Setup ok ?

[PuffdaDragon]

I am in the very near future purchasing a 55 US gallon aquarium and stand. I am having a little difficultly deciding the canister filter I should get. My budget is limited so I have narrowed it down to two choices, either Hagen's Fluval 404 or Rena Filstar XP3. Which would be better?
I have three of my main fish picked out; african butterfly, peacock eel and a black ghost knife but I have never used sand as a substrate. I want to use a combination of live and artifical plants. Would the sand compact and kill the roots of my live plants?

 

[canarsie11]

I run an xp3 on my 75 gallon, I love it. Had a problem with it vibrating, quick adjustment have not had problem since. I beleive it to be superior to the fluval from my research b4 buying one

 

[canarsie11]

What 55 gallon set up are you getting?

 

[PuffdaDragon]

At the moment I would have to say a community tank. I have only those three that I definately want, if all the research I have done and all the other reading is true.

 

[canarsie11]

I meant an perfecto tank, all glass, oceanic.


Stand and canopy.................

 

[PuffdaDragon]

All glass, hood with incandescent lights, 250 watt heater, all pine stand

 

[canarsie11]

At the moment I would have to say a feshwater community tank. I'm still researching all the fish, but I want to read more from people with experience with those three, the butterfly, peacock eel, and the black ghost knife.

What are you talking about?

I am asking you what is the name of the company that makes your tank.

Will it be rectangle or bowfront?

Are you just getting tank, tank and stand, tank, stand, and caopy.............

4get dont even care no more

 

[konrad05]

Unless you put the spray bar on the side of the tank, you're really not getting the proper filtration. Since 55gals are so narrow the circulation will only be good on one side. Better save up some more and invest into two filters, or at least a powerhead to cover the other side.

 

[Joviella]

Out of the filters you have decided on.....I would go with the rena.However, I would think about getting an eheim, as they are the best.IMO.
A sand substrate would be fine with your real plants.

 

[PuffdaDragon]

Konrad, thanks for the advise. What do you think about adding a bio wheel to the output instead of a spray bar ?

 

[konrad05]

Biowheel would be okay for a non-planted aquarium. But since you don't want any CO2 loss for a planted tank, you don't want any surface aggitation, this is why canisters are great for planted tanks.