new tank

[toggle]

hi all,

a freindly collegue has offered me her brothers tropical fish tnak for free
I have a picture of it, it looks quite big, she said its about 2.6ft long and by looking at the picture and the lenght of it, looks around 1.1/1.2ft high
so im guessing its aorund 25 gallons, it also comes with a wood stand it is currently sitting in

although ive come across some descicons.

You see im allowed a big tank this year (around 25 gallons size) and this one seems perfect but one prob. You see it doesnt have anything (no filter/lights/heater) so i would have to buy all this and i would have to be all the sand and plants, so im guessing it would eventually come to around £50
This is really good...But

my other option is too look aorund in the advert local papers and recently i have seen fully equiped 2/3ft tanks for around £30. but again, id still have to buy sand and plants (live) so again would cost a total of £50 without fish.

So im confused on what option to go with.

Also can you please suggest a good cheapish combo of a filter/heater + lights i can get in england (online or offline) as i dont know anything about that sort of thing (i was thinking of an external filter for better filtering, more room in tank, easier cleaning and ive had some horrible expeiernces with internal "2 of my fish died by getting trapped between glass and internal filter)

Ill try and post a pic up later

thanks!

 

[yvez9]

I would go for the free tank as you know where it's been and that it's most likely in good condition

 

[toggle]

ok, if i go with the free tank im not sure what filter/heater and lights to get....
any ideas? I want to grow live plants if that helps and i want an external filter...unless thats a bad idea

 

[BobK]

Hey Toggle, I agree, go with the free tank. I don't know if these are available in the UK but you can always get them online. I'd personally go with an Emperor or Penguin from Marineland. These are external HOB filters with bio-wheels and IMO offer the best in biological filtration. You can check them out at marineland.com. They are somewhat noisier than some of the other options out there as they make splashing noises but are not loud at all. If you insist on quiet, I've heard AquaClear filters are great as well. I have a Whisper filter that's been running for 4 years and is super quiet, but some people don't think they are as good as the AquaClears. Hope this helps.

 

[toggle]

what is a HOB filter and a Bio-Wheel? is it something i need to buy special filter media for like carbon that i have to keep replacing every couple of months?


also whats the big difference in different makes of filters?
and what do filters actualy meant to do? are they meant to suck in and filter all the poo and left over food in the tank? (lol noob question)

also what light do you recommend? or can i get any wattage, same applies for heater..what is a ideal wattage heater for a 25-30 gallon? around 200w?

 

[sylvia]

Read the link in my sig. - the filters are home to many beneficial bacteria that are essential to your fish' health.

HOB = hang on back. these are filters that (obviously) hang on the back of your tank.
Bio-wheels are a recent design I suppose. The purpose of a bio-wheel is to allow for extra biological filtration or at least to allow for the optimum in biological filtration. They often stop turning as fast (which is what they are meant to do BTW) but should never be replaced or removed as this will cause a re-cycle or ammonia spike. If it stops completely you would need to remove whatever is blocking it but never change it or remove it, as I've already said.

Carbon BTW, only lasts for about a week and is unecessary in an established tank except for when you are trying to remove medication or similar chemicals.
Filter media doesn't need to be replaced, and indeed, shouldn't be. The only situation where you should be replacing filter media is when it is deteriorating and filthy. Otherwise, removing it also detracts from your biological filtration and causes more harm than good. Rinsing your filter media in old tank water from a water change every now and then or when your filter begins to get clogged up is all that's normaly necessary. If you realy need to change the media (don't follow manufacturer's advice on this - they are trying to make money) only ever change part at a time so you don't remove all the bacteria at once.

The difference between filters tends to mainly be design and the amount and types of media they can hold. Obviously, aesthetics as well as functionality may affect your descision if the filter will be in full view (HOBs wouldn't be...). Also keep in mind that it is always best to over-filter a tank so get the filter made for a 40 gallon if you have a 30 etc...

The purpose of a filter is to provide chemical, biological and mechanical filtration. Chemical filtration is the activated carbon media and is also the least important in an established, balanced tank. Mechanical filtration basicaly involves the removal of fine to larger debris from your water by way of the filter floss and pads and other types of media that collect and trap it. Rinsing these out (never in tap water!) in old tank water from a partial water change will keep the filter from clogging. Don't over-do it though. The reason you must not over-do it is the biological filtration. By far the most important, the beneficial bacteria that grow in your filter (and substrate and even ornaments) is essential because it changes lethal ammonia and nitrItes to relatively harmless nitrAtes which you then remove with water changes. When your biological filtration is established we say your tank is 'cycled'. At this point your water is safe for fish and you'll have 0 ammonia/nitrItes and high nitrAtes which must be removed weekly by a partial water change with de-chlorinated tap water and by plants which use up nitrAtes to grow. A test kit to measure the amount of these substances in your water is very important.
Besides this, a filter also provides surface aggitation. The movement of the surface of the water allows for the essential movement of gases from the water to the atmosphere and the other way round by increasing the surface area significantly. Without this movement your fish would die of suffocation quite soon. An airstone adds to the surface aggitation by creating bubbles that pop at the surface and ripple the water - increasing surface area.

Besides regular partial water changes with de-chlorinated water at a similar temp. to that of the water in your tank, you need to vacuum your gravel to remove extra debris, un-eaten food and, of course, fish poo, that didn't find its way into the filter. A gravel vac. with every weekly water change is ideal.

A good heater for your size tank is one with a thermostat (so you can control temp.) and of around 200 watts would be ideal.

Lighting depends on your plants as fish don't realy care. Depending on the types of plants you may not need very strong lighting or you may need a lot.

Now read that link in my sig.