[INFO] [ how to make NO3 <5ppm CRS tank] 10 Gallon tank FILTER SET UP

Whole view of 1 feet 10 Gallon (I think the smallest tank size for CRS smaller size will bring unstable water to CRS) :

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Actually its better to set up a under gravel filtration with the canister water in-take directly, but this picture show I use sponge guard for the water in-take, because my under gravel filtration was broken.
(but beware the under gravel will give shorter life time of the Black substract soil )

Tips 1 : How to indicate the substract soil life are running out?
Normally, many CRS breeder said ADA substract has around 8-12months life. When you see the soil substract turn into powder substance. It means the substract gone bad and need to be changed.
Tips 2 : How to keep the substract soil last longer?
Clean and stir the feeding area avoid the food stuck into substract.
Don't overfeed.
Or I use a small glass bow as feeding area avoid the left over food sink into soil.

Most breeder use 2-3 canister because 1st canister - for physical waste and aerobic bacteria breath up some oxygen, 2nd canister for NO3 Nitrifiers bacteria (prefer grow low light and lack of Oxygen)
Theoretically, if setting slower water outflow of the canister, the NO3 bacteria should be growing more on the 2nd canister.
some said two 2215 may be better than one 2217 or larger canister.

Here is my Eheim Canister Classic 2215 (POWER ON) and ECO 2234 (NO power ) chain them together but this a bit overkill on 10gallon tank (because I m planning to setting up a bigger new tank ):



1st canister for physical waste filtration:
Ideal : put only filter pad / sponge
My setting: 1st canister I put seachem purigen/matrix stone / Eheim media

2nd canister for Biological filtration (for NH4>NO2>NO3):
Ideal : all bio stone/ball (Eheim substract PRO is great choose since it don't raise pH and GH. there has many other BIO media raise pH and GH )
My setting: 2nd canister 80% substract pro 20% other types bio media earth pullet and tri base carbon

I DIY a NO3 filtration box for more area grown of NO3 bacteria:

* Green : the water into ECO 2234 from the 2215
Blue : the water outflow of ECO 2234 back to the tank
Red : the water in-flow to DIY box (the water outflow of the outflow 2234)

Theory: Since the NO3 bacteria prefer darkness and no oxygen area, I use a black 15 feet air tube connect to the water out-flow of the return pipe to tank.
The black air tube bring the water box and dipping back to the 10 Gallon Tank. (no power is needed since the water is flowing big pipe to small pipe)
The idea is like -> AZOO TWIN EFFECT BIO-DENITRATOR

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Red : the water in-flow to DIY box (the water outflow of the outflow 2234)
Purple : 2 water out-flow of the back to tank


You can see the water is dipping back to tank and its around 1~2 drops per second.

Advantage of DIY BOX:
- I keep the 10 gallon all period NO3 below 5ppm and no power is needed.
- low cost

Disadvantage :
- water may stuck with waste in the air tube
- if using too long tube overkill the bacteria, it may cause toxic substance deadly for CRS(like sulphur smell like Ditch)


Thanks for reviewing my post ,
Please correct me if there has stated wrong information.


*My #1 S+ and above CRS 10 Gallon tank*:
Tank : 10 Gal.
Substrate : ADA Amazonia I 5cm thick
Filter : Under gravel with Eheim 2234 [this Under gravel already Broke + DIY raindrops/spay bar] + DIY sponge filter
Lighting : DIY T5 9w x 2
Plants : Downi, Xmas moss, Flame moss, Subwassertang, Aus. Banana, Java Fern
CO2 : N/A
Supplement : Bio-Diegest, Stop Amino, Hagen Cycle,
Hagen cichild GH, SeaCheam Excel
Foods : , Spinach, Blood worm, CRS food and powder food,

Water parameter :

pH 6.7
GH 5
KH 1 ~ 3
TDS 290
NO3 <5ppm