Tetra starter line 54 filter?

[BettaMan2000]

is the filter on this supposed to be so quiet, I’m cycling the tank can see water coming out from the top, but it seems very quiet, is this normal or have I set it up wrong?

 

[Essjay]

Most complaints are about noisy filters

According to google, the filter in that tank is a Tetra EasyCrystal Filterbox 250. The instructions say that the outflow should be just above the water line so you should be able to see if it is working - and you do say that you can see water coming out of it so it must be working. Place your ear against the tank wall and see if you can hear a humming sound.

The instructions also say that they have a carbon cartridge as well as sponge (foam) and bioballs. You don't need to run carbon, if this was my tank I would replace the cartridge with filter wool.



Just to check - when you say you are cycling the tank, have you added any ammonia yet?

 

[BettaMan2000]

Hi Essjay,

The filters a Tetra 300, I can hear a hum and can see the water coming out, but it’s still pretty quiet, I’m hoping they’re like this!

I’m going to do the ammonia tomorrow, I’m thinking using tetra aqua start.

Appreciate the response

 

[Essjay]

The 300 is just a more powerful version of the 250, it works the same way.


The Safe Start should be OK as that brand is one of the few good ones. But it may not work if it has ever been stored incorrectly between the factory and your tank. Hopefully it will not have been stored incorrectly and will soon have your tank cycled.

 

[BettaMan2000]

Thanks again!

 

[NewFishPerson]

Quiet filter is a great problem to have My filter is very quiet also, barely perceptible unless I place my head right next to it so nothing to worry about at all.

I've recently used Tetra Safe Start and it seems to have worked well for me. A little tip is when you buy it is to take a look on the bottom of the bottle; make sure you're getting a bottle that is relatively new and not expired! Mine had an expiry date of somewhen in 2018 when I got hold of it, others on the shelf had only a month or two left.

 

[BettaMan2000]

Thanks!

 

[BettaMan2000]

How soon after using tetra safe start am I supposed to put fish in the tank?

 

[Essjay]

I wouldn't get fish yet, not until you have added ammonia and followed the method in the How To Tips at the top of the page. You ned to make sure there are enough bacteria to support the fish and that is the best way.

Or put a lot of live plants in the tank, wait till they are growing well, then add the Safe Start and a few fish; not a lot of fish at once just in case the Safe Start doesn't work.

 

[BettaMan2000]

For some reason tetra have stated on the packaging to add the fish straight after using safe start, why is this?

Additionally when I had a gold fish tank many many years ago I remember (barely) I had to clean out the gravel every fortnight, is this the same for a tropical tank?

 

[Essjay]

Tetra, like so many other companies/shops, do not believe in fishless cycling. After all, they want to sell you their product and unless you think that it will make it safe for fish instantly, you won't buy it. If you stock the tank very slowly, a few fish at a time, you might get away with it - if the Safe Start is in good condition. The only way to prove it is to add ammonia to substitute for fish and see if the tank can clear a 3 ppm dose in 24 hours.
Do you intend having live plants from the start? If you do, it makes it easier as plants use the ammonia made by the fish as fertiliser. But you do have to make sure the plants are doing well before getting fish as the last thing you want is to get plants, get fish and then find the plants have died. And with this method, you will need to get just a few fish at first and add more a few at a time over a dew weeks, testing regularly to make sure that no ammonia or nitrite shows up. If you do this method, you should add Safe Start when yuo get the fist small batch of fish.

You will need to do a water change of about 50% every week. If you don't have live plants, or you have only a few, you need to clean the gravel at the same time, avoiding the roots of any plants you have. This is one advantage of sand, you can see where the muck is as it sits on top of the sand. The downside is that the muck sits on top of the sand and you can see it

 

[BettaMan2000]

Ah ok I hadn’t thought about plants tbh!

I’d want the tank to be as low maintenance as possible and I’ve got a young child that might just murder me if I don’t get some fish in that tank ASAP, but obviously when it’s safe for the fish!

I’ll get the safe start in there ASAP, then wait a couple of days before I get some fish in, I’ll get a 6in1 test kit too!

Thanks for that!

 

[Essjay]

You would be better getting a liquid test kit rather than 6 in 1 strips.
It is generally reckoned that liquid testers are more accurate, and strips don't include an ammonia test - and you need an ammonia test.

You need to be able to test for both ammonia and nitrite from the moment you get fish. pH is useful, as is nitrate but they are not as important as ammonia and nitrite testers.
If the Safe Start works, good. If it doesn't ammonia will start to rise, and then a week or two later, nitrite will start to appear. You need to know if there is either or both in the water so you can do water changes to remove them.

 

[BettaMan2000]

Noted!