sponge filter and bio media

[cyris69]

So I setup my rcs tank last night using cycled tank water and also added my first sponge filter. My question is can I add media to the uplift tube?


I took some ceramic beads that are in one of my filters that has bio on it and dropped around 10 in my uplift tube. Since it's anaerobic bacteria wouldn't it benefit from the aeration and water movement or am I just impeding the water flow?

I honesty can't tell if the filter is doing anything or not since I have never used a sponge filter before. It's a hydro II with a whisper 20 air pump, is that sufficient for a 10 gallon shrimp tank? Should I have gotten a bigger air pump and will those bio beads benefit as well as keep bacteria since you have to clean the filter often?

 

[hpiguy]

You really don't need to drop more bio media into the uptake. And it can mess with the flow of air drawing water through. If a few fall down in odd angles it could really cut off the flow.

The sponge will be all the filter you'll need, especially for a shrimp tank.

To clean the filter, you drain a bit of tank water into a bucket , put the sponge in it and squeeze the filter a half dozen times or so, then replace it. This gets rid of most of the solids and leaves the bio pretty intact.

Your shrimp will be all over the sponge eating quite often.

 

[hpiguy]

Oh, and that sponge and air pump will do just fine. Get a small cheap air valve and you can adjust the flow of air. I use cheapo Walmart brand dual outlet pumps on mine and they work great, so your Whisper 20 will be good.

If you have a good stream of bubbles coming out of the top, it's working.

 

[cyris69]

Awesome thanks for your reply!

Do I need an air stone in the filter? I've gotten mixed reviews of doing so, some say you want large bubbles. Some others say use the air stone for faster bubbles.

I took it out since I don't mind the noise. I'll remove those bio beads. Just wanted to jump start the bio in the tank since it's not cycled but used cycled water if that matters.

 

[hpiguy]

You can use the filter just as it came. The big bubbles will create a good amount of current and surface disturbance which is great for gas exchange.

If you notice that the flow is creating too much of a current in the tank, just turn down the air a bit.

If you have it in a ten and that uptake tube is too close to the surface and making a lot of noise, you can cut it down a bit.

 

[cyris69]

Awesome, bio beads are removed and I can now see it sucking in particulates.

I'm new to shrimp and not sure if you can answer this. I know rcs are very active shrimp and if their still it's a sign of an issue. They are all very active but do they go dormant like fish do when the lights are out? That's what mine are doing so just wanting to make sure.

 

[hpiguy]

I'm not sure on the shrimp issue.

There is an excellent sub-forum on here about freshwater inverts, they have a ton of threads to read through on cherry shrimp and I'm positive some of the hardcore shrimpers could answer that.

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Aerobic bacteria (bb) uses oxygen. Anaerobic bacteria grows in pockets that does not contain oxygen. I'm not correcting you. Just thought you'd like to know

 

[cyris69]

None taken thanks for clarifying