FW Filtration in A Planted Tank 9/18/09
Hi, What a fantastic web based source of information on fish keeping.
<Thanks!>
Some really helpful people on here. I have read a fair bit but this is the first
question.
On to my question I am planning a 800 litre heavily planted tank in the very
near future. I would like to have a 55 gallon sump for all of my filtration and
to put heaters and probes in.
<Good idea. But do consider the effect extra turbulence will have on the rate at
which CO2 is lost from the water. Not all plants are bothered by CO2
concentration, but some certainly do much better when it's provided and properly
dosed.>
I have 2x 2028 running on my 400 litre which would be enough just I would think
to filter the new one but I don't want any pipes running up the back, hence the
sump idea
I am concerned that I may have a problem with my CO 2 injection, IE gassing the
CO 2 off by using the sump as my filtration.
<Correct.>
Is there a way to avoid this by building the sump differently, maybe sealing it
some how?
<Sealing will make no odds: once the CO2 has left the water, it's not going to
go back in at any appreciable level. Moreover, a sealed sump is essentially a
canister filter, and being cut off from atmospheric oxygen will only work at a
rate dictated by the dissolved oxygen in the water, defeating the object of the
exercise. Instead, concentrate on minimising the amount of splashing, perhaps by
using baffles to sluice the water into the sump rather than pour it in there.
Alternatively, either use an electronic CO2 device that will automatically
compensate for drops in CO2 concentration, or else forget about it altogether
and go with plant species that don't care either way. Many plants get the carbon
from dissolved bicarbonate in the water, so aren't fussed provided the water is
reasonably hard. Look up the topic "biogenic decalcification" online or in
books.>
I am planning to have the tank drilled with 2 x 2" overflows in each corner and
1 x 2" return in the centre, I also intend to run a closed loop type system to
provide more water movement around the tank, by having two 1"- 1 1/4 holes
drilled one to feed a separate pump to the sump return pump and the other to
feed a manifold that will be under the substrate and exit above the sand in
certain places to provide some low level movement, does this sound OK for around
2000 GPH?
<Sounds a nice tank. I do suspect that if you want CO2 fertilisation, switching
from a sump to one or more external thermofilters (e.g., EHEIM Professionel II
thermofilter) could more easily satisfy your needs. You can (relatively
inexpensively) convert any canister filter into a thermofilter by placing an
external heater into the pipe carrying the water back from the filter (e.g., the
Hydor ETH In-Line Heaters). Either of these approaches will mean that all that's
left in the tank will be the inlet and outlet pipes. A spray bar placed along
the top of the tank just under the waterline is practically invisible,
especially if the tank has a wood or plastic trim around the top. The inlet pipe
can be easily hidden using rocks, bogwood, or tall plants such as Vallisneria.>
Thanks Guys , keep up the good work.
<Cheers, Neale.>
Freshwater planted tank lighting and
filtration 8/6/08
Hi there :)
<Ave,>
I recently set up a new freshwater tank which is 33"x18"(H)x15". I bought a
complete set-up with the lighting and filter integrated into the hood
intending to just have a community tank with a few plants. However, now I'd
like to focus more on the plants and see how well they can do. The system I
bought seems to be a little odd so I wanted your advice on what I need to
change and what I can get away with leaving in place. I live in the
Philippines and equipment is very difficult to find here - I'll most likely
have to buy whatever I need next time I'm in the UK or USA and bring it
back...
<Plants are generally easier to keep with "non specialist" equipment than,
say, corals. All they really care about is a decent substrate (aquatic/pond
soil mixed with silica sand and topped with gravel will do) and 2-4 W per
gallon lighting around the 5500-6500 K level.>
Lighting - the tank has 3 15,000k tubes that came with the tank. No problem
I thought, I'll just buy lower kelvin tubes and replace them, which I did
(Arcadia Freshwater tubes, which I found by a miracle). Only to discover to
my horror when I got the new tubes home that the light fittings are
non-standard sizes! Instead of 2 30" tubes and a 24" tube which I thought
the tank had, I now find it has a 2 x 29 1/2" tubes and 1 x 23 1/4"! Have
you heard of this before?
<Nope. Just goes to show... read the manual, check the specifications, and
_then_ buy replacement fittings. In any case, hoods designed for marine
aquaria may well be built for a selection of T5, T8 and Actinic tubes rather
than the generic T8 tubes usually used on freshwater tanks.>
It's a few years since I was in the hobby but after asking people here in
the Philippines, no-one seems to have heard of new sizes. Very weird... So
my choices seem to be either to stick with the 15,000k tubes or replace the
entire fittings and tubes. What do you think?
<To be honest, I'd stick with what you have, but use lots of floating plants
to shade the aquatic plants (especially things like Cryptocoryne and Anubias
that don't like strong, direct light). Floating plants will also help deal
with algae until such time as the fast-growing rooted plats (Rotala,
Hygrophila, Cabomba, Bacopa, etc.) get established. Once those plants are
growing rapidly, they'll prevent algae from becoming a problem via
allelopathy.>
I've been getting good growth on Crypts, Amazon Swords and a few others but
stem plants become very leggy quickly.
<Invariably occurs where stem plants aren't getting enough light. They
become etiolated -- i.e., very tall, so the leaves can get close to the
light. In strong lighting this won't happen, especially if you prune these
fast-growing plants rigourously. So review the strength of the lighting,
bearing in mind these fast-growing stem species typically want 3 W or more
per gallon.>
Bacopa seems to only grow slightly but at least it's not losing leaves. How
about algae? Do you think it will be encouraged by my tubes at the expense
of the plants?
<Algae will be a problem for the first few weeks while the plants
acclimatise. Inevitably plants become "shocked" when planted in a new tank
because their roots get damaged in transit and when you place them in the
substrate. It also takes plants a while to adjust to different levels of
lighting. Floating plants will help, even Duckweed! Once the plants are
spreading (you'll see shoots and daughter plants) then the plants will
largely control the algae for you.>
There's a bit of brown algae kicking off in a few parts of the tank...
<Diatoms are normal in new tanks, and usually go away eventually. Hair/brush
algae (red algae) tends to sprout from the edges of leaves, especially
plants like Cryptocoryne and Anubias that grow slowly and aren't adapted to
direct light. Some fish and invertebrates will help; I'd recommend
algae-eating shrimps (e.g., Cherry Shrimps) and Nerite snails. Florida
Flagfish and Siamese Algae Eaters are also excellent for algae control.>
Filter - the tank came with a wet-dry trickle filter. I understand that in
planted tanks it's better to avoid much surface disturbance so I've modified
the water level in the filter so that the spray bar now delivers the water
directly under water, but the return to the tank is still via a jet which
sucks in quite a bit of air. Do you think this is likely to be a problem?
<Not really. CO2 makes good systems better; it isn't the deciding factor
that makes a failing system fail.>
If I add a CO2 system will it be a waste of money or is it still worth
investing in?
<By all means buy a CO2 system. Will do no harm. But will it turn around a
tank where the plants are "leggy" or don't grow at all... no.>
Many thanks in advance for all your help!
Dylan
<Cheers, Neale.>
Can you
have too big of a filter? – 06/26/08
Hello, My question is in regards to the size of a filter vs. the size of
the aquarium. I currently have a 55 gallon tank which is home to 3 silver
tip sharks, 1 Bala shark, a red fin Pacu, and also a plecostomus, which are
all getting to big for my little tank. I will be in the market for a new
tank in the near future, but I was just wondering if I do purchase a bigger
filter now can I run it on my 55 gallon tank with now problems.
<You will run out of cabinet space under your tank long before your fish
object to the filter current. Realistically, your fish want at least 6 times
the volume of the tank in turnover per hour, and even ten times the volume
of the tank would be well within their tolerances. So if you have a 55
gallon tank now, anything up to 550 gallons per hour turnover would be
acceptable. Indeed, standard issue in marine tanks! Your Plecs are adapted
to fast-flowing rivers (that's what their Suckermouth is all about) and the
big cyprinids will relish the strong water current. Cheers, Neale.>
Filtration for Deep Tank 5/24/08
Hi , thank you for your enjoyable and informative website .
<Thank you, happy you find the site of use!>
I am setting a large and deep tank (800litres) with an height of 90 cm sitting
on a metre high stand. I intend to keep a few American cichlids but will
probably under stock the tank.
<Sounds great!>
The tank was previously set up for salt water with predrilled inlet and outlet
holes on the bottom of the tank. I was planning to filter it with a large
canister filter and an internal power head for extra water movement and my
question is : can I plug the inlet piping of the canister filter straight into
the outlet (20mm pipe) at the bottom of the tank (thereby being able to collect
middle to lower level water for filtering (since most filter inlet pipes come up
a bit short), or would the water pressure be likely to blow the seal of the
canister filter?
