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My Equipment List: Does it Sound Good?

1054 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  RipariumGuy
Hello All!

I need some suggestions/ideas/help with my equipment list. The tank is a 40g breeder, Mexican/South American biotope riparium. Here is my current equipment list. (After everything in the mail gets here).

Equipment List 1
  • SunSun HW-302 Canister - 265GPH
  • 200w Hydor Inline heater
  • Hydrofarm JumpStart 24" T5HO w/24w 6,5K bulb (hung)
  • Maxi-Jet 404 powerhead - 100GPH
  • Pool filter sand
I know that I need to up the amount of flow and lighting. Here is the final plan.

Equipment List 2
  • SunSun HW-302 Canister - 265GPH
  • 200w Hydor Inline heater
  • Odyssea 36" X2 bulb T5HO fixture (hung)
  • Hydor Koralia Nano powerhead - 240-425GPH
  • Pool filter sand/natural river gravel
That would be my final plan. Will this work? Do I need to change anything? If you have any suggestions, please share!

Here is my stocking list.
  • Ilyodon frucidens x12
  • Honduran Red Point x1
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I do not have personal experience with sunsuns but if you want my take on canisters check ot the sunsun pimp thread, posted this morning and don't think I have received a reply notification do it could be the last post.

Hydor in line heaters are pretty much bullet proof. I have one and it's been great.

As is conveyed through my sunsun post inthat thread I believe that you get what you pay for. Not sure how much the odysea fuxtures are but I know their made in areas of the world that are associated with cheap equipment and even cheaper labor. I have two Catalina aquarium t5ho fixtures that have been rock solid for years. Plus you can call and talk to a fellow named Jim and he will custom build you whatever you want. Seriously this was a very important factor in my light purchases and he's a straight shooter and won't try to sell you something or more than you need. Good stuff.

Koralias are about the best multi direction circulation pump available to us. I have a Rena XP1 augmented with a pump that gives it an actual flow rate close to the volume of the sunsun's advertised number. I have a koralia nano in that tank too. You will have less water but perhaps more obstructions in the tank than I. I think I get a koralia 1 just to be safe because too much flow is not as big a problem as too little.
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...but I know their made in areas of the world that are associated with cheap equipment and even cheaper labor.
Are you from the US?
I love my sunsun. You get what you pay for is not completely true. A big part of what you get is a name brand. The odyssea fixtures are great as well. They do not have individual reflectors, but in reality that is prob better on this tank than not.

For just a little more than the koralia(double, I guess) you could by an odyssea cfs 500 and replace the sunsun and have more than enough flow. You couold easily sell the sunsun.
I love my sunsun. You get what you pay for is not completely true. A big part of what you get is a name brand. The odyssea fixtures are great as well. They do not have individual reflectors, but in reality that is prob better on this tank than not.

For just a little more than the koralia(double, I guess) you could by an odyssea cfs 500 and replace the sunsun and have more than enough flow. You couold easily sell the sunsun.
Dont know if you read my post about canister in the sunsun pimp thread, but would you agree that their filters are based off of a Rena XP series/Eheim Pro series design?
First, please excuse my very late reply.

I do not have personal experience with sunsuns but if you want my take on canisters check ot the sunsun pimp thread, posted this morning and don't think I have received a reply notification do it could be the last post.

Hydor in line heaters are pretty much bullet proof. I have one and it's been great.

As is conveyed through my sunsun post inthat thread I believe that you get what you pay for. Not sure how much the odysea fuxtures are but I know their made in areas of the world that are associated with cheap equipment and even cheaper labor. I have two Catalina aquarium t5ho fixtures that have been rock solid for years. Plus you can call and talk to a fellow named Jim and he will custom build you whatever you want. Seriously this was a very important factor in my light purchases and he's a straight shooter and won't try to sell you something or more than you need. Good stuff.

Koralias are about the best multi direction circulation pump available to us. I have a Rena XP1 augmented with a pump that gives it an actual flow rate close to the volume of the sunsun's advertised number. I have a koralia nano in that tank too. You will have less water but perhaps more obstructions in the tank than I. I think I get a koralia 1 just to be safe because too much flow is not as big a problem as too little.
I actually read your post on canisters the day you posted it. Very good post. I knew that from what I had read that Koralias and Hydor Inlines where the best around so I decided on them. But those are all rather cheap... I run into problems when it comes to the big ticket items, like the light fixtures and filters. Thank you for suggesting Catalina. I will check them out. Thanks for the help!



I love my sunsun. You get what you pay for is not completely true. A big part of what you get is a name brand. The odyssea fixtures are great as well. They do not have individual reflectors, but in reality that is prob better on this tank than not.

For just a little more than the koralia(double, I guess) you could by an odyssea cfs 500 and replace the sunsun and have more than enough flow. You couold easily sell the sunsun.

Thanks for the idea on the CFS! But, I think I will stick with the SunSun and a Koralia. I can not do any DIY by my self, so I do no think the 500 will work out.

Again, thanks for the comments guys!
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