FishChannel Forums / Freshwater Forums / Everything but Livestock

New canister filter

scottneth06 — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:22:24 GMT

I just got a new canister filter today and was going to hook it up and relized that i have to get rid of my old waterfall filter for the hoses to fit I was just wondering if i removed it would it be harmful to my fish since the new filter doesnt have any bacteria in it? Its big enough i think my old filter cartrige will fit in one on the baskets would that work to get the bacteria in the new filter?

Filter help?

JoshTS — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:24:45 GMT

I have a brand new 75 gallon tank and i am looking to buy a filter but there are so many choices that i don't know what to buy. Could you give me some suggestions of a filter set up big enough for a 75 gallon tank, 6 to 10 medium African cichlids, about 4 to 7 plants, and within a budget of 60$.and i do have room for a canister filter but i cant find one in the size i need or 60$ Thanks

New 125 Gallon Tank

filipem — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:57:55 GMT

Long story short. I had a 90 gallon tank that I was going to setup but I was given a 125 gallon that had a cracked plane of glass for free. so I decided to sell my 90 gallon and fix the 125 gallon instead. I plan on fully planting this tank before I add fish.

The tank is six feet long and I plan on keeping low light plants in there for now. The problem I have is the lighting. There does not seem to be a lot of 72" fixtures out there. I was thinking of using 3 24" power compact units to light the tank. The units have 2 bulbs each @ 65W giving me a total of 390W. way to much power for a low light setup. But if I only run one bulb on each fixture I have a total of 195W. Is this still too high for low light plants? I know the WPG rule changes on larger tanks and power compact bulbs these units are not cheap so I would really like some input on this before I got out a re-mortage the house to buy these units.

A little concerned about weight

ocean-size — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:47:06 GMT

So, when I was originally planning my setup I was assuming my tank would be in the 45 gallon range. I also read somewhere that you should assume a tank weighs 10-12lbs per gallon after you include all the gear, which would have put that tank in the 540lb ballpark, which did not concern me even when you consider that this tank will be placed on the second floor.

My setup requires a corner tank, so it will be wedged into a corner and is therefore up against TWO walls instead of one or no walls. Also, one of those walls is an exterior, load-bearing wall. Combine this with the fact that my setup was initially only going to weigh 540 lbs, and I didn't give the weight issue another moment's thought.

However, my LFS owner said that it would be hard to fit a sump underneath later on with a tank that size & configuration. The more I read the more I'm convinced I'd like to add a sump at some point in the future, so I purchased a size that would be easier to add a sump to considering the corner configuration of the tank, and so I splurged and bought a 92 gallon tank.

It wasn't until after this that I reminded myself about the weight issue. Now I'm looking at a setup that will be in the 1,100 lb range. I am encouraged by the fact that the tank will be up against two walls, one load-bearing, but a little nervous because that room is over our garage and there are no walls directly underneath.

It is a new place with rock-solid construction. Am I being paranoid over 92 gallons?

Sponge filters

Maraqua — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:15:17 GMT

So I have 2 sponge filters in my betta tanks. The tanks are only like 10"s high so the tube is a bit below the water level. They sound like a cauldron or a mad scientists lab, blop bubble blop you get the point Anyway I have a 2.5 gallon in my room currently empty. I have a betta I want to rehome because I've found he's harassing my poor cories and nipping them What a bully argghh. Punishment is smaller tank, but at least it will be his own

Anyway it's in our bedroom so I need to know how to silence it or how I could rig it somehow I bought some sponge thingies that have larger hole's but I haven't figured a way to stuff them in with out blocking too much of the air

Home Made Cover

MtnFishBoy — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:01:25 GMT

Does anyone know of a cheap and easy way to make an aquarium lid at home. I just inherited a 15 gallon long, but I didn't get a lid. My dad made me one for my ten gallon, but that was when he had a classroom full of engineers-to-be, as well as easy access to building materials.

water conditioners and filter cartridges

staffordmom — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 13:43:13 GMT

Hi,

I have two questions. First I ran out of water conditioner and when I got new my lfs gave me Prime. I was using Amquel or something else before. I did my water change today & used the Prime for the first time. I think I used a little too much. Is Prime ok or should I use something else? My 2nd question is, did I understand right when someone said don't replace filter cartridges monthly like the manufacturer suggests, but rinse & reuse till they fall apart? Thanks for any advice. I have had my aquarium for 3 months, so still kinda new.

staffordmom

barley extract for algae control?