<A good question, most would not even consider this. It is not really an
issue/concern. Any well made (read, won’t leak anyway) canister filter will be
fine in this situation.>
Many thanks, Laurent Australia
<Welcome, Scott V., California, USA.>
Deep sand beds 5/5/08
Hell Crew, I have utilized DSB's for my marine aquariums and I was curious
to know if the same principles would apply to freshwater aquariums.
<In theory, yes, but of course you won't have the small invertebrates
(meiofauna) burrowing through the sand. Melanoides snails might work though, but
I can't think of other freshwater meiofaunal organisms widely traded that would
help.>
I want to set up a breeder tank for African Cichlids and if a deep sand bed
would work for denitrification the breeding cycle would not be interrupted by
overly frequent water changes.
<With freshwater aquaria, it is usually more cost effective just to do regular
water changes, hence denitrification isn't usually an issue. Fast-growing plants
can also work extremely well; Vallisneria for example is native to Lake
Tanganyika and rapidly absorbs nitrate from the water.>
I am using an old 55 gallon tank that was previously used as a refugium on a
reef tank. There are two compartments, one for adults with larger limestone and
crushed coral substrate and the other compartment with a 5 inch sand bed for the
fry. The filtration is a wet-dry filter with bio balls and a return pump
alternating between the two compartments. If all goes well there is a 75 gallon
tank next to the 55 gallon for the juveniles to put on some size. Please advise
of any adjustments or critique you may have.
<Sounds fine to me.>
All the research on DSB's was tapered to the marine aquariums. Thanks for your
input. Wade
<Good luck, Neale.> <<Well-stated, done.
RMF>>
Emperor 400 03/26/2008
Hello, I have an Eheim 2028 and an emperor 400 on 90 gallon cichlid setup.
How can I maximize mechanical filtration from the emperor and biological from
the Eheim?. I would rather not use the disposable filter, media-seems like a
waste and don't need all of that charcoal. I did purchase bio forever super
cartridge. Any suggestions how to run this efficiently? Thank you and I hope this
question is not too confusing. Thanks. Phil.
<Not familiar with the precise filter system here, but some basic thoughts. I
agree, carbon is redundant in this sort of system. Depending on the cichlids,
things like crushed coral (for pH control) may be more valuable. Hooking up the
outflow from the external canister filter will provide optimal water quality in
terms of clarity as well as ammonia/nitrite removal. For cichlids other than
dwarf species, aim for a combination of filters providing not less than 6 times
the volume of the tank in turnover per hour. Cheers, Neale.>
Large Freshwater Filtration –
03/10/08
Hello again everyone.......
Ok, I have finally made some decisions for the either 100-125 gal fancy goldfish
tank I'll be setting up very soon. I know that I want something longer and not
as deep (hence the size I've chosen) and thinking "long term", I plan on having
about 5 fish and maybe 2 apple snails. The tank will be? in a new? living room
with lots of natural light (but no direct hard light coming into the tank). Sand
will be the substrate (looking into the best price for the Estes Marine Sand
now) with a variety of silk plants. Not sure if I'll even have lights.....though
a member on another forum suggested underwater lights for night-time viewing
which sounds pretty cool. My biggest concern with having a fully lighted system
is having the temps get too warm for the goldfish. Anyway......on to filtration.
Although I seriously considered a wet/dry? and/or sump for this tank.....I had
to think about the few "spills" we had with the 125 gal FOWLR tank in the?
clubroom.? Sooooooo, with know-How flooring we recently installed in the new
living room, I think we'll forget about that idea. So, I have decided to use 2
Eheim canister filters as I've read so many darn great things about them. The
tank will have a custom stand and I'll have our friend make 2 cabinets on either
side to house the filters. My question/problem is.......which ones to I buy??
For someone who is fairly "new" at this, boy is it hard to determine what
size(s) is needed to filter the heck out of a larger goldfish tank. Now
I'm going to call myself a liar because I also saw the Eheim makes a wet/dry filter
that looks pretty water tight but again....I'm used to a more "natural
filtration on my marine system (40gal sump/refugium w/DSB, LR, Chaeto...and a
nice protein skimmer).
PLEASE HELP as I have read and read and read and can't find a suitable answer to
fit my tank and I want to do this the right way from the beginning, rather than
have to add on later.
Thank? you again everyone for such a wonderful site and for all your hard work.
Wish we could pay you for all your time....even if it was in fishy wafers!?? lol
Lisa
<Hi Lisa. For Goldfish, aim for filters that alone or added together provide not
less than 6 times the volume of the tank in turnover per hour. I'd recommend at
least two filters, so you can position the outlets around the tank to ensure
optimal water flow. Because Goldfish produce a lot of faeces, you need the
strong water current to ensure these get cleaned up quickly. Otherwise the tank
will look kind of crummy, with dirt all over the place. Eheim filters are indeed
excellent, and are widely considered to be reliable and perhaps optimal value
over the long term. I have a great respect for reverse-flow undergravel filters
when combined with Goldfish -- the up flow of water through the gravel pushes the
faeces into the water column where they can be sucked up quickly. Cheers,
Neale.>
Opinion on Chemical Media in
Planted Aquarium 2/4/08
Hi -
I wanted to get the expert's opinion on chemical media containing carbon with
ion exchange media (such as Chemi-Pure and BioChemZorb) and the planted tank. My
fear would be scavenging too many trace elements and hurting the growth of my
plants.
I've used Purigen with great success, but have heard various rave reviews of the
Chemi-Pure, and - to a less extent - BioChemZorb.
Thanks in advance for your feedback. Your site is, by far, the definitive online
guide for fishkeeping.
Very truly yours,
Stu
<Greetings. I'm not a big fan of carbon in freshwater tanks. It does nothing
that regular water changes don't do better. Carbon was most valued in the Stone
Age of the hobby, where people deliberately avoiding changing the water. 10% a
month was normal. The idea was "old water" was better than "new water". The big
problem with old water is that organic decay in the tank produces organic acids
that lower pH and turn the water yellow. Carbon adsorbs organic compounds, and
by using carbon in a filter, the aquarist could keep the pH stable and the water
clear. Nowadays we routinely change 25-50% of the water per week, so the
dissolved organic compounds in the aquarium never reach a concentration where
they are sufficient to cause harm. In terms of value, biological and mechanical
filter media deliver more tangible results per cubic centimetre of filter space,
and chemical media for buffering water chemistry can also be useful under
certain circumstances. Finally, the active life of carbon (regardless of how it
is packaged or what brand it is sold under) is literally a matter of days. One
manufacturer of fish medications makes the point that carbon over 5 days old
won't have any impact on their medication because it won't absorb sufficient
quantity of that medication to affect the efficacy of the drug involved. That
pretty much sets it out for you in terms of how often carbon needs to be
replaced if it is to do any good. Carbon doesn't removed many inorganic
substances, iodine is the only one of note, if I recall correctly. So carbon
won't really do anything to the CO2, iron, magnesium, etc. that you need to keep
plants healthy. The minerals at least need to be in their reduced rather than
oxidised state, so won't be in the (oxygen-rich) water anyway but in the
(oxygen-poor) substrate. The carbon obviously doesn't do anything to the
substrate. So bottom line, in my opinion, is buy whichever you want since
they're all a waste of money and don't make any difference in the big picture.
Cheers, Neale.>
Platy companions, filter maintenance
– 1/18/08
hi there,
I've written to you before and got good advice,
<Good oh.>
what I am wondering is, when I'm changing the filter sponges, which ones can I
just rinse through and which ones do I have to replace completely?
<Ideally rinse them ALL in buckets of aquarium water, and never replace more
than 50% of the filter media in any one go. Typically the mechanical media (the
coarse sponges in your system) will need to be cleaned more thoroughly, and
perhaps replaced more frequently, than the biological media (the finer sponges).
Juwel filters also have little white cotton pads you stick at the very top of
the system to trap big bits of waste, like dead leaves. These can be replaced as
often as you want. I find it cheaper to rinse them off every week or two rather
than replace them every month or so. But it doesn't matter much.>
I have a Juwel Rekord 70. also which fish would be good tank companions with
platy? I was going for Neons next, my tank is up and running about 7 weeks.
<Platies are hard water fish, and for that reason your best bet is to mix them
with other hard water fish. That way you can tweak water chemistry, or use salt
as a therapy, without worrying. Other livebearers are ideal, but so are
rainbowfish and halfbeaks. If your water quality is good, then certain dwarf
Tanganyikan shell-dwelling cichlids can work well at the bottom of the tank.
They work surprisingly well with livebearers.>
thanks again!!
David.
Davy-D-
<David, please please please use the Shift key next time to put capital letters
where they belong! The idea behind this site is that the questions we answer are
available for others to read, not just you, and letters without capital letters
are difficult to read. This is especially true for those who don't read English
as their native language. Thanks! Neale.>
Filtration help... FW set up
Qs, learning to read/use WWM 12/18/07
Hi there, first I just want to say how much I appreciate the staff there who
run this site and answer questions so fast. you guys are great and have helped
me so much with my learning process, keep it up!
