Help With First Tank

[sparkycufc]

I have pygmy corydora as well as kuhli loach in my 120 litre and they are much more active, they enjoy the bubbles and dart up to the top of the tank for a gulp of air every now and again. They aren't the most colourful of fish but their personality more than makes up for it.

 

[curlyriff]

I have pygmy corydora as well as kuhli loach in my 120 litre and they are much more active, they enjoy the bubbles and dart up to the top of the tank for a gulp of air every now and again. They aren't the most colourful of fish but their personality more than makes up for it.

Thanks sparkycufc,

I will defiantly look into them when I get back from work tonight to see what they are like. They do sound more active and fun so although they might not look as good will have more character for my small tank.

Thanks again & Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[waterdrop]

Very helpful that Katty advised that the Edge filter is really just an AC model 20 because the AC20 is identical to my old AC-Mini that I run on a quarantine tank. I think I just replaced the carbon bag with a bag of ceramic lumps (probably the thing they call biomax.) Its been fine. The sponge in that filter is going to do most of the work so whatever you've added today will probably be fine.

Yes, that filter and more or less all HOB (Hang on Back) filters are going to make waterfall noise (that's one of the things that make external cannister filters nicer when you get a bigger tank.) We just live with the noise our little one makes, its less after water changes when the top level is higher. Be careful if you experiment with attemps to quiet the flowing water, many beginners don't realize how easy it is to have water get accidently directed out of the tank or "wicked" out by some object that bridges the tank wall - you have to be very careful about this sort of thing.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[curlyriff]

Very helpful that Katty advised that the Edge filter is really just an AC model 20 because the AC20 is identical to my old AC-Mini that I run on a quarantine tank. I think I just replaced the carbon bag with a bag of ceramic lumps (probably the thing they call biomax.) Its been fine. The sponge in that filter is going to do most of the work so whatever you've added today will probably be fine.

Yes, that filter and more or less all HOB (Hang on Back) filters are going to make waterfall noise (that's one of the things that make external cannister filters nicer when you get a bigger tank.) We just live with the noise our little one makes, its less after water changes when the top level is higher. Be careful if you experiment with attemps to quiet the flowing water, many beginners don't realize how easy it is to have water get accidently directed out of the tank or "wicked" out by some object that bridges the tank wall - you have to be very careful about this sort of thing.

~~waterdrop~~

Thats alright then. Yeah I believe the Biomax is the ceramic and if my spong and biomax is going to work good enough anyways I may just leave the carbon in for the bacteria as I understand that bacteria really likes to collect on this after a few days and that is why you would need to replace it so often.

Since that is the case I am not too worried about it then. I have only just added my ammonia according to the calculater. It said to use 1.2ml for my tank to get around 5ppm so thats what I have done. The tank has almost instantly turned a sort of cloudy white(ish) colour. Is that normal in the tank.

I currently am using the lights to keep the tank warm but only till tomorrow as I am borrowing a heater until I get the correct one I want to fit to my tank.

Hope this is OK and I wouldn't have thought that it should cause too much algy growth if any?

In regards to the filter I wasn't worried about the noise at minimum flow you can't really hear it at all just the amount of bubbles it creates at the top of the tank. I was thinking some really thin foam just to reduse the flow slighty.

I did read someone else did this and it worked but I can't find the arical again.

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[waterdrop]

Am not sure about your first paragraph there.. The bacteria is the thing you are going to go through all the weeks of hard work to grow, you never want to just take it out of the filter, it IS the filter.

One of the things our hobbyist forum has to work hard on is helping beginners to understand that the manufacturers are telling them exactly the -wrong- thing (to replace media) in the hope that they will sell a lot of media. Experienced hobbyists often pride themselves in keeping their bacteria and media going for decades without total replacement.

In your filter however, it will work out ok if you just want to leave the carbon in for now. Just remember that it will become a significant percentage of your biomedia and after you are cycled, perhaps some weeks after that, say at about 4 months since tank start, you will need to begin replacing the carbon a small amount at a time with biomax or sponge or something else more durable like these. This way you can delay the decision until then.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[curlyriff]

Sorry I probably worded that wrong. I was not thinking about taking it out I ment normally the problem with the carbon is it works well but then the bacteria is there after a few days and if you want the carbon to do what it should then it will need to be replaced again very shortly before it becomes your main bacterial source. If it isn't worth keeping and I would be better with a second spong or biomax to start with. I can pick some up tomorrow for that.

Thank you for the explination. I was under the impression that I would only need to do a partial change Can you comment at all on if the water should turn cloudy from the ammonia that I have added to the water and if this will clear as the ammonia is used to create the nitrite required for the fishless cycle?

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[Katty]

I want to slow my waterfall part of the filter down as it causes bubbles to be prodcued when it pours into the tank and was thinking some kind of foam but would this cause any problems with the water cycling out etc.. It isn't too bad when turned down so could probably live with it like that just wondered.

This is what I do with my filters for that. I cut out the middle of a plastic bottle and then cut the "ring" through one side. The bottom of the bottle continues down under water a couple inches. It's taped onto the top of the filter with scotch tape. Taped this way it might interfere with the fluval lid but you could probably move the taped end down so it's taped right on the edge of the front. It'll deflect the water to the sides instead, but you could also get a paper holepunch and punch a bunch of holes so more water can go straight through instead of sideways.

