Filter Set Up?

[Clammie]

Hi there!
I've recently purchased a new fish tank and got myself some zebra danios to start the tank cycle.
At the moment I'm using a small internal fluval filter, but I've got an Eheim 2213 coming tomorrow morning.
I'm just wondering what media I should use in the new filter.

I also keep two turtles, which I'm using a Eheim 2217 with. It's set up like this:
The green plastic spacer
Followed by a coarse blue sponge
Filled right to the top with Alfagrog
Then another coarse blue sponge
Then the other green spacer.

Would it be okay to just take half the Alfagrog from this filter and fill up my new 2213 the same way, with this old Apfagrog?
Or is it a different method of filtration all together for fish?

 

[waterdrop]

Unfortunately, I think I remember someone warning against using MM (mature media) that's been used with turtles. I can't remember if there was a specific disease or what exactly the problem was.

The goal in Fish-In Cycling is to be a bit of a detective and figure out what percentage and frequency of water changes will ensure that ammonia and nitrite(NO2) have not risen above 0.25ppm (as measured by a liquid-reagent based test kit) before you can get back and change water again. Most people plan out their 12 hour test schedule for two times, morning and evening, that are fairly close to 12 hours apart.

Its pretty hard not to get some shortening of their lifespans because of the gill and nerve damage but if you establish a pattern based on the above, you should be able to keep them from dying or coming down with a disease during the cycling situation.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Clammie]

that's a shame about the turtle media!

So basically I should test the water morning and night and just do a water change as needed?
is there any way to tell what percentage of water to change?

And how should I set my new filter up?
Can it be done the same way as my turtle filter or would I need to set it up differently with different media types?

And also, the tank I have them in at the moment is only about 40 litres
will the eheim 2213 be too much and mess up the cycle? It's rated for about 250 litres I think.

 

[waterdrop]

I'd start large, like 50% and plan to move in either direction depending on test feedback.

A similar set of media choices would be fine. You want biological and mechanical. You don't need chemical media. Eheim's own recommdations work well: (first in water path --> last in water path) EhfiMech (ceramic rings), coarse sponge, Substrat or Substrat Pro (or your Alpahgrog, which is an inert volcanic rock type) followed by a finer sponge and then fine mechanical via a floss pad or floss or some other fine mech you might find. All these media overlap roles between bio and mech.

Be on the hunt for some other source of MM, but from a cold or tropical fish tank, either will work.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Clammie]

Would this be suitable?
EhfiMech on the bottom
Followed by a coarse sponge
then my alfagrog
Followed by EhfiSynth on the top?

The filter I have coming says it includes all the media, but I know from when I bought my 2217, the 'media' was just 5 coarse sponges and 1 floss.
So I'd only have to buy the EhfiMech?

Sorry if I sound a bit stupid, I'm used to just throwing alfagrog in the filter and letting it do its thing!

Would I be over filtering by using a 2213 on a 40 litre tank? It will only be for about 4 weeks anyway.

 

[mattlee]

i bought an eheim 2215 that said media included. when it arrived it just had the sponges.... i rang up the supplier and kicked up a fuss saying this was the only reason i bought the filter as it states its complete with media, they were very nice and sent me 2 litres of eheim media to put inside.
i then had a very good priced, very good filter full of media and sponges ready to rock n roll

 

[waterdrop]

They were scared mattlee was going to bop them with that skateboard.

Yes, Clammie, that's dead on exactly what I was suggesting - perfect.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[mattlee]

They were scared mattlee was going to bop them with that skateboard.

Yes, Clammie, that's dead on exactly what I was suggesting - perfect.

~~waterdrop~~

im a big softy really, but they dont know that on the phone......

 

[Clammie]

Thanks waterdrop!
I'll post and let you know if anything does drastically wrong. =]

mattlee, which company was it you ordered from? I might give it a try tomorrow when it gets here

 

[raptorrex]

Would this be suitable?
EhfiMech on the bottom
Followed by a coarse sponge
then my alfagrog
Followed by EhfiSynth on the top?

The filter I have coming says it includes all the media, but I know from when I bought my 2217, the 'media' was just 5 coarse sponges and 1 floss.
So I'd only have to buy the EhfiMech?

Sorry if I sound a bit stupid, I'm used to just throwing alfagrog in the filter and letting it do its thing!

Would I be over filtering by using a 2213 on a 40 litre tank? It will only be for about 4 weeks anyway.

can i also suggest some Ehfisubtrate, better still pro. to replace the sponges. indeed i would suggest that ,as opposed to buying Ehfimech if it is a case of one or the other. and, i would suggest NO. far from over-filtering, i feel your tank just right.

 

[Clammie]

So instead of buying the ehfimech I should get the Ehfisubtrate?
Or I should buy the ehfimech and place the Ehfisubtrate on top instead on the blue sponges?

 

[mattlee]

Thanks waterdrop!
I'll post and let you know if anything does drastically wrong. =]

mattlee, which company was it you ordered from? I might give it a try tomorrow when it gets here

warehouse aquatics

 

[Clammie]

It came today, but I'm in work tomorrow.
I'll give them a ring tomorrow.
I've just got good news today that my new 5ft tank is being delivered next weekend. I was expecting another month!!

 

[Clammie]

Just got home and unpacked my filter. It came with ehfimech and ehfisubstrate
I'm a happy boy now.

 

[waterdrop]

I think he was suggesting the substrat or substrat pro in place of the alphagrog, which would be my bias too but sounds like you are going to be set for now with the way it came. Overall all the things we're all talking about are quite good, so its getting down to fairly subtle differences really.

~~waterdrop~~