Is this good filtration

[Callisto405]

Is this good enough filtration for my tank? I took out the thin stock throw away filter and replaced it with this Fluval foam. My filter is an AQUA-Tech 10-20. 10 gallon tank. 6 Ember Tetras, 5 green kubotai rasboras, 2 corries and 3 hatchet fish. I do water changes every 5-7 days. Any suggestions?

 

[mrsjoannh13]

You have too many fish in that 10 gallon tank. Corydoras catfish like to be in groups of 6 or more and need a 20 gallon tank minimum. The filter is fine for the tank, just too many fish.

 

[Gabriel20]

With that many fish in a 10 gal I would suggest getting a larger filter and using coarse songe, fine filter floss, and some kind of bio filter media such as seachem matrix. There’s no such thing as too big of a filter so long as you can adjust the flow and it’s not turning your tank into whirlpool. However your filter can be too small. A larger filter than needed does allow you to slightly overstock your tank, however overstocking is never advised. Idk the size of the raspboras or the hatchetfish, the bio load might be in perfect harmony. But as a rule of thumb, if you’re in doubt that your filter is too small for the amount of fish in your tank, go ahead and go a little bigger. It can’t hurt, as long as the flows not too strong.

 

[Gabriel20]

I would say add some bio filter media to what you already have in that filter, add some beneficial bacteria to help jump start the media, and if your tanks cycled, I would do water tests every few days for a couple weeks to see if your filters handling your bio load.

 

[AbbeysDad]

You have too many fish in that 10 gallon tank.

I tend to agree... but it can work if you do 50% water changes 2x week.

With that many fish in a 10 gal I would suggest getting a larger filter and using coarse songe, fine filter floss, and some kind of bio filter media such as seachem matrix.

Filters merely make water clear(er), not cleaner as detritus decomposes in the filter and pollutes the water (The Dirty Truth About Filters)

A larger filter than needed does allow you to slightly overstock your tank, however overstocking is never advised.

Not really the case, although if you step up partial water changes one might have a chance....although always best not to overstock.

I would say add some bio filter media to what you already have in that filter

I've found that sponge material makes a great platform for BB.
Then again...The Very Best Aquarium Filter.

 

[Gabriel20]

I tend to agree... but it can work if you do 50% water changes 2x week.

Filters merely make water clear(er), not cleaner as detritus decomposes in the filter and pollutes the water (The Dirty Truth About Filters)

Not really the case, although if you step up partial water changes one might have a chance....although always best not to overstock.

I've found that sponge material makes a great platform for BB.
Then again...The Very Best Aquarium Filter.

I read the article and there’s some interesting points in it. However to say that a filter only makes the water clearer and not cleaner and then to say you find that sponge material makes a great platform for beneficial bacteria seems kind of conflicting. Fact of the matter is yes a filter does make the water clearer in the sense that it’s pumping water and the particles in the water through media’s, but biological media is just a place for more bacteria to grow, and pumping the water through biological media allows that bacteria access to all the toxins in the water. I understand the point the article made on faster flow means the bacteria has less time to use the toxins, makes sense, but I did say as long as you can adjust the flow of the filter and of course you should be doing regular water changes even with a filter. Mines turned way down. I don’t even use fine sponge and my tanks crystal clear and I never have any spikes. From my own experience it’s worth it.

 

[Fishiemang]

Folks can.argue filter.specifics, but you put them on the tank for all the same.reasons. Chemical.filtration via carbon, mechanical filtration, and.with some you have biological filtration. Another function of your filter is water aeration.

10 gallons.that get overstocked are very tricky to maintain. However, if you make sure your water is clean, the tank is.well.established, and.you must plant the tank with plenty of aquarium plants, and you can overstock any tank. The more.volume, the easier this is to accomplish. It's a lot of work in something like a 10 gallon. Seems like you are on it with your water change schedule.

As for your media, you can use whatever you like. If you are simply interested in mechanical, then be ready for ammonia spikes. If you want both mechanical and chemical, go with a carbon sponge. I recently discovered these actually, and they are CHEAP. You can make easily 6-8 elements that would last a couple months each from a $6-10 purchase. It is a finer filter, but has carbon infusion. Way cheaper than a box of prefab carbon inserts.

 

[AbbeysDad]

However to say that a filter only makes the water clearer and not cleaner and then to say you find that sponge material makes a great platform for beneficial bacteria seems kind of conflicting.

