Wavemaker only?

[Aqua360]

Messing around with a 30l set-up which I've just started off, heavily planted.

No livestock, not even shrimp, am I entering a world of pain if I use a wavemaker only for the foreseeable?

Reason being I'm still sorting filtration. If this seems like a bad idea I'll probably drain and dry start, just that since it's Dutch style I wanted to fill from the start.

Cheers!

 

[tam]

I don't see why not, only benefit of a filter in that situation is collecting debris but you can do that with a syphon/water changes.

 

[Aqua360]

I don't see why not, only benefit of a filter in that situation is collecting debris but you can do that with a syphon/water changes.

Yeah, just didn't know if it would put me at any significant disadvantage, logically I wouldn't expect it to other than the point you made above.

I read something recently about this type of set-up possibly benefitting plants, as they then don't have to compete with the bacteria in the filter for ammonia/nutrients, but have no clue if this is accurate or not.

 

[PARAGUAY]

Why not a very small powerhead sponge over the inlet .Best of both still have beneficial bacteria and flow not a torrent. Darrel dw1305 showed example of this

 

[MichaelJ]

Hi @Aqua360 There is a thread here on small internal shrimp-safe power heads / sponge filters

Darrel dw1305 showed example of this

Yes, This one

Not sure why you want a "wavemaker" ... that sounds pretty brutal for a 30L tank

Cheers,
Michael

 

[Aqua360]

Hi @Aqua360 There is a thread here on small internal shrimp-safe power heads / sponge filters

Yes, This one

Not sure why you want a "wavemaker" ... that sounds pretty brutal for a 30L tank

Cheers,
Michael

You'd think, but they're actually quite gentle compared to powerheads, obviously depending on the flow rate!

I'm using a Fluval CP2, all good so far, but time will tell, planted yesterday!

 

[Aqua360]

Why not a very small powerhead sponge over the inlet .Best of both still have beneficial bacteria and flow not a torrent. Darrel dw1305 showed example of this

It's not so much an aversion to using an external, as that I don't have the equipment just yet!

Hoping to make it as "aquascaped" as possible, so I'll be avoiding sponges!

 

[MichaelJ]

You'd think, but they're actually quite gentle compared to powerheads, obviously depending on the flow rate!

Sure thing - I know you know what your doing - just cracking a joke That said, some of these small internal power heads like the Pat mini (which can be regulated) are pretty amazing.

 

[Aqua360]

Sure thing - I know you know what your doing - just cracking a joke That said, some of these small external power heads like the Pat Mine (which can be regulated) is pretty amazing.

I don't think I know what I'm doing half the time 😂

I like the pat mini, it is almost the perfect shrimp filter next to air sponges. Packs a lot of power as well for its size!

 

[MichaelJ]

I don't think I know what I'm doing half the time 😂

Neither do I, but it seems to work out anyway 🤣

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I read something recently about this type of set-up possibly benefitting plants, as they then don't have to compete with the bacteria in the filter for ammonia/nutrients, but have no clue if this is accurate or not.

I'd guess that the filter doesn't make much difference to the plant/microbe balance in fixed nitrogen assimilation. The reason for this would be that there is the same amount of fixed nitrogen in the system and it is always <"plant/microbe filtration"> when you have plants. If you increased the stocking density (bioload) there would be a time when the filter media becomes important, but <"I never have many fish">, so I don't have any personal experience of when that might be.

Why not a very small powerhead sponge over the inlet .

...... next to air sponges.

Either is the simplest answer.

cheers Darrel