Xen0n
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Hello,
I just started the fishless cycle on a new 65 gallon tank. Just added my 4ppm ammonia moments ago, and i'm super stoked. Of course I rushed to AA and surfed around Google and i've been reading about different suggestions which left me wondering a few things. So here we go...
1. I am seeing that for the safety of the tank it's highly recommended to use 2 filters. Right now i'm running a Fluval/AquaClear 110 HOB on a 65 gallon tank. Mostly for the cost, i'd probably have to hold off on getting a 2nd one for about a month, which i'm expecting my cycle to be done or close to done. Is it ok to just add a 2nd filter into a cycled and stocked tank or should I wait to cycle after the 2nd filter is purchased?
2. I've read a lot of things about not using carbon packs in your filter and not replacing them each month. I understood that the "goodies" needed to keep my cycled tank going strong and fish healthy, is in the filter. So that replacing this each month i'm pretty much throwing away things that are essential to the health of my tank. What am I supposed to use as the AquaClear 110 uses a foam insert, carbon pack filter, and biomax insert? I don't understand is the carbon bad or is it replacing it each month that is not recommended?
3. I found a cheap TopFin digital thermometer but don't really know much about them. I'm using the digital thermometer now but I just get a feelings it's cheap and possibly not accurate. Are these reliable or should I just get a regular suction cup or floating glass thermometer? I'd like to make sure I don't hurt my fish and have accurate temperature readings.
4. Is there a such thing as too much bubbles? The deal in me getting the tank and supplies was my wife and daughter got to decorate it. Of course our freshwater tank looks like a very artificial salt water setup, but that was the deal LOL... anyway, the decor they selected is a big coral looking thingy that has a built in bubble wand, a smaller one with a bubble stone in it, and a bubble stone turtle... so I have 3 bubble sources going and I just want to make sure it's not overkill for the health of the tank or fish (when they are stocked).
Sorry for all these newbie questions, but I see the support here is fantastic and i'm sure i'll have some very knowledgable responses to help us in our new aquarium project
I just started the fishless cycle on a new 65 gallon tank. Just added my 4ppm ammonia moments ago, and i'm super stoked. Of course I rushed to AA and surfed around Google and i've been reading about different suggestions which left me wondering a few things. So here we go...
1. I am seeing that for the safety of the tank it's highly recommended to use 2 filters. Right now i'm running a Fluval/AquaClear 110 HOB on a 65 gallon tank. Mostly for the cost, i'd probably have to hold off on getting a 2nd one for about a month, which i'm expecting my cycle to be done or close to done. Is it ok to just add a 2nd filter into a cycled and stocked tank or should I wait to cycle after the 2nd filter is purchased?
2. I've read a lot of things about not using carbon packs in your filter and not replacing them each month. I understood that the "goodies" needed to keep my cycled tank going strong and fish healthy, is in the filter. So that replacing this each month i'm pretty much throwing away things that are essential to the health of my tank. What am I supposed to use as the AquaClear 110 uses a foam insert, carbon pack filter, and biomax insert? I don't understand is the carbon bad or is it replacing it each month that is not recommended?
3. I found a cheap TopFin digital thermometer but don't really know much about them. I'm using the digital thermometer now but I just get a feelings it's cheap and possibly not accurate. Are these reliable or should I just get a regular suction cup or floating glass thermometer? I'd like to make sure I don't hurt my fish and have accurate temperature readings.
4. Is there a such thing as too much bubbles? The deal in me getting the tank and supplies was my wife and daughter got to decorate it. Of course our freshwater tank looks like a very artificial salt water setup, but that was the deal LOL... anyway, the decor they selected is a big coral looking thingy that has a built in bubble wand, a smaller one with a bubble stone in it, and a bubble stone turtle... so I have 3 bubble sources going and I just want to make sure it's not overkill for the health of the tank or fish (when they are stocked).
Sorry for all these newbie questions, but I see the support here is fantastic and i'm sure i'll have some very knowledgable responses to help us in our new aquarium project