Filter-Aid, AmQuel+, Net cleaner -- anyone tried it?

[BettaLisa]

Just searching the PetSmart website & wondered if anyone has tried this product & the results. Would I be wasting my $$$?

"Filter Aid Filtration Enhancer by Aquarium Products
Add to any power filter to polish water. Forms a membrane within the filter that traps and removes algae, parasites and bottom sediment."

Also, I am currently using AquaPlus, salt and StressZyme on a new tank, I want to add AmQuel Plus, but is this just repeating what the other products do?

Last thing-- what product do you suggest for cleaning/disinfecting a net? I suspect I spread illness among my fish by not disinfecting the net after use.

(10g w/BioWheel Mini Penguin filter)

[An t-iasg]

Hi Lisa and welcome to Aquarium Advice! I have a betta too!

I never heard of Filter Aid or Aqua Plus. Some people do use aquarium salt in freshwater aquariums, and some don't. I think Allivymar or TankGirl, who are some of the advisors, had a link to a site that discussed it.

I have used Stress-Zyme and Amquel. I wouldn't recommend them for a new tank. Stress-zyme won't get the tank cycled any faster, and when I used it on my very first tank, looking back, I think it actually slowed my cycle time. Bio-Spira is the only product to have the correct bacteria to cycle a tank in approx. 24 hours. I have used this and it works well. Some people said it didn't work for them, but the advisors felt that the batch could have gotten warm, and expired. Here's a link: http://www.marineland.com/products/m...L_biospira.asp

Amquel may also slow the cycling in your tank. It will bind to the ammonia so it's not available to the fish, but it's not available to the good bacteria either (the bacteria that you want in your tank to consume the ammonia and nitrite). Bio-Spira and Amquel should not be used together. The Amquel will just bind to the ammonia and make it unavailable to the Bio-Spira, and then the Bio-Spira will be wasted (and it's somewhat expensive for little packet!) Just keep an eye on your ammonia levels and change water when necessary instead of using Amquel.

P.S. I do use Novaqua as a dechlorinator and slime coat enhancer for my betta.

As a net dip I use Aquari-Sol. I don't use it in the tank because it contains copper, and repeated use of copper can hurt the fish. Some fish and inverts are so sensitive that Aquari-Sol is not recommended for them. But for a net dip it's ok. Then I rinse the net well under the faucet.

Hope this helps a bit, and lots of other helpful info. will come along soon!

Just wondering -- do you have bettas in the 10 gallon with the mini penguin filter? I had my betta in an Eclipse 3 with the bio-wheel and he hated it. It was just too much current. Now he's in a 5.5 gallon with a sponge filter run thru a gang valve, and a 25-watt heater.

[LondonGman]

I generally advocate having a chemical free tank where possible

Filter Aid Filtration Enhancer "to polish water"
AquaPlus
salt
StressZyme
AmQuel Plus
and a net disinfectant

the above is a lot of chemicals that you want to add to a 10 g tank. None are found in the fishes natural habitat. Also whilst there might have done reseach on these chemicals in a lab, i bet no one knows how the chemicals will react with each other.

Therefore I suggest you only use the chemicals only where necessary. Use a proper filter medium to remove all the bits and pieces in the water

[BettaLisa]

Thanks for the help! I do have Bettas with the penguin filter & they seem to like it. They play in the current a lot. I did have another Betta that was in a 3g with the Biowheel & the current was much too strong for him as well. In a larger tank, I think the biowheel is fine because they can get away from the current. Depends on the tank size & Betta I guess.

I am going to skip the StressZyme, and AmQuel & replace it with BioSpira instead.

I have some CopperSafe to soak my net in, do you think this will work?

[LondonGman]

I have not used BioSpira but it is basically live bacteria. These bacteria naturally occur in a healthy tank to break down the fishes waste.

I do not know how long you have had your tank or what are the water parameters i.e. ammonia, nitrates etc levels. However if your tank is new then I suppose you can add BioSpira. However if you have had the tank for over 4 weeks (for arguments sake) I would not add BioSpira as the necessary bacteria should already be in the tank growing invisibly.

As for the net, I do not know how often you insert your net into the tank. I only use mine to lift out dead fishes. Therefore I rarely use it and afterwards I rinse it and store it. I certainly do not feel the need to buy a chemical to treat it after I use it.

I sense you wish to get the best for your fishes, but I like a lot of other hobbyist have found that the chemical free tank offers the fishes the best chances of living a long, active and stress free life.

Do other advisors concur or …

[grimlock3000]

Definitely try to keep tanks as chemical free as possible. Once a tank is established without the use of chemicals, it is more likely to be a stable and healthy enviroment than something that did not happen naturally. If someone needs to use chemical X to lower ammo or nitrites, that is something indicating a failure of the tank's biological filter. Then the use the chemical also makes it worse by slowing down the development of the bio filter by killing its food suppy. Once you start using multiple chemicals, you can build up a reliance on them very easily since it is easy to dump more chemicals in to "fix" a problem. Not to mention that when you do a water change with all the junk in the water, it will be almost impossible to balance everything when you put fresh water back in.

The only thing that has entered my tanks has been Start Right (dechlorinator), half the reccomended dose of aquarium salt, and more water. And some medicine for sick fish

[sweetsuvvyb]

If your net is being stored somewhere where it can dry off, there is really no need for disinfectant. Air will kill off pretty much any critter that might've been in the water.

I too am an advocate of avoiding chemicals. I actually have a somewhat extensive chemistry background, and I personally don't see the need to utilize that background on my fishtank! I'd rather enjoy my fish