New External for 425 Litre Lower Tech

[snossage]

Season's greetings, my first post on Ukaps!
It is time to make a number of changes & I would like a second opinion if possible?

I wish to start using ferts and Co2 as the health of the modest number of plants in my tank has been slowly deteriorating for some time. I currently use two 54w T5's (up to six available) but would ideally prefer to maintain a lower light setup when Co2 is added.

Before I begin dosing & looking at the lighting regime however, I really need to address filtration.

For nearly two years I have been using a single Rena XP4 which, to be fair, has run faultlessly. Having spent considerable time on the forum I now realise this is insufficient for 425 litres, although I do use two Vortech MP10 pumps at a low setting to help move water around.

I have had a good look into filters & options (would prefer a single filter) & have come to the conclusion that I should go for an Eheim 2260 (1500XL) as the simple construction appeals to me. My intention is to split both the output & 25/34 inlet (two 16/22 spray bars & two 16/22 strainers). My assumption is that two spray bars will reduce flow for fish but will provide the desired distribution of water. I have two inline heaters & will use an UP atomiser in due course so am committed to 16/22 tubing.

In view of the fact that I am after lower light / lower tech, am I barking up the right tree with the 2260?

I would be very grateful to hear any thoughts, suggestions welcome.

Tank is 60" x 18" x 24"
Aqua Medic 6 x 54W (50")
Re-mineralised RO.
80 litres of tank water is changed twice a week.
TDS 160, GH 5, KH 2
Flora based substrate under fine gravel.

Tank is home to twenty Cardinals & Rummy-Nose, six Corys, ten Discus, three small Plecs (L239, L052 & L270).

Many thanks.

 

[jack-rythm]

Merry xmas Mate, sounds great what your doing but I'm confused a little, u say you want to make a lower tech tank and then say u aim to use Fertz and co2? The moment u begin to manually fertilize your plants is the moment it becomes high tech? I don't believe there is such thing as a middle tech tank either. Do u mean u want to start a high tech tank not a low tech? Sorry for the confusion lol. Think people can help more if it was cleared up

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[Ed Seeley]

If you've got two vortechs in the tank then you really don't need a new external filter unless you want to remove them and the old external and just have one piece of equipment. Personally, if you can cope with the look of them in the tank, I'd keep the vortechs as they will provide much superior flow to a spray bars or a narrow exit from any conventional filter. I have one on my reef tank and the way it can move water is fantastic.

With the bioload you've got you certainly don't need more capacity and the rena filter you have seems like a large filter anyway. Also if you're splitting the inlets and outlets, why not have two filters? It won't look any different in the tank, will be much simpler to plumb and would give you redundancy if one were to stop working.

I'd start adding the CO2 and ferts and increase your lighting to maybe 3 or 4 bulbs and see what effect that has on your plants. I don't think flow will be an issue.

 

[Alastair]

Merry xmas Mate, sounds great what your doing but I'm confused a little, u say you want to make a lower tech tank and then say u aim to use Fertz and co2? The moment u begin to manually fertilize your plants is the moment it becomes high tech? I don't believe there is such thing as a middle tech tank either. Do u mean u want to start a high tech tank not a low tech? Sorry for the confusion lol. Think people can help more if it was cleared up

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Just because your manually adding ferts doesn't necessarily mean your automatically in the high tech category. Lots of people with low tech tanks dose ferts( myself included)
But I agree with eds advice, I'd stick with what you have as its more than enough, or if your not happy with how it is then opt for 2 seperate filters than having to go to the trouble of trying to split the flow from a 2260.
If you do that I'll happily take one of your vortechs off you ha ha



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[snossage]

Merry xmas Mate, sounds great what your doing but I'm confused a little, u say you want to make a lower tech tank and then say u aim to use Fertz and co2? The moment u begin to manually fertilize your plants is the moment it becomes high tech? I don't believe there is such thing as a middle tech tank either. Do u mean u want to start a high tech tank not a low tech? Sorry for the confusion lol. Think people can help more if it was cleared up

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

Hi Jack, you might be right! Perhaps a poor use of terminology on my part, I should have said:

I wish to give my plants a boost by experimenting with ferts & Co2 but do not want to max out lighting. Hope that clears things up!

If you've got two vortechs in the tank then you really don't need a new external filter unless you want to remove them and the old external and just have one piece of equipment. Personally, if you can cope with the look of them in the tank, I'd keep the vortechs as they will provide much superior flow to a spray bars or a narrow exit from any conventional filter. I have one on my reef tank and the way it can move water is fantastic.

With the bioload you've got you certainly don't need more capacity and the rena filter you have seems like a large filter anyway. Also if you're splitting the inlets and outlets, why not have two filters? It won't look any different in the tank, will be much simpler to plumb and would give you redundancy if one were to stop working.

I'd start adding the CO2 and ferts and increase your lighting to maybe 3 or 4 bulbs and see what effect that has on your plants. I don't think flow will be an issue.

Ed, thanks for the advice. I'm sure you are right regarding Co2 & ferts. I suppose adding a second filter would make more sense if I wanted to remove the Vortechs.

The XP4 seems to be a required taste; I have found mine to be a solid performer but it appears to receive very mixed reviews from the few who use it. I suppose I am concerned that, as it is cheap, I could do better elsewhere (one of my character flaws unfortunately).

 

[jack-rythm]

@ Alister

I Think we will have to agree to disagree on that one buddy. IMO low tech is to grow plants with very little input. I guess this is just opinion based though. I believe if your providing additional fertilizer then I believe it becomes high tech. The el natural style suggests of running a tank with natural processes. I dose Fertz and liquid carbon but stay away from co2, I believe this is a hightech method.

But it's preference and own beliefs so I can't say anyone is wrong. Just my opinion


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[Ed Seeley]

Ed, thanks for the advice. I'm sure you are right regarding Co2 & ferts. I suppose adding a second filter would make more sense if I wanted to remove the Vortechs.

The XP4 seems to be a required taste; I have found mine to be a solid performer but it appears to receive very mixed reviews from the few who use it. I suppose I am concerned that, as it is cheap, I could do better elsewhere (one of my character flaws unfortunately).

My motto is always if it isn't broke then don't fix it! With the vortechs you have total control over flow direction, intensity and pattern and I think that gives you a great advantage to using another external. Cheap isn't necessarily bad - it's just that these are often compromises with everything and more with cheaper filters but if they work for you then stick with them. I've got an APS 2000 on my large tank alongside an Ehiem thermofilter. The thermofilter sensor has broken and the flow is nothing like the APS filter so for over 3 times the cost for the Ehiem I'd pick the APS!

I'd get your CO2 set up first. As soon as that's stable start adding ferts along EI guidelines and then, when you're happy with those, I would up your lighting slightly. Hopefully that will prevent any algae outbreaks. High tech or low tech is fairly irrelevant IMO. Just do what works for you. Higher tech doesn't have to be higher maintenance if you reduce the numbers of stem plants and stick with crypts, swords etc as the main work when I was running a higher tech tank was trimming the plants!

 

[snossage]

Thanks Ed & Alastair. I'll follow your advice and start slowly with Co2, see where that leads. I will consider adding a second filter in due course.

I imagine I will stick with both Vortechs but in the event one needs a home I'll give you a shout Alastair.

I have been looking into this for several weeks and am glad I asked the question, your help is much appreciated.