New External Filter

[so-fishy!]

Having a bad week!!! First my Juwel internal filter packs up (sucked up sand I believe) and now my Hydro air oxygenator has stopped producing bubbles too! Then last night I got outbid on ebay for an external filter!!!

So today im going to have to put one on my credit card! Thinking of getting an Aqua one, can use for a tank upto 200 litres. (mine is 120litres). Well my main question is if I get it today can I just attach it and let it work? Or will I have to add any bacteria to the filter or something? I have never used one before ...sorry

Also is there a chance of my sand getting sucked into my external?

 

[mantis147]

It wont suck the sand up, just make sure its at least 1 inch of the sand bed. If i was you i would get a Ehiem External i paid £50.00 for the ecco 2232.

 

[so-fishy!]

Thanks!!!
Just ordered a eheim ecco 2233 (upto 200litres) from www.aquriumsuperstore.co.uk. Should be with me tomorrow! Woooohoooo happy fishys!

 

[BigIan]

keep the inlet wel above the sand, mines something like 6 inches higher than the substrate, your filter will need to mature and cycle, have you got any filter working in that tank at the moment?

 

[so-fishy!]

I had a spare powerhead for my juwel internal filter, but its still not right. Have also placed my spare Fluvel filter at the other end of the tank as a back up and I am doing 10% water changes daily. Will I have to leave this set up going while I mature the filter? Or can I add something "cycle" or something to speed things up? I only have this tank at the moment, because I have had to re-cycle my hospital tank after my cat emptied it!!!