Golddenim — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:12:41 GMT

When I brought up the subject of an algae problem in my 95 gallon tank, an employee at my LFS suggested I use barley extract. I guess it is normally used in ponds, but he said he had been using it in his home aquarium with success. When I asked a couple other employees about it, they advised against it, saying that it could create problems in a home aquarium. I can't remember the exact problems they cautioned about. One of them said I could try the purest form of barley extract, but that it would still be potentially dangerous.

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of the use of barley extract in an aquarium? It is a planted tank, and the current stock of fish is listed below.

Traveling to the United States

filipem — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:47:18 GMT

I am going to travel to the U.S in a few weeks. I will be in Rhode Island for about two weeks, and I wanted to check out a couple of LFS in the area. Anyone know few LFS worth paying a visit in R.I. ?

Building a tank

scottneth06 — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:41:11 GMT

I was wondering if you went to some place like lowes or sutherlands and bought plexiglass if it would be suitable to build your own tank.

understanding current flow in an aquarium

Golddenim — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:41:20 GMT

I have a 95 gallon wave aquarium, with an Eheim canister filter. When I first set up the tank, the spray bar was pointed at a slightly downward angle. At the suggestion of employees at my LFS, I adjusted the spray bar to point slightly upwards, so as to disturb the water surface and improve gas exchange. Since then, the currents in my tank don't seem as strong, which makes since seeing as how water is no longer shooting directly into the middle of the tank. But along with that, not as much debris seems to be taken into the filter. Before the adjustment, the water was perfectly clear; now dust and other debris can clearly be seen floating in the tank, often continueing in a circle past the filter intake. The spray bar is located just below the water surface, sitting level, centered side to side in the tank. Other than trial and error, are there any adjustments I can make to the spray bar so the water surface is still being disturbed yet the current carries debris to the filter intake?

New Tenecor Acrylic & Some Questions

ecarfar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:32:43 GMT

Hello all, I just took delivery of a new Tenecor 120 gallon acrylic aquarium and have a few really basic questions.

Just some background, I had a 55 gallon glass hexagon for about 7 years that developed a leak in the seam so my wife and I decided take the big plunge and transfer our fish to a 20 gallon temporary tank until the 120 gallon Tenecor we ordered was ready. That was 2 months ago and now the new tank is up and running and there are 7 Tiger Barbs in there to do the cycling while the bigger fish wait their turn to get in.

I'm using a standard wet-dry filter. About how often do these need to be cleaned? I know the bioballs never have to be cleaned but I'm assuming the filter material above should last about a month or so?

After the tank has been cycled, is it advisable to put carbon filtration in the filter?

What kind of chemicals/vitamins should I stay away from to avoid yellowing or discoloring the tank?

What kind of auto feeder can I use in this tank? It has a removable insert in the top of the acrylic. Most seem to be the type to hang on the back of a tank.

The prefilter overflow sounded like a toilet constantly flushing, I filled the prefilter with bioballs and put filter material at the top to filter out any food particles to act as a silencer. Is this OK? Can anyone recommend another, maybe better, way of silencing the pre filter?

Thanks for your help, I'm sure I'll have more questions!

Redsea CO2 kit

filipem — Sun, 25 May 2008 16:51:23 GMT

Has any one used this kit before?

I recently bought one of these but I don't think the diffuser is working correctly. Has anyone else experienced the same problem?

