Recent content by tnfinfan

You have layers of stuff in there. Does some of it look a bit like cocoa puffs? That's the biomedia and that is treated with care. You likely have some coarse sponge and fine sponge, too. Anything else in it? Maybe something resembling salad macaroni? That stuff is all mechanical...

Let's say your total tank's bb population is 10 million. That's probably much too low but I have no idea of the actual count in a typical aquarium as I'm looking and finding no information on population levels. They populate every wet surface with access to oxygen, after all. But, for kicks...

Can you set up a hospital tank? Doesn't need to be fancy. Then you don't risk harming the healthy fish in the tank.

I didn't say you were doubting me, I said you were doubting proven technology. One person presented an opinion (with zero evidence, BTW) that the wheel isn't enough by itself. I'm backing up my claims that it most definitely is because I dislike when people present opinion as fact.

Not really. The water doesn't flow through it like a sponge but rather over the surface so it doesn't really get nasty. I had algae in the old tank and it grew on the spillway but not on the wheel. So, I never cleaned the wheel. Ever. Not even a swish. Didn't need to.

Oh, for crying out loud. No, you cannot see the bacteria without a microscope. But, where do you expect them to grow? The wheel has a massive surface area for such a tiny thing and great conditions for them to grow on. They thrive where the conditions are good. BTW, for the first year or...

It depends on how you stock, really. A lightly stocked tank is fine with less filtration than a fully stocked tank. Lots of folks go bigger because they push the stocking limits. And, new ones are often priced so similarly that it's only a few dollars more to go up a step. I will say that I...

Well, it's hard to say what is causing the problem from the outside. Might be cancer, might be a reaction to a parasite. There are even viruses that can cause cyst growths. If the fish seems to suffer, I'd euthanize. But otherwise, I'd just let it be. You could consult a vet but most folks...

That's the key -- know how much you should expect to pay and don't be afraid to ask questions. You are on the right track. Evasive sellers are liars, simple as that. The only thing I'd add is to check if there are any local aquarium enthusiast groups. Many tanks change hands there, used...

Just buy another strainer cover (or call the customer service number and tell them it was missing from the box... Maybe it was?) Stick something over the hole ASAP, though. It looks like a nice, safe hidey hole to a fish.

Dry bacteria is dead bacteria. The media can house new bacteria, it doesn't spoil or anything. But even if they moved all the fish out, a wet filter has live bacteria for weeks or months, even, if the dirty gravel is still producing ammonia.

I bought used, no regrets. Saved a bundle and got a nicer setup then any kit. All it needed was a light sanding and a bit of urethane. :thumb: It's easy enough to sterilize glass and plastic. Spritz the whole thing with vinegar and then hydrogen peroxide, let sit a few minutes for the two...

It looks like pale yellow ammonia tests and sky blue nitrite tests. That's the dead giveaway.

I didn't test it at one year. It was more like two when I shoved the biowheel into a canister full of biomedia and moved the fish over to their new digs. I moved a rock and two decorations as well but not the gravel. No mini cycle. :cool: That wheel was plenty full.

Rolling in it, I'm sure. :pimp: :lol: I'm all about not sending cash down the crapper :drain: Just don't want anyone to be fearful that they are jeopardizing the tank they worked so hard to cycle if they find that water is bypassing their filter pad in spite of swishing. Bacteria love the...