450 Gallon tank what would you do

[anewbie]

Diversions are great, If you want to know more detail about how I would setup a tank like this please ask. The great thing about plant and the correct substrate you can create a large bio mass filter that then makes the tank on a whole very stable.

Sure - well more precisely how I would adjust my tank to have better filtration. I currently use eco-complete which i find a bit too coarse; and in the 450 will use something a bit finer but not ultra fine. I've seen people take pvc; drill holes in it and then run it under the substrate and run water through the pvc to produce continous current through the substraate.

 

[itiwhetu]

Sure - well more precisely how I would adjust my tank to have better filtration. I currently use eco-complete which i find a bit too coarse; and in the 450 will use something a bit finer but not ultra fine. I've seen people take pvc; drill holes in it and then run it under the substrate and run water through the pvc to produce continous current through the substraate.

That is the type of undergravel filter I have used. A pvc undergravel filter should be passive and run off a couple of airstones, You will still need a mechanical filter as well to move water, that is where I use internal filters. If you create to much flow through the substrate it will disturb your plants roots.

 

[anewbie]

That is the type of undergravel filter I have used. A pvc undergravel filter should be passive and run off a couple of airstones, You will still need a mechanical filter as well to move water, that is where I use internal filters. If you create to much flow through the substrate it will disturb your plants roots.

I don't think i will do the pvc design. What would you do ?

 

[Fishfinder1973]

For me,that would have to be a cold water tank with a good flow to resemble a river.I wouldn’t have a filter as we know it,instead I would add a false back about six inches from the back of the tank and a six inch gap at either end.behind this false back would be three flow pumps and air stone placed beneath the pumps to the far right,and the rest would be filled with filter media.A wire mesh would be added to keep the media in place and to keep the fish away from pumps.The flow would be clockwise and would circulate through the media.Fish would be from my local river,minnows,trout and grayling.Substrate would be river rocks and gravel.The plants would be simple streamer weed.I might get round to this one day.

 

[itiwhetu]

I don't think i will do the pvc design. What would you do ?

With a tank that is 3 feet in width I think I would still put the divide in the length of the tank. That will push the fish to the front, but you get the benefit of the extra water which means that the fish population can be higher. I would run the back section as a bio filter, with it heavily planted it will remove fish waste.
I never clean substrate and don't remove fish waste. I use the fish waste to fertilize the plants ( I never use Fertilizers ). The great thing about passive under gravel filters is that the base becomes an aerobic area because you have constant water flow. It slowly pulls the fish waste into the substrate which the plants then utilize.