How to get decorations tank ready

Squid — Sat, 31 May 2008 20:58:34 GMT

I've just grabbed a couple nice rocks and a piece of driftwood from the beach ( from a freshwater lake ) and I would like to put them into my new 10 gallon. Is there anything I should do before I put them in or is just rinsing them off a couple times good?

The tank right now only has gravel and water in it, and soon I will start the cycling process.

cool tank

filipem — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:49:17 GMT

This multi unit tank is from France and costs over $3,500, the stand is around $2,500 + shipping. Not cheap but very cool

http://www.octopusstudios.com/aquagallery.htm

I would love to hear everyones thoughts on this tank personally I love it.

Whats The Most Important In A Aquarium?

Armand — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:22:35 GMT

I think its the fish

Sump Suggestions

JoshA1977 — Wed, 28 May 2008 19:40:35 GMT

Hey all! Haven't been on here for a while, and not in this section that much. But I've been reading through the forums this evening in regards to sumps. Now I'm going to be getting a 220-gallon tank (and I'm thinking to get reef-ready since it has the holes pre-drilled) and this will be my first endeavor into the realm of sumps.

In this tank I'm going to keep a tiger oscar, a jack dempsey, a common pleco, and maybe a few slightly smaller cichlids that can hold their own.

Now I know the benefits of having a sump, but wanted to get some suggestions as to how I should set it up. I found some diagrams:

http://www.acicorp.us/images/flow_diagram.jpg

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/images/graphics/fluidizedfiltersetup.jpg

So what do you all think? What suggestions do any of you have? I am all ears!!

Custom Stand

gulfsidebo — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:37:25 GMT

I am redoing a stand I recently bought with a used setup and I'm somewhat handy, but not ultra-handy (I'd like to be one day).

Anyways, while looking for ideas on moldings for mine, I stumbled on these great plans to build one from scratch. You can save a ton of money and really feel great about your accomplishment after building things. I just built a pergola in my backyard in one weekend.

If you are interested, here are some great plans with pictures, parts list and everything.

http://www.arbreptiles.com/cages/75g_stand/index.shtml

DIY sump pump setup?

Conner — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:31:12 GMT

I am considering getting a 110 gallon aquarium setup, and was trying to decide the best way to filter it. I have several options:

multiple HOB filters
HOB filter + canister filter
canister filter alone
sump pump.

Now, I'm not sure I completely understand the sump pump. Could anyone explain it to me in simple terms? I have a 10 gallon tank just sitting around waiting to be used. Could it be used for a the sump pump portion?

Thanks,
Conner

PS- this will be a lightly-moderately planted tank, containing a spiny eel, 3 angels, and a spotted pictus, for starters.

Thoughts on Mechanical Filtration

Lumberjack — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:52:16 GMT

I was doing a lot of research on sumps and other filtrations. In one of the articles I was reading was the comment that a teaspoon of flake food was enough to poison a 90 gallon tank if there was no Bio-filter. Now the purpose of mechanical filtration is to remove solid waste from the water so it does not pollute the tank BUT since most of this waste breaks down to its inert components in a matter of hours and since most filters are not cleaned daily I have to wonder what the point of the filter really is.

Consider what happens when no power filter is present. All the waste falls into the gravel and breaks down to its inert components which are removed with a gravel vac. Does it really make a differance if the material breaks down in a HOB filter or laying in a gravel bed?

I guess what it boils down to, Why have a HOB or other mechanical filter when you have to vac the gravel anyway? Does anyone actually have a tank that does not require substrate cleaning?

80 Gallon Hex and Filtration Issues

deere_for_chase — Thu, 22 May 2008 19:32:45 GMT

Set up: 80 gallon hex with two AquaClear external filters - one 50-70 gallon capacity and one 30-50 gallon capacity. Ran it for about 10 days before adding fish. Added Cycle and Stress Coat to remove chlorine. All was clear. Added fish and have been running for about 5-6 weeks now. All was clear and fine until I did a water change (my first) about three days ago. Removed about 20% of the water. Water is now cloudy. today I changed all the Filter Media in the smaller filter leaving the larger filtet as it was for biological reasons.

