Hello to everyone, I am new to this forum and just setting up my tank, however I am a little unsure of the correct way to set up my filter, after taking advice from my local fish shop I have set the filter from the bottom up, ie white pad, fine sponge, course sponge and then green nitrate but I am not sure this is correct as I cannot work out the total flow direction, I can see that the pump takes its feed from the top of the box and outlets to the side, but the hole set up in the box seems crazy for complete flow through the filter medium. Any advice please.
Jewel Rio 180
- Thread starter barbeds
- Start date
Blondielovesfish
Kia Ora
Hello,
to the forum.
I'm not sure of the correct way to set up that type of filter as I've never had one, so I'll leave that up to someone else.
But...Do you know about cycling and how to do it?
Also what fish are you planning to stock?
I'm not sure of the correct way to set up that type of filter as I've never had one, so I'll leave that up to someone else.
But...Do you know about cycling and how to do it?
Also what fish are you planning to stock?
Yes I understand the about cycling, I do plan to complete the cycle with a couple of mollies in the tank, and none stop water tests for a week or two, then if all is well introduce a couple more fish, etc. I am thinking live bearers to start, neon tetras, and then advice from this forum from there on in.
TallTree01
Coo, Man
barbeds said:
.pdf version of your instruction manual.
http
/www.seapets.co.uk/custom-content/pdf-files/Rio_180.pdfThe best advice to follow!
Sophie many thanks for this manual its exactly what I need and it tells me that I do ìnfact have the media baçk to front, so I will set that right and leave the tank until the weekend, test water, if all okay then put a pair of fish in there and test the water regularly, if all gos well over the following couple of weeks then I will introduce more fish. Many thanks again.
barbeds I suggest you take a look here http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/ paying particular attention to the cycling process. I really wouldn't put fish in just yet until you understand fully the cycling process and have made sure your tank is ready for them. It will help you in the long term.
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/ paying particular attention to the cycling process. I really wouldn't put fish in just yet until you understand fully the cycling process and have made sure your tank is ready for them. It will help you in the long term.
Cycling with two mollies means the filter will grow bacteria for just two mollies if you are lucky not to kill them while doing it. So once finished, you won't be able to add no more than 1 fish every week or so in order not to cause multiple ammonia spikes.
It doesn't take two weeks to cycle a filter, it takes anything between 4 and 8 weeks and some have been unlucky to cycle for even longer. If you are prepared to do 70-80% water changes daily for that period of time, looking at suffering fish, then it's your choice. And keep in mind the worse comes after you expose fish to ammonia. It's when they get diseased and you've got to jump in with medications, killing the bacteria you've been trying to grow in your filter and ending up for months with fish dying for no reason.
However, if you do a fishless cycle instead, once finished you can stock all fish you desire at once. There's almost no water changes involved during cycle and it eliminates the risk of secondary ammonia related diseases once you introduce fish as long as you buy healthy fish to start with.
It doesn't take two weeks to cycle a filter, it takes anything between 4 and 8 weeks and some have been unlucky to cycle for even longer. If you are prepared to do 70-80% water changes daily for that period of time, looking at suffering fish, then it's your choice. And keep in mind the worse comes after you expose fish to ammonia. It's when they get diseased and you've got to jump in with medications, killing the bacteria you've been trying to grow in your filter and ending up for months with fish dying for no reason.
However, if you do a fishless cycle instead, once finished you can stock all fish you desire at once. There's almost no water changes involved during cycle and it eliminates the risk of secondary ammonia related diseases once you introduce fish as long as you buy healthy fish to start with.
Definately needs the white floss on the top.
The juwel internal filter also has an intake at the top which kinda works like a skimmer, so the white filter floss on top will catch all the floating bits pretty good.
The holes/slits at the front are there to allow water to circulate around the internal heater (I think)
I read loads and loads about juwel internal filters not being up to the job, not powerful enough, not enough media etc etc, but mine took 3-4 weeks to fully cycle and has kept the water clarity and parameters perfect ever since then. Haven't had a single problem.
Just do not change the sponge media every month like juwel recommend, you will lose all the bacteria. only thing you need to change is the white floss
The juwel internal filter also has an intake at the top which kinda works like a skimmer, so the white filter floss on top will catch all the floating bits pretty good.
The holes/slits at the front are there to allow water to circulate around the internal heater (I think)
I read loads and loads about juwel internal filters not being up to the job, not powerful enough, not enough media etc etc, but mine took 3-4 weeks to fully cycle and has kept the water clarity and parameters perfect ever since then. Haven't had a single problem.
Just do not change the sponge media every month like juwel recommend, you will lose all the bacteria. only thing you need to change is the white floss
thanks for this information, how often do you change your filter media then ?, I was thinking of adding some ceramics to aid the bacteria, but do you think this would be of any benifit. at the moment i have one fine blue sponge, one course blue sponge, one nitrate green sponge,and one floss white.
b3cca said:
Yes i would like to get an external one day, but just need to watch the costs at the moment.Sophie1992 said:
I'd still go for an external any day over an internalRipped my internal out as soon as I got it in my Juwel 260. Every little bit of space helps!
The reason they advise such regular sponge changes is
The Nitrax (geen one) does have an active pellet inside that (allegedly) removes nitrates but that only last a for few weeks. Regular partial water changes will deal with any high nitrates anyways so would be a waste of time and money continually buying a new nitrax sponge plus you will be constanly throwing away good bacteria.
Black carbon one will only be active for a week or so but carbon is only needed to remove meds or clear up bad water impurities, I just removed mine completly and put more blue foam in instead. If your water is clear then waste of time and money buying activated carbon every few weeks
All you need to do is swish those sponges in used tank water every so often if they become blocked and slow your filter. I've quickly swished mine once in 4 months and they were hardly even dirty.
I Have never changed one sponge at all and will Keep them in there until they basically are falling apart in a few years time
The Nitrax (geen one) does have an active pellet inside that (allegedly) removes nitrates but that only last a for few weeks. Regular partial water changes will deal with any high nitrates anyways so would be a waste of time and money continually buying a new nitrax sponge plus you will be constanly throwing away good bacteria.
Black carbon one will only be active for a week or so but carbon is only needed to remove meds or clear up bad water impurities, I just removed mine completly and put more blue foam in instead. If your water is clear then waste of time and money buying activated carbon every few weeks
All you need to do is swish those sponges in used tank water every so often if they become blocked and slow your filter. I've quickly swished mine once in 4 months and they were hardly even dirty.
I Have never changed one sponge at all and will Keep them in there until they basically are falling apart in a few years time
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