Setting up a tank for the first time

[sarat]

Hi I would appreciate some advice.I am a beginner and have a new tank capacity 190 litres
I would like a planted tank with some lush easy to grow plants and since reading the advice here will use 2x 39w t5 bulbs. I have bought these as per the suggestion in the seting up a planted tank aquarium article. I could not get gull wing reflectors and have bought razor ones instead. I also have bought a pressurised Co2 system from ebay -Proflora M602. Now i need to decide on a filter and substrate. I cannot find the Ehiem 2028 (mentioned in the setting up tank article) and would apprecite any suggestions.
The shop where i bought the tank sold me JBL aquabasics plus 25 7.5 litres and JBL manando 25 litres which having looked here is not mentioned. Should I keep and use them or switch to something else?
Many thanks in advance

 

[Ed Seeley]

I don't know the substrates as I've never used them but have you searched the forum to see if anyone else has and ask them? I'm sure they will be ok as with proper fertilisation you can grow plants in anything really.

As to the filter, any external with a circulation of around 10 times the tank's volume will be fine instead of the Ehiem, I just like that as I use one (well a 2128 with the built in heater).

 

[sarat]

Thanks Ed
what size tank do you have for that filter? I have found a Eheim Professional 3 electornic filter 2078 that has an output of 1850 a bit like the 2080 in that way but has a smaller filter volume. Do you think it will do? Its 214 on christmas offer so seems reasonable price too

 

[Ed Seeley]

I use the 2128 on a 180l tank but will be switching it onto a 750l tank soon as it isn't a planted tank and the Ehiem has more than the needed media capacity.

I'd look at cheaper brands too to be honest although the Ehiems are excellent quality bits of kit.

 

[sanj]

Sarat,

Aquabasis is a good substrate, i have used it in the past. I would prefer that over the Manado which I believe some people had experianced increasing Kh in the past. You do need to cap the aquabasis, I have found that the Unipac zambezi sand pretty good (1-3mm particles i think). You can use any fine aquarium gravel or sand,that is not too fine.

Personally I would go for the eheim (for the overall quality), but there are others. I use eheim 2080, Fluval fx5, Aqumanta 400, tetratec1200 on my systems. I used to have two tetratecs and the other i had repeated leaking problems with so replaced it with the Aquamanta. never had the eheim give me problems or the fx5. Fx5 gives you more turnover, but the eheim more filter media volume. Fx5 is much cheaper around £190. Never had the 2078.