First tank, ? regarding filter/food

[Majik]

This is my first tank. I got a kit from Petsmart. A 10g tank with a heater. I have started reading here and have a few questions. First I started a fishless cycle, that seems to be going well for now. I was wondering about the filter though. I have a HOB filter, and I seem to have read here, that it is discouraged to change the filter material. Is that correct? The salesman of course said 2-3 weeks per filter "cartridge."

Also I am looking to order a few things soon that I will need. First is a python I know that for sure. Second do I need to know the type of fish I have before I choose the food? Should I just buy this in store when I buy the fish? Also water conditioner, my kit came with a sample but I will need more. Any recommendations? Tetra is the brand my kit came with. I cant think of any more questions for now. I know in a few weeks as my cycle ends I will be asking about fish types. Until then I will keep reading. Thanks for the help.

 

[theotheragentm]

A ten gallon might be too small to use a Python. A standard gravel vacuum to make a siphon will be fine.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the filters that come with the kits are not the best. I recommend AquaClear filters. They are cheaper online at PetSmart.com. The price of the kit is still okay as the hood, light, tank, and heater are fine. I would just replace the filter. For the filter material, I just rinse mine in tank water that I am removing during a water change. Then I replace it. As long as it's not falling apart, it's still good.

You should ask for suggestions about the type of fish you want, as I'm sure a lot of people can give you good ideas. Yes, food is based on the type of fish, but a lot of fish will eat just about any type of fish food put in front of them.

Prime is what's recommended here generally for water conditioner as it's more concentrated. A little goes a long way. Syringes are used to dose it. These are available at any pharmacy.

 

[black hills tj]

I agree with agent about the filter. It sounds like a tetra whisper, which(from what i've heard) are less than desirable. I personally stand by the Aquaclear brand. You can't beat the quality for the price you pay. Right now you can get an aquaclear 30(perfect for a 10g imo) for 18 dollars from petsmart. Print out the online add(make sure the date is on there) and take it in and they'll match the price. I would run it at the same time as your current filter for about 2 weeks to seed the filter.

Regarding conditioner. You will find that Seachem Prime is the best for your money, will last the longest, and is prefered my most of AA.

 

[*silver*]

As noted above, PetSmart.com is cheaper, but what I do is print off the online price and bring it to petsmart and they give me the online price. Sometimes I'm just too impatient when ordering new tank equipment.

 

[An t-iasg]

Welcome to AA!

I also agree with the suggestion to use Seachem Prime for your dechlorinator. I have a 10 gallon tank also, and I use empty, gallon-size bottled water jugs to do water changes. I fill them up with tap water and let them sit overnight. The next day I add 3 drops of Prime to each jug with an eyedropper. Right now it's not a problem to get the jug water and the tank water to match in temperature. In the winter I will put the jugs under the under-cabinet kitchen lights to warm up a bit. I use a gravel vaccuum too - the python may be a bit too strong for a 10 gallon.

I also agree with the suggestion to get an AquaClear filter. This filter has sponge media that you can re-use until it falls apart. It should be good for at least a few years. The beneficial bacteria will grow in the sponges, so you don't want to change them often. The pet store employee is just trying to make a sale by recommending that you change your media every few weeks. As theotheragentm suggested, just rinse the sponges in the removed tank water. Squeeze gently if necessary to remove some of the larger debris. It's also a good idea to alternate which sponge you rinse each week - to protect the bacteria, don't rinse both at once. This is all you need to do to maintain the sponges in the AquaClear filters. If the filter that came with the kit is a Whisper filter, it does have cartridges. I have a Whisper filter in my QT tank and it's not the best filter. The cartridges are much harder to rinse than the AquaClear sponge media and that's probably why the employee is saying that you need to replace them often. A tank I tried to start with a Whisper filter was not cycling very well, so that's why it's my QT filter now (basically just for some water movement). You'll have better luck with the AquaClear filter - it will hold and grow the beneficial bacteria better and be easier to maintain.

 

[Majik]

Thanks for the advice so far. I just started the fishless cycle last night, but so far the ammonia level has dropped a little bit. If I get a new filter today would it still be a good idea to run both filters for a while? Also if I get the aquaclear what maintenance is required beyond rinsing the filter element?

 

[theotheragentm]

Yes, running both would be a great idea. If you have the AquaClear filter, you may have to detach the motor part once every other month or so, especially if you have plant material getting into the intake. It twists off and you can pop off the impeller with ease. Takes 30 seconds to clean the thing. I did it last night on mine.

 

[rkilling1]

Thanks for the advice so far. I just started the fishless cycle last night, but so far the ammonia level has dropped a little bit. If I get a new filter today would it still be a good idea to run both filters for a while?

If you just started the cycle, then there is no need to run both filters if the old one was not seeded.