A couple of Questions..

[Thumper828]

*************************
My 330 GPH Aqua-Tech with two filtration outlets/chambers allows 8 levels of filtration as follow looking towards the drrty water front (towards the wall) to to the backside side closest to the back of the tank:
8
Before explaining how my setup is, this is how it comes from the "factory.":

Water first enters into an empty dirty water chambers 1X13 inches. No filter media.

Water is then "split" into two out-take chambers each obviously pushing 165 GPH through whatever media is there.

The media on each of the two sides from the factory is:

1) Replacement cartridge filter and carbon cartridge (the super expensive ones that are a joke). Factory instruction say replace every two to four weeks. What they don't tell you is how much beneficial bacteria is destroyed. These should be replaced with some kind of media that can be squeezed out over and over again used aquarium water). Further, the activated carbon is worthless after the first month.

2) BIO-Fiber which instructions correctly state should never be changed but rinsed (only in used aquarium water) as needed.

So here is my setup with the same filter flowing at about 280 GPH due to restrictions of extra media:

Left side:

1) In the dirty water chamber a cut to size Acurel Nitrate reducing pad
2) A replacement pad (holder) ripped open with an aquatic life 100 micron filter pad

Amazon.com: Aquatic Life Media Non-Woven White Pad for Aquarium Filter, 100-Micron: Pet Supplies

and a 100ml bag of Seachem Purigen

3) The original OEM BIO-Fiber which the instructions say correctly should never be replaced but only rinsed (in used aquarium water.

Right side:

1) In the dirty water chamber: A brand new carbon bag from my C3 that I never should have ordered together with a biobag of Seachem Matrix getting ready to replace the OEM Bio-fiber.

2) !00 micron filter pad

3) Original OEM BIO-Fiber........ soon to be replaced by Seachem Matrix when the shipment of Matrix & biobags finally gets here from Amazon delayed shipping.

wo separate chambers in the

Looking from the front of the aquarium:

Left side:

That sounds like an awesome set up. Whers the best place to aquire that stuff...Amazon? I also researched the purigen, I think by the reviews it would be a good investment. How long have you been using it?

 

[Paul1792]

Please do not curse and real plants ate wry nice if you have the right lighting which costs like 200$ to 50$ depending on if you want to do high or low light

Are you serious ???????????????

Cursing ???????????????????

go over to toyotanation.com

and try following the instructions for putting a new set of spark plugs in a 2GR-FE V6.



They have a WTF button. And what do you think of this language:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...91745-oil-change-08-camry-v6.html#post5568073

What does ate wry mean, anyway ????

 

[Fishdude3233]

You can get banned for cursing

 

[Fishdude3233]

And ate wry was stupid auto correct

 

[Paul1792]

Purigen first purchased 8-21-13

That sounds like an awesome set up. Whers the best place to aquire that stuff...Amazon? I also researched the purigen, I think by the reviews it would be a good investment. How long have you been using it?

*********************
Petco & Petsmart in my area have lousy selection of filter media products. Petland prices are horrible for the API water test kits & filters ..... but filter media products are not so bad ... so I bought Purigen, Aquatic Life 100 micron non-woven filter pad, acurel filter fiber (floss), and acurel nitrate reducing pad there. I installed all but the filter fiber (floss) on August 21. [Petsmart was out of HBH Aqua-Pure "cut to fit" filter media ..... but I imagine the Marineland stuff Old Scales has in his picture album would work just fine.] I've got more Purigen & Matrix coming in my amazon shipment that arrives today.

For laughs, go here to my post #4 on Aug 15th:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/wc-every-few-weeks-274471.html

then see how I "got religion" about beneficial bacteria, lower nitrates, and water polishing about a week later. I realized I had learned only about "kindergarten level" of aquariums in my first 37 years of my hobby. Thank goodness for this forum ....... or I'd still be there.

I had the pre-filter to my Fluval C3 for my "fish in" cycling 29 gallon tank which I just took out and put on the intake tube of the C3. I just stuffed some of the filter fiber (floss) in the "dirty water" section of the aqua-tech where the C3 foam pre-filter was aquiring bb.

The 29 gallon finished cycling yesterday (day 8, fish in (minnows) cyclnig, seeded filter . Both tanks are zero on ammonia and nitrites and under 5ppm nitrates. This makes sense since I have been dumping water from the 38 gallon water changes into the 29 gallon. The 29 gallon is clear ..... but not yet crystal clear ..... let alone polished like the 38 gallon.

Now with my "8 stages" of filtering and beneficial bacteria breeding nedia in my aqua-tech ..... I am hoping to keep water changes 20-25% twice a month keeping nitrates under 20-30 ppm. Time will tell if that works.

If I didn't have to pay $1 per gallon for bottled spring water and had the same high quality tap water I did when I lived in Kansas, I wouldn't even test my aquarium water .. I'd just do 25% weekly water changes similar to what most people on this forum do. [My tap comes from Midway Water System and there is only one pet store that carries fish served by them ..... and their tanks look like they have a 20% solution of skim milk in them.]

 

[horsedogfish]

I made a spreadsheet with water requirements (pH, temp, hardness, etc) at the top of the first several columns. Then how many you have to buy (are they happy as onesies? Do they need to be the only one of their kind--like bettas? Do they need to love in shoals of 6-10+ ?). Then personality--aggressive, peaceful, etc. Then specific tank needs--size, heavily planted? Lots of swimming room? Lots of hiding places? Then kind of food the fish needs. Price range. Length of life. (There's one fish that only lives one year or less and costs as fortune. I deleted that fish from the list.)

You get the idea. Each row was devoted to one fish. Then as I selected fish I thought I wanted, I noticed what other fish have the same requirements, and whether they would be compatible.

There are lots of books and sites that give the specifics on each kind of fish, and they rarely agree, and fish are pretty adaptable in many regards.

Good luck!

 

[Paul1792]

This helps too

I made a spreadsheet with water requirements (pH, temp, hardness, etc) at the top of the first several columns. Then how many you have to buy (are they happy as onesies? Do they need to be the only one of their kind--like bettas? Do they need to love in shoals of 6-10+ ?). Then personality--aggressive, peaceful, etc. Then specific tank needs--size, heavily planted? Lots of swimming room? Lots of hiding places? Then kind of food the fish needs. Price range. Length of life. (There's one fish that only lives one year or less and costs as fortune. I deleted that fish from the list.)

You get the idea. Each row was devoted to one fish. Then as I selected fish I thought I wanted, I noticed what other fish have the same requirements, and whether they would be compatible.

There are lots of books and sites that give the specifics on each kind of fish, and they rarely agree, and fish are pretty adaptable in many regards.

Good luck!

Go here:

Freshwater & Brackish Compatibility Chart

I just copied and pasted it, enlarged it by 10% and printed out. Great thing to take with you to the fish store ..... other than an internet advice that let[s you do aqadvisor.com realtime !!!!!!!

 

[Thumper828]

Go here:

Freshwater & Brackish Compatibility Chart

I just copied and pasted it, enlarged it by 10% and printed out. Great thing to take with you to the fish store ..... other than an internet advice that let[s you do aqadvisor.com realtime !!!!!!!

Thanks man!! Cool link!!

 

[Cactuspixie]

Go here:

Freshwater & Brackish Compatibility Chart

I just copied and pasted it, enlarged it by 10% and printed out. Great thing to take with you to the fish store ..... other than an internet advice that let[s you do aqadvisor.com realtime !!!!!!!

They made a strange call on the sucker mouth catfish, saying its compatible with goldfish. They are generally advised against.