A place 4 my questions & ponderings as I build a 34 Gallons (127L) tank

[Ch4rlie]

Starting to make me want one of these filters!

It can be any filter you want, does not need to be the same filter.

2nd filters for polishing water and a little extra sponge media storage can be any filter you have spare or cheap one, a little internal job, HOB or even one of those teeny external filters that can hang on side or back of tank. That reminds me, I’ve got a brand new one of those somewhere that’s never been used.........hmm....

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

It can be any filter you want, does not need to be the same filter.

2nd filters for polishing water and a little extra sponge media storage can be any filter you have spare or cheap one, a little internal job, HOB or even one of those teeny external filters that can hang on side or back of tank. That reminds me, I’ve got a brand new one of those somewhere that’s never been used.........hmm....

It just sounds like a really good filter from everything @Lajos_Detari described for my 15 gallon tanks.

I've been considering buying a powerhead or something to increase the flow in my oto tank, they like a lot of oxygenation and some moderate flow. Right now they have a HOB on one side, and I just added a little internal filter on the other side to increase flow, but it's a temporary measure since the cable is way too short (heaters and filters should come with longer cables!) and I also need to add an airstone since the surface disturbance from the HOB isn't a lot really.

Rather than buying everything needed to run an airstone on there, plus a powerhead or wavemaker or something, sounds like adding this filter where the internal currently is would do it all And add filtration/polishing!

 

[AilyNC]

It just sounds like a really good filter from everything @Lajos_Detari described for my 15 gallon tanks.

I've been considering buying a powerhead or something to increase the flow in my oto tank, they like a lot of oxygenation and some moderate flow. Right now they have a HOB on one side, and I just added a little internal filter on the other side to increase flow, but it's a temporary measure since the cable is way too short (heaters and filters should come with longer cables!) and I also need to add an airstone since the surface disturbance from the HOB isn't a lot really.

Rather than buying everything needed to run an airstone on there, plus a powerhead or wavemaker or something, sounds like adding this filter where the internal currently is would do it all And add filtration/polishing!

There's a good deal on Swell for the Aquaball. I've been looking a lot online and Swell is about £6 cheaper than amazon.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

There's a good deal on Swell for the Aquaball. I've been looking a lot online and Swell is about £6 cheaper than amazon.

You're wonderful, thank you! Have you ordered yours yet? Because the 130 is out of stock, and there's only one 60 left. You can get them to notify you when they're back in stock though. I'm not in a rush to get one since mine isn't urgent. But I'll definitely get one from there since it's so much cheaper! Cheers for that

 

[Essjay]

Just to be clear on the media for the aquaballs:

The 130 has 2 baskets and a small container under the pump and the 60 has one basket and a small container under the pump. The baskets all have slits in them so if you use filter wool in the bottom basket of the 130 the debris will still get into the sponge in the basket in the upper basket.
They are designed to have sponge in all the baskets and more sponge or filter wool in the space under the pump.

I had an aquaball in my old 125 litre tank, and another in my old 50 litre. They are now spares in my cupboard. When the pump on the biopower in my 180 litre tank stopped working, I had an aquaball pump sitting ready to replace it.

 

[AilyNC]

You're wonderful, thank you! Have you ordered yours yet? Because the 130 is out of stock, and there's only one 60 left. You can get them to notify you when they're back in stock though. I'm not in a rush to get one since mine isn't urgent. But I'll definitely get one from there since it's so much cheaper! Cheers for that

Yes I've ordered mine, thanks they can't deliver the sand or the heater to me so I'll look at amazon for those or other places with delivery to Ireland. I think I'll get Tetra SafeStart too. The fish shop recommended cycling this tank from scratch - slow & steady. I'll have plants but no fish.

 

[AilyNC]

Just to be clear on the media for the aquaballs:

The 130 has 2 baskets and a small container under the pump and the 60 has one basket and a small container under the pump. The baskets all have slits in them so if you use filter wool in the bottom basket of the 130 the debris will still get into the sponge in the basket in the upper basket.
They are designed to have sponge in all the baskets and more sponge or filter wool in the space under the pump.

