Time To Purchase The Plec?

[2101]

No l/h means litres per hour.

Oh lol, my bad! Still getting used to all that goes with this hobby! I shall have a look when i get up got to finish this horrible essay on Conservation . I have to admit i am unkeen on my internal filter that came with it and have been wanting to get an external, but totally unsure on what to go for what i need and or how much they cost (luckily it was my 21st and i still have some money left over to invest )

 

[Davehutton92]

ive had a interpet filter (the pf4 model) honestly it was the worst filter iv ever had its too bulky noisy and has a awful flow rate, i swapped mine for a APS 1400 does a miles better job and you dont get the filter inside the tanks so theres a little bit more room (its a 100litre tank incase you wondered)

 

[2101]

As being new to the hobby i went for an all in one package and got a package from Maidenhead Aquatics. The tank came with heater and filter, some chems and stand etc. And knew it wouldn't be the very best filter and should probably upgrade . I do want an external aswel to increase the space i have in the tank also.

The PF3 like i have according to this table says the max rate is 800 L/hr. It seems to be keeping the tank fine crystal clear and the levels have sorted them selves out at last 40 days later!!

Im also using the aeration the product provides which makes a horrid loud noise, and have been looking into air stones instead. Suggestions also?

 

[2101]

Just been looking around, is this the model above yours Caz? for the extra tenner the next size will mean i can use it if i upgrade my tank later. Link below:

APS 2000 Filter

If i went ahead and purchased this, is it best to keep both the filters running until the new one can sustain the tank on its own? Or could i just place my media our of the internal into the external?

I know this topic is now moving away from the Plecs now

 

[coldcazzie]

That's the one I have. However, if you intend to get into the plants as well as the fish, then I would suggest you avoid it. It's good for an unplanted or low planted tank, but for a heavily planted tank the flow is just completely insufficient (hence why I'm swapping it for the EX1200 I have which has much better flow).

If the PF3 says it's 800l/h you should approximately halve that for the actual output. So it will likely be more in the region of 400l/h. Even then that's not bad, but how much water it shifts is not the only thing to assess a filter on. The media capacity is important too, and that's one reason why I like the APS ones - you really can fit a whoooolle lot of media in there!

As for airation, the only thing needed for gas exchange (ie, carbon dioxide out of the water and oxygen into the water) is a good ripple on the surface. The bubbles do very little, except possibly increase the surface area a bit when they burst at the water's surface. Air stones are very pretty, but in a cycled tank with a working filter are only asthetic. If you were to have a filter failure, then they would prove useful as they increase circulation, and if your stuck on a Saturday with no filter until Monday when shops open then you can suspend the media in the tank with the air stone underneath it and it moves the water past the media. Basically, they can be useful... but for specific purposes. If you aim your filter outlet so that it ripples the surface then gas exchange will be sufficient. don't let that put you off getting one if you think they look nice though

Finally, if you purchase a new filter then yes, as you said, you put the media from your PF3 into the new filter and you're good to go. Reduce feeding for a couple of weeks but otherwise everything should be ok. The bacteria is in the media, so you're just giving the bacteria a new house to live in.

Moving away from plecs is fine

 

[2101]

Im not sure as to how heavy or light the tank will be planted, probably once i get some java moss and some amazonian spear heads i think it will only be about 20-25% planted, would that filter be ok with that amount of planting?
Also is that price from amazon good, or could i find it cheaper else where?

Also wanted to switch to an external filter so i have less in the tank as i am using the tank to photograph and film the tank for a project at university. The current PF3 is horribly huge!

 

[coldcazzie]

It should be ok for that level of planting yes.

And that's the price they are, regardless of where you go even directly from APS website they are the same. APS just use different avenues to access as many people as possible, rather than offering deals via Amazon or eBay etc.

If you want to remove as much as possible out of the tank may I suggest you look at hydor inline heaters and lily pipes as well btw, has anyone mentioned to you how expensive this hobby is?!

 

[2101]

Excellent might purchase that now during this lecture .
Oh and yes I've already discovered this is expensive, not as expensive as my photographic and filming equipment !

 

[2101]

"Thank you, your order has been placed."

My finger slipped and brought the external ahahahhaha, my bank hates me

 

[coldcazzie]

"Thank you, your order has been placed."

My finger slipped and brought the external ahahahhaha, my bank hates me

 

[2101]

The filter arrived today and has been installed. Things are looking good so far.

While i was installing it the main Female and Male decided to spar and start mating.

The current seems too much for my current plants, so having to direct the flow upwards away from them for the time being.

Trying to secure my self a lift to the LFS this weekend to get some more hardier plants and a new stock of fish and maybe a plec