Is my filter/light powerful enough?

[razornova]

Hi, just got my first aquarium a week ago. I have a Ocean free U-40 tank which measures 40 X 25 X 26. 26 liters volume. Also have a 9watt Boyu PL light for the tank.

Fishes
1: Male Betta
4: Otocinclus
Some ghost shrimp which my betta rip apart. Don't intend to keep them.


Plants
1: Lacy Java Fern
1 :1/2 coconut Java Moss
1: Some kind of carpet grass i got from c328

I am currently using the Dazs-80 Whirlpool Hanging filter from c328.
Flow rate is 80L/h.

Basically is my filter powerful enough? I'm afraid of my otos dying due to a lack of oxygen or even all my livestock dying due to lack of filtration! And is my light too weak? I see most people suggesting 3WPG and my pathetic 9watt light equates to about 1.3WPG.

Currently considering filters like eheim liberty 100 or the atman 600(i think! comes with built in skimmer). I need them to be absolutely quiet as my tank is in my bedroom.

Have no views on lighting atm as i am clueless but T5 lights seem like a good choce.

Any help appreciated!

[Shadow]

your filter flow is not be enough in my opinion. you happen to choose plant that can survuve low light, so it might be ok with 9W except probably for the carpet grass. Not sure what plant is that, can't see clearly

[k3nlim]

Looks like HC

[beetlejuice403]

Hi bro,

you may wish to 'upgrade' the filter flowrate of the filter to ensure a better filteration in the tank. Stronger flowrate will also ensure less possible to have deadspots (those greenish algae tends to love these deadspots to grow on if conditions provide so...)

Your Windelov Ferns (very nice & bushy look ) & Anubias Nana are both easy to take care plants with slow growth rate & need for low lights... However, you may wish to 'upgrade' your lights too if you wish to go into other plants (more light hungry) in the future... [On a sidenote, are the moss on the coconut husk turning brown already as what I'd seen on the pic??] You may wish to spread the carpet grass (also looks like HC to me...) out more evenly if you want them to grow & cover the entire floor in the future...

As for your faunas' survivability, they should be doing fine (with enough oxygen released by the plants during photosynthesis). However, that will means that your plants can photosynthesize well (with sufficient light & CO2). My concern is more of the (maybe) insufficient filtration instead...

Hope the above helps & are correct... Cheers!

[torque6]

I have always found daz filters of poor quality. A bit too plasticy for my liking in terms of build.

[razornova]

Yes i did choose hardy plants as i am relatively new to the hobby and decided to try on newbie friendly stuff(hence betta).

I decided to get Dazs as a recommendation from the c328 auntie when i asked for something quiet as the previous hang on filter i bought from polyart was insanely noisy.

And yes my java moss does seem somewhat brown =/

Does anyone know a good wattage and brand of light i should get? I'm currently leaning towards T5 as i read about PL emitting more heat.

Was actually thinking of getting the bigger dazs filter as mine is currently really quiet but seems like it's not popular at all.

Will head out tomorrow to hunt for lighting + new filter at the same time.

PS: Attatched a picture of the carpet grass. They have been tied onto a wire mesh since i got them from c328. Should i take them apart and plant them in nodes? I'm not using any soil fertilizer. Should i get some of the gex shrimp & plant soil?

Thanks everyone!

[Shadow]

never seen that plant before, look like some kind of moss.

Are you injecting/planning to inject CO2?

[razornova]

Not at the moment. Seems really expensive. Parents might make noise =(. Might try DIY c02 when i have the time. By the way the shot is taken really close using macro.

[ghim]

I am using a similiar size tank as yours.

You wont find T5 lights for your tank size. And it is definitely not neccessary - way overkill. Go for a PL-24w - changed the tube to osram. I am using it. Found it enough for most plants - except for my poor china gujing. For lights, you must remember, our tanks are small and not very deep.

As for filter, go for Eheim Liberty 100 - using it. Nice strong flow. Extremely quiet.

And you did not state the substrate/sand that you are using. Your are using lapis sand? If you did not prepare it with base fertilizer. You sand = no nutrients. If so, better skip rooted plants - even if u are prepared to dose liquid ferts.

And the sand looks very thin. 1inch-2inches thickness would be good.

[Shadow]

You wont find T5 lights for your tank size. And it is definitely not neccessary - way overkill. Go for a PL-24w - changed the tube to osram. I am using it. Found it enough for most plants - except for my poor china gujing. For lights, you must remember, our tanks are small and not very deep.

You won't think overkill after you read this http://www.fitchfamily.com/lighting.html

The smaller T5 if I'm not mistaken is 2ft long.

If you are looking for quite filter, go for internal filter, water should help dampening the noise, but wonder if there is such think for you tank size Those small external canister like EDEN 501 or similar knock off model is also quite.

Since no CO2 nor fert, so you might want to go for low tech tank. Beside the carpet grass, your other plants is able to survive low light. So you can just wait and see how the plant react, or if you really want to spend, you can try 13W or 18W light.

[razornova]

Hi really appreciate all the help given. Bought myself a eheim liberty 100, Boyu 18watt light and red packet of gex soil today.

[YiDaLi]

Erm..Guys! Mind sharing what's HC that you've mentioned?

[fishbuger]

Hi really appreciate all the help given. Bought myself a eheim liberty 100, Boyu 18watt light and red packet of gex soil today.

Hi there! I've the excat same tank as you (started bout a week ago) and also trying to grow some coconut javamoss. Just wondering how much you bought the eheim for?

[razornova]

Hi, it was $36 at c328. Everything cost me $70 in total but uncle charged me $68. I'm not really the type who bargains(i'm not good at it either!), so maybe you can get it for less.

[ghim]

You won't think overkill after you read this http://www.fitchfamily.com/lighting.html

The smaller T5 if I'm not mistaken is 2ft long.

The charts really blurred me

2ft is the smallest. Been researching the equipments for 2ft tank. Coz that will be my next project.

Hi really appreciate all the help given. Bought myself a eheim liberty 100, Boyu 18watt light and red packet of gex soil today.

Hope that your efforts will bear fruits.

[Shadow]

Erm..Guys! Mind sharing what's HC that you've mentioned?

HC stand for Hemianthus calltrichoides

The charts really blurred me

2ft is the smallest. Been researching the equipments for 2ft tank. Coz that will be my next project.


Hope that your efforts will bear fruits.

No need to read the whole article, just scroll to the last one, puchin your tank size and it will give you the recomended light based on the chart.

[razornova]

Recommended 55watts for mine =/. I might buy the same light again if needed as there was nothing higher than 18watts that would fit my tank. Guess using 2 light sets will mean better spread?

[fishbuger]

I'm thinking bout the same thing as you. Current "sticker" on my light says 24w come with two tubes of which one is blue.

[larlee]

18watts for 1.5ft tank is good enough, you dont have CO2 so better not go forward otherwise invite algae.

[razornova]

I see. Thanks. My moss started turning brown so i decided to get a bottle of excel. Parts of it have started turning back green though most of it is still brown. My nana however has holes on it's leaves and doesn't seem to be recovering =/.