I had an aquaball in my old 125 litre tank, and another in my old 50 litre. They are now spares in my cupboard. When the pump on the biopower in my 180 litre tank stopped working, I had an aquaball pump sitting ready to replace it.

Cool, thanks for this. I'll see how they run with the media that come with it. And then maybe consider putting floss in the top section. I like how adjustable the filter is & it'll fit nicely in the tank too.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Just to be clear on the media for the aquaballs:

The 130 has 2 baskets and a small container under the pump and the 60 has one basket and a small container under the pump. The baskets all have slits in them so if you use filter wool in the bottom basket of the 130 the debris will still get into the sponge in the basket in the upper basket.
They are designed to have sponge in all the baskets and more sponge or filter wool in the space under the pump.

I had an aquaball in my old 125 litre tank, and another in my old 50 litre. They are now spares in my cupboard. When the pump on the biopower in my 180 litre tank stopped working, I had an aquaball pump sitting ready to replace it.

Thank you So did you like the filter? What do you think of it?
I like the idea of being able to direct the flow, and add air bubbles through a piece of airline tubing. That's what I want it for the most, more than the filtration, although that's always a bonus.

Sorry for thread hi-jacking @AilyNC! I figured you'd like to hear the answer as well

Yes I've ordered mine, thanks they can't deliver the sand or the heater to me so I'll look at amazon for those or other places with delivery to Ireland. I think I'll get Tetra SafeStart too. The fish shop recommended cycling this tank from scratch - slow & steady. I'll have plants but no fish.

The plants will help you cycle it faster. Pinching some filter media and/or substrate from your current tank will help it cycle even faster still. Called a seeded cycle, you have the bacteria you need right there, just need to feed them and grow the colonies

 

[AilyNC]

Not hi-jacked at all. It's all learning & be good to have the info in one place.

I might use some cuttings from my current plants. There's been plenty of new growth since adding root tabs.

 

[Essjay]

I didn't use the venturi (bubbler). I had the 125 litre first and that was in the lounge. When I tried the venturi my husband complained the bubble noise interfered with his music. When I got the 50 litre in the kitchen it never occurred to me to use it, nor when I got the biopower in the 180 litre which is in the dining room.

The aquaball comes with a small basket under the pump. There are several types of media made for that but the cheapest would be to buy some filter wool from a roll and cut it to shape. I just used the sponge option. From the aquaball manual:

I use the mini spray bar on my filter.

One thing I like about all Eheim products is that the suckers are widely available. I've had filters in the past where the suckers were not removable and suckers do not stick on the glass forever. They stop working when they get old and rigid, and with Eheim you just get replacement suckers. Just be careful how you remove the old ones. I used a stanley knife to cut them off the biopower bracket and ended up in Urgent Care

 

[AilyNC]

Oh no I wouldn't trust myself with a stanley blade. I'm pretty accident prone!

I'm pretty happy with my filter choice. And glad I've ordered 2. It'll be nice having good flow throughout & nice clean water. I'll find a big roll of filter floss to order when I'm getting the heater.

I must do a list of possible plants and order them once the tank is due to arrive. Want to keep it low maintenance and low tech. I really like broad leaf plants & variation in colour. Definitely want a red plant to break up the green.

Current tank has:
Amazon Sword (love the shape)
Anubis (had 3 new leaves so doing well)
Egeria densa (growing quickly can cultivate this)
Hygrophila difformis or Water Wisteria (growing very well well & is nice light green colour)
Taxiphyllum barbieri moss (doing well)
Salvinia (multiplying beyond sanity)
Moss ball (I don't know the point of this)

Melted away or died:
Alternanthera reineckii 'Pink' (such a pity as I loved the shape & colour)
Spiky moss (went brown during power cut & never recovered)

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

One thing I like about all Eheim products is that the suckers are widely available. I've had filters in the past where the suckers were not removable and suckers do not stick on the glass forever. They stop working when they get old and rigid, and with Eheim you just get replacement suckers. Just be careful how you remove the old ones. I used a stanley knife to cut them off the biopower bracket and ended up in Urgent Care

I had to replace the suction cup on a little internal filter I have yesterday, it just wouldn't stick at all. Luckily I have random ones floating around and had one that fit, and just had to pull the canister part away from the pump part to switch them out. Mental note not to go at them with a stanley knife! That must have been bad...

