Used Fluval 405 Filter.

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Svenix

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Messages
68
Location
Canada
So after a whole day of hassle trying to get the filter, I finally got it at 9pm tonight! The guy thought I
was buying his whole aquarium system even though I thought I was very clear that I only wanted the filter
for $60. He gave it to me for $70 which I didn't think was too bad!
It is 10 months old and honestly didn't look like it had been cleaned at all in those 10 months.
The sponges were completely black along with all the other medias (no clue what they are).
It was quite hard to get the top off it, and when I did, the thing was filled with snails, poop, and BABY
FISH! There are probably over 100 little tiny fish. Left in the canister there are
over 10 (they didn't want to come out). I don't know what type of fish they are, but they have sucker
mouths. The thing is, my 50 gallon isn't cycled yet so I'm not sure if they will survive in there..

Filter Medias after I've *mostly* cleaned them:
2iw4wo8.jpg
35lupef.jpg

25jz0jl.jpg


nczdx5.jpg
2my6d.jpg


I'm considering buying new media since the sponges still look really dirty, I have no idea what the sacs
in the fourth picture are but I think I'm definitely thowing them away.
Do the sponges and other medias look like they can be used?
Right now the fish are in buckets and in the empty canister but I think I'll leave them in there until
tomorrow. The majority of them are in a bucket that has a lot of black sludge in the bottom so I fear it
will be really difficult to remove them from there.
What exactly should I do about the fish?

Here is a picture of them in the canister:
357lk0n.jpg

Any other advice or comments or anything will be appreciated.
Sorry for all the writing, but I'm sure I'll have more questions:thanks:
 
The sacs look like bags for carbon. Is the 50g your only tank? It can be done you'll just have to monitor the water parameters closely. If you could set up a bare bottom 10g with a sponge filter and heater that would be better for them.
 
So garbge for sure? :lol:
I have the 50g thats not cycled, and a 10g that is cycled with a various snails in there. The snails don't really do well with fish though and I don't have anymore room to set up another tank unfortunetly. I do have a 5.5 gallon tank that has a whole bunch of pond snails that I've been taking out of my other two tanks, all it has is water and a thermometer though. I could probably clean it out and buy a filter and heater but I don't have time to do that today so the fish would be in buckets until tomorrow at the ealiest.
 
I wouldn't put fry in the tank with the pond snails. Pond snails will eat anything that's small and slow enough. They would probably be fine in the empty 5.5, at least as well or better than the bucket, until you get a filter and heater for it if that's something you want to do. You can put them in 50 as well just make sure the intake for the filter you are using is covered. I think the 5.5 would be easier to manage for them.
 
The pond snails are IN the 5.5 gallon. I actually found some time to go out but I couldn't find another sponge filter. Will the survive in the 50g? Can I cover the intake with some poly fill? Or is there something else you're supposed to cover it with?
 
Okay, so just to be clear there are literally around 100 of these little babies. I was thinking about it and It seems like the 5.5 would be really crowded for them.
Here is what my 50g looks like:
2j61b1y.jpg

I am going to look for a intake cover or I'll improvise with some poly fill.
 
The only living things in that tank are the plants, and 3 ramshorn snails.
 
Ok, great.

Sooo whats the best way to get them out of the buckets? The bottom has about 1.5 inches of sludge on the bottom.
 
Hmm, maybe dump the bucket into a colander, like the kind youd use to drain pasta. Dump tank water on the sludge so it washes away. It can be tough moving plecos around, there may be an easier way.
 
I dumped them through a fine sifter, and it only took me about an hour and a half to get them all out haha. To my surprise there were only 4 dead ones.
Here are just a portion of the fish:
vfyw4i.jpg


Thank you for your help jetajockey!
 
I just have one more question for now. Is there a way to determine if they are bristlenose or common plecos?
 
Well the best way would be to ask the seller what he had in the tank. I've not bred anything other than bristlenose so I don't know how easy they'd be. Otherwise maybe just wait and get a clear pic as they get bigger.
 
Back to one of my original questions..
Will the filter sponges still be good to use? Or should I buy new ones? Can I use quilt batting as an alternative to the sponges?
 
I have saltwater tanks, one of them use a Marineland canister filter. Yes, after soaking them in some of your tank water they should definitely be reusable, they always lose color over time. The stuff in the fine mesh bags, looks like carbon, specifically Chemi Pure. I would toss it, if its 10 months old as you suspect the Chemi Pure is useless. How many chambers does the filter have?
 
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