Now, I have an established 10 gallon tank and am wanting to setup my 30 gallon
and 5 gallon tanks (haha Multiple tank syndrome!). The 10 g has a small
AquaClear filter on it currently. Yesterday I added the large AquaClear filter
and a small sponge filter to the 10g to try to get the media colonized with
bacteria.
My questions are: How long do I have to leave the new filters on the established
tank for it to be colonized so that its good to go on the new tanks?
<Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm
and the linked files above>
I would like to get this on my new tank as fast as possible so I can put
Bolivian rams in it...(long story I know they should be put in last, but where I
live they never usually come here and they have been sitting in the store for 3
weeks and I wanted to get them before someone else snags them).
<Can be "goosed"...>
Also there is much happening in my 10g right now, with all the bubbles and
movement, 1 of my baby panda cories got sucked into the uptake tube last night
(I was sooooooo sad/mad...I'm getting so attached to them!) and it died. I feel
terrible that it must have died a slow and painful death. The other fish (3 baby
pandas, 4 tetras, 2 harlequins) don't look too happy right now, I had to change
around the decor a lot..I just put nylon to cover the large filters uptake tube
but will this interfere with the colonization process?
<No>
Is it possible to have TOO much oxygen or movement in a tank?
<Not practically>
Also the sponge filtration unit is meant to eventually go on a 5 gallon with a
Betta, it seems quite noisy and bubbly.. will the Betta be ok with it?
<Likely so>
What I did was I tied 2 knots into the tubing to slow the rate of air coming out
of the pump, will this wreck the pump due to backflow?
<Back pressure? Perhaps shorten its effective "life">
Finally my last set of questions...I bought a bunch of driftwood to put into
each tank.. about 1-2 pieces each.. I bought them to soften the water a bit
since water is very hard here. I don't want to boil them because I want them to
leach tannins, is this ok, can I just soak them?
<Can>
How long should I soak the pieces for?
<Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/rkwduseaq.htm
and the linked...>
Is there such thing as too much driftwood?
<Yes>
I don't know my water hardness but I know its very hard. How long will it take
for the tannin levels to be established...what I mean is do I have to constantly
monitor pH, or say after 1 month that pH that its at it will stay there?
<See WWM re FW pH...>
Sorry I hope it makes sense. I take out the carbon to have the tannins in the
water, is this correct or do I leave the carbon in?
thank you so much!
<Read on... RMF>
FW Fluidized bed filter
question, Loricariid sel. - 12/13/07
Considering a fluidized bed filter as alternative to bio balls from sump on
120g planted freshwater tank (rainbows and Plecos). 2 questions - Is there any
value to sizing up on filter...it is only $10 more to go from 300g to 600g to
900g. Ignoring size limitations on height, is there any reason to not get a
bigger one - unnecessary overkill?
<No real functional advantage... perhaps some disadvantage in electrical costs
to push water through a larger unit>
second, re: Plecos, I plan on having the following...any Compatibility problems
(I searched PlanetCatfish and can't really find the info): gold nugget, queen
arabesque, royal, blue phantom, maybe a zebra. I also have a striped Raphael.
Only one of each. Any issues?
thanks
<Mmm... well... not compatibility... but the smaller Loricariids are more
social... I'd likely get more than one of these. Bob Fenner>
Paul
Two questions... platy
repro., filtration maint. 10/16/07
I have a 10 gallon freshwater tank at school with 2 platys (male and female)
and one fry that is about 1 cm long now. I found the fry during a water change
about 2 weeks ago and have him in one of those breeder nets in the tank. It has
been so much fun seeing him grow from just a speck to where he is now. When
should I put him in the main tank with the other two platys?
<When its big enough not to be eaten! At a couple of months should be fine.>
Also, how do you know when to change the filter?
<Ideally, never. You clean the filter, yes, but that's nothing more than rinsing
filter media in a bucket of aquarium water (not under the tap, as the chlorine
can kill the bacteria). When you've washed out the worst of the sponges (or
whatever), put them back in the filter. Only if the filter media is completely
blocked up should they be replaced, and even then, no more than 50% of the media
per three months.>
My filter is one that hangs on the side. I've had the tank running for about two
months now. Should I put a new filter in some old tank water so that the good
bacteria can start getting on it?
<The water carries virtually no filter bacteria, so what you suggest is a
complete waste of time. Instead, avoiding changing too much filter media at
once, and let the mature media colonise the new stuff.>
Thanks!
Carolyn
<Good luck, Neale>
Using a brand new filter on a seasoned
tank 10/3/07
HI,
<Hello,>
I have a 75 gallon tank. I had a Eheim Filter that just decided to not run
correctly no matter what we do new parts etc....
<Too bad.>
I went and got a new Fluval filter last night. The place I bought the filter
told me to keep both filters running for about two weeks to get the bacteria
into the new filter before I stop running the old filter.
<Not the way I'd solve this problem. Much easier to simply take all the mature
media from the old Eheim and put them into the new Fluval. Problem solved.>
The problem is the old filter is blowing air, lots of air. It will run ok for
1/2 hour or so and then a big burst of air comes out in to the tank and needles
to say a lot of micro bubbles with it.
<Ah, seen this happen. It usually isn't the filter per se, but how the filter is
set up. Air (obviously) can't magically get into a watertight filter. But if you
configure the inlet (the "sucking" pipe) somewhere that gets air bubbles, those
air bubbles get sucked into the filter. Certain canister filter designs don't
handle this problem well, and the air bubbles collect at the top of the
canister, often around the impeller (the spinning blades). Eventually the top of
the filter gets so full of bubbles that some bubbles break away and go into the
outlet stream of water. There's usually a lot of rattling noise as well. Anyway,
the solution is to re-jig the position of the filter inlet. You also need to
take great care you are reassembling the filter properly, such that you aren't
trapping air inside the canister to begin with.>
It is stressing the fish out, they run for their lives (so to speak) when this
happens. Last night I had both filters running but the fish started to stress
out swimming fast and changing color etc.....
<Hmm. Can't really imagine it's doing them much harm. Compared with, say, heavy
rain or ocean waves, a filter blowing bubbles is pretty trivial.>
My question is, is it ok to just run the new filter alone, is there anything I
should do to the filter, what is the correct thing to do.
<As above, take the media from the old filter and install in the new.>
I have both filters off right now,
<No! Never, ever switch off a filter. Anything more than, say 20 minutes, can
kill the bacteria.>
also could the fish have stressed out do to the two filters running could this
be to much filtration for a 75 gallon tank at one time.
<Not a problem. Aquarium fish will tolerate as much as 10 times the volume of
the water in turnover per hour. It is very difficult to have too much
filtration. Compared with the flow of a river, filters are insipid trickles.>
The fish were so stressed that I have both filters off right now and this calmed
them down.
<They get used to it. My freshwater tank has ~10 the volume of the tank in
turnover per hour. It took the fish an hour or so to get used to the extra water
movement when I installed the third filter, but they're fine now.>
I will wait for your response until I do anything with the filter. Thanks in
advance for your help.
Deb
<Hope this helps, Neale>
Filters and pH questions 9/26/07
Our tap water here in Oregon is very very soft (dH 2-3), but they use sodium
hydroxide to raise the pH to 7.7 so as not to rust pipes.
<What a horrible set of water conditions... very soft, but slightly alkaline.
Nothing much really likes these conditions.>
It quickly drops to 7.2 or so in the tank.
<Well that's lucky.>
Is this OK for cardinal tetras, Apistogramma, loricariids? Soft water Amazon fish
seem to be doing well.
<I'd be tempted to add a certain amount of a pH-down product to reduce the pH to
exactly 7, while increasing its buffering capacity. On its own, very soft water
tends to fluctuate in pH quite a lot. This is not good. Standard pH-down
products (usually sold as bottles, and you add a bit to each bucket of water
just like dechlorinator) stabilizes the pH at some value. In hard water they're
a bit of a waste of time and money, but in very soft water such buffering
solutions (as they're called) can be very helpful.>
Also, I have a Rena Filstar filter. Has the standard 2 layers of foam, a bag of
carbon (bio chem zorb) and a layer of micro fleece pads. Was thinking of
replacing either one of the layers of foam or the carbon with either some
ceramic biomedia or keta peat nuggets.
<Bin the carbon. Total waste of space. In very soft water, the filter bacteria
tend to be less happy than in hard water (they like hard, alkaline water best of
all, and stop working completely below pH 6). So concentrate on adding as much
biological media as possible to get the best water quality. Choose whatever
according to your budget and preferences. The main thing is that the filter
should have not less than 4x the volume of the tank in turnover per hour. In
other words, for a 100 litre tank, the filter must have a turnover of 400 litres
per hour.>
That's a lot of foam sponge, and maybe the carbon is not so necessary. The peat
would lower that NaOH induced pH.
