Project Overfiltration....

[ab420]

I have decided to just do everything I can to make the happiest and healthiest fish possible.

Right now, I have a 29 gallon with a Whisper 30 Filter system, which is sufficient for filtration and aeration. Well, I decided to step it up a notch and bought another filter set up for up to a 20 gallon, making more than enough filtration. Like I said, both of these filters make air as well by cascading the water into the tank, but again, I decided to step it up a notch and bought a small air pump. Since it's just an additional source of air, I didn't need a huge one, so I got one for up to 20 gallon tanks with a single 4" airstone. Now I have the filters on either side of the tank dropping water in, and the airstone in the middle pushing water up, so I have excellent distribution, excellent filtration, and excellent aeration, my fish should be pretty happy about it!

Also, I did the same (on a smaller scale) for my little 10 gallon (that is almost done cycling now, almost ready for fish!!!! )

I put in a Whisper 20 filter for up to 20 gallons, and added a 4" airston with an air pump for a 10 gal, so that tanks looking good as well!

I just want to make my fish REALLY happy and healthy, so hopefully this will help!

Also, I have a 5 gallon hospital tank set up with a few sick Tiger Barbs (almost better!)

I want to keep the hospital tank ready for sick fish just in case, so how do I keep the bacteria alive in it? If there aren't any fish in there, won't the bacteria just die? I was thinking, when I do water changes on my other tanks, perhaps I could put that water into the 5 gallon, since it will have ammonia and nitrite in it from the fish waste, that would give the bacteria something to live on, will this work?

The other thing I though was that I could hook that 5 gallon filter up to the 10 gallon tank and leave it running there to keep the bacteria alive, but since it is from the hospital tank, is that a bad idea? (possibly infecting the clean tank?)

 

[l337dave]

guess you could keep adding ammonia every few days if you wanted to keep the tank cycled. I understood that the idea with hospital tanks was frequent water changes to keep the ammonia etc down.

...someone clever will probably come and tell you the answer tho


dave.

 

[BigIan]

to keep your hospital tank running what you do is you keep a filter running in one tank, and keep your hospital tank empty, then when you need to use it simply add water get it up to temp then add the spare filter.

then when your done strip the tank down and steralise it with a 1 in 10 mix of bleach and water do the same with the heater and filter, then thouroughly rinse, get new media for the filter and stick it back in the tank.

 

[ab420]

guess you could keep adding ammonia every few days if you wanted to keep the tank cycled. I understood that the idea with hospital tanks was frequent water changes to keep the ammonia etc down.

...someone clever will probably come and tell you the answer tho


dave.

Well, I do want to keep the ammonia down, but I also need to keep it cycled, if I add a sick fish in there, he won't be able to deal with the stress of cycling, so it needs to be "ready and waiting" for any sick fish that may come along.

I'm thinking that the best idea, is to modify the hood on my 10 gallon to fit this filter (kind of tricky, because it's an eclipse filter from a Hex 5...) If I can get it to work in my 10 gallon (along with my 10-20 gallon filter), I can keep it running in there and keep the bacteria alive, so I can stick it back in the Hex 5 whenever I need it.

That way, I can drain the Hex 5 in between sick fish, clean it well (I know, no soap, aquarium cleaner!). Plus, leaving it dry kills any bacteria, fungus or other bad guys. If I need a hospital tank, I can simply fill that Hex 5 up with water from my 29 and 10 gal. tanks, put the filter back on, and I will have an instant cycled tank!!!

Does this make sense? And can anyone think of anything I'm overlooking that will fatally flaw my plan?

to keep your hospital tank running what you do is you keep a filter running in one tank, and keep your hospital tank empty, then when you need to use it simply add water get it up to temp then add the spare filter.

then when your done strip the tank down and steralise it with a 1 in 10 mix of bleach and water do the same with the heater and filter, then thouroughly rinse, get new media for the filter and stick it back in the tank.

HA HA HA! I was pretty much typing that at the same time as you, but ya beat me to it! LOL! Alright, so I'm thinking on the right lines here, thanks for your help! Now... to figure out how to get the Hex 5 Eclipse filter to fit on my normal 10 gallon tank...