New filter.

[Paul65]

One of my tanks is 105L its about 3 months old, I got it from my son who’s now got a bigger tank. I’m convinced the filter is too small, so I went out and brought the Floral 206 from MA. It’s for tanks up to 200L so more than enough for my tank, it’s an external filter, been running about six days. The original filter is still in the tank, still going. I wonderring how long should I keep the two filters going? When could I trust the new filter to be enough on its own.

I’ve got about 20 small guppies, 5 neons and one willow in the tank.

Also what’s a good member of fish for a 105L tank.

 

[Colin_T]

You need to keep both filters running for at least 2 months. Alternatively take the filter materials out of the old filter and clean them in a bucket of tank water. Then put them in the new filter. You can then remove the old filter after a few days to a week.

 

[Paul65]

They said that at MA but I think I’ll just leave the two running, they love the water jets anyway and as one is an external, it taking up no room.

Two months, I’ll turn the old one off, leave it in the tank and test the water after a few days, if all good I’ll take it out.

 

[Colin_T]

You could keep both going permanently and use the smaller internal filter for quarantining any new fishes you get. Or if you get another tank, you will already have a spare established filter

I would add another 10 neons to make the 5 you have, happier

What's a willow? Can you post a pic of it?

 

[Paul65]

The new filter is on my big tank, the main tank with 14 male guppies, 5 neons and a willow fish, well that’s what they said it was called at my local shop.

If I was to turn the old filter off in two months, put it away, how long till that filter would need a full clean and start again.

 

[Colin_T]

willow might be black widow tetra? google black widow tetra and see if it looks like what you have. Otherwise post a pic and we will ID it for you.

I'm not sure what you mean about the turning the filter off and putting it away.
If you turn the old filter off in 2 months time and pack it away in a cupboard or somewhere, then you should wash it out with tap water and let it dry before packing it away. Then if you want to use that filter again for fish or a quarantine tank, it will need to be cycled again and that will take 1-2 months.

 

[Paul65]

So to keep the filter, so it’s always ready, I have to leave it on? It’s a Aqnael filter, it’s never really worked well, hence why I’ve got the new filter.

I’ll do some pics.

 

[Paul65]

I was told she was a willow. She was the first one I got with two guppies.

 

[Paul65]

Here are my 18 day old fry, seven guppies, in a 28L tank on their own.

 

[Paul65]

Hard to get a pic of them, so bloody quick. Lol

 

[Colin_T]

So to keep the filter, so it’s always ready, I have to leave it on?

Yes, you need to keep the filter running in the aquarium to keep the bacteria alive. However, you can take the filter materials out of the internal filter, and put them in the canister fitler. The bacteria will live quite happily in that and when you need another filter, you can take the sponge and put it back in the old filter.
The old filter without the sponge can be washed, dried and packed away somewhere safe.

---------------------
The white willow fish is an albino black widow tetra or white black skirt tetra. It is a white version of the black widow or black skirt tetra. They need to be kept in groups and are fin nippers so might bite the tails on fish with long flowing fins (like guppies and male Siamese fighting fish).

The white black widow tetra has also been painted with a pink stripe. The fish farms in Asia have a kid sitting on the ground with a paint brush and tin of paint, painting lines on individual fish. the paint eventually wears off and the fish ends up white all over.

 

[Paul65]

That’s a great idea. So my filter is this, it has some room in there, thanks for that.

That pic is not very good, I’ll try again. They said they are perfect for a community tank with guppies. I’ve had no troubles. We did but two but they fight so bad, we put the blue one in my sons tank.

 

[Paul65]

Here she is again Colin. As I say we brought two but this pink one was terrified.

 

[Paul65]

Apparently it’s called a “Rainbow Widdow”

 

[Colin_T]

If the white widow tetras were fighting, it is because there were only 2 of them. They naturally occur in groups of 1000s so having 2 was not good for them.