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Superfish home 40/60 or Dennerle Scapers Tank?

Zoe

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5 Aug 2015
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UK
Been looking around for small tanks for me to get started with, both of these appeal but I was wanting to hear your personal experience/opinions of them both. Any thoughts?
 
In case you've not seen George Farmer's journals (more videos on his youtube channel I believe)

Superfish Home 60

Superfish Expert 70
(on sale at Maidenhead Aquatics I believe)

Any of your listed tanks would make a nice project - just look at what comes in the kits & what your goals are ... if you start upgrading filters & lighting, it's often cheaper to just begin with a glass tank of your choosing & purchase filters, lighting etc just the once.

Most planted tanks you'll see about the web are "deeper" front to back (giving that perspective) than tanks sold in most kits - Dennerle markets theirs as a "scapers" tank for this added depth perception.

I'm not a fan of the rounded corners as it causes significant distortion but many people like this aspect of the tank.
 
Yeah I must admit I quite like the rounded corners! The thing that puts me off the superfish is the massive filter block, I don't want a huge external filter either which is also why the dennerle appeals to me.
 
I had a couple of the smaller Superfish Home 25 tanks and they are really nice. A couple of things I would point out is that the silicone was quite bulky so won't give as clean a look as the Dennerle.
My other bugbear is that as the light is in the hood when you lift it up to perform maintenance on the tank you lose illumination.

The filter block can be removed.
 
I also have been looking at the Superfish tanks after seeing the article by George Farmer in PFK. My only concern with the tanks was the low filter flow and low LED wattage. Is this something to be concerned about?
For info the Superfish home 40 works out at £68 on buyallmeans at the moment if you are a new customer, very tempting.
 
Would someone with Daennerle Scaper's tank please respond for more information about the tank (pros en cons)?
Hi, I have the scapers 50ltr tank and it sits next to an aquaone 20ltr on the same larger aquarium stand.

Pros
I like the rounded corners
I like that the filter is external
No tank taken up with a black divider either as in the aqua nano range.
I like the dimensions
The lamp is ample for my particular plant needs - which is reasonably low tech - I dose liquid carbon and ferts and have Colombo substrate - though - so perhaps not that low tech! Plants seem happy with the lamp and I run this for 5.5hrs a day. Dosing 7mil of co2 and ferts a week.
I have 7cpd fish and they all seem happy.
No major algae issues that the 2ottos or half dozen shrimp aren't able to munch through.
I like the glass cover.

Cons
The filter could be a bit stronger.
The filter needs to hang on the tank to provide max flow. It doesn't bother me so much, but if you were considering an inline heater this option wouldn't be available as there is limited line to put it in! Lol
The clamp part of the arm that's used to hold the lamp in place snapped on me. I now prop the lamp up with an empty mini jam jar.so no big deal.

I like the scapers tank.

I've not used the super fish range.

I'll try and add a pic for you later this eve.

Regards
Richard
 
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Not so much low tech, but low maintenance I should have said, I havnt done much with this for a couple of months other than regular weekly water changes. Hopefully this gives you a good idea of what the tank can look like when grown in. The scape is about 15 months old ish. I should really have given the glass a wipe and topped up the water a bit before taking these pics this eve, but oh well! :)

24215925125_e0220a49db_b.jpgIMG_6998 by Richard Heasman, on Flickr

23920328130_84ab9a6efc_b.jpgIMG_7002 by Richard Heasman, on Flickr

This pic shows my make shift fix for snapping the lamp clamp, I now just rest it in place.
24107854902_ae19706959_b.jpgIMG_7003 by Richard Heasman, on Flickr

Rounded edges
23848071589_8e0b9ae637_b.jpgIMG_7005 by Richard Heasman, on Flickr

Top of the tank showing the positioning of the filter, but it doesnt have to go exactly how I have put it.
24133327101_fefb09b994_b.jpgIMG_7007 by Richard Heasman, on Flickr

I've defo been neglecting this tank looking at all the build up around the pipes and fittings - but this should give you an idea of one setup option.
23920322930_3b0743ebd4_b.jpgIMG_7008 by Richard Heasman, on Flickr

Here is one of the less camera shy CPD - this one I bred from the adults that are in there. I often see fry in the scapers tank, and this is one that I caught, transferred into the aqua one, raised on liquid fry and then moved back when she was big enough not to be eaten by the adults.
24215917265_59ff48e632_b.jpgIMG_7012 by Richard Heasman, on Flickr

If you'd like to ask any questions please feel free.

I have also one more pro/con, which jumped out when I looked at the tanks side by side. The lamp on the scapers tank cannot be adjusted upwards in the same way that I have adjusted the one next to it on the aqua one. This hasnt bothered me, but thought I would point it out as for some, being able to adjust the distance of the lights to the plants is a good thing to have.

Hope you find this helpful.
Richard
 
Wow, you've made a lot of time and effort for this revieuw
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This tank is the one I like to have in near future. That is why I search for info about pro's and cons.
And I also like to read user experience before I spend a lot off money.

The design of the external filter is realy nice unfortunately there is no way to build in a inline CO2 diffuser. But the filter outside the tank, so more room for plants do.
Wonder why you don't have an colored backfolie placed on the tank?
Did you buy this tank as complete, or bought this stand allone?
 
Hi, no problem.

I bought the stand separately from the tanks. For me the tank is small enough not to be injecting co2, I just liquid dose. It's a good point though for those wanting to go down the injection route.

Good luck with your purchase. I know it can be fun but a bit mind boggling deciding which tank when shopping.

Richard
 
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