<Don't use peat. Peat is wonderful stuff in aquaria if you know precisely and
absolutely what you're doing. But peat can rapidly change the pH and its results
are completely unpredictable. In very soft water with practically zero buffering
capacity, you could easily drop the pH from 7.2 to 6.0 overnight if you added
too much, and this would kill your fish. Instead, use the buffering solution
mentioned above, following the instructions on the bottle, and performing pH
tests every day or two at first until you get a sense of how pH varies in the
tank. What you're after is 7.0 day in, day out.>
What do you think?
<Messing with pH is something a lot of aquarists get into trouble over. There's
a very good argument for not thinking about pH at all, and focusing instead on
general and carbonate hardness. Both of these have a much bigger impact on the
fish. With your very soft water, the KH value is likely to be very low, and as a
result water chemistry stability practically non-existent. So your job is to
stabilise water chemistry. Adding buffering solutions to the water will do this.
This becomes more important the more fish you add, because the loading of the
tank is positively correlated to water chemistry stability as well. In other
words, heavily stocked tanks experience a drop in pH more quickly than the same
tank would if lightly stocked (a process called acidification). So, move slowly,
research the water chemistry topics here at WWM, and measure pH regularly to
check that acidification isn't getting serious. Cheers, Neale>
Supplemental Filter - Freshwater
9/11/07
Hi there Neale,
<Hello Lisa,>
I've switched three of my tanks over to black sand substrate - I love it and it
no longer poses a problem for the catfishes' barbels. However since the fishes'
solid waste doesn't sink through the gravel anymore, it is in plain site and the
canister filter's intake won't pull the waste into the filter.
<This happens. Of course, all that gunk went into the gravel before, too, so the
problem is only that you *see* the stuff rather than it wasn't there before. My
tip is to [a] adjust the water flow and the slope of the sand to push the gunk
towards one corer; and [b] simply use a siphon to remove the stuff when it gets
too unsightly.>
I'd very much like to install some in-tank supplemental filtering and
simultaneously add some additional bio media and water flow to remove any dead
spots. I've been looking at sponge filters however I've noted that these are
used for tanks with no substrate (and especially for fry). There are also some
small corner filters - both small enclosed plastic boxes run by an air pump
(that I used when I was a kid!) and exposed cushion type that affixes to the
tank glass.
<Both these are EXCELLENT for biological filtration, but less so for mechanical
filtration. You might actually find a powerhead or an airstone would do a better
job of creating water current, and so help the gunk get pushed around. It's only
when it's the water column, as opposed to sitting on the sand, that the canister
filter gets a chance to slurp it up.>
What would you recommend in this case please? I have one tank set up with a
powerhead and quick filter however was looking for something a bit less obvious
for the other (smaller) tanks if possible...
<I suspect that even if I recommended stuff, in a small tank, it would be either
cost prohibitive or else just disappointing. In a small, not too heavily stocked
tank, you would probably find a plain old turkey baster a better investment.
(Second time I've recommended these tonight. Odd.) Adjust the sand as mentioned
before so one corner (at the front) is lower than the three others. Adjust the
filter so it pushes water about such that the gunk collects in one corner.
There's some trial and error involved here, obviously. Once it works, you'll
find all the waste sitting in this corner. Whenever it becomes too unsightly,
you whip out the turkey baster, suck out the gunk, and throw the waste into a
pot plant where it can do some good (excellent organic fertiliser!). No fuss, no
muss. Since you're going to be doing water changes every week or two, the turkey
baster tends to work perfectly well as a spot cleaner the rest of the time.
Given a turkey baster only costs a couple of bucks, it's a cheap solution, too.
There's also great for moving fry, dishing out live food, feeding invertebrates,
separating dwarf mouthbrooding cichlids from the their fry... so many things!>
Thank you very much!!
Lisa
<Hope this helps, Neale>
Auxiliary filtration, FW
– 06/27/07
Hi Crew!
<<Good afternoon. Tom with you.>>
I am upgrading from my 55 gallon FW tank to a 90 gallon.
<<Congratulations!>>
I plan to use my Eheim 2026 (rated up to 92 gallons). Would an Emperor 400 be a
good choice for supplemental filtration in the larger tank?
<<I’m running an Emperor 280 along with a Fluval canister filter on one of my
tanks (50-gallon) and like the filter just fine. I’d heard reports from some
folks that they found the filter to be “noisy” particularly when evaporation
drops the water level somewhat. I’ve not found this to be the case but, then, I
don’t let my water level drop excessively, either. The Emperor units, as you’re
no doubt aware, come with two filter “cartridges” (four on the 400 model) along
with the bio-wheel(s). The lead cartridge has a polyfiber pad attached to the
plastic container which is filled – somewhat – with Black Diamond activated
carbon. This is the “use and toss” cartridge. The second is of like-construction
but can be opened and filled with whatever your media of choice might be. I like
the polyfiber pad on the first cartridge for a little extra “polishing” of the
water but the carbon is unnecessary, for the most part. The recommended change
interval on this cartridge is 2-4 weeks. Replacements are cheap enough so it
kind of comes down to your own call, the pros and cons of using carbon media in
FW filters notwithstanding. Bottom line? I’d do it if it were me.>>
I plan to make it a planted discus tank.
<<Another good reason to go with the Emperor. I’ve found that the design of the
filter is such that there isn’t a lot of current/disruption created by the
output. Something that your Discus – if they could – would thank you for.>>
Thanks in advance for your reply.
<<If you haven’t done this already, check out the articles on our site written
by Alesia Benedict for “Conscientious Aquarist”. These deal, very specifically,
with planted Discus tanks and are a joy to read as well as being very
informative. Best of luck in your venture. Tom>>
Under ground filtration with a canister
filter - 06/27/07
Hey!
<I really, REALLY don't like "hey" as a greeting. Is this a common salutation in
America? In England, it would be considered very rude -- as in "hey you, grotty
little poor person who's name I can't be bothered to remember"...>
I must say that I have found your website very helpful!
<Cool.>
I have a 125gal set up with an under gravel filter at the moment. It worked fine
as long as my fish population was small, but I now want to increase my
filtration.
<Typically, undergravel filters work fine until a tank is overstocked, at least
where small community-type fishes like barbs and tetras are concerned. Just like
any other filter, if you dramatically increase the number of fish, it takes some
weeks for the undergravel filter to "scale up" in response. So during this
phase, keep an eye on nitrite and/or ammonia levels.>
I want to go to a canister filter (Eheim pro 2 or 3). Should I draw the suction
through my under gravel filter or should I remove the under gravel filter and
just pull from the tank?
<The best of both worlds is a reverse flow system. Here, water is sucked into
the canister filter, and then pushed outwards into the undergravel filter so the
water emerges back into the tank upwards through the gravel. Why this works well
is that it uses the canister filter to mechanically treat the water, removing
solid wastes, and only clear water gets pushed into the gravel where bacteria
remove the ammonia and nitrite. Because water is rising through the gravel, it
pushes out solid waste, stopping the gravel from getting clogged, improving its
performance and also making it much easier to maintain.>
Is one situation better than the other? Why?
<Explained the best system above.>
I also have a few (two or three) plantings in the tank and I have been told that
the under gravel filter is detrimental to their growth. What is your opinion on
this?
<It depends on the plants. Plants without roots, like Anubias and Java fern,
couldn't care less. But plants that rely on their roots to extract minerals from
the substrate do indeed grow better without undergravel filters. This isn't to
say you can't grow plants in tanks with undergravel filters, you can, it's just
they don't do very well. You're also limited to the hardier species, and will
need to take extra care to put fertiliser tablets close to their roots
periodically. In a tank with an undergravel filter it is simply easier and more
reliable to skip plants or go with species that don't have roots. Anubias, Java
fern, Java moss, floating plants, and things like Elodea that have midwater
roots are the way to go.>
They are mainly for snacking in between meals by the veggie eating fish, but I
would like to grow a bit more if possible.
<Growing plants in tanks with vegetarian fish is a bit of waste of time unless
you choose inedible species such as Java fern and Java moss. Anubias sometimes
does well, but herbivorous plecs rasp it away to nothing.>
Thanks for all your help.
Ed
<Cheers, Neale>
Used SeaClear Aquarium-poor choice? For
FW... 6/5/07
Hi,
I have researched these questions on your site and can't find the answers,
so am writing to you. I am new to your website; just discovered it
yesterday, 2 days after buying a used (10-11 years) SeaClear Eclipse 2,
Clarity Plus 75 g. tank. I had set my heart on a Tenecor; it looked like the
best quality, but then I saw this ad and it sounded really good, with a
beautiful hand-made large cabinet and hood all for $400.
<Both companies make good products in my estimation. If the used one has
been not abused, it is likely fine>
I researched it for 3 or 4 days, but now after poring over your website for
2 days, it looks like it might have been a poor choice.
<Well... the "Eclipse" line I am definitely not a fan of... but the
"built-in" filtration back can be supplemented, or best even ignored...>
Anyway, it's been set up for 2 days now and things are going well; the fish
are very happy, since they outgrew their old tank (35g.) I have only 6 fish
in it; 3 Pink Kissers (6-7 in.)
