Where To Put Filter

[lizjamie]

I have had my fish tank set up and trying to do some type of fish less cycling before I get my (gold) fish. I have had the filter completely submerged.
Is this wrong? Someone told me that you should have the squirty out bit breaking the surface to get oxygen in.
Will the water being sat incorrectly for 10 days make it poisonus as no oxygen?
Yet another dumb question and i havetn even bought the fish yet! )

 

[lizjamie]

Sorry I forgot do you have to do anything special to add ornaments?? And would it be bad to do that the same day I added fish?

 

[lizjamie]

Sorry I forgot do you have to do anything special to add ornaments?? And would it be bad to do that the same day I added fish?

 

[lizjamie]

Sorry I forgot do you have to do anything special to add ornaments?? And would it be bad to do that the same day I added fish?

 

[bogwood]

Some type of fishless cycle?... elaborate if you can... as you have no fish yet, do you mean a fishless cycle using pure ammonia?... just letting the tank 'sit' for a number of days won't give the result you are after...

What make/model of filter do you have?

Ornaments: are they aquarium specific? If not, they may leak paints/solvents etc. over time...

 

[lizjamie]

My filter is a rena filstar I1 or I2.

I think it is supposed to be under the water. I just dont understnad the instructions they are these funny multilanguage picture ones.

On the replacement front, I get from them that I should rinse foam every 1 month adn replace every 3, along with "biochem stars" adn replace activated carbon and rena carb every 1 month.
Am I supposed to do this? And is it expensive? I just got from many people on here that you should not wash things too often as it removed the useful bacteria.

As for my cycling I had added some food near the filter (as suggested by someone who replied to my daft Qs before) to start it off. But as I did this on the 22nd of december and my tests (today, the only one i have done) says they all read 0 then i think absolutely nothing has happened.

 

[windtrancer]

a site i've been to recommends that you use a power filter with biowheel instead of a submersible filter.

 

[thefishykid]

on the diagram instructions there should be a picture where your filter should be some sit level with the surfase and some about 10 mm bollow the surfase. as for cleaning the filters use some water from your tank and not from the tap. tap water kills bacteria you will only need about 2 cup fulls from the tank to clean. the best way to start your cycle is to add 1 or 2 hardy fish to the tank for about 2 to 3 weeks then 2 to 3 more till you have all the fish you need. also keep an eye on the levels in your tank