Going To Buy New Tank - Need Advice

[everlastingspirit]

Hello!

I already have my 35L Elite set up (with 2 Honey Gourami & 3 male guppies).

Im looking to get another, slightly smaller tank over the next few days. Looking to be a 20L/4Gal(UK)/5Gal (US). Quite like the Arcadia Arc 20L - any reviews on this?

This will be for a male Betta but id also like to add some other critter to the mix. I hear shrimps are suitable? How many would be ok and are there anything else i could use instead? (no frogs to - my partner is terrified of frogs & would never forgive me).

Also should i use a bit of the filter sponge from my elite 35L (stingray 10 filter) to start it cycling - if so will this speed up the cycling.

Sorry for so many questions but 1 more - when i change the carbon/zeolite cartridges do these also hold bacteria as well as the sponge & should i only change 1 of the 2 cartridges at a time or not?

Thanks so much.
Ben

 

[Defiance]

Hiya's,
I will put my two penneth forward about the filtering

The whole idea of filtration is to cultivate bacteria that convert ammonia and nitrite, so really ignore that they are zeolite/carbon and ask yourself is the filter working ? , ok it might be slowed down bue to crud building up but that's par for the course

If the filters running fine i see no need to swap old for new (if you did obviously do spread out so's not to wipe out all beneficial bacteria)

Just take some tank water out, swish/stir/shake/disturb the external crud then use the now cleaned but still holding plenty of beneficial bacteria (search for filter media cleaning etc and there's some great vids around)

Hmm best explain about leaving zeo/carb as-is ............. i mean imho after 3-5 days carbon has removed whatever it can and may release whatever it's absorbed, same to zeo in someways, so if those carts have been in for x amount of time and all's well, just look at those as normal filtering media since they have absorbed/give-up whatever the were intended to do and have become just another filtering item so a nice gentle spruce up imho beats renewing them (again, never ever ever totally remove all mature media as you'll just start a cycle at best and worst kill or severely injure and shorten your fish's lifespan)

I do have a 100litre tank which came with a carbon/zeo/sponge filter, to this day she runs fine and is cleaned in tank water by a gentle swooshing motion to remove exterior crud then the parts go right back in, never had a problem with it and i's only a small filter (hagen 100 or somert named under another name in the uk

Never had smaller than 100L tanks so maybe someone will come along to reply to your other Q's

Have Fun

Tony

 

[everlastingspirit]

Hi - Just an update - bought the Aqua One Cube 25 (25 x 25 x 25) Apx 16L - hope this is ok, but looks decent size cube. And a steal at £15. (with foam base & nothing else. Need to get mini filter and heater.

Any updates on my other questions?

Cheers
Ben

 

[Fish_Newb]

As you have boughta 16l tank, I wouldn't advise putting any other fish in there.

Shrimp are fine as they barely effect the chemistry in the tank. However, depending on the temperament of the Betta you get , he may see them as a bit of light lunch; any fry they produce will likely be devoured.

I have also been advised on a couple of snails for a betta tank, but I didn't give too much consideration as I want some shrimp with mine