<Nice!>
, a Pleco (14")
<Yowzah!>
and 2 Clown Loaches, (3"). I've had aquariums for 40 years, but nothing over
35 gallons. The tank is beautiful, but now I find out the truth, that
filters for a 48 x 18 x 24" tank are ridiculously pricey: $50 to $60!
<Heeee! And there's electricity to run them... and replacement media!>
Where can I get cheaper prefilters, or can I make them?
<Mmm... if you're handy... there are DIY varieties... but really... Unless
you have plenty of spare time, the commercially made ones are superior>
I live in a rural area with no LFS, but I have catalogs from That Fish Place
and Drs. Foster & Smith,
<Both mighty fine companies as well>
so is there something I can order from them to substitute?
<For? Do try a search on WWM, using the cached-view version here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/question_page.htm
with the terms "SeaClear", and "Eclipse"... read the modifications
proposed...>
The rest of the filter is the bioballs and the pump, in other words, the
original system.
<Is ridiculously inefficient by itself... and a pain in the keester to try
to work on>
The previous owner was very happy with it for 10 years.
<Right... that's why they sold it for so little...>
What can I add to the filtration to make this a better tank?
<As stated... seek per above... I myself would drill the back, make the
filtration in a tied-in sump below likely... pump the water back from there
to the main tank...>
It looks great right now. Also, after it is established, I would like to add
another Kisser, 2 more clown loaches and maybe a small school of tetras or
rasboras. Will this work?
<Maybe... take care with the new Kissers... they're going to look/be tiny
compared to your present ones... may be chased mercilessly... and DO
quarantine all new/incoming livestock... Likely about the last thing you
want is to introduce a pathogen here...>
I feel like a novice after looking at the expertise on your site. Thanks,
Carol M. ;<)
<Heeee! Keep looking... you'll be one of us soon! Cheers, Bob Fenner>
How often should filter cartridges be cleaned/replaced – 05/21/07
Dear Crew,
<Nicole.>
I have what is likely a silly question about filtration, but I've been puzzling
on it for a while and I can't seem to figure it out. I have a 10 gal tank with
a Tetra Whisper Power filter, and my question is this: the manufacturer's
instructions suggest changing the cartridges once per month, but if I throw out
the cartridge, won't I be throwing out the beneficial bacteria that are growing
on it? <You are right.>
How long will it take the bacteria to re-establish themselves in the new
cartridge <A few days, many will be left in the substrate and on the
decorations.>, and will this be harmful to the stability of my tank? <It could,
if you’d also clean decorations and substrate.> Should I just be rinsing the
cartridges out <Yes, just rinse the cartridges as soon as you recognize water
flow to become significantly weaker or when water just overflows the tube like
chamber. Those cotton or foam like materials can last for several years, only
wool in other models needs to be replaced more often.> and replacing the carbon
instead of changing them every month? <You do not need to use carbon at all. New
activated carbon will only be good for one or two weeks. It’s only useful in
specific cases e.g. to help removing some chemicals such as remedies or certain
toxins. It needs to be introduced fresh to your filter in such cases.>
Thanks in advance for your help, my tank is going along so well and I just don't
want to mess it up! Nicole. <You are welcome. Have fun with your tank. Marco.>
Too much Filtration? FW 5/11/07
Dear Crew Members,
<Hello Anna>
Is there such a thing as too much filtration?
<Yes and no. Yes, you can have too much water movement, and if there is
too much turbulence and the water becomes super-saturated with oxygen,
tiny gas bubbles can cause serious problems. But no, you can never make
the water too clean, because by any practical standard the conditions in
an aquarium will usually be poorer than most "wild" environments in
terms of water quality and density of livestock.>
I have a 55 gallon freshwater community tank. It has a wet/dry filter
roughly 20 gallons I think and double BioWheel ( two BioWheel filters on
either side of the intake).
<Do you mean the filter is rated for a 20 gallon tank? Obviously
inadequate for a 55 gallon tank, assuming you have an average level of
stocking.>
I also have a large protein skimmer.
<Which probably won't work in a freshwater tank.>
The tank is planted and will be home to mollies and other tropical fish
under 4 inches of adult length.
<Do bear in mind mollies don't like the same water conditions as most
tropical fish. At the very least they need hard (20-30 dH) alkaline (pH
7.5-8) water with practically zero nitrate (difficult to get in densely
stocked aquaria). If you can't maintain those conditions, switching to
brackish water (around 10-25% seawater salinity) helps keep mollies
healthy, but the range of salt-tolerant freshwater fish is relatively
small.>
I don't have any fish right now. Is there anything that is redundant or
unnecessary?
<Personally, if you have your heart set on mollies, I'd go for a
brackish water set-up and keep brackish water or salt-tolerant fishes
such as gobies, glassfish, certain cichlids, certain catfish, sleepers,
livebearers, etc. If you want a planted tank, skip the mollies in favour
of platies or swordtails, both of which do much better under "normal"
conditions than mollies.>
Thank you, Anna
<Cheers, Neale>
Freshwater Tank Filter 3/21/07
Hello,
<Hello!>
I just found your site today and am AMAZED at all the wonderful information. And
I need some advice please. I just purchased a used 70 gal freshwater with an
Ecosystem sump? Filter but also came with a Lifeguard filter set (4). When I
get the aquarium up and running (needs A LOT of cleaning!), it will be planted
and not sure just yet on what fish.
<Used aquaria can be good value, but be sure and check for leaks. Have the thing
filled with water and sitting somewhere 'waterproof' for a few hours or
overnight. Simply moving an aquarium can damage the seals between the panes of
glass.>
But it will be awhile for them anyway. It came with a cherry barb, a clown
pleco, 2 other pleco's, a rather large catfish, 2 Horseface loaches and a few
other odds and ends.
<By and large, plecs don't get along with one another, especially when mature,
so assuming the "other Plecos" are one of the common grey/brown giant species,
consider trying to find another home for one of them.>
Right now they are in a QT tank.
<Very good.>
Not sure what I will do with them yet. Anyway, back to the filter
system. Which one should I use? Are there pro's / con's to each type?
<Yes there are pros/cons to each. Be sure and read the Freshwater Filtration
article here:
http://www.schuran.com/freshwater/index_e.html
but I really think water changes are good enough. I keep discus (among many
other creatures) which require pristine water conditions & never had a problem
keeping them with using just 90% weekly water changes. If you're really
concerned, get a diatom filter.>
By the way I also have a plumbing question. I'm looking for an inexpensive
three way valve that allows me to divert the flow in two directions such that I
can adjust how much goes one way or another, e.g. 25% one way 75% the other
way. I realize I can always use a Y and two simple valves.
<On my reef tank, I have water coming from my tank & 3/4 of is diverted to my
sump & 1/4 to my refugium. I only have a valve on the pipe going to the fuge &
back it off till only 1/4 of the water is diverted to it--the rest goes into my
sump. ~PP>
Frank
<<Freshwater skimming is a difficult proposition due to physical
characteristics of interacting parties (phobic molecules mostly) and partial
pressure... it's hard to get proteins lined up, attached long enough to bubbles
to extract... I would do as you suggest and just keep up with your excellent
maintenance protocol here. Bob Fenner>>
Re: Schuran Freshwater Skimmers 1/10/07
Bob,
<Frank>
I appreciate your quick response. It's precisely because freshwater skimming
is so inefficient that I want to explore Schuran's claim. Did you review the
freshwater skimmers on their website? Would these be effective?
<Have/had read this over:
http://www.schuran.com/freshwater/index_e.html and seen these units at
Interzoo... and no, I would not employ them... though I have considerable
experience in such designs (we manufactured foam fractionators for koi ponds
years back), and have seen real working units (the best were made by Sanders...
incorporating a partial vacuum to decrease the partial pressure in the
collector/skimmate area... I would stick with other technology. Bob Fenner>
Frank
From Marine to Fresh Water 1/5/07
Hello. <Hi> I have a 55 Gallon FOWLR tank that has nothing in it but live
rock. I have tried for many months to maintain a marine tank but it is just to
time consuming and far to expensive for me. <Sorry to hear you did not find
success.> I want to convert it back to a fresh water tank but I have 50lbs of
live rock and a 200.00 skimmer that I don’t want to get rid of…. Can the skimmer
be used for fresh water or is this pointless and the rock I really like but I am
assuming that I will kill it if I put it in fresh water so will my best bet be
to just sell it for what I can and take the lost? Thanks for any help
Brian
<Unfortunately skimmers are not very effective in fresh water, and you are
correct in assuming the freshwater will kill off the LR. Best bet is to try to
sell them off and cut your losses.>
<Chris>
Question about an odd shaped tank, powerheads, filtration
1/3/07
Good morning, Crew,
<Good evening, by the time I got to this!>
Just a casual question. Someone has asked me a question about the best way to
filter an octagonal tank of about 10 or 15 gallons. They are currently using an
AquaTech power filter rated at 100 gph and an undergravel filter with an Aqua
Tech powerhead. The undergravel filter seems unlikely to be functioning
effectively, since for an undergravel filter to serve its intended purpose,
doesn't it need to cover the entire surface area of the bottom of the tank? Are
they making octagonal undergravel filter plates these days? :)
<In all honesty, I'm not up on UGF advances; personally, I don't like or use
that type of filtration. I can't see a reason why you cannot filter an "odd"
shaped tank with normal mechanical filtration that you would use on any
"standard" rectangular tank...>
The reason I asked for Jorie is because I know she has a Hex tank that she's a
bit unhappy with, and I wondered how she filtered, it since it does pose some
unique challenges.
