs. 200 EUR for the Eheim).

Edit: have a look also at the Oase FitoSmart Thermo 200 (800 lph + heater). This is ~120 EUR.
 
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From my experience of having a community tank in the 1980’s, fish don’t seem to need a high rate of flow. You do need sufficient media for the number of occupants though and good surface movement. Not ideal I know but I had barely 2x the flow back then and very rarely had any fatalities in a well stocked tank. I’ve just ordered a Tetratec 600 for a 60L Nano and by the time it’s got media in it the flow won’t be anywhere near 10X or the Cory’s will get blown out of the tank! :)
 
I've ordered the tetra ex 800 plus. I'm going to use it with a separate filter booster that will contain all the sponge media and just fill the ex 800 plus full of bio media.

Its not a 100% sure thing about fish but I may have a few tetras with the shrimp but for now if will just be shrimp and plants!

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I've ordered the tetra ex 800 plus. I'm going to use it with a separate filter booster that will contain all the sponge media and just fill the ex 800 plus full of bio media.
That is overkill for a small tank and will significantly reduce the overall flow. Plus, you only need need a small amount of bio media. The only "advantage" is that you will only need to clean the pre-filter with the sponges while keeping the main filter with bio media untouched for several months...
 
Hi
that filter will be fine for your tank.
Its actual flow will be sth like 600l per hour as Tetratec doesn't have the best flow but its very silent filter.Not sure about the booster as may reduce flow too much if you put fine sponge and floss in it but I guess you can try.You can have a sponge(20ppi or coarser not to reduce flow when dirty)on the intake to serve as prefilter and your shrimp will love it too.I have prefilter sponges in the tank that clean weekly and main filter body is always clean.I use Eheim pick up carbon sponges replacement (because is dark coloured and the normal sponge is white) . I like the density of them and the hole in middle is right size.Only downside is the sponges are drilled all way through so will need to be sowed or plucked with more foam at bottom end.
Regards Konstantin
 
Thanks for the replies and advice, looks like this project is now going to be on hold as the tank I have bought is 6cm to big (depth) for my cabinet so there is a 6cm overhang at the back!! don't think I should risk it as it may split the glass :(

Really annoying!!

Sent from my CPH2009 using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for the replies and advice, looks like this project is now going to be on hold as the tank I have bought is 6cm to big (depth) for my cabinet so there is a 6cm overhang at the back!! don't think I should risk it as it may split the glass :(

Really annoying!!

Sent from my CPH2009 using Tapatalk
Can you screw a piece of wood at the back? I did something similar on one of my setups.
 
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