Filter Questions

[Tropical_Fish]

I picked up a 2nd hand tank which came with an internal filter.

It just sticks on the side with suckers, how high up do I put it? It has a wide pipe on the front, and a little pipe on top, do they both get submerged?

My old setup years ago was UGF that also had an airblock on a tube - do I need anything like that? I still have a couple of pumps from the UGF setup.

Do I need to do anything with the sponge in the 2nd hand filter? Rinse it etc?

Please keep it simple I have no idea what I'm on about with this

 

[arobinson1984]

Is the filter in a tank with fish are are you planning a fishless cycle?

I'm guessing the small pipe at the top is your water outlet, you want this to be just below the water level, only a matter of mm's to ensure that when it pumps the water back out that it creates water movement on the surface. This creates oxygen exchange for the fish to breathe.

Andy

 

[Essjay]

What make is the filter?
With my Eheim aquaball, there is a pipe about half an inch wide pointing sideways near the top which is where the water comes out, and an optional tube about an eighth inch wide which points upwards and has a grey knob on top. The small one goes out of the water and draws air in to make bubbles - it's called a venturi.
Is yours anything like that?

Mine is postioned just under the surface so the water coming out causes ripples.

 

[Tropical_Fish]

Don't think it's got a knob on it. It's an Aquael.

Yes I'm going to do a fishless cycle with this filter

 

[arobinson1984]

You said you picked up the tank and filter second hand,

Was the filter stopped and taken out of the tank by the person you got the tank from or has it been in the tank the whole time between the transfer to the seller and you?

If a filter is turned off and removed from the tank then the good bacteria on the media will begin to die off at around a rate of 10% every 24 hours I believe so it depends on how long the filter was unused for as to which action to take.

If the filter has been turned off, sat in a box or something then you may as well replace the media and start the fishless cycle from fresh. If the filter has been constanly running then I'd leave the current media in as they may still contain some beneficial bacteria to help boost your fishless cycle time.

Andy

 

[Tropical_Fish]

The filter hasn't been used for a year or so.

Can I reuse the old media with it's dead bacteria! Or am I better starting with fresh?

Do I need any additional air going in? Like my old (smaller) tank had, it had a tube going to the middle with an airstone on. Is that needed?

 

[arobinson1984]

I'd recommend you get new fresh media sponges because they may contain alsorts of nasties if they have been sitting around for a year.

You don't NEED an extra air pump but many people like to add them for extra ariation and for cosmetic purposes since they are pretty cheap

andy