The filter merely traps waste particulates that continue to decompose and pollute the water. Bigger filters with faster flow rates doesn't change this or make the water any more pure.
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Bio-medias are rated based on surface area and there is a LOT of surface area in bio-sponge material. So think of a coarser sponge for mechanical filtration, followed by slightly finer sponge for beneficial biology. The objective evidence of the capability of bio-sponge are the huge fishrooms run with air driven sponge filters.
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ALL of my HOBs and the canister filter are COMPLETELY filled with sponge material and a couple of tanks only have a large sponge filter.

Years ago I bought the marketing hype that we needed commercial bio-media, be it ceramics, plastics, or rocks...but I learned that we were led down a rosy path and for the most part the expensive commercial bio-media products are merely an example of marketing genious and a cash cow for manufacturers.

 

[Fishmanic]

Yes, that sponge should work well and can just be squeezed out every couple of weeks in tank water to clean the gunk buildup. Perhaps add a sponge filter that works off an airpump. Then if your main filter fails, you will not lose your cycle as the sponge filter will suffice to support beneficial bacteria. I do this in all my tanks.
Ditch the carbon. It is only needed if you want to remove meds after treating for a disease or other fish issue.
As a bonus, should the need arise to use a quarantine tank, you can move the sponge filter over to avoid having to cycle the tank.

 

[Callisto405]

Yes, that sponge should work well and can just be squeezed out every couple of weeks in tank water to clean the gunk buildup. Perhaps add a sponge filter that works off an airpump. Then if your main filter fails, you will not lose your cycle as the sponge filter will suffice to support beneficial bacteria. I do this in all my tanks.
Ditch the carbon. It is only needed if you want to remove meds after treating for a disease or other fish issue.

Yes, that sponge should work well and can just be squeezed out every couple of weeks in tank water to clean the gunk buildup. Perhaps add a sponge filter that works off an airpump. Then if your main filter fails, you will not lose your cycle as the sponge filter will suffice to support beneficial bacteria. I do this in all my tanks.
Ditch the carbon. It is only needed if you want to remove meds after treating for a disease or other fish issue.
As a bonus, should the need arise to use a quarantine tank, you can move the sponge filter over to avoid having to cycle the tank.

As a bonus, should the need arise to use a quarantine tank, you can move the sponge filter over to avoid having to cycle the tank.

I figured it was better than the stock filter. Wont have to buy replacement filters.

 

[Callisto405]

You have too many fish in that 10 gallon tank. Corydoras catfish like to be in groups of 6 or more and need a 20 gallon tank minimum. The filter is fine for the tank, just too many fish.

I disagree. I have been keeping fish for the past 10 years. I have kept corries in 10 gallon tanks for as long as I remember. As a matter of fact I have 1 right now that is 7 years old. Just moved him a couple months ago from a 10 gallon to a 29 gallon. Never had a problem and they always to their full life expectancy. It's slightly overstocked, that's why I was planning on putting the hatchet fish in a separate tank. But I have always had tanks a bit overstocked and have never had a problem.

My dad however does majorly overstock his aquarium. I have been preaching to him for years he's adding to many fish. If it wasn't for me cleaning his tank two to three times a week im sure it would crash. He has somewhere around 30 fish in the tank. 29 gallon tank and the fish are made up of Molly's, swordtails, a few corrydoras and 2 plecos. He got the 2 pleco 2 months ago and I asked him not to as they get up to 2 feet long but he did anyway. I have managed to keep his fish alive and so happy they are crapping out babies left and right. I have a nusery tank I'm putting them in until I can figure out what to do with them. There's 40 or so in a 10 gallon tank. Luckily there small at the moment


All an overstocked tank means is than more water changes are needed to deal with the extra nitrates. As long as I keep the water clean, I can have a couple extra fish

 

[Callisto405]

With that many fish in a 10 gal I would suggest getting a larger filter and using coarse songe, fine filter floss, and some kind of bio filter media such as seachem matrix. There’s no such thing as too big of a filter so long as you can adjust the flow and it’s not turning your tank into whirlpool. However your filter can be too small. A larger filter than needed does allow you to slightly overstock your tank, however overstocking is never advised. Idk the size of the raspboras or the hatchetfish, the bio load might be in perfect harmony. But as a rule of thumb, if you’re in doubt that your filter is too small for the amount of fish in your tank, go ahead and go a little bigger. It can’t hurt, as long as the flows not too strong.

the total size of fish is right at 10 inches or even under. Many of the green Kubotai and ember tetras are well under an inch.