Pre-filter question

[AquaMan779]

After finding another of my shrimp stuck in the filter intake, I finally got a prefilter sponge. It's a "Marineland® 2-in-1 Bio-Foam & Pre-Filter - Fits 125 to 275" and my filter as an "Aqueon 10". I heard in a YouTube video that the wrong prefilter could burn out the filter. Is this true, and if so, is my prefilter going to be alright on my filter?

Thanks!

 

[Aiken Drum]

Can you fit it OK?

Marineland 125 is rated for 20 gallons. Marineland 275 is rated for 50 gallons. So the prefilter you bought is suited for marinelands filters ranging from 20 to 50 gallons. Your aqueon 10 is rated for 20 gallons, so it fits within the range that the prefilter is designed to work with.

Just make sure you rinse the prefilter every week or so to make sure it doesn't get clogged up and cause too much a loss of flow through the filter

 

[AquaMan779]

Can you fit it OK?

Marineland 125 is rated for 20 gallons. Marineland 275 is rated for 50 gallons. So the prefilter you bought is suited for marinelands filters ranging from 20 to 50 gallons. Your aqueon 10 is rated for 20 gallons, so it fits within the range that the prefilter is designed to work with.

Just make sure you rinse the prefilter every week or so to make sure it doesn't get clogged up and cause too much a loss of flow through the filter

Dude, you're awesome! I see how many people you help with their tanks here.

The prefilter fits very well on the filter. I'll make sure to clean it every week.

Even after putting on the prefilter, it seems like two more cherry shrimp disappeared, so I only have three of the original ten. I'm hoping at least two or three are somewhere in the tank. Much appreciated, Mr. Drum from Across the Pond!

 

[Colin_T]

The only reason a prefilter will cause a pump to burn out is if the filter stops the water flow to the pump. If you clean it each week,, as suggested by Aiken, it will be fine.

If you post pictures of the remaining shrimp, and a picture of the entire aquarium, we might be able to identify an issue.

What fish are in the tank with the shrimp?
How long has the tank been set up for?
What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?
How often do you feed the fish and shrimp?

How often do you do water changes and how much do you change?
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?
Do you dechlorinate the new water before adding it to the tank?

How often and how do you clean the filter?
How long has the filter been running on the tank for?
Do you ever replace the filter media?

 

[Joe_D]

I have a pre filter on my HOB filter.
I clean the pre filter about twice a week and it makes the main filter last much longer .

 

[AquaMan779]

The only reason a prefilter will cause a pump to burn out is if the filter stops the water flow to the pump. If you clean it each week,, as suggested by Aiken, it will be fine.

If you post pictures of the remaining shrimp, and a picture of the entire aquarium, we might be able to identify an issue.

What fish are in the tank with the shrimp?
How long has the tank been set up for?
What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?
How often do you feed the fish and shrimp?

How often do you do water changes and how much do you change?
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?
Do you dechlorinate the new water before adding it to the tank?

How often and how do you clean the filter?
How long has the filter been running on the tank for?
Do you ever replace the filter media?

Many apologies for the late responses. I had bad internet connection today, and I am neurodivergent, so sometimes I lose focus.

The aquarium is a 10 gallon. 20 x 10 x 12. Was set up about a couple days before Christmas with sand and a coconut shell with java fern on top. After two months, a nerite snail and another plant I don't know the name of were added. That was last month. About two or three weeks ago, I ordered six pygmy corydoras and ten red cherry shrimp online. I have fed the fish and shrimp usually once a day, or once every other day. Today I will start to feed once or twice a day because I now know that I am not overfeeding them.


Did my first water change of a gallon on Saturday. My gravel vac doesn't work too well because the tank is on the ground, but the sand was coming up clear when I tried.

I did find a shrimp today that was missing. I found my first exoskeleton on a piece of hornsworth (along with another nerite snail, two moss balls, and another small potted plant I don't know the name of were bought within the last week or so), so I'm guessing he was hiding so he could molt in peace. I left the exoskeleton on the branch so that he could eat the shell. I only found four dead shrimp, so there may still be two more alive in the tank.

I always dechlorinate with the api tapwater conditioner. I try to put one droplette, but it usually ends up being almost 5 mL in a gallon of water that I add to the tank. AqAdvisor says only a 13% water change is necessary, so I am doing a gallon for now.

Filter has been running since the tank was set up, with the media having never been changed yet.

I currently have a piece of drift wood that has been soaking for about a week in a bucket.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, Colin. I see you are another person that helps people as well. Thanks!

 

[AquaMan779]

I have a pre filter on my HOB filter.
I clean the pre filter about twice a week and it makes the main filter last much longer .

Hey, Joe! Thanks, man. Great advice as always, for me and everyone else. I think I might take the hornwort out of the tank because the dead leaves are on the pre filter. I'm thinking of putting all the plants towards the back, the driftwood in the middle and then leaving the front area free for the fish to swim across the tank when they want to move without anything in the way, sort of like yours,

I'm not going to add anymore fish for at least a month. I am thinking of cherry rasboras eventually and maybe a betta. Your tank makes me want to keep mine peaceful as well.

 

[Colin_T]

Have you tested the water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH?
If yes, what are the results in numbers?

If no, get the water tested and post the results in numbers here. If you get the water tested at a pet shop and they say it's fine, ask them what the results are in numbers. Write the results down when they do the tests and post them here.

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I would do a 10% water change every second day for 2 weeks, then increase it to a 20% water change every second day for 2 weeks. Then increase to 30% every few days for a couple of weeks. Then do a 50% water change once a week after that.

If the gravel cleaner sucks up sand, just kink the syphon hose a bit to slow the flow down and the sand should sink back into the tank.

If you have problems adding the correct amount of dechlorinator, use an eye dropper to suck some out of the bottle and use that to add x number of drops to a bucket of tap water. Slightly overdosing dechlorinator is fine but underdosing can kill fish and shrimp by not neutralising all of the chlorine/ chloramine in the tap water.

You should also contact your water company (via phone or website) and see if they add chlorine or chloramine, because they are treated slightly differently.

 

[AquaMan779]

Have you tested the water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH?
If yes, what are the results in numbers?

If no, get the water tested and post the results in numbers here. If you get the water tested at a pet shop and they say it's fine, ask them what the results are in numbers. Write the results down when they do the tests and post them here.

---------------------

I would do a 10% water change every second day for 2 weeks, then increase it to a 20% water change every second day for 2 weeks. Then increase to 30% every few days for a couple of weeks. Then do a 50% water change once a week after that.

If the gravel cleaner sucks up sand, just kink the syphon hose a bit to slow the flow down and the sand should sink back into the tank.

If you have problems adding the correct amount of dechlorinator, use an eye dropper to suck some out of the bottle and use that to add x number of drops to a bucket of tap water. Slightly overdosing dechlorinator is fine but underdosing can kill fish and shrimp by not neutralising all of the chlorine/ chloramine in the tap water.

You should also contact your water company (via phone or website) and see if they add chlorine or chloramine, because they are treated slightly differently.

Sorry for the late reply! I wanted to get things done before I posted, so I was focused on doing that.

Good news is that my tank is fully cycled! No new ammonia spikes.

Bad news is two of my nerite snails died and I believe this was my fault. I filled the water all the way to the top of the tank because otherwise the flow from the filter was too strong for the pygmy corys to swim across the tank without extra energy. The snails had no space to hang out outside of the water. I thought they'd slide to the hood of the aquarium for the air but I guess the lights were too hot for them. Lesson learned I guess.

I did the water change and everything and we're good with parameters.

The only thing now is that I have this driftwood that's been soaking for two weeks. It was bought from a chain store and was shrinkwrapped in plastic. I figured it was already cleaned and sanitized because of this, but now I am not so sure. I figured it just needed to soak for two weeks so that my tank water stayed clean. Do I have to scrub and boil even though this was bought at a store? And should I have put water conditioner in the bucket?

Thanks!

 

[Colin_T]

Aquatic snails for freshwater aquariums don't normally come out of water and actually breath underwater. If you have snails in the tank and they are climbing out of the water, they are either not true aquatic snails, they might be laying eggs (Mystery snails lay eggs out of water), or the water quality is bad or has something toxic in it, and the snails are making a break for it to find a new place to live.

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Most external power filters can have a sponge fitted over the intake strainer. This can reduce the flow of water a bit. Some external power filters have an adjustment mechanism to increase or decrease water flow.

Moving the filter to a corner of the tank can change the amount of current in the water.

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Driftwood from a pet shop should be fine to use once it has sunk. Put the wood in a bucket of water outside and let it sink. You can change the water every few days or once a week and see how it looks. If it develops any white slime on it, take the wood out and hose it off. Change the water in the container and put the wood back in. The white slime is fungus and is normally harmless, but sometimes it is poisonous to fish, shrimp and snails. Unfortunately you can't tell which is which so you hose it off whenever it appears and eventually it stops producing it. When it no longer produces fungus and the wood has sunk, then you can put it in the aquarium.

You do not have to boil driftwood. Boiling wood will cause it to break down faster.

 

[AquaMan779]

Aquatic snails for freshwater aquariums don't normally come out of water and actually breath underwater. If you have snails in the tank and they are climbing out of the water, they are either not true aquatic snails, they might be laying eggs (Mystery snails lay eggs out of water), or the water quality is bad or has something toxic in it, and the snails are making a break for it to find a new place to live.

-------------------

Most external power filters can have a sponge fitted over the intake strainer. This can reduce the flow of water a bit. Some external power filters have an adjustment mechanism to increase or decrease water flow.

Moving the filter to a corner of the tank can change the amount of current in the water.

-------------------

Driftwood from a pet shop should be fine to use once it has sunk. Put the wood in a bucket of water outside and let it sink. You can change the water every few days or once a week and see how it looks. If it develops any white slime on it, take the wood out and hose it off. Change the water in the container and put the wood back in. The white slime is fungus and is normally harmless, but sometimes it is poisonous to fish, shrimp and snails. Unfortunately you can't tell which is which so you hose it off whenever it appears and eventually it stops producing it. When it no longer produces fungus and the wood has sunk, then you can put it in the aquarium.

You do not have to boil driftwood. Boiling wood will cause it to break down faster.

Makes me feel better about my snails. At least they didn't die because they needed to get out of the water.

I would move the filter but the hood and light fixture that the ten gallon Aqueon kit came with was precut with the filter position in the middle of the tank. Will probably change this eventually but I don't want to spend too much right now. Maybe just another plant.

I'll put the driftwood in this week. Thanks for giving me the confidence!

Also, I found a pygmy corydora fry yesterday! I cleaned what I thought were snail eggs off the glass two weeks ago but now I see they were probably corydora eggs. I thought he was a bug at fast by how small and fast he was, lol!