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Noob alert: Advice on my filtration plans please.

Wisey

Wisey

Member
Joined
19 Jul 2014
Messages
1,062
Hi All,

Apologies first in case I ask a few dumb questions, I am trying to search and read past threads\articles and I have managed to pick up a lot of information, but it's 20 years since my teenage years when I had a tiny aquarium with some half dead plants and an under gravel filter system, so I am coming back to a totally different world with my hopes of a planted tank! I guess what I am looking for here is some confirmation that I have not come up with a plan that is flawed. I'm worried about spending a lot of cash and getting it wrong.

I'm intending to set-up a high tech aquarium custom built by ND Aquatics which will measure 60x45x45cm, so that works out at around 120 litres volume give or take. I therefore understand that I need 10x the volume in my flow rate, so I'm looking at an Eheim Professional 3 600 which has a flow rate of 1250 litres per hour. Is that a sensible choice? Could I get away with the model below?

I want to keep the tank as clean as possible, so my intention is external filter, external inline heater on the return from my filter and probably an inline CO2 diffuser (before or after the filter?) such as the Intense Inline CO2 Atomizer Diffuser from CO2 Art. I guess all these items reduce my flow, but I believe I will get better CO2 diffusion if I have this happening through the filtration system rather than in tank. Am I right?

I understand that a spray bar is the best way forward in many peoples opinions, have had a look at the Cascade glass ones and these look nice to the eye, but they are not cheap so I want to be sure I am getting the right item for my needs. The longest they do is 400mm, my tank is 600mm, will I get away with a 400mm, or would I be best getting a 400 and a 100 and joining them? I'm assuming that trying to cram 600mm of spraybar in to a 600mm aquarium will result in fitting issues?

The one thing I have not worked out yet is my choice of tubing size. The atomizer and spraybars and heater are all available in both sizes. Does my filter inlet and outlet determine my tubing size, or is that optional too? Do I just want to go with the 17mm tubing as I want the best flow possible?

Thanks in advance!

Wisey.
 
Hello,
It's always a good idea to do the research before spending money and to ask questions to clarify some points. That's not dumb at all.

In my opinion only, I would opt for a less prestigious brand in order to maximize filter throughput in lieu of going lower in the same model line. Aquarium filters these days, especially the prestigious brands, have a lot of useless junk features in order to make their products stand out from the competition. They are marketed as "must have" features and have become overpriced. I would investigate less prestigious brands such as Tetratech or even look at the older models of the prestigious brands and find one that does not compromise on filter throughput but which may compromise on "chic", elegance or space age technology gizmos. As I always say, a canister filter is just that a " tin can", a bucket with a pump attached. bacteria really do not care about brand names. Also make sure you avoid the products packaged with "high tech" filter media and just use old school foam, or alfagrog, or anything cheap.

Also, sizing and optimizing a spraybar can be a trial and error affair. I would definitely suggest that you first obtain cheap PVC piping and experiment with different configurations BEFORE you buy the high priced models. You really have to play with distances and hole sizes/spacing to discover the best results. There are loads of threads with the results of other peoples experimentation so you'll have good references. After solving the riddle of your tank you will be better able to determine which configuration to purchase. There are many ways to skin the flow cat. Always get the largest diameter tubing you can stand to LOOK AT in the tank. Of course the internal diameter of filter outlet tube determines the final flow throughput (and the inlet tube ID as well) so size your ancillary tubing to never be smaller than the filter outlet tube ID.

Cheers,
 
Thanks Clive, that is good advice! I had looked at cheaper Eheim filters, but was struggling to find one in the lower ranges that had the 1200+ flow rate. I agree with the feature creep though, it's very easy to spend money for a feature you really have no need for. I can't believe you would ever want to connect your filter to your computer! Some people clearly have too much money and too much time on their hands 🙂

I have looked at JBL and Tetratech, I just seemed to find people on here were suggesting Eheim for long term value, reliability, access to spare parts etc. I don't mind spending the money now if the thing is going to last, but I would also prefer to save some cash that I can spend on plants, and further down the road, fish! I'll do more research in this area and would appreciate comments from others who have these filters.

