Bio media debate/thoughts (Seachem Matrix vs. Eheim Substrat Pro or etc.)

[Helina]

I don't want to know if temperature fluctuates or anything else, I'm too much of a geek for that kinda stuff.

I was also searching for an out of the tank heater and encountered the heater related malfunction topics for the first time in my life and it really spooked me. So another thing I've been considering is a remote alarm for heating errors through Thermometer Link! It would alarm me if a temperature changes over the set amount, but yea it also records temperature data... sooooo delicious!

MaloK:

But, returning to your setup, For a 12 gallons tank, you have a panoply of nice HOB's that would be more than sufficient.

It's a nice idea, but I wouldn't want to operate with water much behind my tank where I can't dry the drops. My tank is placed between the other furniture and a wall. I currently have an Eheim Biomaster 160 but the flow it gives is minimal now that I've blocked it with a Seachem Purigen bag and a filter wool to prevent shrimplets from entering it. It works, but needs to keep an eye on and the wool now replaced often. That's why the electronic model I mentioned seems so delicious. It would automatically detect and keep a steady (lower) flow rate despite of the canister getting dirtier. Ohh, and it has such nice goodies I don't even want to go there... I wish I had it already.

Btw, not sure if any of you know GreenAqua shop/youtube channel. They are doing aquascaping display tanks and tutorials and they for example have canister filter meant for up to 600 litres under one 60 litre tank. And slightly less powerful ones under the rest small tanks and nanos, which I think was very interesting approach. I can see that it may really help out the stability with nanos. But for my size of tank? Am a little bit debating over that in my mind and if I really want to "lead water out of the tank and back" for flooding error reasons. But many do so, so I'm not sure how much of a concern that is in reality.

MaloK:
A full maintenance with impeller cleanup takes 10 minutes and a gallon of water. No spill, No frill. I

that !

Hehe, sounds nice and simple! I can see that suiting my needs sometimes! In the other hand I can't wait to mess with the canister to be honest. So many parts to take apart and to reassemble! (Lego syndrome?) I hope that this excitement remains.

 

[MaloK]

I was also searching for an out of the tank heater and encountered the heater related malfunction topics for the first time in my life and it really spooked me. So another thing I've been considering is a remote alarm for heating errors through Thermometer Link! It would alarm me if a temperature changes over the set amount, but yea it also records temperature data... sooooo delicious!

Yes indeed, but to be honest the only boiled tank I ever had in my whole life was from a rustic, bi-metal, non-insulated, with apparent electric connections, hang on back heater. That thing electrocuted me and later on killed the whole tank. That was in 1975 and I was 8 years old, loll. Since then I haven't had anything like that with higher grade heaters, they just stopped working, none ever stuck on.

It's a nice idea, but I wouldn't want to operate with water much behind my tank where I can't dry the drops. My tank is placed between the other furniture and a wall. I currently have an Eheim Biomaster 160 but the flow it gives is minimal now that I've blocked it with a Seachem Purigen bag and a filter wool to prevent shrimplets from entering it. It works, but needs to keep an eye on and the wool now replaced often. That's why the electronic model I mentioned seems so delicious. It would automatically detect and keep a steady (lower) flow rate despite of the canister getting dirtier. Ohh, and it has such nice goodies I don't even want to go there... I wish I had it already.

Btw, not sure if any of you know GreenAqua shop/youtube channel. They are doing aquascaping display tanks and tutorials and they for example have canister filter meant for up to 600 litres under one 60 litre tank. And slightly less powerful ones under the rest small tanks and nanos, which I think was very interesting approach. I can see that it may really help out the stability with nanos. But for my size of tank? Am a little bit debating over that in my mind and if I really want to "lead water out of the tank and back" for flooding error reasons. But many do so, so I'm not sure how much of a concern that is in reality.

Got that, It's not much of an overflowing issue, But, You really must be able to pull the filter out of there keeping it vertically, or it become quite a "dripping" problem. It's a good point.

Hehe, sounds nice and simple! I can see that suiting my needs sometimes! In the other hand I can't wait to mess with the canister to be honest. So many parts to take apart and to reassemble! (Lego syndrome?) I hope that this excitement remains.

Canisters are not that bad, But the only thought of bringing water under the tank and back-up gives me the Siphoning Syndrome. What I really like about HOB's is the increased surface area they provide for gases exchanges.

I would love somebody creating a good HOB sump.