What Heater Should I Get

[Davo86]

I'll stick by my first suggestion of a Eheim Classic 2217, This will turn over the tank 5.5 times per hour and is a more than capable filter

good filter that, but you would need to boost flow a little more with a power head

I wouldn't say so, I've never used Powerheads and have always stuck to 5x turnover with great results

 

[Truck]

I'll stick by my first suggestion of a Eheim Classic 2217, This will turn over the tank 5.5 times per hour and is a more than capable filter

good filter that, but you would need to boost flow a little more with a power head

I wouldn't say so, I've never used Powerheads and have always stuck to 5x turnover with great results

depends on the application and media used, if you use sand then detritus will settle with 5 times turnover, i had 17x turn over in my rio 125 and still had dead spots

 

[hollanda88]

I'll stick by my first suggestion of a Eheim Classic 2217, This will turn over the tank 5.5 times per hour and is a more than capable filter

good filter that, but you would need to boost flow a little more with a power head

I wouldn't say so, I've never used Powerheads and have always stuck to 5x turnover with great results

depends on the application and media used, if you use sand then detritus will settle with 5 times turnover, i had 17x turn over in my rio 125 and still had dead spots

Even with gravel you can be causing yourself move problems letting stuff sttle into the grave as you don't know where its settling and have to desimate the tank during gravel vacs

 

[simon10]

I'll stick by my first suggestion of a Eheim Classic 2217, This will turn over the tank 5.5 times per hour and is a more than capable filter

good filter that, but you would need to boost flow a little more with a power head

I wouldn't say so, I've never used Powerheads and have always stuck to 5x turnover with great results

depends on the application and media used, if you use sand then detritus will settle with 5 times turnover, i had 17x turn over in my rio 125 and still had dead spots

Even with gravel you can be causing yourself move problems letting stuff sttle into the grave as you don't know where its settling and have to desimate the tank during gravel vacs

Will the Fluvel 4+ be ok for me tank? if its any consolation i do have a gravel vac and if it would be more effecient to have sand i can do that too? thanks

 

[waterdrop]

(davo wrote)

I wouldn't say so, I've never used Powerheads and have always stuck to 5x turnover with great results

(truck wrote)

depends on the application and media used, if you use sand then detritus will settle with 5 times turnover, i had 17x turn over in my rio 125 and still had dead spots

davo,truck, Interesting conversation. On advice from this forum I "upped" my initial plans from something smaller to what I thought was "huge" at the time (in flow rate, media volume and cost) going to a 5x external cannister filter. Its an awesome piece of machinery and I've never regretted it but of course when you do things that seem new and challanging at the time they often change your perspective. A turnover rate of 5x no longer seems so large and violent to me and looking from the plant perspective I'm beginning to appreciate the kind of thing truck is talking about.

From a beginner's perspective I think the difference between 5x and greater is pretty subtle. Of course flow rate is only one dimension of a filter and many of the kinds of filters we're talking about here, especially the cannisters, will give you the ability to have a beautifully running tank.

I'm interested davo, in particular, where you stand with the planted thing. I've got it in my head that I'm remembering you having some cichlid tanks perhaps without many plants but I may be totally wrong and just remembering some picture not really associated with you (?) I already know that truck planted tanks in some capacity or another, right truck?

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Truck]

(davo wrote)

I wouldn't say so, I've never used Powerheads and have always stuck to 5x turnover with great results

(truck wrote)

depends on the application and media used, if you use sand then detritus will settle with 5 times turnover, i had 17x turn over in my rio 125 and still had dead spots

davo,truck, Interesting conversation. On advice from this forum I "upped" my initial plans from something smaller to what I thought was "huge" at the time (in flow rate, media volume and cost) going to a 5x external cannister filter. Its an awesome piece of machinery and I've never regretted it but of course when you do things that seem new and challanging at the time they often change your perspective. A turnover rate of 5x no longer seems so large and violent to me and looking from the plant perspective I'm beginning to appreciate the kind of thing truck is talking about.

From a beginner's perspective I think the difference between 5x and greater is pretty subtle. Of course flow rate is only one dimension of a filter and many of the kinds of filters we're talking about here, especially the cannisters, will give you the ability to have a beautifully running tank.

