Re: [GSAS-Member] New 20 gal: looking for foreground plants; also, cannister filter brand tips?

[Laurel Larsen <laurelthequeen@gmail.com>]

I still don't know much about plants, but I have done lots of research  
on canister filters.  Eheim is of course universally regarded as a  
well-built filter but you certainly pay for that brand name(think BMW,  
Mercedes).  My 75 gallon came with a Penn Plax Cascade(Geo Metro, Kia,  
Chinese car) filter that was junk.  After doing the research and  
reading a billion reviews for a few months, I came to the conclusion  
that there's no need to spend the extra money for the Eheim, when one  
can get a Marineland C-series(New GM, Honda, Subaru) filter.  It's  
silent, efficient, has virtually no bypass, and is pretty  
inexpensive.  Replacement parts are also inexpensive, and easy to  
find, considering the name brand.  I ended up with a C-360 for my 75  
gallon tank(that I supplement with a whisper HOB style filter, and a  
powerhead for movement) and I paid $170 for it, shipped from  
petmountain.com.  I'd recommend stocking up on their filter floss too,  
as it filters MUCH finer than something like quilt batting.  It also  
comes with all of the  media you could desire, but I removed the  
carbon and filled that basket with crushed aragonite(to help buffer my  
water).  It's also easy to service, and doesn't require priming after  
the first time, as the shut-off for the hoses is where they connect to  
the canister, so opening the valve starts a siphon and takes care of  
everything for you.

I really adore my canister and would just remove the HOB, but I like  
the insurance of having 2 filters(just in case of failure, or somehow  
damaging the bacteria bed in one during servicing), plus it still  
works so I can't justify removing it and having a cutout in my glass  
top for fish to escape.  It looks like the C160 isn't exactly cheap,  
but you can't beat the mechanical filtration of a canister without  
going with a sump.
-Laurel
On Apr 30, 2008, at 3:08 PM, Matt Staroscik wrote:

> I am redoing my 20 long with turface substrate and I need some kind  
> of nice
> and easy-ish foreground covering. Lighting will be T-5 tubes, 4 x  
> 18W. If
> that proves to be too much without CO2, I'll just remove a bulb or  
> two as
> needed... or go CO2. But in the past I haven't been able to keep  
> anything
> doing well with less light, so I am trying *more* and a shorter  
> photoperiod.
>
>
> While I like planted tanks I am not a plant person, and all I want is
> something easy to grow that looks decent. If you are pruning  
> something good
> in the near future... Please let me know.
>
> Also, cannister filters came up recently but I don't recall any  
> conclusions
> being reached. If you have a preference for a brand that is a good  
> deal, or
> feelings on a brand to avoid, please LMK. I'm price sensitive on  
> this one,
> if it doesn't seem like a good deal I will stick with HOBs on the 20  
> gal
> tank.
>
> Thanks!
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