cleaning tank have a few Qs

[angeltank]

ok so my tank was leaking a bit and my last angel died a few days a go so i thought it be a good time to fix the leak and clean the tank up a little bit since i also moved into an apartment and needed to bring the tank here any way.
i fixed the leaks and took the tinting off of the back that i was using as a back drop. i have a eclipse 3 hood
here are my questions

-what kind of paint will stick to the out side of the glass?
-how should i clean the mineral deposits off the lid?
-do i have to special order a replacement bulb or can i find the same size at ace or store like it?
-i have a hard time finding the filters for the hood are there any alternitives that i could use in it instead of the cartridges?
-and last but not least i want to put cheep fish but a lot of them in my tank what goes ok with a placo, corycat and 6 snails?

thanks in advance for any responses


ps i have a 35 gal

 

[neilanh]

1) Paint really doesn't stick to glass per se, but I've just used regular spray paint for plastic, and as long as you're gentle with it it will be okay. It just won't hold up to bumps or scratches at all

2) Personally I use white vinegar mixed with water to clean my tanks. Since it's your hood and the tank is currently empty, you could use a 20:1 bleach and water solution, just rinse it really well

3) As long as you match the socket and wattage, you can get a bulb anywhere that will fit it.

4) Personally, the Activated Carbon in the filters isn't a big deal to me. I don't use any AC in my FW tanks at all. That being said, you could get some large sheets of foam and cut to size all day long.

5) Consider any tetras, rasboras, etc. You could put a decent sized school of those in there with what you have with no issues. personnaly I'm fond of the Rummynose Tetra.

 

[spoonman]

Congrats on your 5000th post Neilanh!!!!!

 

[angeltank]

what is the carbon soposed to do? and what kind of foam do i use for it?

 

[neilanh]

haha spoon, I didn't even notice!

The carbon can and will absorb trace stuff out of your tank to help keep the water looking clean and clear. The problem with the carbon is it just doesn't last long, and if it saturates (meaning it absorbed all it can) then it can potentially start releasing all the stuff it's absorbed over weeks of time back in the tank.

There's all different kinds of foams available for use. I'd just eyeball what you have and try to find something similiar. The finer the foam (expressed in PPI) the smaller debris it will catch for you, but also the quicker that it will get clogged up so it requires more often cleaning.

 

[angeltank]

where would i get this foam and how do i kknow if its safe for fish? can i get like a mesh bag if i did want to use carban and just put it in that with foam on top or would that not work ?

 

[neilanh]

Yes, you can use a mesh bag to hold your carbon and just put it somewhere where the water can flow over it.

As for finding the foam, craft stores, hardware stores, etc. YOu should be able to find something that will work.

The other option is to just save and reuse the foam off of the filters you already have. You can rinse it out in tank water and clean it and reuse it pretty much over and over again until it falls apart.

 

[samvandersteen]

hi guys, i have a question... My tank is experiencing a large amount of condensation. At least 6 litres (about 2 gallons) just this week and the water temp is only at 26degrees. Is that normal? Or is it way over the top?