Fishes33's High Tech AquaForest (Still in progress)

[Fishes33]

I remember I started out the same time as jcardoni's 55G aquaforest project...

With work and the time I slacked, haven't done much. I feel slow that jcardoni started out, quitted the 55G and I am still not even started yet

Anyway, I need some opinion or advice of how should I do this

I got...

- 30G tank 36 x 12 x 17
- 36" Coralife 1x96watt compact fluroscent light
- 30G sump
- Mag drive 9.5 water pump
(so far I spend about $200 on the sump and the water pump. I need to spend approx $150 (estimate cost for bio balls, tubing and overflow box) to get the sump to work. Do you think I should sell them and just buy a xp4 or fx5 instead?)
- CO2 kit

***Still missing

- tubing
- glass lid
- overflow box
- bio balls
- heater
- uv sterilizer

Probably it will take another few months to get this baby running...

Am I over doing this??? need some opinion... thank you

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

Yes there is no need for that much filtration on a heavily planted set-up. A fx5 would even be over kill for a heavy plant 30g. For the cost i would buy a magnum 350 canister off of ebay. They can be found for anywhere from 60bucks on up. And they last for ever. And they have a micron filter cartridge that can put in to get rid of any algae bloom you may incounter. There are better canisters out there but not for the money. Even J had a cheaper canister on his aqua forest.-------------spend the money on a nice co2 set up. They make the difference between a ok planted set-up and a awsome set-up.

 

[Ullopincrate]

Pretty good advice. I concur.

 

[jcardona1]

yeah man i got a cheap Cascade 1500 canister on my 55g, worked great. to be honest, filtration should be the least of your concerns in a planted tank. and even then, a sump is not the best filter for a planted tank with co2 injection. the excess water movement will gas off most of your co2. you might have issues maintaining proper co2 levels - that is why most guys run a canister filter on a planted tank.

my advice is to sell the sump/pump and get a cascade canister filter. they are more than adequate for a planted tank. and you normally dont have a big bio load since youll be keeping smaller fish. use the money you save to get a very good regulator/solenoid/needle valve. this is the heart of your system

 

[FSM]

That filter is ridiculously excessive. Why are you even considering getting a canister that big? High tech in a planted tank doesn't mean get a big ass filter lol.

 

[Fishes33]

That filter is ridiculously excessive. Why are you even considering getting a canister that big? High tech in a planted tank doesn't mean get a big ass filter lol.

the bigger the equipment, the better right?



redoing my plan!!!

 

[jcardona1]

the bigger the equipment, the better right?



redoing my plan!!!

not in this case. you fish and plants will be spinning around in circles with all the current. just get a normal canister filter. no need to over-do it here

 

[chonhzilla]

yeah man i got a cheap Cascade 1500 canister on my 55g, worked great. to be honest, filtration should be the least of your concerns in a planted tank. and even then, a sump is not the best filter for a planted tank with co2 injection. the excess water movement will gas off most of your co2. you might have issues maintaining proper co2 levels - that is why most guys run a canister filter on a planted tank.

my advice is to sell the sump/pump and get a cascade canister filter. they are more than adequate for a planted tank. and you normally dont have a big bio load since youll be keeping smaller fish. use the money you save to get a very good regulator/solenoid/needle valve. this is the heart of your system

I agree, I too have a cascade filter but instead of a 1500, I have a 500. it does a great job in my heavy planted 30g. Also get a better CO2 setup, it'll be worth it.

 

[dudey]

the bigger the equipment, the better right?



redoing my plan!!!

If you have a ton a plants its going to help eliminating the nitrites.

Either way that filter is huge for the tank. Your bio load probably will not be all that much, unless you plan on over stocking he hell out of it with fish.

Agreed with a cheaper canister filter who's output is under neath the water surface, especially if you want to do co2. (my magnum has an over the back thing to return water in and causes a lot of surface agitation.)

take the extra money and use it for the plants!!

 

[o snap its eric]

+1. In a 55g plus the high you are using i would go with a pressurized CO2 setup.