Recent content by Rattler71

I have decided to try it without the carbon. I have a rena xp3 filter. I put the foams in the bottom basket, ceramic rings in the middle, and lava rocks in the topbasket. Above that are 2 micro filters. will see how all this works. Scott

Try washing smaller amounts of it. The more dirt you get now the easier it is to get it to look right in the aquarium. Scott

Any one used the nutrafin system in a 55 gallon tank. I would assume you would need to buy at least 2 or maybe 3 for a tank that size. What were opinions of it? Or would it be better to bite the bullet and get a pressurized system. If that is the case, what is a good website to go to study the...

Water butt? :dunno: Scott

My whole life that I have been keeping aquariums I have been using activated carbon in the filters. Now I read you should not use AC unless you are trying to get rid of meds. How many people here still use carbon and if you are what are your reasons for doing so? I have a 3-stage rena xp...

All the parameters were perfectly normal except for Ph which is very low. :dunno: Scott

The fish are back to swimming on the top again and gasping for air. I have got a nitrate and nitrite tester and am doing the test now. The filter was installed last month with all nre filter material. Scott

It is a new rena xp that I installed last month, seems to be running fine. The water was also very cloudy this morning(grayish white color) Scott

I noticed this morning they were all kind of gasping for air. Someone had mentioned the tank may be lacking in oxygen. So that is why I was wondering. Scott

Is there a way to test for oxygen in the water? If so, what would be the parameters? Scott

Was going to do a filter carbon change today. Should I do that or wait until things have stabilized in the tank? Scott

Ok, I have done a partial water change. Will get a nitrate tester today. There were a lot of eggs in the tank. The fish seem to be swimming normally now. Scott

What do you mean by the filter has crashed? Scott

I just ran the only 2 test that I have. The ammonia is 0. However the Ph which normally has been a bit high, is now very low ,almost non existent. I will get a nitrate tester today. What would the sudden drop in Ph tell you? Scott

I woke up this morning to find all of my fish at the top of the tank acting as if they are gasping for air. It is a heavily planted 55 gallon established for a about a year. Also the water got extremely cloudy overnight(grayish/white) I recently put in a new filter( rena xp) about a month ago...