you can never be overfiltered!!! Also it depends on your scaping as to were and how many dead spots you will have. depending on fish choice will determine what flow you want. I see you have discus and I am sure you know they like very calm waters. If this is your plan I would definatly go with an eheim filter of some kind. They have very large bio areas that are essential for discus and low flow rates but very powerful pumps.
Best filtration for 120g planted tank?
- Thread starter Bderick67
- Start date
Actually you can have to much filtration. You are talking about using a filter that can run a 150 heavy stocked monster tank, with no plants, that runs $400+ when a $100-$150 filter will be more than adequate with a couple low powered powerheads. While it isn't doing much harm, it is costing much more, which is a waste of a filter. I had my 135 run on only a eheim 2026 for a long time, then added a fluval 404, now I run just the 404. There is no need to go big on the filter when you have a fully planted tank.
I'm not going to argue with you, IMO you can't have to much filtration. I run 2 xp3's 2 emporer 400's and a 200 gal wet/dry with a 1200gph pump on my 220 semiplanted and I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't have excessive current and my tank stays VERY clean. I have very low nitrates thanks to my plants and obssesive water changes. If I was to go high tech and add co2 I would remove all of my current filtration and go with 1 pro III
On a 220 that is great, but for a 120 planted that is overkill IMO. We all have our own opinions on things. Several people I know run their planted tanks without filtration or powerheads of any kind. But to say that you can never have to much filtration is absurd. Only so much of the biomedia will be used on a 120 with a pro 3 on it. Why bother with having that much filtration on the tank when you could get a XP2 and a co2 fully auto setup for the same price, or less? On fully planted tanks I do not feel that filtration is important to the amount that you are recommending. First thing is that the bio-load level will be much lower than in a monster only, or fish only tank as many of the nutrients are taken up by the plants.
I have two Eheim Pro 3's and an Eheim 2028 Pro II on my 300 gallon heavily planted tank. I don't feel it's overkill mainly because I feel circulation in the tank is critical for the fish I keep and on an 8' long, 30" wide tank a small filter won't circulate the water enough. My fish are small but sensitive fish, mostly Apistos, Rams, Loaches, Pearl Gouramis and Cardinals so filtering and circulation is important. I still feel you can't go wrong on a 120 with a Eheim 2028. It's just a great filter and, currectly me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall seeing what type and size the fish will be in the 120.
Thanks to everyone for thier input, my pocket book had the most influence on this descision though, I picked up an Ehiem 2028 pro II today for $75.
The tank will house my Silver aro for the next few months, then I would like to have it be a plant first, fish second type of tank. So will probably do some tetras, live bearers etc.
If I can get it well balanced and with a little more experience on the planted side, I would eventually like to add my discus to the tank.
The tank will house my Silver aro for the next few months, then I would like to have it be a plant first, fish second type of tank. So will probably do some tetras, live bearers etc.
If I can get it well balanced and with a little more experience on the planted side, I would eventually like to add my discus to the tank.
WyldFya;651298; said:
I got it used off of craigslist it's actually a 2026 pro II. The lady I got it from decided she would rather have a rena xp2.
It may be a little undersized for the silver aro, but I'll throw on a wet/dry for a 55 gallon while he's in there. I think once I get the planted going the 2026 filter should do fine.
2026 for $75 is a great deal. Good find. When fully planted a 2026 is more than enough if your plants are growing well.
