Whats The Minimum Tank Size For An Adult Banjo Cat?

[Starfishpower]

im looking to upgrade my community tank to something which better accommodates my catfish. iv got a banjo cat and 2 cories. concerning the banjo, when looking at the final tank size for an adult what foot print should i be looking for. would a 20 long be ok?

 

[Colin_T]

banjos don't swim around that much so a 30inch long tank would be suitable for one of them. If you have a few of them then go for at least a 3ft tank. Bigger is always better because it gives you more room for the other fish.

 

[Starfishpower]

iv only got one right now but id like to get more in the future. i think a 30 gallon is what i need. its just gona seem like a lot but it is more well suited to the fish. that means i have to return my new filter though. its on the 10 g now but its rated for up to 20 gallons. i was hoping i could just transfer it over to the new tank.

 

[Colin_T]

If it's an established filter you could just transfer it over to the new tank. It will still filter the water but it won't have as much filter material and will need cleaning more often. But it won't need any more cleaning than it does currently, not sure if that makes any sense.
Basically the filter will be keeping the water clean for the number of fishes in that tank. If you have more fish in the new tank then the filter will develop more bacteria to break down the extra ammonia. The filter will get dirty more quickly if there are more fish in the tank and will need cleaning more often to compensate for the extra gunk it is picking up.
If it is a new filter and hasn't been used then swap it for a bigger model so you get more filtration area.

 

[Starfishpower]

its a new filter but some of the filter media is very aged, i put it in there to help jump start things and make sure my tank didnt cycle again. its an AquaClear 20, and i was wondering, since i have the option to put whatever filter media in the basket i want what could i use to do without? in other words, what could i swap out for other things? could i replace the carbon with a second sponge? or just get rid of the carbon completely? an easier way to do this would be to explain what the purpose of each item is at which point i can reason my way thought it from there and figure it out

 

[Colin_T]

I just use 3 sponges in my Aquaclear HOB filters. The sponges trap dirt and gunk and hold plenty of beneficial bacteria.

You can use carbon (black granules) if you want to remove chemicals from the water. However, it will remove plant fertiliser and medication so if you want to grow plants or treat the fish, then remove the carbon.

White ceramic beads (round things with a hole in) are used to hold bacteria but don't hold a lot of gunk. I don't bother using them because a sponge will hold bacteria and trap the gunk.

Ammogon (white granulated substance about the size of aquarium gravel) is used to absorb ammonia from the water. It is good in quarantine tanks or if you get fish and don't have an established filter for them. For normal tank use you do not want to use it as it prevents the filter bacteria from developing. (I don't know if they still provide you with Ammogon when you buy an Aquaclear HOB filter).

You might find the only difference between the Aquaclear 20 & 30 is the number of blades on the impellor in the motor. I think they have the same size sponges and filter casing. You could go up to the bigger models like a 50 or 70. I use an Aquaclear70 on my mini marine tank. The tank is 18x14x12 inches.

 

[Starfishpower]

yes they do still give you that ammogon, and all of that.... was very useful. i wish someone had explained all of that before. i like your idea of just using 3 sponges. i rearranged things just now as i did a water change and add indian almond extract to help my betta heal and so i also removed the carbon. right now it just has the ammogon and 2 sponges. one of them though, the one i used to get it started, it very thin compared to the aquaclear pad so i dont know how much stuff it will physically catch but it should do a good job of biofiltering.

 

[SJ2K]

When you get your new tank, run the old filter and a new one together 2 filters on 1 tank is a good way to ensure strong circulation and avoid dead spots.