Fishkeeper88
Aquarium Advice FINatic
when i started
when i started in this hobby i was using a walmart hang on back filter that was not efficiant i was using 2 filter cartiges a month. i also had only gravel in my aquarium and fake plants.
then i started researching and bought some plantable substrait and mixed it with my gravel. i also bought a better filter an aquaclear hang on back filter. i was still changing cartriges every month. i was having trouble with fish waste collecting in the bottom of the aquarium. i also introduced live plants. i was gravel vaccuming all the time. i had the stock light fixture and it was considered to be low light.
so finally two and a half years later. i have a beautiful system. i have a high out put light. i also use good substrait. i use a canister filter and a circulation fan. i only have to change my filter every three months. i only gravel vaccum about every 5-6 months. my plants grow at a rate of new leaves every week. the only thing i have to do daily is feed the fish. i still do partial water changes weekly.
here are pictures of my tank changing over the past few years.
notice the filtration problems in the first two photos. i had issues with keeping the filters functioning. they would cause bacteria blooms and water quality issues. i also was changing my filers every two weeks at some point. it is a 36 gallon bow front and i was using filter systems rated for much bigger aquariums. the first filter i was using which was from walmart was rated for a 55 gallon and it always caused issues. the aquaclear worked better and it was rated for a 70 gallon aquarium. now i use a canister filter a fluval 305 and my water is crystal clear and never has issues.
when i started in this hobby i was using a walmart hang on back filter that was not efficiant i was using 2 filter cartiges a month. i also had only gravel in my aquarium and fake plants.
then i started researching and bought some plantable substrait and mixed it with my gravel. i also bought a better filter an aquaclear hang on back filter. i was still changing cartriges every month. i was having trouble with fish waste collecting in the bottom of the aquarium. i also introduced live plants. i was gravel vaccuming all the time. i had the stock light fixture and it was considered to be low light.
so finally two and a half years later. i have a beautiful system. i have a high out put light. i also use good substrait. i use a canister filter and a circulation fan. i only have to change my filter every three months. i only gravel vaccum about every 5-6 months. my plants grow at a rate of new leaves every week. the only thing i have to do daily is feed the fish. i still do partial water changes weekly.
here are pictures of my tank changing over the past few years.
notice the filtration problems in the first two photos. i had issues with keeping the filters functioning. they would cause bacteria blooms and water quality issues. i also was changing my filers every two weeks at some point. it is a 36 gallon bow front and i was using filter systems rated for much bigger aquariums. the first filter i was using which was from walmart was rated for a 55 gallon and it always caused issues. the aquaclear worked better and it was rated for a 70 gallon aquarium. now i use a canister filter a fluval 305 and my water is crystal clear and never has issues.
