What Should I Do :-L

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I've heard good things about tetra pro crisps.

 

[SensesFail]

What Cat fish are you getting that are so expensive ? I've spent silly money on corydoras this week but i got a dose of the I wants.

Synodontis petricolas. I say expensive they come in at £16.50 each and thinking of 5. Not that dear really compared to some of the plecos out there I guess. I'd love a pleco but can't seem to find one that will go with conditions. I like the snowball pleco but don't think it works l

I've heard good things about tetra pro crisps.

That's good to hear got a huge tub of primer so I guess I could vary them both? Primer says slow sinking food for mid to bottom feeding fish? May do for cats?

 

[SensesFail]

When it comes to the air pump is it ok switching it off at times? Also added some fish now do I continue to test once or twice a day? Every 12 hrs or? And timing wise just pick easy times or 12 hrs from when they were added?

Cheeeeers

 

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If you've got plenty of surface movement from your filter output then it's fine to turn off the bubbles for periods when they bother you, they are almost entirely just for looks if you filter is doing a proper job of moving water around.

You just have to use your own judgement on slowly ramping down your watch for any aftershock mini-spikes. No, they certainly don't need to be so 12-hour regular after you've got fish because now you're not trying to interpret fishless cycle progress (that's what the regularity was for.) And after a week or two of fish I'd expect you to drop down to only once a day testing and then once a week and eventually less often than that if you feel the tank and fish are all showing good signs. The occasional testing, perhaps on the weekends prior to the monthly filter clean habit are a good idea and of course the main reason for having a test kit handy is for when you made some sort of changes and are curious or worried there might be some ammonia or nitrite showing up.

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[SensesFail]

If you've got plenty of surface movement from your filter output then it's fine to turn off the bubbles for periods when they bother you, they are almost entirely just for looks if you filter is doing a proper job of moving water around.

You just have to use your own judgement on slowly ramping down your watch for any aftershock mini-spikes. No, they certainly don't need to be so 12-hour regular after you've got fish because now you're not trying to interpret fishless cycle progress (that's what the regularity was for.) And after a week or two of fish I'd expect you to drop down to only once a day testing and then once a week and eventually less often than that if you feel the tank and fish are all showing good signs. The occasional testing, perhaps on the weekends prior to the monthly filter clean habit are a good idea and of course the main reason for having a test kit handy is for when you made some sort of changes and are curious or worried there might be some ammonia or nitrite showing up.

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Monthly filter clean is that just rinsing the sponges in the old tank water? And occasionally changing things if required? The spray bar is currently spraying the top of the water agitating it so may be ok would only turn the bubbles off during the night went to get fish today had to rely on the LFS for which to put in the tank they were voted best in the area by practical fish keeping so they should be ok although they seem to chase each other around and circle around each other.

Hopefully my trust was a good move!

 

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Wait a minute did you sneak that in, that you went to get fish today?... more fish? You're having fun now aren't you.

Yes, the most important part of the filter maintenance is simply gently rinsing debris out of all the media using the just-removed tank water in your catch-bucket from the substrate clean siphon session you are in the middle of (filter maint. usually takes place while the tank level is low, ie in the middle of the water change.) Sponges are submerged and gently squeezed and moved around. Trays of loose media are dunked and swished. All media can be left submerged in your now dirty bucket of tank water while you do other things to the filter box (meaning you might need a bit more swishing if debris settles back on the media before you return it to the box.) Next the media box itself can be cleaned with your hand under a tub faucet (for example.) (But obviously, not media under a tap.)

Now comes the hard part. You will need to be prepared prior to doing this the first time by having some small brushes. The best have bristles all the way around a wire core. The most important thing is to be extremely gentle and carefully observe how everything comes apart and goes back together. If your fitler manufacturer gives any instrucs, pay attention to them. Use a sponge (all tank sponges must never have been used with soap) to clean any film from the parts of the pump head that are inside the filter. Next disassemble the impeller, being extremely careful not to break the ceramic shaft the impeller spins on if it has one. Clean film from the magnet assemply and very gently use your tiny brush to clean the entire impeller. Next use the brush to clean the impeller well in the pump head. Clean the impeller shaft and return it to it's holder deep in the well (if yours works like that) and then reassemble the magnet and impeller and locking mechanism. There will be magnetic resistence when removing and putting back in the magnet/impeller assembly, that's normal but don't break your shaft. Use larger brushes to clean out any water pathways from the hoses to the impeller area if you see they are present and you can get to them.

Re-coat all silicone parts with silicone grease (yet another thing you'll need to find if you don't have it, along with brushes) On my eheim, there are basically 5 parts like this - the main seal between the filter box and the pump head, 2 gaskets between filter trays and 2 o-rings where the quickrealease for the hoses meets the pump head. I take off each of the smaller gaskets, coat my fingers with silicone and rub them all over with it and then replace them to their positions. I just leave the main box gasket in place and smear the grease all the way round it at the top of the filter box, doesn't matter if there's some excess here and there. SF, it may take you some weeks to gather the stuff and figure this out and that's no big deal, just do your media rinsings without the impeller maintenance the first time or two if need be.

Last thing before you're ready to move the box back to the fish room is to put the media back in the trays (oh, forgot to say you can replace your polyfloss every now and then if you think it needs it but often it can last a number of months with just squeezings before it gets less effective) and then don't allow anything to sidetrack you because of course the media will be out in the air in the box not submerged.. but it's not hard to place it back under the tank, connect the hoses and open the hose releases so that siphon action refills the cannister. It's ideal to allow the cannister to receive water a long (seemingly long) time before trying to prime and power the pump, that way the most air will get out first. Then when you do prime and get it running, you can lift (I'm assuming external cannister obviously, sheesh I've forgotten your filter type even with all these months ) the filter box slightly and tilt it very slightly at different angles off upright and vibrate it so that some air bubbles will go up, hit your impeller, make noise and then shoot out through your spraybar. If there's too much air it will stop your impellor and you'll need to quickly re-prime to not burn out your motor, having fun yet? It's all easier than writing it. In time it will be second nature.

Wow, you're lucky to have a PFK recommended store, I like that magazine. You're gonna be a good fishkeeper SF, you and Tom and that little hand puppet (forget his name.) Will enjoy seeing some of your fish eventually.

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[SensesFail]

Thanks for the advise WD I shall make a note of all the info you have given ready for when I come to do it. Seems really hard and complicated but I'm sure when I get into it I will get through I shall add those bits and pieces to the shopping list may be worth buying some filter spares next time I place a big order with a store to save on delivery.

I have some pictures up of the fish D their is a link below. Fish behaviour is my next worry but I have a thread about this

Thanks again WD

 

[SensesFail]

When cleaning the filter so am I reeding correctly take a bucket of tank water. Place the ceramics into it long with sponges so now I have an empty canister just filled with the water. Do I leave that water in along with any debris/ brown sediment or do I pour it all away and clean it with dechloronated or tank water. And then start on the motor etc? Or do I leave the water and sediment in the canister? Thinking of doing it soon maybe not the next water change but in the near future. Once iv done it is it worth carrying out tests every 12 hrs for a few days?

Been testing it every 12 hrs and it's a week now with 0 ammonia and nitite and 0 nitrate until the 3rd day where it's around 5ppm (water change on the 4th day)

Cheers abit worried about playing with the heart of the operation.