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Filtration for 29 gal planted tank




 Hello everybody !

 I've been lurking on the list for the past 3 mo. Many thanks to
everybody on it !!! Since 3 mos. ago when on one long night at work I
printed and read George's SST article (that got me started, thanks
much George) I've dismantled my Tanganyika tank (I was getting tired
of growing algae, yes really :), and fiddling with salt mixes) I
bought "The Optimum Aquarium", the Dennerle book, most of the plant
books, read most of the articles in Krib/Plants and the Aquatic-Plants
archive.
 Now I am 2 wks away from setting a 29 gal planted tank (I have most
of the plant- and fleshware, even 2 real SAE, in a CO2 injected 10
gal). It will be a common 29 gal, with 3*20 W fluorescent (approx 4000
lumen), Dupla regimen of fertilization, moderately stocked. CO2 is
yeast right now but I'll be getting a tank in about a month. I gave up
on substrate heating today (see my other post, about the Cooner wire).
Since this will only be a temporary setup until I can get everything
that I need for a 75 or 90 gal I also gave up on trickle filter and
decided to invest those money in a good CO2 system that I will be able
to port over to the big tank.
 The only part of hardware that I do not have yet is the filtration. I
was using a Bio-Wheel power filter on the Tanganyika tank but I can't
use it now due to the surface turbulence it creates. So, I narrowed my
choices to 2:
-HOT Magnum; to which I might try to add a Eheim surface extractor.
What concerns me is that it is rated at 250 gal/hr (though I think
that is through empty box) and I might end up with too much water
movement. I also have in mind using the Bio-Wheel adaptor (a tee) to
split the outflow in two, one just above the bottom and the other one
at the opposite end of the tank just below the surface, both slightly
angled towards the front. Also, does anybody have any experience
injecting CO2 in a HOT Magnum ? I'm concerned about the vapor lock
possibility, like in the Fluvals.
-Aquaclear 200 (I use a Mini in the 10 gal and it performs quite well
especially in regards to the CO2 injection). In this case I won't have
any future possibilities to add a surface extractor and I will have to
add 1 or 2 powerheads for additional water movement.
 Both these will cost approximately the same so it's a matter of which
setup will perform better.
 Oh, I also thought at some point about using one of the Whisper
wet/drys. Any experience with them ?

 I would really appreciate any suggestions as this is the last aspect
that holds me back from setting up my long awaited and dreamed of planted
tank.

 TIA

 Didi Soichin
 nitro at oeonline_com
 Westland, MI, USA