90 Days In...

[jmartin71]

So we decided to get a Freshwater Tank for our first tank and we chose a 26 gallon bow front which we have had for 90 days. We have 3 small tiger barbs, 2 small albino barbs, 3 full grown green barbs, 3 blue gourami's and 1 one small clowne loach. I do 20% water changes every week. Change carbon and foam piece once a month. Water PH 7.6 Temp 78. Flakes everyday, pellets for clowne loach. So with all that being said, we should have bought bigger. I am looking into a 75 - 90 gallon tank. But what are the biggest differences from that kind of tank to what I have now? How many filters do I need, do I need a sub pump etc. These are the questions I do not know and any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!!

 

[Gvilleguy]

Hi!

Have you had any trouble with fish dying in the tank? I am not answering your bigger tank questions, but I do have a couple suggestions for the statement you made about changing the carbon and foam pieces in your filter each month.

1. Don't change out your foam media each month. Leave it be until it starts to noticeably disintegrate. It can last much longer than a month. Instead, once per month, take the media out and gently rinse it in the bucket of water from your water change. When you discard that foam insert, you are most likely discarding a bunch of helpful bacteria that help to clean the ammonia and nitrite from your tank water.

2. Don't use carbon at all, unless you have used medicine in the tank and need to clear it out for a few days. The carbon media tends to saturate after 4 weeks, requiring you to replace it, and discarding more of the helpful bacteria. I would recommend you buy some foam or sponge or bio-pellets to replace the carbon part.

Tanks are addictive - I love my 26 gallon bow front, but I already wish I had room for a bigger one!

 

[micko]

Definately no need to change the media in your filter. Your media contains bacteria your tank needs. Without this bacteria your fish will die.

 

[K_Hedin]

The biggest difference will be how much longer it takes you to do water changes. Other than that a larger filter is needed and probably a couple of heaters instead of one. But as long as it is maintained properly every week there shouldn't be a huge difference. I started with a 55 gallon and now have a 10 and I actually find the 10 a bigger pain than the 55.

 

[jmartin71]

Hi!

Have you had any trouble with fish dying in the tank? I am not answering your bigger tank questions, but I do have a couple suggestions for the statement you made about changing the carbon and foam pieces in your filter each month.

1. Don't change out your foam media each month. Leave it be until it starts to noticeably disintegrate. It can last much longer than a month. Instead, once per month, take the media out and gently rinse it in the bucket of water from your water change. When you discard that foam insert, you are most likely discarding a bunch of helpful bacteria that help to clean the ammonia and nitrite from your tank water.

2. Don't use carbon at all, unless you have used medicine in the tank and need to clear it out for a few days. The carbon media tends to saturate after 4 weeks, requiring you to replace it, and discarding more of the helpful bacteria. I would recommend you buy some foam or sponge or bio-pellets to replace the carbon part.

Tanks are addictive - I love my 26 gallon bow front, but I already wish I had room for a bigger one!

Tanks are addictive that's under statement. I always wanted to have one and my boys and I got the 26g and we were at the store last week and my oldest was like daddy lets get a bigger tank and I was like ok!!

Anyways I had 2 fish die since I have had tank. I had an albino barb get stuck in filter post that sucks up water overnight. The other was a clown loach, I had 2 and they got white spot disease and I treated water and only one made it through!!

I forgot to mention I run an ammonia test once a week and its always in the 0.0 range on the kit I have.

So the filter I have has the foam, carbon and then I have the pellets ontop of that. So should I pull the carbon out of the filter and just use the foam and pellets?

 

[Gvilleguy]

Yes, I recommend you pull out the carbon, and if that opens up space, replace it with more foam or pellets. It's good that your water has been testing zero ammonia.