Agitator ? What ??

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Mysticalkitten

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Oct 7, 2017
Messages
59
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near palm springs
I have a 55 gallon tank that came with a filter that hangs on the back with two filter pads that you change. It came with the tank as a kit. I'm looking into getting a canister filter this week to add but my problem is all the crap that is in the gravel.when I clean the tank I'm gravel vaccing like crazy and I even do a in between change too.
Some one said I need a agitator what is that and what does it do. I'm so new to all this and here I thought I would get a tank put my three gold fish and white lobster/crayfish in a bigger tank and that's it but now I'm getting all these filters and things to keep the healthy. Wow it's kind blowing:banghead:
 
Your Tank

I have a 55 gallon tank that came with a filter that hangs on the back with two filter pads that you change. It came with the tank as a kit. I'm looking into getting a canister filter this week to add but my problem is all the crap that is in the gravel.when I clean the tank I'm gravel vaccing like crazy and I even do a in between change too.
Some one said I need a agitator what is that and what does it do. I'm so new to all this and here I thought I would get a tank put my three gold fish and white lobster/crayfish in a bigger tank and that's it but now I'm getting all these filters and things to keep the healthy. Wow it's kind blowing:banghead:

Hello My...

You're talking about a powerhead. They work on the surface to agitate the surface of the water. They're used to mix oxygen into the tank water. Filtration devices like your HOB filter, do the same job. I'm curious. You say you're new to the hobby, but you're investing in a complicated filter system with a canister. The HOB is much easier to maintain and will work as well as the canister provided yoo keep the tank water clean with large, weekly water changes.

B
 
This is my first really big tank. I've Thad these fish in a ten gallon. I can see there much happier and seem to be growing bigger now. And because I have this tank in the main room were every on spends time as well as I do I want the tank to look nice. I have been doingnevery two week touch up vac the gravel to keep it looking better omg who new gold fish poop that much lol..and haveing black gravel helps to hide that. And every month I change out the filter pads and new ones with carbon and do a water change. Is this too much? The water when tested has been good. Fish are in very good health.
 
Your Tank

This is my first really big tank. I've Thad these fish in a ten gallon. I can see there much happier and seem to be growing bigger now. And because I have this tank in the main room were every on spends time as well as I do I want the tank to look nice. I have been doingnevery two week touch up vac the gravel to keep it looking better omg who new gold fish poop that much lol..and haveing black gravel helps to hide that. And every month I change out the filter pads and new ones with carbon and do a water change. Is this too much? The water when tested has been good. Fish are in very good health.

My...

If you perform a simple thing like removing and replacing most of the tank water every week, you won't need a substantial filter system. A medium sized HOB with a gallon per hour (gph) rating of roughly 300 is plenty, because it's just moving tank water that's already clean because of the all the water you're changing.

As long as you clean the filter when you change the water, and are careful how much you feed them, your fish will be guaranteed a healthy environment.

Have fun!

B
 
B
Thanks guess I'm doing ok, the guy were I bought my fish and supplies just keeps telling me the filter I have is not enough and I need an underground one as well as the canister or I'll be cleaning the tank all the time. So far all's good water is too and there's no death. I'll keep what I have. Thanks for the info.
 
Ok, you shouldn't be changing out the filter pads at all, just rinsing them out with old tank water when you do a water change, otherwise you'll keep crashing your tank. Two, I'd suggest doing at least 50% water changes every week, and gravel vac when you change the water. Goldfish are dirty, so the more filtration the better, you could do both filters easily. A powerhead would be good for any 'dead' spots in the water, these spots have very little flow and crap will often build up in them.
 
Even when the filters are black and dirty you think I should just since them? They still have the bio card thing with holes and a sponge I don't touch that when the filter pads are behind all that. Ok good to know I've been doing more than 50% of changing the water and a complete water change were I put the fish in there fish bucket when I vac the whole tank and move rocks and plants to really clean the gravel. No luck with live plants found out the hard way my white lobster/crayfish destroyed all the plants and ate them.
 
all a under gravel filter is going to do is pull the crud deeper to bottom IMO .

first tell us a little about your tank
how old is your tank
what kind of stock
feeding regimen how often you feed and how much
planted/not planted
how often do you do water changes how big
what kind of readings are you getting when testing

help us help you get the right answers

1.) we don't know what type of stock you have Large fish or small fish
2.) we don't know what type of foods you feed (flake , pellets , frozen , ect ) all foods produce different types of waist
 
Ok, first you don't need to overly stress your fish by removing them every time you clean your tank ,
lobsters and cray fish are big waist machines that right there answered part of your question
now this is the big part how often do you feed them and how much and what ?
lobsters and cray fish can get by with 1 feeding every other week this also depends on what your feeding them , pellets feed them 1 pellet till its gone and so on just don't over feed 10 pellets max this type of feeding every 4 days , or 1 meaty meal every other week.

remember they are scavengers and find all that lost food that your fish don't eat
getting on a proper feeding regimen will help with all that excess waist your dealing with. same goes for your fish feed only what they can consume in 2 minutes . only feed 2 or 3 times a week , you should notice a big difference but it's not all going to disappear , remember you have those big waist machines on the bottom of your tank .

you are killing yourself and stressing out your fish way to often with the once a week cleaning, vac 1x a month or every other month . now if you planted your tank that would help consume the nutrients and waste and the plants will thrive .

the only way your going to keep your bottom 100% clean is to go with a glass bottom
 
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Goldfish need to be fed small meals throughout the day, not every couple of days. You just don't want to over feed. And there is no reason to take them out of the tank, or rip the tank apart very often. Weekly water changes with vacuming are going to be better for water quality than huge water changes less often, otherwise you are going to have massive swings in water quality, which won't be good for the fish.

You will never be rid of all dirt, that's just a fact. I have one bristlenose plec and endless amounts of poop on the bottom by the end of the week. Keep your water stable at safe levels and don't sweat the small poop.
 
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