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Plant Filter


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<H1>Plant Filter</H1><DIV id=Qtextbox><P><STRONG>Author: BrownFish</STRONG><BR><BR>Hi all

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Well, I have decided to live the dream and am soon to start up an 8 foot tank Malawi tank. I was wondering whether anyone out there could share your wisdom on filtration.

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I bought a secondhand setup but sold the tank for a new 8x2x2 with a weir. I will be operating an undergravel with powerheads. The sump that I have is a four foot tank with three sections. The middle section actually snakes around courtesy of 2 glass dividers that reach four fifths of the width of the tank. Anyway, here's my thoughts on the filter media:

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In the first section I was going to have bio-balls but this could be expensive. I had heard that cheaper substitutes such as folded up shade cloth could do just the same job. Any suggestions or views?

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In the second (snaking) section I was thinking that I could put in some scoria (that red gravel stuff). I was hoping to grow some plants in this section. Any suggestions on how I should do this (obviously I need a light)? Is the scoria a bad idea?

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What fish? Well, I guess I'd better save that question for another post while I'm waiting for the tank to cycle

'

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Cheers and I look forward to receiving (and appreciate) any help that you guys and gals can give.

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Richard

</DIV><H2>Replies »</H2><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: crashfragment</STRONG><BR><BR>What sort of pre-filter is there for the sump?

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You will need something to filter out solid wastes before they hit the bio-media. Personal preference: i'd put the scoria first and the bio-balls second, i reckon the scoria wil act as another pre-filter x bio-media, before the water reaches the purely biological media-the bio-balls.

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Sounds like a pretty good set-up. I would maybe think about getting rid of the undergravel filter though, in my experience an undergravel (using gravity to its advantage) will pull ALL the waste down leaving expensive canisters, trickles and wet/drys with nothing to do. No matter how powerful a canister etc. they can't compete with gravity pulling waste down into the gravel. This just helps the ineffiecient undergravel filter, making lots of siphoning work for you. Use a slightly thinner layer of gravel and you won't need to use the undergravel. Just my two cents, based on experience and personal preference.

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Hope this helps.

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-shaun

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www.butterflyeffect.com.au/news.html</P></DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: jaz1986</STRONG><BR><BR>If you wanna put a plant filter in, then go for it... it is a great Idea... I would suggest scoria as it has a double advantage of being a good substrate for nitrifying bacteria.

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For plants, depending on what sort you wanted, would need a varying amount of light... One plant that I can suggest as it is low growing, fast growing... and EDIBLE is water cress... being a brasscia (same sorta plant as caulie, cabbage and broccolii) it sucks up heaps of nutrients... and then it can spice up your salads too

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All you need to do with the plants, is once it has covered the entire section that it is able, cut half of it back to gravel level and eat it or trow it on the garden (wash it befor you eat it too be sure!)! This will eliminate the nutrients from the system, and allow more nutrients to be absorbed!

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If you want to email me, I have had a fair bit of experience with artificial wetlands for water treatment... and would do my best to help... if I can't... I could find out for you...

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email is:

aantreklik@optushome.com.au

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Good Luck!!

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Jared

</DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: colfish</STRONG><BR><BR>hi richard

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just bear in mind that plants need light bacteria need darkness good luck

<p></P></DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: BrownFish</STRONG><BR><BR>Hi guys, thanks a heap for your thoughtful responses.

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In response to Shaun. I'm pretty new to this game but as far s far as the pre-filter for the sump goes, I take it you meant what goes in the weir. I was going to use that synthetic wool. I was going to put a two inch think mat of twisted plastic fibres that came with the filter as the first thing the water comes into contact after it leaves the weir. Then I was going to have bio-balls with the second chamber with the scoria and plants. I think that you have talked me out of the undergravel filter though. Still, I'll get some powerheads to stir up the bottom. What I could do is leave the plate in. Isn't a plenum like this supposed to be good for a bit of anaerobic activity?

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Jared, thanks for the advice. Call me greedy but I was hoping to grow some crypts or something that I could sell. I will try the Water Cress but how do you grow it from seed in that kind of environment? I think that I will put the Water Cress back into the fish food rather than eating it - don't think the wife could stand the thought. What is would be the preferred media? Ceramic bonsai pots with gravel and/or soil? Thanks for the offer, I'll probably hassle you once I have finished painting the stand.

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And to Colfish, good thought, I might have to paint the dividers between the bio-ball chamber and the plant chamber and also put some sheets of ply wood on top.

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Cheers

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Richard

</DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: 23Skidoo</STRONG><BR><BR>If you want enough plants to help filtering an 8x2x2(?) i don't know if crypts and other plants like it will be able to do much, unless you have enoguh of them, if you wanted water plants for resale, go with something that grows more like a weed, the more plants the more good it will do.

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...and Jaz, i'm looking at putting together some tanks that rely solely upon plant/natural filtration could yo suggest any good resources? web pages/books/articles?

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Thanks and good luck Brownfish

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</DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: crashfragment</STRONG><BR><BR>hey richard,

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yeah i meant to type "water entering the weir"

hehe glad you knew what i meant.

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glad to hear i talked you out of the u/gravel, can't see any problem with leaving the plate in, might help stop the gravel ever getting stagnant (?). the powerheads in the tank will be a huge help. sounds like you'll have a pretty awesome setup

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-shaun

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