How Best To Filter?

[fishcam]

Hi,

I just bought one of those 55 gallon petsmart aquarium kits a few months back, and it came with a 300gph filter that runs water through a mechanical filter with carbon inside. I've also got an old aqua clear 300gph filter with a mechanical filter and I've put the aqua clear pourus bacterial farms in there as well.

Here's what I know about filtration:
Change some of the water weekly, and about half once a month.
Change one part of the filter at a time when required (say monthly) (mechanical, chemical, biological)

But what I dont know is:
What else can I do to keep my tank clean? my fish healthy?
How do I keep my biological filter alive?!

In my tank I have giant dianos and gouramis, as well as live plants. I've got pebble substrate (5mm size), but to support the plants I'm also thinking about some of the Flourite or other fertilizer substrates. My PH is about 7.0, but I dont measure any other aspects, and the temperature is about 76-78 constantly. I also bubble CO2 into the tank with a yeast sugar mix.

Is there anything else I should know?

Check out the tank on my webcam and take a look! http/fishcam.ddoud.com The lights are on about 12 hours a day.

Thanks!
d

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Looking good! The only thing I can suggest for you is to get a test kit and check your ammonia, nitirite and nitrate levels. Maybe you could also do a small air pump only used at night. If you really wanted happy fish start doing every day or every other day water changes.

Okay nvm you edited so I guess that didn't help the question you were after, sorry!

 

[fishcam]

Looking good! The only thing I can suggest for you is to get a test kit and check your ammonia, nitirite and nitrate levels. Maybe you could also do a small air pump only used at night. If you really wanted happy fish start doing every day or every other day water changes.

Okay nvm you edited so I guess that didn't help the question you were after, sorry!

Hi, Thanks. I do have an air bubble line that stretches about 5/6 the way across the entire tank. Do the fish not like bubbles all the time? cause i do!

Thanks!

d

 

[tophat665]

Hi, Thanks. I do have an air bubble line that stretches about 5/6 the way across the entire tank. Do the fish not like bubbles all the time? cause i do!

Thanks!

d

Fish like the bubbles, but there is minimal purpose in running CO2 for the plants if you also run an air bubbler during the day, especially if you're using HOB filters. In order to get the most fron your CO2 set up, the surface of the tank should be agitated as little as possible while the tank is lit.

For a planted tank, you can skip the chemical filtration. I've been phasing the carbon out of my tanks because it absorbs the fertilizers I put in for the plants.

Biological filtration will tank care of itself. Just make sure that you dechlorinate any water you put in the tank and rinse any filter parts or media in water from the tank, not tap water. Other than that, let it be and it'll thrive.

 

[raptorrex]

Hi,

I just bought one of those 55 gallon petsmart aquarium kits a few months back, and it came with a 300gph filter that runs water through a mechanical filter with carbon inside. I've also got an old aqua clear 300gph filter with a mechanical filter and I've put the aqua clear pourus bacterial farms in there as well.

Here's what I know about filtration:
Change some of the water weekly, and about half once a month.
Change one part of the filter at a time when required (say monthly) (mechanical, chemical, biological)

But what I dont know is:
What else can I do to keep my tank clean? my fish healthy?
How do I keep my biological filter alive?!

In my tank I have giant dianos and gouramis, as well as live plants. I've got pebble substrate (5mm size), but to support the plants I'm also thinking about some of the Flourite or other fertilizer substrates. My PH is about 7.0, but I dont measure any other aspects, and the temperature is about 76-78 constantly. I also bubble CO2 into the tank with a yeast sugar mix.

Is there anything else I should know?

Check out the tank on my webcam and take a look! http/fishcam.ddoud.com The lights are on about 12 hours a day.

Thanks!
d

depending on the amount of planted area you have, filtration will become less and less an issue. as the plants begin to eat the stuff the filter used to. indeed some planted tanks need no filtration!!!!! mechanical filtration will still be needed, though, for larger organic items. you may also consider a blue or daylight tube. a search of the forum will give you more help on their use. as for water changes, in a well planted tank, the water itself becomes the filter, or a good portion of it, so common sense would indicate regular water changing may not be good for your tank! I stand to be corrected on this, but it does make sense. but of course if it is only lightly planted, i would despence with the co2 and drop a airstone in, they look good and breacking up the surface will aid oxygenation.

 

[fishcam]

[/quote]

Fish like the bubbles, but there is minimal purpose in running CO2 for the plants if you also run an air bubbler during the day, especially if you're using HOB filters. In order to get the most fron your CO2 set up, the surface of the tank should be agitated as little as possible while the tank is lit.

For a planted tank, you can skip the chemical filtration. I've been phasing the carbon out of my tanks because it absorbs the fertilizers I put in for the plants.

Biological filtration will tank care of itself. Just make sure that you dechlorinate any water you put in the tank and rinse any filter parts or media in water from the tank, not tap water. Other than that, let it be and it'll thrive.
[/quote]

OK, so i'll put my bubbles on in the day time, and take them off in the night, to keep the co2 in the tank as it bubbles up from the canister.

I can really skip the charcoal filtering? I guess if its absorbing my fertilizers, then I'll want to stop as well, but it just seems like it would take out other stuff too, that isnt eaten by plants.

I hadnt thought about de-chlorination. I'll have to get that at the pet store tomorrow.

Thanks.

d

[/quote]
depending on the amount of planted area you have, filtration will become less and less an issue. as the plants begin to eat the stuff the filter used to. indeed some planted tanks need no filtration!!!!! mechanical filtration will still be needed, though, for larger organic items. you may also consider a blue or daylight tube. a search of the forum will give you more help on their use. as for water changes, in a well planted tank, the water itself becomes the filter, or a good portion of it, so common sense would indicate regular water changing may not be good for your tank! I stand to be corrected on this, but it does make sense. but of course if it is only lightly planted, i would despence with the co2 and drop a airstone in, they look good and breacking up the surface will aid oxygenation.
[/quote]


Wow I had no idea that plants could do so much. I guess thats how real ponds and stuff work though... Does carbon serve no other purpose other than to remove what plants normally would?

Right now there are only 5-7 plants in the tank, so I wouldnt count that as heavily planted. But eventually I'd like to get a ton of plants in there for the fish and for the looks...

 

[ImperfectFaerie]

About the only thing we use carbon for is to remove medications from the hospital tank... other than that we don't use it at all.