Why is my water cloudy? I thought cleaning would make it clearer again. Do I have enough power in the filters I am using for an 80 G Hex? I have about 20 fish in the tank - tropical with water temp at about 76.

Also what are the options for filters on an Hexagonal tank - each panel is about 12 inches wide and when I went to the pet store, The Aqua Clear was the only option I could find that would fit the sides, which is how I ended up with two filters to begin with.

Any and all help is appreciated.

Thanks

bugs ~~~

listam — Thu, 08 May 2008 08:10:59 GMT

I discovered some hopping tiny little bugs lives on the floating plastic wood and plants the other day while I was pouring water in the tank. They are about 2mm in size, sort of grayish green color. They can jump around on water for short while as the water got on the floating wood and plants. What are they?! Have you guys had this problem? I took out most of the floating plants but the wood remains in it. Or would I have to take out everything that floats out of the tank and wash them with some vinegar? Would it help? I have no idea where they are from.....Please help~~~~

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Kevin — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:56:59 GMT

Would it be possible to use these for an aquarium, or would it be hurtful to the fish. It seems as if it would be cheaper to use these for a tank instead of a fluorescent strip bulb, or metal halide. Here is the link to the bulbs im talking about.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7850182

Salt water to cleanse vials?

Maraqua — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:48:19 GMT

I went to my LFS a while back to get a replacement. When after they tested my water, they soaked my glass vials. She said it was salt water to clean off any residue of chemicals. I forgot to ask if it's salt water or aquarium salt.

Has anyone heard of this, if so is table salt okay and what is the ratio as far as water to salt.

How do I lower pH?

TetraCraze12 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:20:37 GMT

I have a 20 gallon tank with black skirt tetras in it. My pH for the local water is 7.8-8.0. I've tried the 7.0 pH buffer, as well a a Wardley buffer. But the pH still won't go down. Is there any other way to bring it down?

Automatic Feeders

loup — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:33:34 GMT

I will be away from my tank for about 1 month and am looking for a automatic fish feeder. Does anyone have any suggestions?

testing water quality

paulo645 — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 19:00:37 GMT

Testing your water parameters is an important method of foreseeing problems in your aquatic ecosystem before they result in catastrophe. Luckily, tools that were once only accessible (and affordable) to advanced hobbyists have since become simpler and more affordable. Easy to use and read, a new generation of testing equipment provides accurate results without the wait.

The water parameters most often tested are: pH, Hardness, Alkalinity, Nitrite and Nitrate. Testing these once meant using five different test kits, but now the quick dip of an economical test strip monitors all 5 in a single swipe. Results appear in less than a minute so all you have to do is match the test strip to the color chart on the packaging to view results. While not as precise as a laboratory grade test kit, these will give you the results you need to determine if a problem exists and if actions should be taken to correct it.

Even beginner reef enthusiasts don't have to worry any longer about keeping the ideal saltwater conditions. A portable refractometer is an optical device that provides a direct reading of specific gravity and salinity while automatically compensating for temperature. Simply place a drop of water on the lens and hold up to the light to read results in the viewfinder.

Investing in accurate testing equipment will save your budget and time later, by allowing you to catch symptoms before they become costly health problems for your aquarium and its inhabitants.exclamation:

filter / small fish problem

masiejo — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 17:10:30 GMT

How do I keep my small fish from getting stuck on the inlet tube on the filter? I have a 40 gallon with a Biowheel 350 and the small guppies and other fish get sucked onto the inlet tube. Ive tryed putting an old nylon over my baby saver and put the inlet tube inside but this restricts the particles from getting to the filter and tank is not properly filtered. Is there any thing that will help prevent this problem?

Sponge filter question

Maraqua — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:47:39 GMT

Hello so I'm basically going to have sponge filtration for two betta bowls (not sure of size yet, but a good size) and a 2.5 gallon shrimp garden setup.

