Vol4Ever
Aquarium Advice Activist
Newb here. I bought one of the "all-in-one" 10 gallon kits from Wal Mart (before I found this site, and before I found a good lfs!) Actually, it turns out that it was a pretty good deal for the basics, but I've transitioned to the specialty store for ongoing support. My tank is just now being cycled for the first time, so I don't even have any fish yet. I'm following eco's cycling guide that's over in the beginner's forum.
Now my question. The kit came with an Aqua Tech 5-15 that actually does really well. It is quiet, and seems to offer really good flow rate. Browsing the forums, I've found many people are anti-carbon, as is the lfs. The salesman told me the carbon is good, but will start giving off the bad stuff once it is loaded up, and you really have no way of knowing. He recommended the Purigen product, and I'm planning to try it post-cycling. Problem is that I don't see any way to implement it with the way the Aqua Tech is set up. Been looking at the Aqua Clear and Fluval models at the lfs. Would I be better off ditching the cheapo, and buying a new filter setup, or am I worrying too much since this is just a basic 10 gallon freshwater tank? Would love to hear some comments. From a pure eye candy perspective, I liked the Fluval. The Aqua Tech is just plain black plastic which sucks since you have to take the cartridges out to determine their condition.
Now my question. The kit came with an Aqua Tech 5-15 that actually does really well. It is quiet, and seems to offer really good flow rate. Browsing the forums, I've found many people are anti-carbon, as is the lfs. The salesman told me the carbon is good, but will start giving off the bad stuff once it is loaded up, and you really have no way of knowing. He recommended the Purigen product, and I'm planning to try it post-cycling. Problem is that I don't see any way to implement it with the way the Aqua Tech is set up. Been looking at the Aqua Clear and Fluval models at the lfs. Would I be better off ditching the cheapo, and buying a new filter setup, or am I worrying too much since this is just a basic 10 gallon freshwater tank? Would love to hear some comments. From a pure eye candy perspective, I liked the Fluval. The Aqua Tech is just plain black plastic which sucks since you have to take the cartridges out to determine their condition.