Starting over

[The-Raven]

I have a 10 gallon tank, right now there are only 3 GW Killies, 1 albino cory, and 1 serpae tetra - who will soon join his fallen comrades if he doesn't stop swimming into the bubble jets.

Anyway, I'm planning on upgrading to a 29 gallon tank and starting off just right. Walmart sells a 'starter' kit with a filter, thermometer, headlight, etc. Basically everything but substrate. I bought the same thing with my 10gallon.

I've found however that the filter that they sell constantly sucks live fish onto it, and they soon die. So I'm planning on just getting the undergravel filter - but this has carbon cartridges - something I have no experience whatsoever with. Could someone give me a crash course?





I'm going to return my 10gal kit (to help pay for my upgrade). And put my killies and the cory in the 29 as soon as I have it set up. I won't buy any new fish until the killies and the cory have broken it in with the oh-so-mentioned 'cycle'.

I plan on keeping the same substrate, a mix of blue and green fake walmart gravel mixed with some glass beads. The fish don't seem to mind it, and with an undergravel filtration system, this just seems like the logical choice.

I also plan on keeping my beautiful fake plants/rocks. Once I have a little more time and money, I might consider going all natural, but for now...


Anyway, is there anything I should keep in mind or do special before I start throwing my fish in? I'm going to do this tonight, so speedy replies are best

I do have water conditioner, ph balancer, etc etc etc. I'm new but I'm not that new.

 

[jrd77]

I don't have exprience with underground filters but I do have a couple of other little things. Since there is space or a hole at the top of the tank for an external filter, why not get something with a biowheel such as a small pengiun filter or something...But again, I know nothing about underground filters...

Because you will be cycling with fish I would be prepared to change the water very frequently to keep ammonia levels down. The only thing I would add to the water you are putting in the tank is a chlorine remover such as AmQuel or Prime or something...ph chemicals shouldn't really be needed and the tank should be able to sort it out itself. If later you do fins pH was a hard time maintaining itself a non-phosphate buffer might do the trick...

Good luck and congrats on the new tank!