I was thinking you just get an air pump and tubing and stick it in the sponge. But thinking a little bit further I was thinking that would just be pushing air bubbles through a sponge, not sucking in water and grabbing gunk. Confused on weather the function is the same either way if it's intake/outake does it matter??

I tend to over analyze, and I drive myself crazy sometimes

I liked this set up, but if just a sponge and air pump w/tubing are needed I'll pass. Just want to make sure it's functioning and not sitting there doing nothing

http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/management/Davies_Sponge_Filter.html

Cycling my 125g!

Conner — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:38:18 GMT

I'm finally cycling my 125g. I moved all the bacterial colonized pot scrubbers from my established tank to my sump, and I also added a large roll of poly filter floss that had been in my 20L for about a month. Then I added about 1 cup of ammonia to the tank.

I also added a couple clumps hornwort to the tank. I'm going to a friends to pick up some wisteria and possibly java fern that he had to trim out of his tank.

I can't wait till its cycled!

EDIT: I got a few clumps of wisteria, some small java fern plants, a small amazon sword, and a small clump of java moss from my friends tank. He's got a very well planted tank, and actually keeps his tank similar to how David Lass keeps his: lots of plants and lots of fish. He's not overstocked, but he is heavily stocked.

Bio-cube modification for heater

Mindnova — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:31:05 GMT

In my oceanic Bio-cube the filter intake consists of two grills one couple inches from the bottom and another at top water level. Between them is a grate inside the chamber.

Has anyone ever cut a hole in the grate for a submersible heater. The grate inside is not serving a obvious purpose except if you drop something it won't have far to fall. I guess my only concern is how it would affect my wet dry filtration flow rate.

I purchased a new light and have some ??

madman — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:59:25 GMT

I went to Petsmart to buy a twin tube flourescent strip light for my 29 gallon. While looking around I found this light Exo Terra® Compact Fluorescent Terrarium Canopy. I opened it and looked at it and it looks exactly like what I was going to build out of wood except this is made out of plastic. It is basically the plastic shell with a reflector and 3 light sockets and 2 switches. I am putting the energy efficient compact flourescents in it. Now the question, In the directions it says not for aquarium use. Now I have examined this light with a fine tooth comb and asked the gentleman at petsmart why it is not for aquarium use and can not tell the difference between this light set up and a incandescent aquarium light. It is setting on a glass top, I have had it on now for 4 hours and there is no heat buildup at all. It seems like a great inexpensive light that by using 3 nine watt compact flourescents I can get a actual 120 light watts (each compact flourescent is a 9 watt light that produces 40 watts) for $35.00. Now am I missing something here? Any input would be appreciated.

Light Fixture

gulfsidebo — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:40:05 GMT

I got a light fixture with a used tank that a friend was using on a marine aquarium. He got it from someone else. It works, but I don't know what kind of bulbs it can take. All I can tell, from taking it apart is that it has two of these:
http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/ecart/nw012104/ROBERTSONS40BPBALLAST.htm
It holds two bulbs and fits the rectangular 75 gallon tank that he gave me too. I am going to get a new glass top for the tank, but was hoping to not need to get a new lighting fixture. I was also hoping to be able to use it to maintain live plants. Unfortunately, I am trying to do this on a budget and is additionally why I didn't just go out and buy a new setup. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

New tank

Conner — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:42:38 GMT

Well, the guy I was getting the 125g from finally fell through. He's still waiting to get his new tank (so he says), and I can't wait any longer.

I went to one of my LFS's (who also wants to buy any young rams I might get) and ordered a 125g reef-ready aquarium. It comes pre-drilled for the overflow and return. it will have dual black acrylic overflows already installed as well. It's going to cost a bit more, but at this point I don't have any more time to waste waiting on someone who may or may not eventually sell me his fish tank. Unfortunately the only other person within 100 miles who had a 100+ gallon tank for sale already sold it

So I'm going to be building a stand for the aquarium, as well as a sump. In regards to the sump, does whatever I use need to be clear, or can it be solid colored/opaque? And will it need a light, or is that only for a refugium? And what kind of a pump am I going to need for the sump? What gph rating is it going to need minimum?

