Aquarium Filter

[NutBucket]

Or use this stuff: http://www.amazon.com/pet-supplies/dp/B002DZG1BW

Yes there are lots of mixed opinions on it but I can tell you from personal experience it works.

 

[ControlD]

Or use this stuff: http://www.amazon.com/pet-supplies/dp/B002DZG1BW

Yes there are lots of mixed opinions on it but I can tell you from personal experience it works.

Grabbing a handful of gravel or filter media from a buddy's tank will also work in a similar manner.

Once nice thing about doing heavily planted tanks is that once you have one up and running cycling is a non issue for new tanks. Just take some plants from an established tank along with some gravel, plant the the new tank drop in your fish and enjoy.

 

[HumblePie]

The Eheim 2217 goes for about the same price but may have more actual flow.

http://www.aquascapingworld.com/threads/eheim-2215-and-2217-facts-and-diy-performance-mods.526/

That's because the eheim design can allow for bypass of the media. You have to know how to stack your media in the eheim correctly to make it work right. If you do, then the flow isn't all that high.

 

[HumblePie]

Grabbing a handful of gravel or filter media from a buddy's tank will also work in a similar manner.

Once nice thing about doing heavily planted tanks is that once you have one up and running cycling is a non issue for new tanks. Just take some plants from an established tank along with some gravel, plant the the new tank drop in your fish and enjoy.

Pretty much this is the best thing to do to start a new tank. Grab media from a well established tank.

I also like some of that eco complete substrate. It's a bit pricier, but the substrate is pulled from live well established big tanks before being bagged. The bags are technically not suppose to stay on the shelves for more than a couple of weeks to maintain the viability of the bacteria in the substrate. Some places adhere to that... and some don't.

Still, using some borrowed media from another tank, using the eco complete substrate and the initial tank cycling will be next to nothing time required. Next to nothing would be like a week instead of the normal 6 weeks or so without having a boost to the bacteria.

 

[lupi]

Got to play faces of death this weekend. Previous 2 weeks had ammonia at the next to last level so was planning on getting some additional occupants this weekend anyway. Brought them home, did another water change and got a 0 reading, added new ones in with the new water. Then got to watch first one die almost immediately, rest not long after.

Upon further examination, looks like the tap water had turned real basic during the hot summer days. After getting pretty much 7.0 every time I checked, hadn't checked that the last times. After the floaties checked it and it was max, tested tap water and the same. So dropped in some ph- and headed to the store for some replacements. As it's the kids tank and in the bedroom, we did not have a happy camper situation when we started going belly up right away. At least we have 4 still happily alive newcomers this morning.


On a happier note, for the saltwater people how do you stock your tank? Was looking at those in the store while waiting and noticed that many had disclaimers about have to be alone with its type or other aggressive or other non-aggressive, or away from reefs on many of the ones they had in stock. Seems to be difficult to have several breeds in the same tank.

 

[ControlD]

Upon further examination, looks like the tap water had turned real basic during the hot summer days. After getting pretty much 7.0 every time I checked, hadn't checked that the last times. After the floaties checked it and it was max, tested tap water and the same.

That might be something you have to keep an eye on. My municipal tap water comes out at a very high pH, so high in fact that it cannot be read with a standard pH kit. This is a process used in some places to reduce pipe corrosion as well as a natural reaction to the process used to remove sediments. I had some problems when doing large water changes, and I usually do at least 50% weekly. What I ended up doing was set up a large water storage container with a couple of air stones and a heater. The water will naturally drop in pH as it reaches atmospheric CO2 levels, which takes a day or two.

 

[lupi]

It must be either a summer or post winter thing. Didn't check the aquarium until just before putting the first fish in after letting it run empty a couple weeks, and it had always been about 7, and stayed that way after the first couple water changes.

And now that I think about it, when a softener guys came by a couple years ago in early spring, our water tested pretty neutral and soft then too.

 

[Howard]

That's because the eheim design can allow for bypass of the media. You have to know how to stack your media in the eheim correctly to make it work right. If you do, then the flow isn't all that high.

I don't think it's that difficult to stack the media so that the edges are sealed well.

But, I don't see in the results were the tests were done with media or without, so...