reccommended filter for planted tank w/ fish?

[Magik220]

I use a fluval 304 on my 55 gal. w/ ceramic rings and 200 grams of purigen.Canisters seem to be the way to go on a planted tank just dont use any charcoal,this is a bad idea .If your stocking levels are low you may not even need a filter,so whats in the tank?

Why is using charcoal a bad idea? Will it kill the plants?

 

[lizardfishman]

use an aquaclear.

 

[sohfatfish]

Why is using charcoal a bad idea? Will it kill the plants?

It removes the nutrients that You dose for your plants and limits their growth.

 

[Driftw00d]

I would use a very small hanging power filter or none at all. No activated-carbon in the filter pad.

 

[I3u11he4d]

It removes the nutrients that You dose for your plants and limits their growth.

Exactly.....

 

[I3u11he4d]

We have a two five's with an undergravel, one five with an internal desposable(will be switching to a good internal soon), and a ten with a hanging one...all work well. In our extremely planted tank we have the internal filter, works the best if the tank is going to have a lot of plants...

How well are those undergravels working for ya?Evrything I've ever been told or read says not to use them with plants,basicly the same reason you dont want to use charcoal.They dont allow the roots to absorb the nutrients because it is moved away from them,Undergravels dont allow the sediment and nutrients to settle.So I've been told.