Will having 2 xp3 in a 75g be overkill?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
I run two XP3's on my 72-gallon... I have heard discussion about not wanting to turn a planted tank for than 5 times or so an hour (at 350 GPH per pump you will be closer to 10x per hour), but mine has been great.
 
I think you would be great with 2x XP3's. If you add an inline reactor, heater, etc, this will reduce the flow (perhaps significantly). It also comes with a valve adapter that you can put on the spraybar to decrease the flow, if you want.

I think 2 filters turning at 350 GHP is not the same as one filter turning at 700 GPH.
 
I already one one xp3 with inline heater system, I was thinking of placing another rena filter with spray bar and add an inline UV sterilizer on that one.
 
I looked at those. They seem like really nice, high-quality filters and I love the idea of having the integrated UV (although the UV seems a little "underpowered").

But you really don't seem them for sale much here in the US, and I would really hate to try and find replacement parts, accessories etc.

I went with Eheim instead.
 
theotheragentm said:
What are your guys' electric bills like?
Click to expand...

Canister filters are extremely efficient electrically compared to most other methods.

19 watts.
19w x24hr/dayx30day/month= ~13.7kw x 0.13$ kw = 1.78 $ at a high electric rate. 26$ a year.

Say I used a wet dry filter and return pump rated at 700gph?
Rio's 3100 uses 73 w for 700gph at 3 ft of head, as the Rena has little head pressure issue.

So the cost for the same water flow is about 2x more.
Hard to beat canisters in this area.

And if you lost any fish due to low flow with one, then this would/could save you a lot more than the bill for the electric.

Also, if someone is truly worried over the electric bill/saving $ etc, why not go after the really big wasters.......all the folks using far more light than they need????

Why is that seldom addressed but stuff like this is when it comes to cost for electric?

I wonder...............

I know no one "needs" more than about 2w/gal to grow any plant.........
So why more?
Means you have to prune more, less wiggle room dosing/CO2 etc/higher risk of algae etc.

And it cost a lot more.
A typical 55 gal tank using 220w instead of 110w, cost difference:

110w x 10hrs x 30 days = 33 kW x 0.13 = 4.29 extra per month.
~52$ a year.

Most do not cvare and will rationalize it, but this is even easier to rationalize, this reduces the work, (good back up etc) not increases it.

Regards,
Tom Barr








Regards,
Tom Barr
 
Plantbrain said:
I know no one "needs" more than about 2w/gal to grow any plant...
Click to expand...

I think that a large part of this is that most people don't realize that you can grow the "high light" light plants with less light. We're constantly told that in order to grow a nice low lawn of glosso, etc we have to have 4+w/gal or it will grow up. Of course then some people try to grow it with less light, and it does grow up. Or there that really neat plant that requires high light, and dies if someone tries to grow it with less light.

Now I think the question is, why are you able to grow these plants sucessfully with less light while others are failing. The obvious answer is that light is the easy scapegoat. Perhaps there are other factors that aren't being addressed adequately, or aren't addressed adequetly until that same person ventures into high light. From what I've seen from your posts lately, it appears that CO2 is your chosen scapegoat. Since most people are extremely reluctant to try CO2 until they are forced to do so by venturing into high light, this would make a lot of sense as the missing piece to the puzzle.

So is the answer medium light with CO2 and good nutrient levels? Will this allow us to grow all the plants we might want to try and get the results that we want? If so, then the key is for more people to try it, be sucessful at it, and be vocal about their success. Until we start hearing the same thing from more people the message will keep getting drowned out by the majority and we'll keep following in the footsteps of our peers to the grail of high light.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm still very new at growing aquatic plants. I've got a lot to learn yet. I'm finding some sucess with some plants that could be considered difficult or rare, but I'm also still learning how to grow plants instead of algae. I'm also foolishly trying to do all this learning on extremely small tanks that I wouldn't recommend to anyone else, because I don't have the space for a larger tank. It's a steep learning curve, but I'm making progress and I'm stubborn enough to stick with it to try to get things figured out.

If your theories help me to fill in the holes and learn to grow plants better, great! Unfortunately I still have so many holes still left to fill before my picture is complete.
 
I have 1 XP3 and it is more than enough current for my 75g but I don't have anything inline yet. I even had to turn it down a little because my plants were getting blown around too much. I can't even imagine having 2 of them. If I had to do it over I'd go with the Eheim because the XP3 is noisy.
 
Eheim makes a higher end product, which is reflected in the price. Rena makes a good product for much less. It will not make noise if used and maintained correctly. I believe the XP3's also move a lot more water than the equivalent EHeim models.

If you have the extra cash, I don't think you would regret getting some EHeims.
 
Kaz said:
Will having 2 xp3 in a 75g be overkill?
Click to expand...

Seems that while answering this question, we have brought a few more theories into the equation that while altogether very informative (I've been growing plants in less than 2wpg for two years), it is straying away from the question.

Let's try to steer this one back on track. I would love to have the "grow all plants in 2wpg" addressed in it's own thread. Looks pretty informative.
 
The first one is pretty expensive, I do know of one member that purchased one a couple of years ago. The third one is a UV sterilizer, disregard that. The Ehiem is known as the Rolls Royce of canisters.

So, the only question is...since the XP3 is not an issue, why ignore it for something else? It appears that you are looking for reviews for various canisters which while ok in itself, seems to be straying from your original question.
 
CD-195580 18W Bulb for 375/380 UV $74.99
this is the first one i mention in the link

your right about avoiding xp2 or 3 in that case, my first thing is that I'm getting alot of problems with my fish do to parasites and off and on ick, maybe because I do not QT the new comers and striclty place them directly into my main tank. so because of this I wanted to make an extra secure mesure and place a UVS in my tank, but then I thought about reading about new canisters with built in UV and then I started to shop around for what options do i have with a budget in mind. Should I just Buy a UV Twister and hook it up to my xp3, or buy a new canister filter and hook up the UV to that one, or buy a UV and hook it up with a water pump etc. why a new canister when I have one already, because of my wanted stock will possibly make me overstock thus trying to keep things much cleaner etc for them as possible without having to clean up twice a week and to have more filtration in regards of growing bacteria etc. so based on this, this is what I want in the near future, question is what should I get first of all in order:

Fish about $75.00 to 90.00usd
plants about $50.00 to 90.00usd
better lighting system about $130.00 to 145.00usd
greg watson ferts about $40.00 to 50.00usd
UVS about $130.00usd
Extra canister about $70.00 to 130.00usd

based on this what do you guys think I should start first with most necessities first.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

P
Downsizing help
Replies
6
Views
479
Andy Sager
Andy Sager
L
Wanted: WTB: Rena/Filstar XP3 Canister (only)
Replies
0
Views
553
Lovegasoline
L
KreativJustin
co2 Bubbles.
Replies
19
Views
837
Caliban07
Caliban07
L
Anyone Know How to Source a Replacement Canister for the Rena/Filstar XP3 Filter?
Replies
5
Views
534
Lovegasoline
L
L
Turtle Keepers: What Canister Filters are Presently Recommended?
Replies
0
Views
207
Lovegasoline
L

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom