Water care

[angelmisty]

You pump the water thay drop back up into the tank silly... Its a massive filter...im just saying with a totally pro setup..huge tank, stand n all.some HOB filter wount do it.. Use that stand fer more than putting ur flake food in.lol

Was gonna ask how u plan to cycle the 75? Fish in or out?

[Old Scales]

Hey Speed,
If you decide to stay with hang on back filters instead of cannisters, I have a suggestion that can save you some major money. Buy a pack of the bulk filter floss and cut your own inserts using one of the expensive ready made ones as a template. The bulk floss is blue on one side and white on the other. I get mine at Petsmart for about 6 bucks. It will last you a long time as the media can be rinsed out and reused a bunch of times. It won't have the charcoal in it but that is something you really don't need unless you're removing medication. Good luck and keep asking questions. We'll be glad to help. OS.

[Speed]

Originally Posted by angelmisty

You pump the water thay drop back up into the tank silly... Its a massive filter...im just saying with a totally pro setup..huge tank, stand n all.some HOB filter wount do it.. Use that stand fer more than putting ur flake food in.lol

Was gonna ask how u plan to cycle the 75? Fish in or out?

Lol. That's way too much too quick lol. Think I'm gonna have to use it for my flake food. I've only got into the hobby in the past few months & never had anything besides a beta bowl before lol. In the past 2 wks I've shelled out - idk 1k or more & still going. & I dnt have it like that, but somehow it's happening. Anyway, I dnt wanna have to go through the mess I'm dealing with the 40g. I think it may still be cycling, idk. Gotta work on it constantly, so the 75 I'm going to try to do fishless b4 I do anything. I'm going to use straight liquid ammonia though. I'll have to figure out how much & what to do afterwards but I'll cross that bridge soon enough. Going to pick the tank up ( in a hatchback camaro) lol in about 8 hrs.

[Speed]

Originally Posted by Old Scales

Hey Speed,
If you decide to stay with hang on back filters instead of cannisters, I have a suggestion that can save you some major money. Buy a pack of the bulk filter floss and cut your own inserts using one of the expensive ready made ones as a template. The bulk floss is blue on one side and white on the other. I get mine at Petsmart for about 6 bucks. It will last you a long time as the media can be rinsed out and reused a bunch of times. It won't have the charcoal in it but that is something you really don't need unless you're removing medication. Good luck and keep asking questions. We'll be glad to help. OS.

Thanks. I will look at them in the morning. Does it matter which color faces which direction ? Do I put it in with my charcoal cartridge or does that replace it ? I prolly will stay with the hang on back filters since its what I've bought so far & as a noob, I dnt know what my other choices are & it all snds so complicated. My brain is overloaded lol. I will pick some up though for sure. Thanks again

[Speed]

Is there such a thing as too much filtration ? Say i have a 40g tank with a filter rated for 40, wld it be ok to put 2 of those filters on it. Asking in regards to that tank as well as the 75. Filter is rated for UP TO 75. So thinking about 2 of those ? Or maybe just it & say a 30 or 40 g filter just to save a lil cost & still do the Job.

[Scottyhorse]

Do a canister on the 75.

[Speed]

Originally Posted by Scottyhorse

Do a canister on the 75.

I will look at them. Never used one & dnt know much about them though. I watched a couple videos on them last night & I might be wrong but it looks pretty complicated, looks like you'd have to drill holes into the bottom of your aquarium for the tubing ? I've already bought 1 Hob but I cld always use it on the 40. So I'll look at them, just trying to stay as far away as complicated as possible. Want it to look nice & all, but it's all a learning curve. Trial & error. It's why I'm here - to avoid errors lol

[Speed]

Rock or sand on freshwater tropical 75g ? Any thoughts ? I've got rock in my 2 smaller ones. Have never done sand. Not sure if that's personal preference or a freshwater/saltwater thing. I sure hope this fits in my car lol. Got about a good 45 min ride.

[angelmisty]

Your learning curve is only as shallow as ur questions. And u ask good ones. U cant really overfilter, bit u could cause too much current for certain fish.
Using a sump does not mean u have to drill your tank. U can,but not absolutle necessary. Im a new aqua head too, maybe 6 months or so. If i could offer some advice...its uber easy to take the advice of some one at a LFS and buy everything they say you "need".
Mr X and Rivercats are a wealth of knowledge. Soo many thing can be built or re-utilized. Do not fear DIY projects. As with anything research till ur bored, then re-research. It really helps me understand the theorys and operation of things. Think fish every free daydream moment u have. Ur on the right track.

But lets bring this back to original topic. Replacing filter media. When u go to pick up ur tank today, get a medium or coarse media bag, and about 300 grams of ceramic rings. I think rings have an amount to gallons of the tank. But with a HOB filter i think this should be ur best bet of esablishing a strong, transferable bacty colony.

Between your filter cartrage and its overflow, put a media bag with ur movable, permanent media. Im telling u...the larger the space for bacterial growth, the larger/stronger the colony, the less time spent testing/worrying/doing massive water changes daily/.

[Speed]

Originally Posted by angelmisty

Your learning curve is only as shallow as ur questions. And u ask good ones. U cant really overfilter, bit u could cause too much current for certain fish.
Using a sump does not mean u have to drill your tank. U can,but not absolutle necessary. Im a new aqua head too, maybe 6 months or so. If i could offer some advice...its uber easy to take the advice of some one at a LFS and buy everything they say you "need".
Mr X and Rivercats are a wealth of knowledge. Soo many thing can be built or re-utilized. Do not fear DIY projects. As with anything research till ur bored, then re-research. It really helps me understand the theorys and operation of things. Think fish every free daydream moment u have. Ur on the right track.

But lets bring this back to original topic. Replacing filter media. When u go to pick up ur tank today, get a medium or coarse media bag, and about 300 grams of ceramic rings. I think rings have an amount to gallons of the tank. But with a HOB filter i think this should be ur best bet of esablishing a strong, transferable bacty colony.

Between your filter cartrage and its overflow, put a media bag with ur movable, permanent media. Im telling u...the larger the space for bacterial growth, the larger/stronger the colony, the less time spent testing/worrying/doing massive water changes daily/.

Thank u very much. Taking notes & things to look at/ pick up. Going to get it now. Yay ! Lol

[angelmisty]

Good luck!! Watch fer them potholes

[Speed]

This thing is a monster lol. Takes up most of my living room wall. I hope the floor joist will hold its filled weight ( we live upstairs ). I got a few odds & ends but ran outta cash. A starting point anyway. I got aquaclear biomax filter inserts for 60-110 gal. Bio-boost for cycling & a few dead fish (about 8). So I'm going to cycle that way. 50pds of gravel & 48 -60 in led lights. I know I need more ( alot more ) but right now I'm broke. It's cost me a fortune, but I think the most expensive stuff is past me. So anyway, it's here.

[Speed]

A few of the accessories. Going to be working on cleaning it, putting filters together, gravel in, background on, heater in it, full of water & starting the process. Got my work cut out for me tonight

[dmolavi]

Originally Posted by gravereaper0

The freshwater master test kit does have a nitrate tester in it, its a 2 part. Make sure to shake up the 2nd bottle real good before using it.

I second and third that suggestion. I shake the dickens out of both bottles for about a minute before using them. Bottle #2 of the nitrAte test seems to precipitate out and needs to really be shaken to get the reagents back into solution.

Make sure you follow the directions to the letter, and hold the reagent bottles upside down when dropping them in, so that you get uniform drops, etc.

[Speed]

Originally Posted by dmolavi

I second and third that suggestion. I shake the dickens out of both bottles for about a minute before using them. Bottle #2 of the nitrAte test seems to precipitate out and needs to really be shaken to get the reagents back into solution.

Make sure you follow the directions to the letter, and hold the reagent bottles upside down when dropping them in, so that you get uniform drops, etc.

Got it. First one I ordered & got the wrong one. It was a freshwater reef master & didn't do ammonia. I've got a freshwater now that does & tested all levels yesterday with 50% wc. Water looks much better. Going to test again tonight. Trying to set up the 75 now.

[Old Scales]

Way to go, speed. Following along. OS.

[Speed]

My progress in 2 hrs lol. Rinsing 50 lbs of gravel will make you feel old. Realizing now my Rock color & background do NOT match lol. Wld like it done right & look good but being so new to it & on a budget, I'm not gonna beat myself up. But here it is as of now. Gonna be a long night

[Speed]

Originally Posted by Old Scales

Way to go, speed. Following along. OS.

Lol yeah. I might be broke now, but not a quitter. Not gonna be the biggest, fanciest, or most expensive but 2 mos into the hobby, I've came along way & I'm making progress still. Proud of it.

[Speed]

Btw - guess since I just sold my motorcycle to buy all this stuff, I should change my name from speed to -- Hell idk lol. Maybe dumb ! Lol

[Speed]

Ok guys (& gals). Critical moment here. Need advice. What do I do with this tank ? Lol. I'll try to make it short. 20gal with 2 smaller coldwater ( fancy & black Moore ) that I'd like to move into the 40 but dnt think that's possible & not buying anymore tanks. 40 gal has 3 neon tetra, 1 pleco, I plattie, 1 bala shark, 2 cory cats & 2 clown loach's. they're all small, biggest prolly the pleco lol being 5 ish in. I know bala needs company & more room. I also know the clowns will get about a ft in time. Can I mix the clown loach's with bala's ? I wanted to use one as semi aggressive to have more of a variety, colors, options. But I'm in a predicament. Bala has to get out of the that tank which is semi aggressive, but the loach's too & they're community. Regardless guess the goldfish are stuck in the 20g tall. 3 tanks & alot of $. I'm done after this tank is finished. Plz help on what to do or my options from here so I can finish setting up new tank.