Setting Up A 10gallon

[tangokitty]

I never thought about that pot scrubber Idea! it sounds like it would work really well! Maybe I'll try to put one on my ceramic rings.

 

[humdiginy]

Thanks for the help

I'll have a look at the pot scrubbers next time i'm out.

 

[lilfishie]

Would 3 cherry barbs (1m/2f), and 3-5 pygmy corries be overstocking?

Nope it should be fine Also Roman do a good substrate, fine gravel and comes in a variety of colours, quite a few people on here use the black gravel in there planted tanks

 

[OldMan47]

I have to agree with WD that the carbon is not a long term answer but if costs are an immediate issue, it will work for a while until it can be replaced with something better. As far as the plastic pot scrubbers, I have 3 in my Rena canister in one of the baskets. I've never heard of a shootout but have seen the stats on surface to volume ratio. There are no manmade filter media that can come close in that area.

 

[humdiginy]

Thanks again for the help everyone

 

[waterdrop]

Oldman47,

While on this topic, I thought of two more things:

I feel we should mention one of the standard warnings to beginners about how any household cleaning thing you buy with the intent to use in your aquarium should be carefully studied/inspected to be sure the manufacturer hasn't "helpfully" added soap or anti-bacterials to it!! Plastic potscrubbers would fall into this area. Be SURE the potscrubber doesn't have anything added of this sort (you might even have to do a tentative taste test!)

Secondly, thinking about the potscrubbers gets me thinking about all the myriad types and styles of these plastic stranded and open-pored rough spongy things and potscrubbers. To "plastics designers/manufacturers" have a vocabulary to describe these different things? Do any of us have a way to categorize these different materials?

Seems to me they can vary tremendously in detail. Some stranded things have round strands, some have sharp, rough strands. Some are more structured and like a sponge. Some are more loose and the strands can be all pulled apart as they are used (in a real potscrubbing situation.) Not to say that bacteria won't grow on virtually anything (well almost..) but do members have any thoughts on better/worse material? Not a topic we can get very far with, I'm afraid...

~~waterdrop~~

 

[humdiginy]

I had two more quick questions.

Does anyone have a reccomendation for a good gravel vaccum/cleaner? I have one for my 55 gallon but I think the siphon may be too big for the small tank.

Also, I was looking on the internet for pea gravel, and found lowes had some. I was wondering if this would be safe to use in the aquarium, or if I had to buy some specifically for that?

Heres the link http/www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=prod...&lpage=none