What Will "hold" Bacteria?

[Dr. Bogger]

Hi Folks,

I have a question for ya'll.

Ok, i just setup my breeding tank, which *was* cycled at one point in time, before it was a breeding tank....

Well to prepair it for breeding, i had to remove the gravel, and put Marbles instead.
I had to remove the Hang on back filter, and i added one of those corner filters, that require the filter fiber (filter wool).



Now here is my problem.... everytime i replace the filter fiber in my corner filter, my tank tends to build up ammonia (A mini-cycle (or not so mini))

I was wondering if there is something i can add to this tank that will *HOLD* the bacteria, so there wont be as much of a cycle everytime i change the filter wool?
Something that will be safe for baby fish (fry).

Please let me know what you think, as this is kinda urgent, as this morning i had a ammonia build up of 2ppm... i added ammo-lock, to protect the fish that are in there (only 2 fish atm).

 

[celaeno]

imo the corner filter is useless. is the tank a new setup? has it been cycled or seeded with established filter media?

you could always dump some bio-spira into the tank after diluting the ammonia through 25% water changes.

 

[Tolak]

Add about 1/2" of mature gravel to the bottom of the corner filter. This will add bio filtration. For a fry tank this should be plenty for now. Add a sponge filter now, by the time the fry are creating too large a bio load for the gravel the sponge filter will be cycled.

 

[Darkerwhite2]

why did you remove your external filter? mabey you can use it and cover its intake with filter sponge. If you took it off for the reason i think you did to protect fry and eggs...

Edit: Ya that too ^^

 

[Dr. Bogger]

Well what kind of filters do you recomend for a breeding tank?

Something that will hold the bacteria...

On this corner filter, everytime i replace the filter floss, the tank goes into a pritty big cycle...

As stated above, this tank was once cycled, but i converted it over to a breeding tank about 2 weeks ago...

That process included removing all gravel, and put marbles instead, and i removed the hang on back filter, and replaced with a corner filter, and i had to remove all the water from the tank to be able to remove all the gravel.

*Edit*
Wowerze, before i could post my responce, i had 3 other responces.. lol

hmm... ok, so if I add some matured gravel from my 30 gallon tank, it should be good enough to take care of it?.... and i will order a sponge filter ASAP...

 

[dizzied]

Well if you remove the floss, it would obviously go back into a cycle because that's where the bacteria is held.

Try adding a sponge or other media behind the floss, and use that as the biological media, and the floss for mechanical.

 

[Dr. Bogger]

Currently i have filter carbon under the floss... so maybe ill replace that with gravel from my cycled tank...

 

[Tolak]

imo the corner filter is useless.

That's why I switched over more than a dozen tanks to box & sponge filters months ago. I have over a dozen used hob filters kicking around. The box filters provide better mechanical filtration than a hob, given enough air. The flow is much more adjustable. The sponge filter blows a hob away with bio filtration. Maintenance is easier, less electrical cords = less fire hazard, and for multiple tanks it uses less electricity.

Don't knock the old school equipment until you've seen it properly set up.

 

[Dr. Bogger]

I got a question... Would a Foam Filter work just as well as a sponge filter?

My LFS has a foam filter, but not a sponge filter... so are they bascily the same or wa?

*Edit*
This looks like the same one my LFS has... here is the link:
http/www.thatpetplace.com/pet/product/pr....itemKey=204192

 

[dizzied]

It's a sponge filter, same thing.

 

[Tolak]

If the foam fits in the bottom of the corner filter it will work the same, just won't provide as much area as a larger sponge filter. For a couple fry in a smaller tank this will be fine. To help the foam cycle, put a thin layer of mature gravel over it. This will help transfer nitrifying bacteria, it's a trick for cycling a sponge filter in a pinch.

I like running them separate, a bio filter works better with a lower flow, a mechanical filter works better with a higher flow. Fry need less water flow, I run just a sponge filter for the first couple of weeks.

Yes, that's a sponge filter.

 

[Dr. Bogger]

Ok, great!

At my LFS that filter listed above costs $7.99, so tomorrow (if i have enough money for it - I'm a bit broke atm) i will go and get it.

Now how do i clean that kind of filter? and how often?

 

[Tolak]

There is a trick to cleaning them without everything getting all over the tank. If you just pull it out of the tank the water will run out, along with all the debris. Find a clean container the sponge will fit in, a bowl or tupperware container works well.

Slide this under the filter while it is still in the tank, then remove the filter and container with the tank water. Now you can remove it from the container when it is clear of the tank. You will see all the debris run out into the container, this is what you don't want in your tank. Give the sponge a few squeezes in the bowl, or a bucket of tank water from water changes. Do this a couple times weekly.

I make my own 4" cube sponge filters from pond sponge material & pvc pipe. A large used margerine container fits under them perfectly.

 

[Dr. Bogger]

Ok, thanks for the info.