# Help equip a 40 gallon



## Minsc (May 7, 2006)

I've somehow convinced my wife to allow me to set up a 40 gallon breeder tank with all the bells and whistles. AH supply lighting, CO2 injection, Aqua soil, etc...

Problem is, I have no idea what size filter is appropriate. I'm thinking of going with a Filstar with a Hydor inline heater, no reactor. Can anyone help decide which models of these products are going to work best?

Thanks.


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## aman74 (Nov 13, 2006)

Minsc said:


> I've somehow convinced my wife to allow me to set up a 40 gallon breeder tank with all the bells and whistles. AH supply lighting, CO2 injection, Aqua soil, etc...
> 
> Problem is, I have no idea what size filter is appropriate. I'm thinking of going with a Filstar with a Hydor inline heater, no reactor. Can anyone help decide which models of these products are going to work best?
> 
> Thanks.


I've heard mixed things about the Hydor. Maybe a DIY enclosure to make a standard heater for inline use?

Hydor might be fine though, maybe others can chime in with there experience.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

The Rena Filstar is a good choice in filters (I love them). The Xp1 will work for your tank or if you want a little more flow then the Xp2 will also do well.

As for the inline heaters, I have no experience with them but have heard a lot off good things about them.


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

The Hydor heater is excellent. I used the 200watt on a 50 gallon with no issues. Now I use it on a 29 gallon, again with no issues. I have no experience with the Rena filters but I am very happy with my Eheim Classics. I used a 2217 on the 50 gallon and while most would have been fine with that, I like a little more flow. It was certainly adequate and the extra flow is simply a personal opinion. I use the 2217 now on the 29 and have 0 complaints.

BTW, will you be at Ned's this Saturday?


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## MrSanders (Mar 5, 2006)

> I have no experience with the Rena filters but I am very happy with my Eheim Classics. I used a 2217 on the 50 gallon and while most would have been fine with that, I like a little more flow.


 I agree with this also, My Ehiem classic has been a great filter for me. I would also second going with a larger filter. Added flow is a good thing, plants do very well with good circulation. Adding the in-line heater will cut your out put back some, and if you go with a inline reactor even more. This is probably an area it is good to over kill a bit, once you have all that media in there and your in-line things hooked up, I think you will appriciate the extra power of a 2217, or if you go rena the XP3


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## Minsc (May 7, 2006)

So, is that one vote for the XP1, one for the XP2, and one for the XP3?
Excellent 

I would love to go with a Ehiem, but that seemed to be an area where cutting costs a bit won't compromise quality too much. I am already buying a used tank and building the hood and stand myself and I'm still looking at 600-700 dollars more than my wife wants to spend on the project 

Ned's on Saturday? Sounds like fun, maybe I can get there this time.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

For Rena, I would go with an XP3. XP2 would be adequate, but you want the extra since you hooking reactors and inline heaters. Don't forget to pricematch it at petsmart to save you a few dollars.

For Eheim, I would go with a 2217. I currently have a 2215 on 40 g breeder, and it's not enough.

Hydor inline heaters are excellent heaters, and I highly recommend them.

-John N.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

Def. go with a canister filter, I just set up a 2217 on my 30 last night and should have picked one of these up last summer when I started. 

I had to cut the flow on the exhaust back a little, this thing is a beast for a tank this size, but it will allow me to run my CO2 inline which is what I want to do to minimize parts in the tank.

DrsFoster&Smith have the 2217 for $101.00 + shipping at the moment.


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## freydo (Jan 7, 2006)

i vote for the XP3 since i got one for my 65 gallon


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## Pyro (Nov 20, 2005)

I'd go with the Eheim 2217 if I were you. I have a 2213 ony my 29 gallon tank, and it's quite nice. It may not have all the bells and whistles (auto priming etc.) but it's a workhorse - the thing plows through sludge, cleans the water, and keeps going and going. Some people go 3 or 4 months without touching it. I think it loses cleaning effectiveness before that, but


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

This is what I have in my 40g....

Eheim 2217
2 3l bags of ADA AS
1 16l bag of PS
Tourmaline BC
Sand
Lily pipes in and out
CO2 beetle 30
Eheim 150 watt heater
5lb CO2 tank with AZOO reg.
Coralife turbotwist 9watt.
TEK light 4x39watt 36"


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## Minsc (May 7, 2006)

Thanks for the replies everyone! It sounds like there are a number of filters that would be adequate, but bigger will probably be better in the long run?

Good to know...

I think I'm going to go with an XP3 from Big Al's. They have good prices on the Hydor inlines and shipping is only $13. 

The current plan is to use a 2x55 kit from AHS, and try to track down a Rhinox 2000/3000 to go for the whole "CO2 mist" thing. 

I can't wait


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## aman74 (Nov 13, 2006)

aman74 said:


> I've heard mixed things about the Hydor. Maybe a DIY enclosure to make a standard heater for inline use?
> 
> Hydor might be fine though, maybe others can chime in with there experience.


Here's a link about the Hydor failure:

Hydor ETH 300 Gone BAD - The Planted Tank Forum


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## dough041 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Hydor failure*

I also experienced the same spike to 88.9 with my Hydor 300 ETH ( only after 2 months use). They did replace it after recommending only using the 200 ETH for my 55g? So must be a fairly common problem? Thought by going with an inline and that price they would be very reliable...oh well- hope this ones better.


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## fishtastico (Feb 28, 2007)

I have an Eheim classic which I used on a 55 ga planted tank when I had it... I put the spraybar in sideways (vertical) and sent the water flow across the back wall of the tank to flow across the heaters.

The Eheim is a good, solid workhorse of a filter.


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