<You are right - I'm not thrilled with my hex. tank, but it is because of the
depth and the freshwater plant problems caused by lighting (or lack
thereof). Filtration-wise, I've never had a problem with the tank. I have two
powerheads (400 GPH) to increase water circulation, along with an Emperor 280
power filter.>
This gentleman is having trouble with the powerhead overly buffeting his planted
decorations, and possibly the fish.
<Most powerheads have a deflector-piece that can re-direct the water. Also,
some allow flow rates to be adjusted. He should be able to move the powerhead,
if necessary, to a less obtrusive spot. Process of trial and error, I'm afraid.
Alternatively, perhaps he needs a lower-rated powerhead, if the plants and fish
continue to be disturbed.>
I am thinking I will tell him to ditch the powerhead, use airstones
instead (perhaps in the center of the tank?) and use a stronger
filter, maybe an AquaClear 30. What do you think?
<Unless the fish are really sensitive, I wouldn't recommend getting rid of the
powerhead altogether; an airstone doesn't provide nearly as much circulation as
a powerhead. He should be able to move the powerhead to a better spot, no?
Worst case scenario, your solution would be OK, but I would save it for a last
resort. Water circulation is a good thing...>
Thank you for any assistance. Happy new year to you all.
Nicole
<Nicole, I don't feel like I was very helpful, but honestly, all I can say is to
deflect the water output, if possible, or move the powerhead so that it isn't
pointing directly at any plants. If this all fails, then yes, airstones and an
upgraded power filter may work, but I'd try to salvage the powerheads if
possible. Perhaps the gentleman in question can put one powerhead directly
opposite another (e.g., on opposite sides of the tank)? That might work...
Jorie>
Re: Question about an odd shaped tank, powerheads, filtration PART 2
1/4/07
Thanks, Jorie! Those sound like good solutions to me. He hasn't even stocked his
tank yet, so I told him to try some fish that appreciate a current and continue
to use the powerhead. I also told him to double up on the filtration for some
redundancy. I know the AquaTech filter he's talking about, it only runs in the
low tens. He could stock one with bio media and the other with
chemical/mechanical filtration. I also told him to place the heater near an area
of high water flow to aid in distribution. Thank you again for your help!
Nicole
<Sounds like you've got it covered on your end with a very thorough solution -
want a job?!
Best regards, Jorie>
Fresh Water filtration, HLLE questions 1/2/07
Hi Folks.
<<Hello, Jim, and Happy New Year. Tom here.>>
I have two large Blood Red Parrot Fish in a 55 gallon tank and am wondering what
I can do to remove dissolved waste from the water like my Berlin airlift skimmer
does for my 55 saltwater tank.
The other day I noticed algae growth in the fresh water tank and cleaned out the
tank. Currently I am using two large filters on this tank. One is a Bio wheel
filter (pinquin <<Penguin>> I think) and the other is an Aqua Clear 500.
My question is what can I do to lower the algae growth and improve the over all
water conditions and prevent hole in the head worms from ever showing up?
<<As with any “problem”, Jim, eliminating the root cause is key to success. In
your case, as you most likely realize, excess nitrates and phosphates “feed” the
algae but lighting is, of course, another major consideration. In a great many
cases, simply reducing light levels or the duration of lighting exposure can
greatly reduce algae build-up in the tank. Ensuring that the aquarium isn’t
exposed to natural sunlight should go without saying. As for overall water
conditions, vacuuming the substrate deeply in conjunction with regular water
changes is an absolute must. (When I suggest “deeply” vacuuming the substrate, I
mean to the bottom of the tank.) Now, by way of explanation, Hole-in-the-Head
disease (HITH) is the degeneration of the sensory organs in the head and/or
lateral lines of the fish (you’ll also see reference to HLLE which is
Head-and-Lateral-Line-Erosion). Even though the disease has been arguably tied
to high nitrates (>40 ppm)/poor water conditions, there aren’t any “worms”
involved. In reality, improper diet and lack of appropriate vitamins/minerals
are the commonly-held culprits of this illness. In a nutshell, regular water
changes and substrate cleaning to keep your fish stress-free along with a
varied, high-quality diet will all but guarantee that your Cichlids will never
suffer from HITH/HLLE.>>
Would a UV light help?
<<Not worth the money, in my opinion, Jim. You have little to no-cost options
available to you – might even save some money if you reduce lighting – that make
a UV sterilizer unnecessary. If, on the other hand, you have money burning a
hole in your wallet and you find a unit suited exactly to your tank, water
conditions, etc., it can help in reducing the “suspended” algae and
microorganisms in the water. Worthless for anything that doesn’t make it to the
contact chamber, however.>>
What about a canister filter with a built in UV?
<<A better option but you’ve plenty of filtration now and, again, there are more
cost-effective options to exercise here.>>
Would adding sand and live plants help?
<<Now we’re on to something. The sand, in itself, isn’t really necessary but
the plants would be an excellent consideration if your Parrotfish will leave
them be. Certainly a natural and inexpensive way to go if you’re looking for
something to out-compete the algae for nutrients. I wouldn’t go crazy with this
without a little experimentation to see if your fish will keep from tearing them
up, though.>>
Jim
<<Well, now you’ve got my two-cents-worth, Jim. Hopefully, I’ve given you
something to work with. Good luck with your tank. Tom>>
Filter for 55g FW Tank 10/28/06
<Hi Anthony, Pufferpunk here>
Can you tell me what the best filter to get? I know this is a general question,
but I have a 55 gallon tank. I bought a Lifeguard Fluidized Bed
filter and it
sucks. I want to buy a filter that will keep my tank water CLEAR, so what is
the best filter I should get? I read that you said some eat up electricity, so
one that does not.
<I'm not sure if you are very young or not but I really had to clear up a lot of
spelling & punctuation in your letter. We post these queries on our FAQs & it
is necessary to correct this before posting. Please try to correct/proofread
that yourself the next time you post to us.
Now that that's out of the way--on a 55g tank, I like to use a HOB (hang on
back) filter, like the Aquaclear 500 (I believe it's called a 110 now) & a
canister filter, like the Eheim 2213. The AquaClears are great, because I can
stack the filter materials the way I like: sponge on bottom (for mechanical
filtration, rinsed during weekly water changes), 1" filter floss in the middle
(to "polish the water crystal clear, changed monthly [can be found cheap at
sewing machine stores--used as pillow stuffing]) & BioMax on top (for biological
filtration, rinsed every 3 months or so). The cheapest place I've found these
filters is at www.bigalsonline.com. The Eheims can be found used, on
EBay. The
filter you have purchased sounds like a very efficient biological filter that
could be used instead of the Eheim. You still need some sort of mechanical
filtration though, that can be rinsed out weekly. Another important way to keep
your water "clear" is weekly water changes. I do 50% every week & use a Python
(also found at Big Al's) to drain & fill on a tank that size. ~PP>
Thanks, Anthony
Filter Recommendations For A 55 Gallon FW Tank-Chuck's Take
- 10/25/06
Thank you. I bought an Eheim 2217 to make sure I will have crystal water and
that way when I buy a larger tank I can change the filter. And I will use it
with the lifeguard. But it has given me nothing but problems. If it worked, it
works great by keeping the problems at 0. It is a very bad design, and the check
valve does not work.
Filter for 55g FW Tank 10/28/06
Can you tell me what the best filter to get? I know this is a general question,
but I have a 55 gallon tank. I bought a Lifeguard Fluidized Bed filter and it
sucks. I want to buy a filter that will keep my tank water CLEAR, so what is the
best filter I should get? I read that you said some eat up electricity, so one
that does not.