Thanks guys

P.S. - I should be picking the new tank up from the store on Thursday. YAY!

Reinforcing a floor to support a 210 Gallon tank

OHFISH — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:48:18 GMT

My wife and I thought it would be great to have a large show tank in our family room. When we went out to select our tank she suggested a 210 gallon. Who am I to argue with my wife.

So I now have the tank, sitting in the spot where we want to place it. My plan is to build a stand for it and route plumbing for filtration, water changes, etc. through the floor and house everything in the basement below. My concern is the weight of the tank. The water will weight 1,751 pounds, the tank weighs about 350 pounds, the stand, well I would guess a couple hundred pounds. Substrate, rocks, plants etc, well more pounds.

The tanks placment will cause it's length 72" to run parallel to the floor joists. Basically this means all the weight will be placed on two joists. These joists sit on a steel I-beam which happens to be just right of center of where the tank will be placed. My thought is to place cross beams between the two joists as well as two joists on each side of them to help prevent possibly curling of the joists from the weight over time. I also plan to provide a supporting wall under the left side of these joists (side opposite the I-beam) for end support.

Has anyone done anything like this that they could provide some advice/suggestions? Is what I am planning sufficient to add the additional support to keep the tank on the first floor?

OHFISH

It's that time of the year.....

filipem — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:10:47 GMT

This is the worst time of the year for tap water quality. At least where I live. Over the next several weeks all of the snow will start to thaw and spring rain will follow shortly thereafter. This causes water levels to rise and puts a higher demand on water treatment facilities to keep up with all of the extra "junk" that comes into the plants to be treated. They will usually add more chorine or other sterilizers to keep up with the surge of water. If you live in the northern region of the U.S you know what I am talking about. You might want to start testing your tap water if you haven't already. You might be surprised to find traces of ammonia or elevated levels of nitrate. I am going to start doubling the dosage of my conditioner today. Just make sure your conditioner helps neutralize ammonia and nitrite . A lot of people lose fish this time of the year without knowing why or how.

Odd tank mates

filipem — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 01:20:43 GMT

Most of us if not all of us at one time or another had fish that should have not been tankmates but for one reason or another It turned out alright. Please feel free to share your story.

I was once forced put a male betta and a redtail shark together. The redtail shark and the betta got along very well. They would always swim together and the shark even shared it's cave with the betta. The red tail shark seemed to be very protective of the betta. At first I was worried about the betta and it was supposed to be temporary fix but I saw no need to re home the little guy once the shark took a liking to him. Sadly Mcloven the 1st (the shark) passed away way sooner than he should of.

Sump question.

Conner — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:23:26 GMT

When running a tank with a sump, what are the best methods for maintaining it? Do you just use a python and do water changes and gravel/sand cleaning like usual? And just add any water/dechlorinator/ferts into the sump? I just want to make sure I know what I'm doing getting into it, because my new tank is probably going to have a sump setup, either with a hang on overflow, or predrilled.

DIY CO2 questions

filipem — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:38:39 GMT

I have a DIY CO2 setup ready to use I just have a few questions

- What type of yeast is best?
- What type of sugar is best?
- What ratio of sugar to yeast do I mix?
- Is it safe to run at night? If not, how can I turn it off?

Edit: sorry this is going to be used on a ten gallon tank is a full two liter bottle to big for a ten gallon?

Help me with my filter dilemma!

glcasper — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:18:40 GMT

Okay, I have a new 75 gallon tank. It will be planted. (I can't set it up for a few weeks because a business trip I have to go to, but I am getting everything ready)

Now, I have been looking at Eheim classic 2217 or Rena XP3. Which one would you choose and why? Thanks!