I'm interested davo, in particular, where you stand with the planted thing. I've got it in my head that I'm remembering you having some cichlid tanks perhaps without many plants but I may be totally wrong and just remembering some picture not really associated with you (?) I already know that truck planted tanks in some capacity or another, right truck?

~~waterdrop~~

yep im into my plants, the higher flow IMO is a very beneficial thing, it can prevent algae in short. the higher turn over means that more water goes through the filter an hour, which means ammonia is being processed quicker, and along with higher flow it can get to the filter effectivly.

but youve got to remember, ehiem are th only 'honest' filter company in there out put rates, there out put claims are with media, where as the other brands claim 1200lph when your actually getting half that due to media and curved pipes etc.

but with higher turn over bigger fish arent a good thing because theyre bulky and have a relatively large surface area so maybe blown about a bit. this is why angelfish dont fair too well in some planted scapes with high turn over.

 

[simon10]

can some one tell me if the Fluvel 4+ will be ok for my tank, it says its capable for up to 215Litres, thanks

 

[Truck]

can some one tell me if the Fluvel 4+ will be ok for my tank, it says its capable for up to 215Litres, thanks

for colonisation of bacteria its good, but for flow it isnt, so either going external OR buying a power head would be doable options

i would still go external or sump though

 

[simon10]

can some one tell me if the Fluvel 4+ will be ok for my tank, it says its capable for up to 215Litres, thanks

for colonisation of bacteria its good, but for flow it isnt, so either going external OR buying a power head would be doable options

i would still go external or sump though

i dont understand i have searched up and this filter is capable to doing 260GPH i dno how many litres that is but that sounds pretty good to me

 

[Truck]

can some one tell me if the Fluvel 4+ will be ok for my tank, it says its capable for up to 215Litres, thanks

for colonisation of bacteria its good, but for flow it isnt, so either going external OR buying a power head would be doable options

i would still go external or sump though

i dont understand i have searched up and this filter is capable to doing 260GPH i dno how many litres that is but that sounds pretty good to me

its capable of doing 260gph without media, with media its doing 130 gallons per hour, about 2.5x turn over

that would be why you will need two or a powerhead.

 

[simon10]

can some one tell me if the Fluvel 4+ will be ok for my tank, it says its capable for up to 215Litres, thanks

for colonisation of bacteria its good, but for flow it isnt, so either going external OR buying a power head would be doable options

i would still go external or sump though

i dont understand i have searched up and this filter is capable to doing 260GPH i dno how many litres that is but that sounds pretty good to me

its capable of doing 260gph without media, with media its doing 130 gallons per hour, about 2.5x turn over

that would be why you will need two or a powerhead.

2.5x over every hour aint bad is it!? i mean it could be worse...if the tank is being turned over 2.5x every hours id say thats pretty decent?

 

[Truck]

can some one tell me if the Fluvel 4+ will be ok for my tank, it says its capable for up to 215Litres, thanks

for colonisation of bacteria its good, but for flow it isnt, so either going external OR buying a power head would be doable options

i would still go external or sump though

i dont understand i have searched up and this filter is capable to doing 260GPH i dno how many litres that is but that sounds pretty good to me

its capable of doing 260gph without media, with media its doing 130 gallons per hour, about 2.5x turn over

that would be why you will need two or a powerhead.

2.5x over every hour aint bad is it!? i mean it could be worse...if the tank is being turned over 2.5x every hours id say thats pretty decent?

IMO thats pretty bad, you would get detritus and ammonia build up in poor flow areas, thus causing algae

 

[simon10]

why is it lol im not planning to have loads n loads of fish in there so surely ammonia shouldnt be so high?

 

[Truck]

why is it lol im not planning to have loads n loads of fish in there so surely ammonia shouldnt be so high?

there is always ammonia present in a tank, so with higher turn over, it is taken to the filter quicker, processed quicker, and areas dont become stagnant pools of un processed ammonia waiting for algae to consume.

 

[simon10]

why is it lol im not planning to have loads n loads of fish in there so surely ammonia shouldnt be so high?

there is always ammonia present in a tank, so with higher turn over, it is taken to the filter quicker, processed quicker, and areas dont become stagnant pools of un processed ammonia waiting for algae to consume.

so where could i get a decent filter within the range of £20 - £30 which is a decent filter for my tank? or could i get the Fluvel 4+ old Elite Filter from my old tank in there as well?