Newbie Who Has Not Made A Good Start!

[danny_sims]

So i needto cut a bit of the sponge out of someone else filter? does the filter have to have been in for a while?
Could i buy the person a new sponge? and then give them that and ask for all of there sponge? my filter is a aqua one cf1000 and how would i fit it in the filter as it was completely full???
im really confused.
danny

 

[Katch]

They can only safely remove 1 third of their filter media to donate to you without causing problems in their established tank.

To fit the media in your filter open it up and see if there is anyway to wedge it in - don't be afraid to take a pair of scissors to the existing media to make space. If it seems truely impossible to get it inside take the used media and squeeze all the gunk out of it right next to your filter's intake while it is opperating and many of the bacteria will be sucked into your media.

 

[fluttermoth]

Sorry if you're confused, danny; I'll try to eplain a bit more clearly!

The filter does need to have been running for a few weeks so the bacteria has built up.

Most filters have media in them that can either be cut up, or they'll have different sections for different stuff, like ceramic rings, sponges, filter floss or whatever.

All you do is take some of the media out of your filter, and put the media from theirs in. Like I said you can cut up sponges, or you can just squash it in; as long as it not so packed that it slows down the flow.

You can't swap a whole sponge if that's all there is in your friends filter. If it has more than one sponge, or sponge and something else, then you could buy them a new sponge and cut into 2 or 3 (or 4) pieces, do the same with the old one and swap some of the pieces.

Has that made it any clearer? Let me know if it hasn't; it's more easy to do than to explain!

 

[danny_sims]

A lot more clearer. thanks
now all i have to do is try explain to someone else who i know if i can cut his filter up. haha.
might ring a few fish shops to ask.

 

[danny_sims]

A friend has just replied to my text and he has got fixed media but he can offer me as much wateras i wish!!!
is it helpfull?

 

[fluttermoth]

No, the bacteria you want live in the filter, there's no point just having the water.

 

[danny_sims]

both people i know have got the same filters
but i did get offered a small fish tank with stand for free has two goldfish in there but i can give them to the mother in law she wants one but she can have two.
would the media from that be ok?

 

[danny_sims]

bump

 

[fluttermoth]

Yes, the media from that would be ok; but what about the goldfish? Has your mum got a cycled tank to put them in?

 

[danny_sims]

yes she has had a tank going for around 6 years
so i will have to see how i get on tomorow
can i put to much media in?
i have just ordered the complete test kit api master.so i should have that tuesday. will just have to keep changing water till then and try this media......
cant wait i dont wantmy fish to die.....
thanks agian and i am going to have to go to bed. up early tomorow.
good night.

 

[waterdrop]

You can't really put "too much" mature media into your new filter (ie. if you could fill its entire sponge space with a fully mature sponge, you'd get -lots- of bacteria) but the advice to not take more than 1/3 of the biomedia from the other person's filter (assuming they still have fish to take care of) is important.

The usual etiquette is to buy them a fresh replacement of the type of media you will be taking (sponge, ceramic rings, whatever) and then help them cut or fill the replacement amount into the 1/3 space in their filter box that has been created when they take out the mature media for you. You both sometimes have to be creative about this.

Then your new media also may need to be altered in order to fit the mature media in. WD

 

[danny_sims]

morning
it looks like my best bet is to try the goldfish media saves me havin to ask my last resort (very miserable friend of my dad)
I could use the complete media from the goldfish one so this would speed things up?
how do i tell if the media is mature?
sorry about all of the questions i would just like to get it right this time before i have any casualties.
thanks

 

[Katch]

It'll be slimy and a dark greeny brown colour.

 

[danny_sims]

Thouht i had some really good news.
went to pes at home and they gave me a sponge piece out of there sump tank (think thats what it was) it was a little dirty and had dirt come out of it on the way home in the bag.
got it home a cut into smaller pieces so i coul fit it inbetween the layers of sponge in my filter... is this right?
im going for the goldfish tank later so that will have som more for me but the one from pets at home was not really dirty. but had been used and was still in water.
Got a 400+ml bottle of api water conditioner which will do my water changes for ages.....
Spentover 200 pounds in threee days now.....

 

[waterdrop]

Isn't this the definition of hobbies, spending your hard-earned money on stuff you really want to rather than stuff you actually need?