Bioballs / Ceramic Rings, In Cannister Filter?

[Ehaze]

Well, I just did a job for a rich guy, I told him that I have a 125gal SPS reef tank, he then asked me if I wanted a free tank, it is a 90 gal hex acrylic tank, with stand and a sweet ###### black acrylic canopy, with 8 t5 endcaps, (no wires or ballasts) and a 26" strip light. (lfs wanted 800$ for the tank / stand / canopy, I really lucked out.)

I took her home, now it is up and running, I went out, purchased 50 large feeder fish, collected about 10 dead (day 5) I think I am going to just go to my brothers house, get some of his jack dempsey's poo water from the gravel, put it in my tank so it can cycle way faster.

sorry for the story, just got really happy and wanted to share.

QUESTION.

I would consider myself a expert with saltwater, and any kind of coral, but I have not been up to date on my fresh water.

So I have 2 rena XP3 cannister filters, I took out ALL sponge, anything that needs to be cleaned, out, I then filled both of the bottom chambers with ceramic rings(cylinders), and the rest with bio balls, I don't like any mechanical filtration in any of my systems, only natural. will bioballs work in a cannister filter or do I need to set up a overflow with a wet/dry filter? (I would like to avoid setting up a overflow, because I want to feed flake.

as far as stocking, I am guessing... hmmm
denisen barbs about 20. the best looking fish I have seen in a LFS. and a couple crayfish.

I am not sure If I will be running CO2 or not, but I have everything if needed.

Thanks.

 

[Ian H]

well as some one who is going from FW to SW i hope im "qualified" enough to answer

the cycle within a FW tank takes ALOT longer, you've taken a good call with filling the filter with bio balls and ceramics although you may want to consider foam just to keep the water clean.

With a FW you will need to supply an ammonia sorce (unlike SW where the LR will die off and create it for you) this can be done in a couple of ways from fish food rotting to adding ammonia.

old water wont really help, the majority of the bacteria lives in the filter, if he could spare a couple of bio balls, ceramics, foam that would be fantastic, Just make sure you keep feeding the bacteria with ammonia.

Nitrates are far less of a problem with FW the "normal" level of nitrates in a FW is ~40-ppm but can be safe for upto 100ppm, you will have to remove nitrates yourself with regular water changes. Co2 is not needed unless you are going for a planted tank with high lighting.

The cycle for a FW tank normally takes around a month but depends on how many/the size of filter and if you have any filter media to seed off.

 

[yvez9]

bioballs will work although i doubt you'll be able to fit enough

I have an XP3 filter and use ceramic rings at the bottom, then eheim efhisubstrate pro, efhimech (just mesh basically to filter out debri) and then floss

i'd use the efhisubstrate before bio-balls as i think it is more efficient as biological media than bioballs in such small quantity, but that's just my opinion.

bio-balls would require less maintenance i think. the ceramic rings will require a rinse every 3-4 months probably

 

[Ian H]

i have ceramics in my 2 externals and i only clean them when the flow is low (maybe every 9 months or so, not often anyways, dont touche the bio-balls or cermics)

Not familiar with the filter you have though sorry

 

[Ehaze]

how about if I fill all 3 up with the ceramic rings? as far as being enough bioballs, I have two XP3 filters, a total of 4 chambers with bioballs, and 2 with the ceramic rings. I will go over my brothers house and bing a songe full of poo and what not, and place it inside of my cannister filters.

I do have 40 large feeder fish inside of the tanks right now, I am sure I have AMM, I don't understand how they are still alive, every freshwater tank I've cycled with feeders, they all die off with in a coupls hrs, but I have only lost 10 out of the 50.

 

[Ian H]

ceramics or bio balls will harvest the bacteria to convert from ammonia>nitrite>nitrate so in theory the more harvest space you have the faster your tank will cycle. especially if you boost your cycle with cycled media.

What are the feeder fish? could just be surviving the ammonia spike. Read up on fish in cycling as this is what you are doing. Too high amount of ammonia can wipe out everything back to square one

 

[Ehaze]

ceramics or bio balls will harvest the bacteria to convert from ammonia>nitrite>nitrate so in theory the more harvest space you have the faster your tank will cycle. especially if you boost your cycle with cycled media.

What are the feeder fish? could just be surviving the ammonia spike. Read up on fish in cycling as this is what you are doing. Too high amount of ammonia can wipe out everything back to square one

3"-4" comet carp. I will keep adding until it is cycled. I will deff go get some of the sponge in my brothers tank tomm.

Thanks again.