Using a bag-o-(bio)stones for beneficial bacteria

[TrashyFurball63]

Hello all,

Just getting started with a 10-gallon tank. We've put 5 neon tetras in so far. Since I only have a top fin cartridge filter, which is rated for up to 10-gallons, I put a bag of biostones on the other end to help grow more beneficial bacteria. My question to the masses is a simple one. Is the placement of the bag-o-stones adequate?

 

[Aiken Drum]

I presume you mean that white media bag on the left?

It's not ideal. You want your biological media in a location that's going to get a good amount of water flowing through it. Just having it located in the aquarium will get some water flow through there, but its mostly going to flow round it. Inside the filter is where you get good flow and that flow is going to be concentrated through your filter media.

It's going to be better than not having it, but it's probably not going to do very much. Your options are.

• Try and adapt your topfin cartridge filter to accommodate the biomedia. Just get rid of the cartridges and pack the filter with sponge and your biomedia.
• Get a second filter to accommodate the biomedia and run it with your topfin.
• Get rid of the cartridge filter and run a single filter rated for 15 to 20 gallons.

Cartridges are a scam. Think of your filter as a box for media. Yes cartridges will fit in there, but you can fill that box with whatever you want and cartridges aren't the best set up as they periodically need to be replaced, which stalls your cycle each time. The filter manufacturer just wants to tie you into aftersales of cartridges. There are many youtube videos out there on better ways to set up filters than what the manufacturer instructions. What filter do you have precisely?

 

[TrashyFurball63]

It's a Top Fin Silentstream 10 Power Filter that came with the tank.

 

[Aiken Drum]

This isn't identical to your filter, but gives an idea on how set up a hang on back similar to yours.

 

[Andy Sager]

You need to understand that the nitrifying microbe ( there is debate whether its a bacteria or not so we use the term "microbe" because it's more universal and undebatable. ) bed ( a.k.a. the biological filter bed) is based on the amount of ammonia present in the tank more than the area the microbes have to adhere to. They also congregate in areas with the highest level of oxygenated water which is usually the filter or areas near an air stone. So just dangling the bags of bio stones will not really do much if they are not in an area of high oxygen as Aiken stated.
That said, unfortunately, Neon Tetras are not good starter fish as they are small, more fragile and do not produce a large amount of ammonia through their breathing or poo. The biological filter bed grows or shrinks based on the amount of ammonia is being produced.

With all that said, you should have a plan as to what fish you eventually want to have in the tank so that you place them in the tank in the correct order of aggressiveness and hardiness while the tank cycles. ( I assume the tank has not cycled yet? ) If your tank is not cycled, I suggest you have good tests ( liquid tests tend to be more accurate than strips). The results of your pH will help determine how long it may take for the tank to cycle.

Hope this helps.