 

[curlyriff]

This is what I do with my filters for that. I cut out the middle of a plastic bottle and then cut the "ring" through one side. The bottom of the bottle continues down under water a couple inches. It's taped onto the top of the filter with scotch tape. Taped this way it might interfere with the fluval lid but you could probably move the taped end down so it's taped right on the edge of the front. It'll deflect the water to the sides instead, but you could also get a paper holepunch and punch a bunch of holes so more water can go straight through instead of sideways.

Thanks Katty,

Looks interesting, I will have a play with my tank later on once I have woken up a little more. Way to early at moment. Not sure how much this design will reduce the bubbles as it seems to distill the water.

My cloudyness in the water is gone now so guess it was the initial introduction of the ammonia into the water cycle.

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[curlyriff]

Hey everonye,

Sorry to disturb you all again. I ahve asked this question the DIY/Hardware bit but unfortunatly not had any replies as of yet about the ideas.

If anyone here has an idea or could point me in the right directuionofr the information that would be appreciated.

I have been looking into installing a Rena Smart Heater so that it can attach to the inlet pipe instead of having two seperate tubes in the tank for a cleaner look. After doing some more reserch I found that that the Rena Smart is 165mm long which makes it just about the right length before I get too close to the bottom of my tank (about 2/3cm cleanance)but I am unsure on the u-bend inlet dimensions. The Rena requires a 16mm internal (I believe) inlet dimension can anyone confirm what the Fluval Edge is?

Until then I have put a Deltatherm 25watt heater in there I got cheap from my local pet shop.

On another note does anyone know if I could put the heater in the back of the HOB as I have seen this done on a few other edge tanks and they put them where the biomax or the 'U-bend' goes etc but wasn't sure if this was a good idea as (if it was where the Biomax is) all the bacteria would be here plus it is touching all the material and can't be at enough of an angle? Not sure it would fit into the other side without touching or angle again.

All of the above I didn't think you should do with a tank heater but if anyone can confirm that would be most appreciated.

Any other input would also be most appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[curlyriff]

Right. I am really confused I added 5.0ppm of ammonia to my tank on Friday and toped it up with 0.3ml on Sunday accoding to the calculater. Left it till today to test it cause I have only recieved the API master test kit today and my results were as follows.

5.0ppm Ammonia, 5.0ppm nitrite, 40ppm nitrate, 8.0PH which is consitant to my tap water. My tank conditions are. No light from bulbs (always off while I cycle). Heater on or around 28/29 degree cel. constantly. I also have a blanket over it becuase I have no blinds in this room at moment (new flat).

I have shacked and hit every bottle on the surface to make sure they are mixed proberly and repeted the test with same/similar results an hour later.

Can anyone explain this as I have no idea. I haven't seen these sorts of results before. On another point the rocks and the plastic plants came from another established tank but I would have thought that they would change the readings that much.

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[waterdrop]

Are you sure you're following all the instructions correctly? That nitrite(NO2) result doesn't make sense to me either.

And exactly what are your conditioned tap water results?

WD

 

[curlyriff]

Are you sure you're following all the instructions correctly? That nitrite(NO2) result doesn't make sense to me either.

And exactly what are your conditioned tap water results?

WD

Yeah I am deffinetly sure. I have read and re-read the API instructions and have done the test two/three times with the same results over the last 2 days.

The conditioned tap water results are the same as that with my normal tap water i.e. 0.0 ammonia present, 0.0 nitrite present and around 10ppm for Nitrate. The only difference with my conditioned water is that I am removing the Chlorine and Chloramine with Nutrafin Aqua Plus.

I leave the water to get to room temp before adding. I have only done one 25% water change to see if it made a difference but the results where almost identical.

I can't understand and if I don't see a change in the results by Friday I am just going to do a complete start from fresh as there is something wrong here.

Not sure what it can be though.

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[Katty]

Were the rocks and plants dried off before you put them in the tank? If they were dried off the bacteria would be dead and I would totally agree those results make no sense.

 

[curlyriff]

Were the rocks and plants dried off before you put them in the tank? If they were dried off the bacteria would be dead and I would totally agree those results make no sense.

The plastic plants and rocks were both washed before put in tank to make sure there was no algy etc on the and to make them clean for a fresh start but they came straight out of a tank then under fresh water and then into my tank. I just wouldn't have thought that the count even if they had some nitrite attached etc that it would be so high, its only 3 releativly small rocks which is why I would be suprised.

Thanks for the input. I think this is asking for a 90% water change and then to take a test result to see what happening in the tank.

Than I will go from there. I understand the process, I know what to do, I am following all the instructions correctly and have got a base line to know that the test kit isn't faulty so I have ran out of ideas at moment.

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[waterdrop]

Well, we're only talking a 6g/23L here, right? Associated with the water change (in fact, instead of the "water change") you could shut it down, remove the water, store the substrate and all rocks/objects in a bucket or something (a plastic storage container of some sort?) and then just start it back up as a bare tank with the same filter and heater and fresh conditioned tap water and re-charge the ammonia. Lets see what readings we get from that. WD