Questions on 2ft tank with cabinet

[Royston Low]

Hi all,

I'm upgrading to a 2ft tank with a cabinet. However due to budget constraint, could only settle for off the shelf tank & cabinet. Is seaview so called selling these the cheapest?

I also looking at external canister for the filtration system, from the forum here, seems like eheim is the most popular. but for a 2ft tank, which would be the most economical model?

Lastly, i have a small tank (dimension around 15cm x 15cm x 20cm) which i have 1 crayfish in it. If i were to upgrade to a 2ft tank, i intend to have some plants and fishes, the crayfish would definitely ravage the plants. So i am thinking would it be possible to place this tank inside the 2ft tank? Just a wild idea.

Appreciate all the kind experts advices here.

Cheers

[Urban Aquaria]

Seaview does sell those cheaper 2ft tank cabinets, though they usually don't look as nice as the ADA style ones... i guess you'll just have to shop there to check the stock availability and selection. It'll all depend on your design preference and budget.

As for external canister filter, an Eheim 2213 (Classic 250) would usually be sufficient for a 2ft tank. You could get a brand new set, or check around the forums and online sites for working 2nd hand units, sometimes you can find surprisingly good deals on them.

For your crayfish, you could look at getting those large breeder boxes, some versions can be even larger than your current mini tank. Just make sure to get those breeder boxes with larger holes for better water circulation.

Alternatively, there are also external breeder boxes (ie. Sudo satellite box) which hang outside the tank and use an air pump to lift and circulate water from the main tank though it. Those can help free up valuable space in the tank for more plants or hardscape.

[Royston Low]

Is eheim 2211 good?

[Urban Aquaria]

Is eheim 2211 good?

The 2211 is also a good filter, but its more suitable for smaller 1ft or 1.5ft tanks... the 2211 media volume is much smaller, only 1 liter and its flow rate is slower at 300 l/ph, compared to the 3 liter media volume and 440 l/ph flow rate on the 2213.

Its always better to go for more media volume and higher flow rates if possible, it helps to maintain optimal filtration and sustain a more stable cycle.

Some 2ft tank owners even go for 700-800 l/ph filter models to generate lots of circulation for distributing ample Co2 and nutrients to all the plants, very essential for tanks with higher plant density.

[Ingen]

I'm using 2215 for my 2ft, the flow seems just right after maxing out with media, filter floss and what's not.

[Royston Low]

Was contemplating on trying out on aquatic plants. But i do not wish to invest in co2 system. So any advice on this?
Perhaps as below:-
Kind of substrate?
Advice on those carpet grass?
2-3 kinds of plants?

Thanks alot.

[Urban Aquaria]

Was contemplating on trying out on aquatic plants. But i do not wish to invest in co2 system. So any advice on this?
Perhaps as below:-
Kind of substrate?
Advice on those carpet grass?
2-3 kinds of plants?

Thanks alot.

For planted tank setup, go for ADA Amazonia aquasoil, its the tried and tested substrate for growing aquarium plants.

Carpet grass you can look at dwarf hairgrass or japanese hairgrass. There is also Eleocharis sp mini which is a short compact version of hairgrass, its relatively easy to grow and low maintenance.

You can also look at Micranthemum 'Monte Carlo' (aka MC), it grows well in low tech tanks too.

As for other easy plants for mid-ground and background, can look at the various Rotala species, Hemianthus micranthemoides (aka HM), Echinodorus tenellus, Blyxia japonica etc. Lots of other selections you can check online too.