Welcome to ScapeCrunch, @Orlas112!
We would love to get to know you. Please tell us about yourself. What tank do you have?
We would love to get to know you. Please tell us about yourself. What tank do you have?
Welcome to ScapeCrunch
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Hello Welcome, Orlas112
- Thread starter Art
- Start date
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Hello everyone,
My name is Vilandas and I’m from Lithuania. I recently started my first planted aquarium and joined this forum to learn more about aquascaping and how to build a stable, balanced aquarium ecosystem.
Aquarium
Filtration
I would like to ask for some advice:
Is the Turbo 1000 considered too strong for a 125 L aquarium?
Heating
Lighting
Photoperiod is about 6 hours per day.
- No CO₂ system (low-tech setup).
Substrate and hardscape
Plants currently in the aquarium
I noticed that the Pistia tends to move around the surface because of the filter flow, so I am planning to add a floating ring to keep it in one area and create a shaded zone for the fish.
Fish and invertebrates
-4 Guppies (Poecilia reticulata)
- Assassin snails (Anentome helena)
Tap water parameters (Kaunas, Lithuania)
My goal is to keep this aquarium stable and low-tech, learning how plants and the biological system develop over time.
Any feedback, suggestions or advice are very welcome.
My name is Vilandas and I’m from Lithuania. I recently started my first planted aquarium and joined this forum to learn more about aquascaping and how to build a stable, balanced aquarium ecosystem.
Aquarium
- Aquael 125 L aquarium (80 × 35 × 50 cm)
- The aquarium was started on February 20, 2026
Filtration
- Aquael Turbo Filter 1000 with sponge and biological media
- The flow is currently set to the minimum, because it seemed quite strong for this tank.
I would like to ask for some advice:
Is the Turbo 1000 considered too strong for a 125 L aquarium?
Heating
- Aquael Platinum Heater 100 W
- Water temperature: 25°C
Lighting
- Aquael Leddy Tube Plant 2.0 – 14 W, 1000 lm, 9000K
- Aquael Leddy Tube Sunny – 14 W, 1700 lm, 6500K (currently not running)
Photoperiod is about 6 hours per day.
- No CO₂ system (low-tech setup).
Substrate and hardscape
- Black aquarium gravel 1-3mm
- Natural driftwood
Plants currently in the aquarium
- Rotala rotundifolia 'Blood Red'
- Hygrophila polysperma
- Sagittaria subulata
- Pistia stratiotes (floating plant)
I noticed that the Pistia tends to move around the surface because of the filter flow, so I am planning to add a floating ring to keep it in one area and create a shaded zone for the fish.
Fish and invertebrates
-4 Guppies (Poecilia reticulata)
- Assassin snails (Anentome helena)
Tap water parameters (Kaunas, Lithuania)
- pH: 7.5–7.7
- NO₃: ~3.3–3.4 mg/L
- NO₂: <0.004 mg/L
- NH₄: <0.01 mg/L
- Conductivity: ~487–498 µS/cm
- Total hardness: ~2.4–2.7 mmol/L (~13–15 dGH)
- Sodium: ~14.5–14.7 mg/L
My goal is to keep this aquarium stable and low-tech, learning how plants and the biological system develop over time.
Any feedback, suggestions or advice are very welcome.
Kwyet
After every new tank—“This is my last one!”
From the Aquael Turbo 1000 rating, it looks like it should be just right for your tank size when turned all the way up. Filters are usually actually only good for half of their advertised rating. I didn’t find what the actual gph should be, just their recommended gallons range. If it’s too strong, I did see that they have a spray bar available. If you could find or cut a small sponge to cover the outlet, that would also disperse the flow without decreasing it very much.