My theory was aquarium\cabinet\hardscape first, then that gave me a month to play around with hardscape ideas until the next pay day where I could order up filtration and lighting and CO2. Maybe I need to start with filtration and the cheap piping first as you suggest and experiment with flow before I starting playing with which hardscape layout look good! If I get that nailed down first, that spreads the cost of lights and CO2 to the next pay day, it's probably more feasible to spread the cost over a longer period anyway. I guess my journal is going to be VERY dull to begin with as I take so long to buy all the bits![DOUBLEPOST=1407964558][/DOUBLEPOST]Hmmmm, JBL 1501, 1400 lph and around £100 less. Yeah, thanks again Clive 🙂
 
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Just to throw this in there, if you're looking to get a carpet started, in my experience it's easiest to follow the dry start method to achieve a good carpet.
 
I have to admit (which seems quite poor for an aquatic plants forum), that I really have not thought about what plants will go in there yet! I guess I am going to want some form of carpeting plant in my foreground though. The dry start method is something I have heard of but not researched in any detail yet. I will do some reading, thanks.
 
It's quite easy, I had some good success with it when I was a beginner. Just get the water level about a cm below substrate, cover tank with clingfilm so air cant escape, keep the temp between 22-28 degrees, the lights will do the rest. If you get signs of mould or the plants are looking unhealthy, could mean too much light.
 
Clive's post is spot on, figure out how to grow plants then worry about aesthetics, it will same you a lot of £££ and make your life easier to begin with.
The crystal profi 1501 would be ideal, cheap, quality, reliable and over filtered to give you but extra that will almost certainly want to begin with.
 
If one decides to go for aesthetics some time later (in line CO2 diffuser, heater) before buying a filter I would consider the parameter of delivery height that shows how the filter pump is able to cope with hydraulic pressure. In example - JBL 1501 has a rated turnover of 1500 l/h and delivery height of 1,8 metres the other filter Eheim 2074 has the same turnover but delivery height is 2,2 metres and now you could probably guess what would be the difference in turnover if we fill both filters with media, connect reactors and heaters.
 
Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but I am trying to answer exactly the same filter question for the same sized tank and was curious what you ended up doing filter wise?
 
My aquarium is not yet set up as I had issues where I was renting so the project went on hold and I have just moved house. Once the moving expenses are cleared I'll be starting the setup. I splashed out on the Eheim Pro 3e 600T. I wanted a thermal filter as I didn't want in tank heating and heard horror stories about the inline hydors. The 600T was expensive but I felt the 350T didn't have enough flow and I'm hoping to avoid adding power heads in tank, I'm just going to go with a spray bar right across the back.
 
Hey thanks for the reply, if it wasn't for the issues around needing an additional heater do you think you would have stuck with the original choice of the standard 600? I noticed Eheim on their professional 3e models quote a nominal installed flow rate in the operating manuals, quite an eye opening difference to the marketing numbers they publish for pump power. That 600T has a lot of flow but at least you have the flexibility of dialling it down. Starting to feel like buying a filter is like buying a car!!!!
 
Here is the JBLe1501 a Vision 180 tank. I extended the bar using 3/4 of another length to cover all the back of the tank. Filter has one tray of noodles, two off balls and coarse and fine filter pads. Works fine, clean the internal coarse filters every 3 weeks odd (plant debris) and have rinsed the noodles/balls & filter pads occasionally in last couple of years.



Flow is enough to stop plants pearling, ie turn it off (or down) can see bubbles appearing, but leave it on plants don't get a chance 🙁, but at least not CO2 flow and distribution issues....
 
Thanks Ian, the e1501 is what I had in mind as my other choice after scannin tech details of most available filters for this size tank. It's cheaper, edges it at least in the marketing numbers on pump power, and you're experience at least says it will provide ample flow for 120 litres which can be fine tuned with spray bar patterns/media etc. Maybe that makes my mind up for me.
 
The JBLe1501 has flow control valves as well, as when initially I set up and I hadn't extended the spray bar and it was blasting my substrate away. Fixed by turning flow down, placing stones at strategic points to keep substrate in place and finally extending the spray bar as the "missing region" was suffer CO2 issues.
 
My decision was purely based on the version which had a heater and a decent flow rate, if the heater had not been a consideration I would have gone with a filter that had far less features as I won't use many of the "electronic" features. The chance of me connecting it to my computer and setting up custom flow patterns is somewhere between slim and sweet f all.
 
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