Now that that's out of the way--on a 55g tank, I like to use a HOB (hang on
back) filter, like the Aquaclear 500 (I believe it's called a 110 now) & a
canister filter, like the Eheim 2213. The AquaClears are great, because I can
stack the filter materials the way I like: sponge on bottom (for mechanical
filtration, rinsed during weekly water changes), 1" filter floss in the middle
(to "polish the water crystal clear, changed monthly [can be found cheap at
sewing machine stores--used as pillow stuffing]) & BioMax on top (for biological
filtration, rinsed every 3 months or so). The cheapest place I've found these
filters is at www.bigalsonline.com. The Eheims can be found used, on EBay. The
filter you have purchased sounds like a very efficient biological filter that
could be used instead of the Eheim. You still need some sort of mechanical
filtration though, that can be rinsed out weekly. Another important way to keep
your water "clear" is weekly water changes. I do 50%
every week & use a Python (also found at Big Al's) to drain & fill on a tank
that size. Thanks, Anthony
< The best filter is the one that you will find the easiest to service. Canister
filters are a pain to clean but are a sometimes the only option. I like the hang
on power filters the best. Easy to service and easy to tell when they need
cleaning. I prefer the Bio-Wheel design of the Marineland products. The filter
medias last a long time, even after they are routinely cleaned with a blast from
the garden hose. I would recommend an Emp. 400 for your tank. Lots of water flow
and easy to clean.-Chuck>
Power Filter Choice 9/4/06
Hello there,
<<Hello, Steve. Tom>>
I currently have a 55 gallon planted discus tank. I have four 3-4 inch discus
and one 5 inch pleco. I am currently running a Jebo canister filter along with a
Penguin 125 power filter. I realize the Jebo was a terrible choice. Guess I had
to learn for myself that it is worth it to pay extra to get something decent. I
would like to replace the filters and was considering either an Emperor 400 or
an Aquaclear. Due to the brace on the middle of the tank, an Emperor would have
to be off centered and I worry about not getting a good circulation of water in
the tank. I like the simplicity of the AquaClear filters. I thought that maybe
it would be a good idea to use two smaller Aquaclear filters in order to create
better circulation. (Maybe two Aquaclear 50's) I realize that opinions vary, but
what would you do in this situation?
<<Steve, both the Emperor and AquaClear models are good choices for this style
of filter. My preference for the AquaClear filters is only due to my own
experience with them as I've never had a bit of trouble with any that I've owned
(I currently have two running, a 50 and a 70). Were it me, I'd probably opt to
go with two AquaClear 70's - as opposed to 50's - just to get the extra
filtering capacity on a tank the size of yours.>>
Thanks for taking the time to help. Hope you are having a great Labor Day
Weekend.
Steve
<<Happy to help, Steve, and I hope you're enjoying your holiday weekend
as well. Tom>>
Some Freshwater questions... tank mis-over-too-soon stocking...
8/21/06
Hello, and thank you for your website, and help. I recently purchased a 55
gallon tank kit. I wanted to purchase everything separately, but my girlfriend
insisted on some tank kit.
<Don't hold yourself in bad faith... make up your own mind, or agree that you
coalesced>
It's a 55 gallon freshwater, with an Aqua-tech 30-60, and has been a major
headache for me.
<Take it back>
Unfortunately, the tank is not at my house, so I cant keep an eye on it as much
as I can with my 3 20 gallon tanks.
Okay, now, for what we have in it. We have: 3 dwarf gouramis (the largest being
maybe an inch and a half long), 2 silver dollars (each about two
inches), 2 Bala sharks (maybe three inches), 6-7 painted tetras (the biggest is
an inch), a pleco (maybe 2.5 inches), and two striped blue Raphael
catfish (the biggest being about 2.5 inches.) I know this is a lot of
information,
<Mmm, nope>
but I just was wondering: Is this too much for the tank at the moment?
<If it's not cycled, for sure>
My girlfriend went out while I was at work one day and came home with the tetras
and the catfish, so I wasn't even planning on getting them. I
understand and know how big all of these fish can get, and will be buying a
bigger tank in the future to accommodate those. Is my tank overstocked?
<Will be>
Secondly, the water in this tank tends to be cloudy,
<A bad sign... isn't "completely" cycled...>
and if I look closely, I can see tiny particles floating in the water. I was
wondering what the cause of this could be?
<Likely bacterial population explosion...>
Could I need better mechanical filtration? Should I invest in a better filter?
<... please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwh2oqualfaqs1.htm
and the linked files above>
I was looking into buying a Penguin 350 or an Emperor 400, since I've heard good
things about both. Should I invest in one?
<Can>
And if so, which?
<The bigger the better>
If I got the 400, I'd have to cut more of my hood out to accommodate it, since
the hole I have now is only fifteen inches, which from what I understand, will
fit a 350 well, but not the Emperor. Is the difference that much to make it
worth the cutting? I'd really like crystal-clear watering it, which I haven't
had yet.
Lastly, lately, I've had algae appear in the tank. I don't think this is related
to the cloudiness, since the water has been cloudy for months, while
the algae is just recently. It's a dark brown algae growing on the glass and
decor. My girlfriend swears that it's not because of excess sunlight,
because she doesn't let sunlight hit it. Is it possible there's another reason?
Or is she just trying to cover it up?
Also, are there any recommendations for anything I might want to add to help the
filter or cloudiness? And any recommendations on whether I can add live plants
or not. Thank you for your time and effort, I really appreciate it.
I've never had this much trouble with any of my tanks, and it's driving me
insane.
-Brian
<Have just skipped down... Learn to use/read WWM. Bob Fenner>
Can a new aquarium filter be defective?? 8/21/06
<Yes>
All of my fish died within 24 hours of replacing a filter.
<Frightening...>
I emptied the tank, cleaned (with no soap, etc.) with aquarium sponge. Rinsed
all decorations, etc. When I started the tank using only the under gravel
filter the water looked fine. Then when I added the bio filter, the water
appears to have tons of little white particles in the water.
<Likely bits of packing material, or plastic bits from manufacture?>
I have never had this before. After circulating for 24 hours, it still looks
the same.
Could it be from the filter (it came from the same pack that was used prior to
the fish dying)??
<Yes... though I've rarely seen, heard of this. Do you have a means of
magnification? Perhaps the store where you bought this unit does... I would take
a water sample into them for testing, a look-see. Measures of nitrogenous wastes
at this point could easily be from the stress, death of your livestock>
Deborah Marsh
<I would thoroughly clean (dump, rinse, re-fill) this system, and leave running
w/o livestock for a few weeks before trying some hardy animal to do a bio-assay.
Bob Fenner>
Filter for small aquarium 7/23/06
Hello there,
<<Greetings, Steve. Tom>>
I have recently started keeping fish again after more than 20 years absence from
the hobby and found that there are so many more filtration systems around these
days than there were before.
<<First of all, welcome back! Second, you are so right about the quantity of
filtering systems available nowadays.>>
I have recently purchased a small 20 litre tank with aim of keeping a Betta in
it.
<<Based on some of the containers we see Bettas kept in, your 20L isn't at all
bad! A 40L would be about as optimum as it gets for these fish but you've made a
good choice.>>
The tank came with a small power head and an area for placing the filter medium
in which the water flows into and out of. I'm sure you guys would be familiar
with this kind of set up. KISS. Keep it simple stupid for beginners again like
me.
<<Nothing wrong with simple as long as it does the job.>>
I have a bio-sponge pad to place in the filtering area and some ceramic noodles
also. Is this sufficient filtering of the water, if not what would be required?
<<Should be plenty, Steve. You could consider using floss in place of the
ceramic media for additional "polishing" of the water but this is largely a
matter of personal choice.>>
Are the ceramic noodles useful and how much do I use in a 23x7.5cm area?
<<The noodles are effective in providing additional space for the bio-colonies
to establish to control ammonia and nitrites. There would be "some" mechanical
filtering, as well, but the primary purpose is to house the beneficial bacteria.
I confess that I can't be exact on the amount of this media to use but would
suggest that whatever amount you can place in the space will work provided your
powerhead will maintain adequate flow over both the sponge and ceramic media.>>
Any other useful information would be more than gratefully appreciated as I
really enjoyed the hobby in my younger days and am looking forward to getting
back into it again with gusto.
<<You're aware that your new tank will need to go through a "cycling" period
before adding your new pet. As a "refresher", please check out our site for more
information. We advocate "fishless cycling" by substituting alternate sources of
ammonia for the so-called disposable fish that were invariably used for this in
the past. Along with this, your Betta will need a heater as it does best in
water temperatures that are high even by "tropical" standards. The addition of
aquarium salt to the tank is highly recommended, also. Finally, you'll want to
look into the diet your Betta will thrive on. Their systems are geared for "meat
eating" so you'll want to provide them foods like brine shrimp, daphnia,
bloodworms and the like. (My personal recommendation here would be to avoid
Tubifex worms. This food source has been linked to too many problems in my
experience to run the risk of introducing troubles that are unnecessary.) Once
again, welcome back to the hobby, Steve, and enjoy!>>
Regards Steve
<<Tom>>
Re: filter for small aquarium 7/25/06
Hello Tom,
<<Hello, Steve.>>
Thanks for the prompt advice you passed on and I have taken all "on board" so to
speak. My wife has picked out the Betta she wants and has named him Kevin, who
is now in temporary quarantine before joining in his new home
which has started cycling as suggested.
<<A fine name for a Betta, Steve, and I'm pleased to hear you've got him
quarantined. Like riding a bike, isn't it? :)>>
Once again many thanks and keep up the wise words of advice. I will continue to
look out for many other useful tips from you guys.