Salvinia (multiplying beyond sanity)
Moss ball (I don't know the point of this)

Made me laugh, thank you!
I feel the same way about moss balls. Have some, some unfurled so attaching the moss to some branches, but generally they just annoy me and trap detritus. Maybe that's the point of them. but I find it hard to believe that they're as magically good for a tank as people say. Surely a fast growing plant is doing a lot more than a moss ball that never looks any different.

 

[AilyNC]

The fry like it but it just seems pointless. In the new tank I'm going to leave space around the tank glass with no obstructions as a pleco run and I think moss balls just get in the way so I'll that in my lil tank. It's barely changed shape at all where as the Egeria, Anubis & Wisteria are all growing visibly.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Just to be clear on the media for the aquaballs:

The 130 has 2 baskets and a small container under the pump and the 60 has one basket and a small container under the pump. The baskets all have slits in them so if you use filter wool in the bottom basket of the 130 the debris will still get into the sponge in the basket in the upper basket.
They are designed to have sponge in all the baskets and more sponge or filter wool in the space under the pump.

Oh yes, Essjay is right. I had forgotten about this part as I used this filter quite some time ago.
There are slits on every compartment. Sorry, for my misinformation.

So, my idea of putting filter wool at the bottom may not work.
I think the only way is to slice(or even peel it off with your fingers) a thin piece of filter wool and wrap around the sponges that come with the filter.
But if it's too troublesome for you, then just forget about it.
The sponge alone should be good enough.

I didn't use the venturi (bubbler). I had the 125 litre first and that was in the lounge. When I tried the venturi my husband complained the bubble noise interfered with his music. When I got the 50 litre in the kitchen it never occurred to me to use it, nor when I got the biopower in the 180 litre which is in the dining room.
I use the mini spray bar on my filter.

One thing I like about all Eheim products is that the suckers are widely available. I've had filters in the past where the suckers were not removable and suckers do not stick on the glass forever. They stop working when they get old and rigid, and with Eheim you just get replacement suckers. Just be careful how you remove the old ones.

I find that Eheim venturi isn't as quiet as some other brand like Aquael. But if I'm not wrong, if you reduce the flow rate, the noise will be lowered down.
Or if you don't want to use the venturi, you can use the spray bar which serve almost the same function.(as what Essjay did).

I agree that one of the disadvantage of Internal filter is the suction cup that will become harden and rigid after a while and it won't be able to stick to the glass any more.
For this point, I find that hang on filter or top/overhead filter has the advantage over internal filter.

Another disdvantage of internal filter as compare to hang on filter or top/overhead filter is the cleaning part.
They take slightly more time to clean than hang on filter as the filter are inside the tank rather than outside.
I think I should have pointed out this earlier.

But in term of noise level, internal filter is definitely better than the hang on filter.
I can hear my hang on filter water dripping down every night unless I fill up the water to the same level as the water outlet. But I want the water level to be slightly lower in order to create the water fall effect and to improve the water aeration.

In my conclusion, I find that all filters have their pros and cons.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Moss ball (I don't know the point of this)

I feel the same way about moss balls. Have some, some unfurled so attaching the moss to some branches, but generally they just annoy me and trap detritus.

Heh, I quite like moss balls, they add more greenery to the tank and very easy to move to areas on foreground where lacking that something.

Did you know you’re supposed to turn the moss balls around every once in a while to stop them going brown / rotting at bottom?

I started with 3 golf ball sized moss balls, a few years later, without even realising tbh, they were the size of those small half footballs kids play with!!

I find that hang on filter or top/overhead filter has the advantage over internal filter.

I agree, internals can take up a bit of space inside the tank and can be somewhat bulky but they certainly do the job, no question of that.

Noise levels never bother me or my other half so that’s never a concern, probably luckily!

I just prefer HOBs as they are out of tank water making them easy to access and do maintenance cleans etc

Find that filter choice is a personal choice on what folks prefer, there is no one particular filter that’s pleases everyone all of the time.
All kinds of depends on the tank size, flow output, budget and space available etc etc