<<My/our pleasure to help whenever possible, Steve. Lots of help available here
so, please, do come back with any questions you might have. Don't be reluctant
to share any tidbits that you might have, either. Everything gets relayed to our
readers through the FAQ's so we, collectively, gain insight.>>
Regards Steve
<<My best, Steve. Tom>>
FW Wet-Dry, Af. Cichlid Sys.... 7/8/06
Hi
<<Hello, Rene. Tom>>
I'm getting a 125 gal. tank with a wet dry filter system.
<<New or "pre-owned", Rene? Information sheets contained with a new system will
have the manufacturer's recommendations for cleaning/maintenance of their
particular filter.>>
Currently I have African cichlids. My question is what is the best maintenance?
How often do I have to clean it?
<<I state the obvious here but the "best" maintenance is that which keeps the
mechanical filtration media clean and free of built up solids along with
maintaining a healthy supply of beneficial bacteria in the bio-media. Some
wet-dry filters come with built-in protein skimmers, which will fairly
ineffective for a FW system. As far as how often to clean it goes, this will be
largely experimental on your part but I would recommend cleaning the
"pre-filter" media on a monthly basis to start. Wash this out in used aquarium
water (optimal) or in tap water that you've prepared with a dechlorinator (less
optimal). The frequency will, of course, depend on the load your fish place on
the filter based on number of fish, sizes, feeding habits, etc.>>
Do I remove all of the filter media and replace it?
<<No. The pre-filter will ultimately need to be replaced as this will probably
break down over time but the bio-media need never be replaced short of a
calamity in the tank. Depending on the type of filter you're getting, this
bio-media may be plastic, ceramic or some other sort of material and will house
your beneficial bacteria. Replacing it would throw your tank into a "tailspin"
toxin-wise, which is why you should rinse it - again, in used tank water - and
put it right back into service. Provided you keep your pre-filter in good order,
cleaning the bio-media of built-up solids shouldn't have to be done very often.
As I've mentioned, hopefully you'll have access to the manufacturer's
recommendations. Eheim, for example, makes a wet-dry filter system wherein the
foam pre-filter should be discarded after about a couple of months. The
mechanical and biological filtration is left to the other media contained in the
canister after this time.>>
Any suggestions will be much appreciated.
Rene
<<Hope I've given you enough to go on, Rene. Enjoy your new set-up! Tom>>
FW Tank filtration 6/26/06
Hello, I would like your advice on the filtration that I have for my tank.
< I will do my best to help! >
I have a 75 gallon tank which houses a 10 inch Tiger Oscar, 6 inch Jack
Dempsey, 6 inch Jaguar Cichlid, 5 inch pictus catfish, and two Plecos about
four to five inches.
< That sounds like quite a crew! >
For filtration I have two 70 aqua clears hang on back filters. I also have an
under gravel filter which is connected to a 802 Hagen power head. Is this
enough filtration for the tank load.
< It may be, if you are not overfeeding. >
I do a 30% water change every two weeks and clean the filters once a month on
a week that I am not changing the water.
< It might not be a bad idea to change out about 25% weekly, with one filter
cleaned at the same time. >
My levels are normal except occasionally my ammonia hits 0.25.
< This may point to the possible need for more serious biological filtration.
Consider a trickle or wet/dry filter. They are extremely efficient in breaking
down ammonia and nitrites, as well as keeping the oxygen content high in the
tank. >
However I constantly have to bout brown algae in the tank which is a pain in
the butt.
< It is possible your light tubes are too old. After about six months, the
original spectrum the lights produce shifts to too much red. This encourages
unwanted algae/bacterial growth. A good indicator is the end of the tubes. If
they have black dust rings, they are in need of changing. Look for tubes that
have a lot of blue spectrum, with very little in the red. The weekly water
changes will also curtail the unwanted growth. >
I am very conservative with the feeding, I feed them once a day and not
to much.
< Check the ingredient list on your foods. If they have fish meal in the first
five ingredients, that can contribute to excess phosphates, (from the ground up
scales and bones), and can be exacerbating the situation at hand. >
Any advice you could lend me would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
< I hope I was of some help, and you are welcome! >
JK
< RichardB >
Water changes and DE filters - 06/22/2006
Hi crew,
<<Hi, Michael. Tom with you today.>>
I just purchased a Vortex Diatom Filter and it came with a gravel cleaner that
hooks up to the intake of the filter.
<<Ahhh, you're "serious"! :)>>
Could I use this as a substitute for some of the water changes?
<<If you're looking to keep your water polished to a "Fare Thee Well", you just
purchased a great tool. There's a string attached, though...>>
I usually do a partial change every 2 weeks while siphoning the gravel. I am
sure there is no complete substitute for water changes but I was thinking that
if I still remove any of the debris out of the substrate this may cut back on
the water changes.
<<Water changes aren't all about keeping the water "clean". You've just gotten
yourself a fine product to do that. Water changes replace elements in the water
that our pets need. Water, in short, goes stale, no matter how clean it is. We
advise, for example, against using "distilled" water for water changes because
it doesn't have all of the "goodies". You hear about "trace" elements but rarely
hear about "major" and "minor" elements that our tap water provides.>>
I am curious to hear your thoughts on this.
<<You might cut back on the siphoning of the gravel (a little less time spent,
perhaps) but I'd be reluctant to stop the water changes. Still very good for the
fish.>>
Thank you in advance.
<<You're most welcome.>>
Michael
<<Tom>>
Re: Water change 6/23/06
Hi Tom,
<<Hi, Michael>>
Thanks for the quick response.
<<You're more than welcome.>>
What I was doing was a water change every two weeks (about 25%) on my 90
gallon. I just set up 2 150 gallon and 1 300 gallon Rubbermaid containers
in the basement that are cycling as we speak. The 90 has misc. cichlids with an
Eheim pro 2 and a Tidepool. Should it be okay to siphon the gravel on the
90 once a month with the diatom filter attachment and then only do a water
change once a month as well? I know I could just try it and test the water
as I go, but I would rather error on the side of caution.
<<In the name of "caution", why don't you try a three-week interval first with
appropriate testing? If all is well, particularly with pH levels, extend it to
four weeks. pH changes, especially significant ones, would be my primary concern
here.>>
The 300 and 100 gallon I have home made wet/dry filters made out of 5 gallon
buckets.
I was hoping to cut down on water changes on these as well and using the diatom
filter once a month and water change once a month as well. Any thoughts?
<<Other than the reservations I have regarding a potential "roller coaster" ride
for your fish where pH and "hardness" issues are involved, Michael, I don't see
why you shouldn't give your plan a try. If you don't already do so, please, keep
a detailed log of everything that you do. Might seem mundane but small details
that can reveal a world of information can be forgotten over a period of
weeks/months. I'd also appreciate it if you'd get back to us with a report on
your efforts. What you're able to share with us will be shared with all of our
readers, as well. Best of luck to you. Tom>>
Bulkhead and pump size? 6/22/06
Hello WWM Crew,
<Robert in TX>
I am new to this hobby and I am in the process of building my first tank. I
really appreciate the vast knowledge you have placed on your web site! Your
information has been extremely valuable.( Perfect 10!)
<Shades of Bo Derek!>
My question is on pump and overflow size. Here is some info on my tank to give
you an idea of what's going on! The tank is 150 gallons and will be a
freshwater home to 4 small
Arowana,
<Will fight as they grow... even just at less than a foot...>
2 small clown knifes, and a 14" pleco. I have already built a few custom
acrylic pieces for tank. Please tell me if my current plumbing setup seems OK?
I have 2 x 1" bulkheads
<Too small, too few...>
in the rear corners with self-made skimmer boxes (they look like a siphon
overflow box but drain through an elbow on a standard bulkhead and use a
Durso
style tee and vent on outside of tank).
Following me so far? Both overflows drain 8" down the back of tank through ball
valve unions (control / stop flow and disconnect for maintenance) to a
self-made
30" x 6" x 16" tall box with filter screen and bio balls. This back of
tank filter box then drains through two more 1" bulkheads and flex PVC to a
custom
sump tank below. The sump is 36 x 18 x 18 tall housing two inlet areas/center
refugium/and a center return pump section. I just ordered a Mag 9.5 pump to
return back up through 3/4 flex PVC, a union for removal, and a 3/4 return
bulkhead centered above the water on the back wall with a tee spray bar.
(sorry a lot of info) Also I figure there is approx. 6ft of head. Does this
sound OK so far? Any suggestions?
<Increase the size of the bulkheads to at least 1 1/2" inside diameter, and
possibly increase their number to four>
Will this pump be to much flow for the bulkheads?
<As it is presently, yes>
Also will this be to much flow for the fish?
<This speculation is dependent on other factors... as you will find>
Any input would be very much appreciated!
Thank You,
Robert in Texas
<BobF in CA>
Sorry to sound foolish ,but what exactly is biomedia? 6/12/06
<Not at all a foolish question - important to understand. Read here:
