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Purpose of aquarium filters, types, media & advantages and disadvantages with forum
By Tim Gautrey
Short introduction
Most of Aqua-Fish.Net's visitors visit this page because 1) they want to learn how aquarium filters work and they'd like to get an overview on filtration, or 2) they want to purchase aquarium filters. Before you purchase any filter for your fish tank you should know what type of filter is most suitable, this is the reason why this article was published. Once you're finished reading information and want to purchase aquarium filter online, feel free to click this link and you'll be forwarded to a list of websites that sell filters online! You're also welcome to ask about filtration of fish tanks, simply use the form at the bottom of this page!How does it work?
Most aquarium filters are divided into three sections: Biological, Mechanical and Chemical.
Biological. An aquarium filter is a breeding ground for two main types of bacteria. This is not something to worry about, quite the opposite. The type of bacteria that filters culture is specifically to work on the chemicals that fish produce through waste. The first type of bacteria breaks down the potentially very poisonous ammonia that fish produce into less harmful nitrites, and then a second type of bacteria breaks down the nitrites into even less harmful nitrates.
Mechanical. The filters will also remove large suspended particles of debris from the water.
Chemical. Some aquarium filters allow the addition of Active Carbon in the form of balls, sheets, wadding or crystals. The purpose of this is to remove medications and heavy metal traces from the water.
Aquarium filters come in several different forms, from Under-gravel filter trays, through Hang-on-back (HOB) filters and internal power-head filters to external "Sump" filters. All of them do very similar jobs and all work well. The main criterion for choosing which filter is best is the size of the tank and the load you are going to put it under. Let's take them one at a time and explain the benefits and drawbacks for each. I'll start with the cheapest and work upwards in cost:
Simple Air powered Filters:
Air-box and foam filters, which sucker onto the sides of the tank or just stand on the bottom and contain a filter media, foam or wadding to hold the bacteria and filter out the large debris. These filters are very cheap, often costing just a couple of pounds. The principle of filtration is very simple, using an air stream to force the water through the filter. The principle use for these is in fry breeding, where you need a filter that doesn't cause strong currents and that won't pull the small fry into the internal workings. They also make ideal backup filters for other types and can be setup in minutes. You can even make your own filter like this out of bits and pieces you have laying around! If you have an air pump, you can use this type of filter.
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Regular maintenance is a must. These filters can clog up with debris very quickly in heavy load situations.
Not able to handle heavy filtration. These filters are not suitable for tanks where you have diggers, as they clog up very quickly and are limited on the amount of bacteria they can support. You need an air pump to run them.
Under-gravel Filter:
Out of all of the above, this is my personal favorite. Apart from anything else, it is the cheapest and simplest to maintain. Over the years, these have become less popular, mainly due to commercialism, not in-effectiveness. (Retailers make more money by selling more expensive options)
The filter works as follows: It draws water down through the gravel across the entire bottom of the tank through small slots in the tray and forces the cleaned water back to the top through riser pipes in the corner of the tank using either an air stone or a power-head. The filtration is done by the gravel removing the larger particles and the bactreria that lives in the gravel and under the tray removing the harmful ammonia and nitrites. With the Active Carbon filter attachment fitted to the top of the risers, it will also remove heavy metals and medications from the water.
Advantages:
It aerates the water by means of the air stone which draws the water up the riser or simply by the disturbance of the surface in the case of power-heads.
It regulates the water temperature throughout the whole tank, simply by drawing the colder water from the bottom and pushing it out at the top. With the heater placed beside the riser pipe, this water is heated back up straight away, giving more even temperatures.
It is flexible. By the addition of another riser pipe, the filter is capable of carrying a much larger bio-load, which is very helpful for over-stocked tanks. Most trays come with spare riser sockets to add more risers if required.
It is a low-maintenance system. If you are pushed for time, this filter is very forgiving. It won't stop working over a short period of time and can be left for weeks without any concern. It is safe to use with very small fish. So long as the riser pipe is above water level this filter is very safe for smaller inhabitants.
It is good in planted tanks. Plants can root through the gravel and into the slots in the tray to get a good hold.
The cost is minimal. these filter trays are by far the cheapest alternative of all the filtration systems.
Dis-advantages:
Cleaning: Can be difficult if not carried out regularly. (See the article on UGF cleaning for effective and quick ways to clean these filters.)
Air Pump: You need an air pump powerful enough to run this filter effectively. It pays to buy a good air pump as if the pump stops, the filtration stops too.
Substrate: You are restricted with the types of substrate you can use. Gravel is the only effective type of substrate for this filter. If you want to use sand, don't use this filter!
Efficiency: The filter becomes less effective if not cleaned regularly. By regular, I mean at least every six months, which is a lot less than other filter types.
Noise: The filter itself is silent, but sometimes the air pump the runs it can be noisy, so and the sound of bubbles bursting on the surface all the time can get annoying. Careful selection of the pump is very important.
Internal Power-head filters:
By far the most common system used today, these filters come in a range of sizes and shapes to suit most small to medium sizes tanks. They simply sucker onto the side or back of the tank and connect to mains power. The filter works through an impeller drawing the water through the filter media and forcing it back into the tank.
Advantages:
Availability: There is a filter for most common sizes of tank.
Simple to install: They can be fitted into a tank in seconds.
Cleaning: The filters simply slide onto a bracket inside the tank, so removal for cleaning is easy. The media is contained in a removable section of the unit and can be made up of several elements, each one to do specific tasks. They can contain wadding, foam or crystals or a combination of any of the above. If they use foam pads, then you simply rinse them out and replace them when necessary, if they contain wadding, this can be rinsed a few times, but mostly requires replacement each time. Crystals will last for around 4 weeks at a time, then need replacing.
Noise: Most of these filters run quietly.
For Axolotls keepers: Filters are essential when keeping Axolotls as they ensure the water is kept clean and provide an air supply for your Axolotl Tank which is a very important part of keeping Axolotls as it helps remove excess Axolotl pellets.
Dis-advantages:
Looks: The physical size of the filter unit can be a problem if you want to hide it away. As it hangs inside the tank, it also takes up room and in a small tank, this could be a real nuisance. You need to take care when trying to hide it behind plants etc, as there must be clear passage for the water, otherwise it just won’t work!
Cleaning: These filters must be cleaned regularly. They will clog up very quickly in high demand areas and become ineffective very quickly.
Cost: They can be expensive to buy initially, especially the larger ones. The cost of maintenance can be high. Depending on the type of media used in the filter, it can get expensive to keep replacing media all the time.
Water Currents: The current they create can be a problem. Some fish don’t like strong currents, and these fish do not do well in tanks with this type of filter. On the other hand, some fish love it! They also create a strong current at the intake, which can trap or even kill small fish and fry.
HOB or Canister Filters:
Hang on Back or Canister filters are becoming more common these days. I have prouped these two filters together since they are essentially very similar in performance and operation. They use two pipes that hang or clip over the back of the tank and water is pumped through the filter which can be on the back or anywhere away from the tank. Usually installed in a cupboard under the tank, but also wall-mountable. This type of filter contains lots of different types of media, depending on the manufacturer. Usually fairly expandable too, so individual choices of media can be made according to need. The recommendation for this type of filter is that it should be large enough to circulate ten times the volume of water per hour, which means that a 100 gallon tank requires a filter capable of moving 1000 gallons per hour!
Advantages:
Power: These filters tend to be very powerful and move a great deal of water, capable of handling high demands on medium and larger tanks. Some are also adjustable so you control the power it uses. Effectiveness: For diggers and bottom dwellers they are very effective, since they clean large amounts of water very quickly. On most tanks where these filters are fitted, they give crystal-clear water all the time.
Visibility: They are easy to hide away, since it is only the two pipes that enter the tank, and these are easy to disguise.
Current: These units create a really strong current from both ends. The intake needs a good pre-filter fitted to stop the inhabitants being drawn in and the outlet creates a very strong circulation in the tank which is perfect for some fish, but not so good for others.
Dis-advantages:
Cleaning: Can be difficult to clean and some need to be primed before they work. There have also been reports of flooding during the cleaning process, as when installed below the tank water level they can act as a siphon if the valves are not closed properly. Not so prone to clogging as they use lots of media.
Cost: These are very expensive units, and maintenance costs can be high too, depending on the type you buy. The recommendations tend to insist on a much larger unit than you would expect to need.
Noise: They can be quite noisy, the HOB filters especially, but canister filters can be installed away from the tank, this means that they can be put in another room if necessary.
Sumps:
Although these are not necessarily the most expensive to buy, I have put them last because they are by far the most adaptable, but need a lot of skill and patience to set up, and the cost is totally dependant on what you use.
A sump aquarium filter is a separate tank, usually a small 20 - 30 gallon fish tank, split into compartments for various uses. A sump is completely adaptable to suit individual requirements, and there are no real guidelines for this. Examples can range from a simple multi-stage filter, through internal heaters, live plants, biological additives, the list is almost endless.
Mainly fitted to the larger tanks, care needs to be taken in the planning, location, building and use intended. Most sumps are purely DIY and usually only attempted by experienced aquarists. Unless you have a real need for this type of filter, stay away from it!
Recommended reading about filters
- Internal and External Aquarium Filters
- Tetra Whisper Filter
- Aquarium Filter Media
- Canister Filter in an Aquarium
- To Filter or not to Filter a Fish
- Fish Pond Filters
- External Filter for a 26 Gallon or Bigger Aquarium
- Aquarium Filter Cartridges
- Undergravel Filters
- Aquarium Filer Pads
- About Fish Pond Filters
- Magnum and Penguin Aquarium Filter
- Aquarium Filter Systems
- Under Gravel filter Cleaning
- Diatom Filters for Aquariums
Aquarium filters online
The following websites sell fish tank filters online, all links were valid on June 29th 2011. If any of them doesn't work, tell us, please! Use the form at the bottom of this page! Each link will open in new tab/window.
- petsmart.com
- fosterandsmithaquatics.com
- aquacave.com
- fish.com
- americanaquariumproducts.com
- petsolutions.com
- marinedepot.com
- thatpetplace.com
- aquariumguys.com
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I was trying to find out if a back filter and an undergravel filter will work against each other.
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I have been using another type of filter with is not listed here. It is a blend between the canister and the power head filter. A side compartment in the tank is set up ( like 5-10% of total volume ) and the compartment is divided itself in three compartments which are communicating by opens 1-2 at top, 2-3 at bottom. The first compartment is smaller, has two holes with grids on the bottom from where the water is sucked also generally the heathers goes in here. The second compartments stores a substrate for the bacteria and a mechanical filter you can add also active carbon there using an old female stocking. The third has a pump which sends water back to the main tank. By the physics principles water is forced trough the filter because level goes down in the third compartment. It is a very effective easy to maintain and aesthetic filter. It sounds very difficult to explain but it is very easy to build and operate.
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I just borrowed a small filter from my friend for my 55 gallon tank {need an extra} and it doesn't fit the tank {it is a 10 gallon aqueon filter} and I was wondering if I could submerge it in my tank?
No, if a filter wasn't designed for your aquarium and it's dimensions, avoid using it. Not only it may be damaged, but also it can cause unwanted water flow.
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I was wondering why do you need air pumps for larger aquariums?
Air pump is necessary if:
1) Your aquarium is closed (there's a lid at the top)
2) Your aquarium is overstocked
3) Your aquarium filter doesn't introduce oxygen into the water (external filters case)
4) Plants cannot generate enough oxygen for your fish
5) For any reason all fish gasp for air
1) Your aquarium is closed (there's a lid at the top)
2) Your aquarium is overstocked
3) Your aquarium filter doesn't introduce oxygen into the water (external filters case)
4) Plants cannot generate enough oxygen for your fish
5) For any reason all fish gasp for air
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Hi, I've got a 210 liter tank with two pumps in it, is this OK?
It is not a problem. Two pumps will do better job than a single one if each is as powerful as that single one in our second case. In the past I was using two internal filters in one of my aquariums, and at the moment I am using an external filter along with internal one which is there in order to aerate the water.
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Mark Salay on: March 10, 2010, 1:39 pm wrote
I have a 180 tank that I am undecided to ues as fresh or salt. If I went fresh it would be for the very large fantail goldfish. I was thinking about using 3 - #400 Emperor Filters with Dual Bio Wheels. Will I need an undergravel with power heads, and/or a canister filter like the Magnum 350 Pro by Marineland? The tank has an open stand so I really can't set up a wet/dry and I am wondering how to conseal a canister. If I don't need the undergravel is it necessary to have gravel on the bottom of the tank or would it be better left bear so the filters can pick up easier?
Undergravel filter isn't necessary in my opinion. Gravel is always useful as nitrification bacteria will live there.
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I have a fluval u4, it's great. But the carbon has to be changed too often. And I was wondering if I could use something in place of the carbon. Cheers.
The carbon has certain purpose, so I don't recommend to skip it's usage. However, in many aquarium it's not necessary to change carbon as described by filter manufacturer.
You could replace carbon by ceramic rings just to fill the place (anyway I would rather use carbon). Or use less carbon, so you will save on it.
By the way, I'm using Fluval too, and I'm changing carbon rarely than I should. It's not a problem for fish as the aquarium isn't overstocked. Check the article dedicated to the purpose of carbon in aquariums on our site (use search box at the top) to understand why it's necessary to use carbon.
You could replace carbon by ceramic rings just to fill the place (anyway I would rather use carbon). Or use less carbon, so you will save on it.
By the way, I'm using Fluval too, and I'm changing carbon rarely than I should. It's not a problem for fish as the aquarium isn't overstocked. Check the article dedicated to the purpose of carbon in aquariums on our site (use search box at the top) to understand why it's necessary to use carbon.
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alen bridge on: April 13, 2010, 3:46 am wrote
I'm confused. I have a 200 litre tank and have 2 external filters. One of them supports up to 1000 litre tank and the other supports upto 200 litre. I also have a power head to give waterflow 1600lph and oxygen. I removed the carbon granular from the 1000 litre filter. On the 1000 litre filter there is white sponge 4x, ceramic, bio balls and that's it. On the 200 litre I have 3 carbon sponge, 2 blue sponges and 3 white sponges and ceramic. Is this filtration good or bad because I am setting a new tank and do not want my fishes dying. Thanks!
The filtration you mentioned is more than enough. Don't worry at all.
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Leo Del Nodal on: April 21, 2010, 11:31 am wrote
I'm setting up a 65 gallons tank with discus fish and I'm confused. What would you recommend? 1- A combination of a canister filter with under gravel filter? 2- A combination of canister UV filter with under gravel filter? Or any of the canisters with out the under gravel filter?
I'd use a canister filter along with UV steriliser.
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I have a 46 gallon fresh water fish tank and I want to get a filter. What do you recommend a canister or hang on the back type? Which brand would you recommend? The ones I have tried in the past have issues - submersible and air powered. I already have air powered stones in the tank and currently using air powered filters I want to change.
Thanks!
Thanks!
I have tried a few in the past and I'm more than happy with Fluval 404.
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Hi guys,
I'm kind of a newbie to this thing however, my grandmother is about to provide me a 100 gallon fish tank. I was wondering if anyone can help me on what are the things I need for the huge tank such as filters or so. Hope you guys could help me out... thanks!
I'm kind of a newbie to this thing however, my grandmother is about to provide me a 100 gallon fish tank. I was wondering if anyone can help me on what are the things I need for the huge tank such as filters or so. Hope you guys could help me out... thanks!
A canister filter will be good; Fluval is my favourite manufacturer. Then some gravel, internal filter as aerator (because it's very quiet in comparison to air pumps!), and lighting. Heater if it's necessary. Then some plants, snails and wait until the tank gets cycled.
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Hi there! I have an 86-litre heavily planted all-in-one aquarium that's been running and cycled for 20 years and I recently inherited it from my parents. It has 3 compartments - one for the heater, one for the filter material and one for the pump. After reading about filters I'm at a loss because the only filter media that's ever been used in the aquarium is filter wool and we've never had any problems with NO2/NO3/NH3. In fact, I think the filter wool which is presently in the tank is years old from the looks of it. Should I add some different filter material as well or should I leave it be as it is? Thanks!
When you say the tanks filter is built in I assume that you mean it has the trickle filter system directly underneath the lid. If there is only filter wool in there, this should be changed as soon as it starts to discolour but this will then lose you the beneficial bacterial colonies. There should be a layer of sponge below the filter wool, if there isn't replacement sponges are easy to find, these just need rinsing through in old tank water when they get clogged.
Because the tank s heavily planted the plants will be pulling out a lot of the nitrates which probably backed up the fact that the filter was only using filter wool. [Answer by Mick; fishtankforum.co.uk]
Because the tank s heavily planted the plants will be pulling out a lot of the nitrates which probably backed up the fact that the filter was only using filter wool. [Answer by Mick; fishtankforum.co.uk]
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I have a 700 Liter tank and 2 Canister filters:
1. Atman ef-3 (up to 500 L tank and a Flow of 1000L/H)
2.Dolphin C1600 with 1000L/H
Is that enough for my tank? If not, what can I do then? Thanks!
1. Atman ef-3 (up to 500 L tank and a Flow of 1000L/H)
2.Dolphin C1600 with 1000L/H
Is that enough for my tank? If not, what can I do then? Thanks!
Such a flow (2000 liters per hour in total) is enough.
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Hi, I have a 35L fish tank that came with an internal filter. My only query is that the internal filter does not seem to create any bubbles like my old one. It creates a water flow though around the tank, will this aerate the water or should I try and get the water too shoot in and create bubbles?
Also if you have another filter can you put a few more fish in the tank?
Thanks!
Also if you have another filter can you put a few more fish in the tank?
Thanks!
If there are no bubbles coming out, then the filter doesn't aerate the water. On the other hand, movement of water does aerate it, although not that much. It depends on how many fish you keep. If there are two or three fishes, most likely they will be OK. However, if there are say 15 fish, it would be better to add another source of aeration. In my experience internal filters are capable of aerating, so perhaps you just need to check the manual once again or clean the filter. If it's too dirty, the aeration process could be stopped.
You can always add an air pump into the tank.
A 35 liter aquarium isn't big enough for 2 filters, at least in my opinion. The flow could be too fast and the fish would have troubles with swimming in such a case. Obviously it's possible to add more fish into the tank if there are two filters.
You can always add an air pump into the tank.
A 35 liter aquarium isn't big enough for 2 filters, at least in my opinion. The flow could be too fast and the fish would have troubles with swimming in such a case. Obviously it's possible to add more fish into the tank if there are two filters.
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Hi, I have a very small fish tank with one goldfish and an air stone. I don't know whether it's a filter or an air pump, I do not know the difference, but can I shut it off at night?
Both, filters and air pumps can be turned off during night. However, as you seem to be an inexperienced fish keeper, I would like to introduce a couple of articles about goldfish, water quality and keeping these fish. Read each, please. When you're finished, the best thing to do is visiting a pet shop and buying a big aquarium and reliable filter. Here are all links that you should visit:
Goldfish profile, Goldfish article written by Michela, Information about keeping Goldfish by Melissa, Melissa's guide on maintaining high water quality in a Goldfish tank, Things to know before buying a Goldfish, Tim's tips on raising Goldfish.
Goldfish profile, Goldfish article written by Michela, Information about keeping Goldfish by Melissa, Melissa's guide on maintaining high water quality in a Goldfish tank, Things to know before buying a Goldfish, Tim's tips on raising Goldfish.
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I have a 22 gallon tank with 10 pairs of small fish including goldfish, tetra, platy, guppy. Can you kindly help me out if an internal hanging power filter is good for it or not? My tank has an undergravel filter too... I made it...
Undergravel filters aren't recommended for aquariums with Goldfish. Goldfish produce a lot of excrements and an undergravel filter may be ineffective in this case.
The best solution is an external canister filter such as Fluval or similar. As there is a goldfish in your aquarium, I'd rather get a more powerful filter than what's recommended for your aquarium. So, if your aquarium is of 22 gallons, you should get a filter that's designed to operate in a 40 gallon aquarium. Naturally, I'm still talking about external canister filters.
The best solution is an external canister filter such as Fluval or similar. As there is a goldfish in your aquarium, I'd rather get a more powerful filter than what's recommended for your aquarium. So, if your aquarium is of 22 gallons, you should get a filter that's designed to operate in a 40 gallon aquarium. Naturally, I'm still talking about external canister filters.
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I'm getting a 180 gallon tank with a canopy. Are there certain type of filters that need to be used when there is a canopy?
No, you can use any filter type. It's recommended to use external canister filters for a 180 gallon tank.
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Jesus puebla on: February 5, 2011, 12:04 am wrote
I bought a 55 gallon tank, filled it up and put inside all decorations, plastic and live plants, but I'm waiting for 3 weeks to start placing the fish inside. My question is: Must I change the 20 percent of the water each week when the fish are in the tank? Do I have to do it now when there are no fish inside of the tank?
You don't have to change 20% each week. All depends on size of your fish tank; if it's small, then you will have to perform regular water changes more likely when compared to an understocked big aquarium.
You should keep changing water when the conditions in the tank may harm your fish. I recommend you to read these articles: Aquarium Cycling and Aquariums and Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrites.
So I'd test the water before adding fish (pH is very important as well as carbonate hardness).
In case of any further questions, feel free to ask.
You should keep changing water when the conditions in the tank may harm your fish. I recommend you to read these articles: Aquarium Cycling and Aquariums and Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrites.
So I'd test the water before adding fish (pH is very important as well as carbonate hardness).
In case of any further questions, feel free to ask.
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I' really lost, there are so many different types of filters. I am getting a four foot tank which has everything apart from the filter and I'm unsure which type of filter would work best as I don't have a lot of money to spend on one, could you help please, thanks.
A 4 feet tank sounds like a large volume. I would get an external canister filter for such a tank. I'm using Fluval filters and am happy with them. Calculate the total volume of your aquarium and buy one, it doesn't need to be Fluval, of course.
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I have a 3 feet wide, 1 1/2 foot high and 1 foot deep tank. We have a gravel bottom, air pump, several breeding guppies, 2 gourami's and a common pleck. 2 heaters, 2 large plastic rocks and plastic plants. Trouble is our filter system has packed up. We wanted advice on which to do. My partner says buying catfish and cycling the water by 3/4 of the tank and tap safe once a week is fine, but I'm sure if we have to buy a new water filter. Trouble is we have a very low budget and I don't want an external filter. Which is the way to go, please?
I had a similarly sized tank and it was doing quite fine with one internal filter that was designed to operate in aquariums that are up to 200 liters (53 gallons) big. The fish that you keep shouldn't produce tons of excrements, so it should be alright. Although am not sure about number of Guppies, they're known to produce more excrements than usual fish (all livebearers seem to produce more of it due to fast metabolism).
Tap water isn't good unless you use a chlorine remover and perhaps other additives that stabilise pH for example.
You can buy a good internal filter and it doesn't have to be expensive at all; Maybe $40-$50. I was using Atman and AquaEl internal filters before I finally switched to Fluval external filters due to size of my new aquarium.
Tap water isn't good unless you use a chlorine remover and perhaps other additives that stabilise pH for example.
You can buy a good internal filter and it doesn't have to be expensive at all; Maybe $40-$50. I was using Atman and AquaEl internal filters before I finally switched to Fluval external filters due to size of my new aquarium.
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I REALLY need some help. My child has been begging for a fish. He is only 7, so I was looking for something very basic and easy to do.
I went to a local big-box store, asked for help, got a "few" answers, and bought a 3 gallon plastic tank that came with instructions.
I did not know that you shouldn't put your fish in the water immediately, and I also was told to use distilled water, instead of battling with treating our local water. Our first 2 goldfish died within 24 hours.
We removed almost all the water, except about 10%, filled it back up with room temp tapwater, treated it, let it sit 24 hours, and are now ready to put our new betta in. HOWEVER, the water is slightly smelly, and there is a bunch of foam on the top. I am about ready to give up. Can you tell me a way for this to be easier for my child? HELP!
I went to a local big-box store, asked for help, got a "few" answers, and bought a 3 gallon plastic tank that came with instructions.
I did not know that you shouldn't put your fish in the water immediately, and I also was told to use distilled water, instead of battling with treating our local water. Our first 2 goldfish died within 24 hours.
We removed almost all the water, except about 10%, filled it back up with room temp tapwater, treated it, let it sit 24 hours, and are now ready to put our new betta in. HOWEVER, the water is slightly smelly, and there is a bunch of foam on the top. I am about ready to give up. Can you tell me a way for this to be easier for my child? HELP!
Answers: Distilled water cannot be used in aquariums because it's demineralised which means carbonate hardness is too low - this causes pH to vary without being predictable and stable. Distilled water must be mineralised.
Now to your current problem: I'm not sure what's causing foam and smell, but a basic internal filter should fix this in a couple of days. Since you left about 10% of water in the tank, it's possible that it contains substances that are causing smell. Ammonia and other dangerous things. Your tank isn't cycled.
That's why you need to run the tank without any fish until the smell disappears. I strongly recommend you to purchase a test kit, then you will find out what pH, how much ammonia, what carbonate and general hardness are in your tank. Recommended pH for Bettas is 6.2 - 7.9, total hardness 4 - 25 °N and temperature 23 - 30 °C. Even they're relatively tolerant toward ammonia, high levels will cause long-term problems such as dropsy disease. Test kits aren't expensive, the most important ones will cost you only $20-$30 (pH and ammonia test kits), hardness test kits may cost up to $10-$15 depending on brand (at least this is my experience). Adding a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate and mixing it with water in your tank will increase carbonate hardness immediately - this can be achieved by changing water too.
If you already bought that fish, go get a test kit as soon as possible and perform all tests, please. Bear in mind that it is OK to perform partial water changes on a daily basis is you're running an uncycled tank - as long as it can save your fish, it's OK. A 3 gallon tank isn't that big, so these water changes would be piece of pie.
Lastly, smell can be caused by ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, but it can be a natural aquarium smell too.
Now to your current problem: I'm not sure what's causing foam and smell, but a basic internal filter should fix this in a couple of days. Since you left about 10% of water in the tank, it's possible that it contains substances that are causing smell. Ammonia and other dangerous things. Your tank isn't cycled.
That's why you need to run the tank without any fish until the smell disappears. I strongly recommend you to purchase a test kit, then you will find out what pH, how much ammonia, what carbonate and general hardness are in your tank. Recommended pH for Bettas is 6.2 - 7.9, total hardness 4 - 25 °N and temperature 23 - 30 °C. Even they're relatively tolerant toward ammonia, high levels will cause long-term problems such as dropsy disease. Test kits aren't expensive, the most important ones will cost you only $20-$30 (pH and ammonia test kits), hardness test kits may cost up to $10-$15 depending on brand (at least this is my experience). Adding a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate and mixing it with water in your tank will increase carbonate hardness immediately - this can be achieved by changing water too.
If you already bought that fish, go get a test kit as soon as possible and perform all tests, please. Bear in mind that it is OK to perform partial water changes on a daily basis is you're running an uncycled tank - as long as it can save your fish, it's OK. A 3 gallon tank isn't that big, so these water changes would be piece of pie.
Lastly, smell can be caused by ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, but it can be a natural aquarium smell too.
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Hello! I've got a 55 gallon tank that i recently installed an undergravel filtration system in. I went with the UGF system because I decided to turn this tank into a little project of mine. I've taken some plexiglass and silicone sealant and made a water-tight area so that I can have land and water. I went with the UGF because I needed something that didn't have to sit on the top of my tank (as the water does not reach the top of the tank anymore). I then realized that I needed to cut the tube on the UGF system nearly in half because it was still protruding out of the water. My question is... Is this the best route to go for filtration or should I seek another means of filtration? If I could attach an image I would show you because it is kind of hard to explain my set up with words. Thank you in advance.
Sounds like an interesting project, from your description I take it that you are setting up some form of turtle tank or a tank for amphibious creatures. Have you considered using an internal filter that is laid on its side as these are far more reliable than the UGF filters. A picture of your set up would certainly help us to give you more detailed advice. Pictures can be sent to postmaster@aqua-fish.net. [Answer by Mick; fishtankforum.co.uk]
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Hi, I just started a tank and before reading the material from you web site I am just unfamiliar with the water chemistry and water treatment; I am owning a 23 gallons (UK) tank, a DIY-based Undergravel filter made by pvc pipes and a powerhead mounted on the up lifting pipe, my problem is that I don't have any aquarium test kit and this kit is not available in our area even on the pet store when I asked about it from one of pet seller of our area he just wondered listening about it... Now I want to ask that may I continue the fish keeping hobby without any testing kit and expensive filtration media, I am just crazy about fishing hobby and I want to keep Angel fish varieties... As well I have 4 bala sharks, 2 gouramies and one white angle... Could you please help me that how can I solve these chunks and how many Angels I can keep in my tank.? Thanks in advance...
A23 gallon (UK) is suitable for maximally 3-4 Angelfish, however you should purchase adult ones - one male and three females. If two aggressive males are kept in such a tank, it's possible that the stronger one will stress out the less dominant one and it could die later.
Your tank isn't suitable for raising Bala sharks as this species can reach up to 33cm in length. They can grow even larger!
I think you should look for test kits online - they're not expensive at all. Of course you can go without test kits, I too am not testing water parameters everyday, however it's better to have them just in case something goes wrong. Perhaps the pH test kit is most important one, you should get that one at least. I keep adding sodium bicarbonate to my fish tank once every 1-2 months so I'm sure that pH is stable and carbonate hardness won't go under 4. On the other hand I wouldn't know how much and how often to add without previous testing.
You can skip adding sodium bicarbonate to the water as long as you perform regular water changes - 10% per week at least.
Regarding filtration media: Many aquariums do well with just undergravel filter. A couple of Angelfish won't produce that much waste.
Your tank isn't suitable for raising Bala sharks as this species can reach up to 33cm in length. They can grow even larger!
I think you should look for test kits online - they're not expensive at all. Of course you can go without test kits, I too am not testing water parameters everyday, however it's better to have them just in case something goes wrong. Perhaps the pH test kit is most important one, you should get that one at least. I keep adding sodium bicarbonate to my fish tank once every 1-2 months so I'm sure that pH is stable and carbonate hardness won't go under 4. On the other hand I wouldn't know how much and how often to add without previous testing.
You can skip adding sodium bicarbonate to the water as long as you perform regular water changes - 10% per week at least.
Regarding filtration media: Many aquariums do well with just undergravel filter. A couple of Angelfish won't produce that much waste.
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Hi! First of all I want to thank to Mr. Mick and for all of others, those replied me... You've written few lines about my query, appreciated and encouraged me and turned me to continue the fish keeping hobby. As reading your reply I cleared a lots of my concepts about fillteration now I want to ask few more things... As I mentioned that I placed a DIY-Based UGF System I saw at youtube broadcast made by PVC pipe it's simple diagram I can mention is it that I used three 30" PCV Pipes by width of my tank, four pieces of elbows for making four corners and turning the pipe and one straight pipe with the joint of 2 tee connectors, after completing it looks like a "cricket wicket" and finally near the back side glass I placed a tee connector for uplift tube and then I put a powered head pump on it, I made some cuts down side of the pipes those are buried under the gravel. This is the technique I used for this UGF-System, it produces transparent water quality up to now. Here I want to ask that would beneficial bacteria set their colony inside the PVC pipes I used? And the power head which I used; it's flow is 600/LPH, is it sufficient? Because my tank size is 23 Gallons (UK). After reading from your side I just purchased 4 more angels because I am not much experienced in telling the sex of angels, even my pet dealer as well. So, now the total amount of my fish are now,
2. Gouramies about 2" in size
4. Bala Shark about 2" in size
5. Angles about 2" in size
Please advice me if I need add one box filter (corner filter) with Air-lifting system containing some aquarium wool or sponge and activated carbon, will it be a good substrate to my tank and will reduce the ammonia?
And instead of sodium bicarbonate if I do weekly water changed will it work?
One most important question is that as i placed UGF and decorated my tank with some ornaments and artificial plants now, how I can clean my UGF-System, and how often it should be?
After reading from your side I decided that I will leave the bala shark and gouramies but, after one or two months, does it make any trouble because they are smaller in size right now?
Please Guide me through your wise and professional advice I am just excited to read about your side, and finally your web site is a Planate of Knowledge for like me...
With a lots of thanks in advance, Naveed...
2. Gouramies about 2" in size
4. Bala Shark about 2" in size
5. Angles about 2" in size
Please advice me if I need add one box filter (corner filter) with Air-lifting system containing some aquarium wool or sponge and activated carbon, will it be a good substrate to my tank and will reduce the ammonia?
And instead of sodium bicarbonate if I do weekly water changed will it work?
One most important question is that as i placed UGF and decorated my tank with some ornaments and artificial plants now, how I can clean my UGF-System, and how often it should be?
After reading from your side I decided that I will leave the bala shark and gouramies but, after one or two months, does it make any trouble because they are smaller in size right now?
Please Guide me through your wise and professional advice I am just excited to read about your side, and finally your web site is a Planate of Knowledge for like me...
With a lots of thanks in advance, Naveed...
600 liters per hour is fairly enough for a 23 gallon tank, even 300 liters per hour would be enough!
It's difficult to sex Angelfish, that's why I recommended you purchasing adult specimens - because if they're adult, it's easier to tell sex - if two fish breed together, then you have a pair for sure.
How long is it since you started the tank? Is it fully cycled? You don't need additional filter if your undergravel filter works properly. Read more about cycling fish tanks: Cycling an aquarium. Activated carbon doesn't need to be used, although it's a good addition to almost every fish tank. It removes dangerous substances, however this media has to be replaced once a month.
Have you visited our article about undergravel filters? It's this: How Undergravel Filters Work and another important article for you is this: Under Gravel filter Cleaning.
If you decided to find your Bala sharks and Gouramies new home in two months, it's not a problem.
If you'd like to perform water changes, then it is completely OK and sodium bicarbonate doesn't need to be added to the tank.
The nitrification bacteria will settle in places with most waste and water flow - the pipes if the filter is setup properly.
Hopefully you don't mind I didn't answer some of your questions directly, however we've covered them within other articles, this is the reason of some indirect answers.
It's difficult to sex Angelfish, that's why I recommended you purchasing adult specimens - because if they're adult, it's easier to tell sex - if two fish breed together, then you have a pair for sure.
How long is it since you started the tank? Is it fully cycled? You don't need additional filter if your undergravel filter works properly. Read more about cycling fish tanks: Cycling an aquarium. Activated carbon doesn't need to be used, although it's a good addition to almost every fish tank. It removes dangerous substances, however this media has to be replaced once a month.
Have you visited our article about undergravel filters? It's this: How Undergravel Filters Work and another important article for you is this: Under Gravel filter Cleaning.
If you decided to find your Bala sharks and Gouramies new home in two months, it's not a problem.
If you'd like to perform water changes, then it is completely OK and sodium bicarbonate doesn't need to be added to the tank.
The nitrification bacteria will settle in places with most waste and water flow - the pipes if the filter is setup properly.
Hopefully you don't mind I didn't answer some of your questions directly, however we've covered them within other articles, this is the reason of some indirect answers.
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Thanks for reply again. I read your response and it also cleared many of my concerns... I do agree with your advise that I should purchase adult Anglefish but, as I told you that I am new to keeping the angels and I haven't prefect idea for telling the difference among the male and female, will you give me some tips for recognition male from female? Read somewhere that if we buy even a set pair due to change of the place their company upset, is it true? And only for this reason I bought five angles about 2". It was my thought that surely there will be some male and female.
I am sure my filter works well therefore I am getting crystal clear water, I also use the dry/wet vacuuming technique with my powerhead whenever I want to change the water I just connect a soft pipe with it's output flow tube and using this technique, in few seconds I get 20% water and this comes directly from the bottom of the tank, is it a good technique I am using?
Also up to now I only face to deaths in my tank and I think i it was my mistake because second day of starting of my tank I added to marble angelfish into my tank may be that was the reason.
Yes I have read both of your articles "How undergravel filter works", "Undergravel filter Cleaning" and "Cycling an aquarium".
I want to ask you some questions here.
1. When I perform a partial water change usually 20% - 25% I directly add tap water in my tank after adding the water I use anti-chlorine as mentioned on bottle.
2. As I added five young angels, is there some chance that I may get some male and female?
3. Up to now I only have some plastic plants in my tank but, I decided to place some Amazon, and Cabomba, will they survive together, also at the moment I have no idea about pH level in my tank, also I just started my tank 3 - 4 week ago, is it good for natural plants?
4. Which madicaments are used to maintain the pH levels of an aquarium, or is there some alternate to maintain the pH level so that I may save some pennies? And if I use some antibiotics for my healthy fish to secure them with illness once or twice in a month is it good?
5. If I'd like to clean everything in my tank after 3 - 4 months and place all things in after cleaning them with the same tank water - does it make some sense because of this I may save some my beneficial bacteria colonies set in my tank and it also cleans my gravel too.
6. If I remove some of my natural plants outside the tank and if, after cleaning the tank, I place them again they can start grow again and will they adopt roots again?
7. for my 23 (UK Gallon) tank how much amount of sodium bicarbonate will be sufficent, and will it controll the ph level?
8. Are Zeolite or Ceramics Rings good replacement against Activated Carbon?
If possible please reply me or guide to some article related to my questions. Lots of thanks in advance.
I am sure my filter works well therefore I am getting crystal clear water, I also use the dry/wet vacuuming technique with my powerhead whenever I want to change the water I just connect a soft pipe with it's output flow tube and using this technique, in few seconds I get 20% water and this comes directly from the bottom of the tank, is it a good technique I am using?
Also up to now I only face to deaths in my tank and I think i it was my mistake because second day of starting of my tank I added to marble angelfish into my tank may be that was the reason.
Yes I have read both of your articles "How undergravel filter works", "Undergravel filter Cleaning" and "Cycling an aquarium".
I want to ask you some questions here.
1. When I perform a partial water change usually 20% - 25% I directly add tap water in my tank after adding the water I use anti-chlorine as mentioned on bottle.
2. As I added five young angels, is there some chance that I may get some male and female?
3. Up to now I only have some plastic plants in my tank but, I decided to place some Amazon, and Cabomba, will they survive together, also at the moment I have no idea about pH level in my tank, also I just started my tank 3 - 4 week ago, is it good for natural plants?
4. Which madicaments are used to maintain the pH levels of an aquarium, or is there some alternate to maintain the pH level so that I may save some pennies? And if I use some antibiotics for my healthy fish to secure them with illness once or twice in a month is it good?
5. If I'd like to clean everything in my tank after 3 - 4 months and place all things in after cleaning them with the same tank water - does it make some sense because of this I may save some my beneficial bacteria colonies set in my tank and it also cleans my gravel too.
6. If I remove some of my natural plants outside the tank and if, after cleaning the tank, I place them again they can start grow again and will they adopt roots again?
7. for my 23 (UK Gallon) tank how much amount of sodium bicarbonate will be sufficent, and will it controll the ph level?
8. Are Zeolite or Ceramics Rings good replacement against Activated Carbon?
If possible please reply me or guide to some article related to my questions. Lots of thanks in advance.
We have a page devoted to Angelfish, please post all further questions about Angelfish there. And so on with other aquariums-related problems, please. This page is about filters and people want this page to be 100% focused on filtration.
Answers: I described how to sex angelfish within this comment (click the link). Sexing juvenile angelfish isn't possible. And yes, if the pair is transferred to another fish tank, then they may find it difficult to build a pair again. However if they were a pair, it's very likely that sooner or later they'll pair up again.
Regarding cleaning: If it works, then it's good. I use an ordinary gravel vacuum cleaner shown and described here: Aquarium gravel cleaner. However, methods may vary, and if it works for you, then you don't need to change anything.
1) It would be better to mix chlorine remover with tap water before the water is added to a tank; Why? Because chlorine mixed with ammonia produce chloramine which is very dangerous to fish and cannot be removed by using chlorine remover.
2) The chance of having at least one male and one male are high. The chance of having one gender only is 0,03125 which is 3.125%. So there's a 96,875% chance that you have at least one male or one female in the aquarium.
3) Adding plants is OK at this stage. Some leafs may turn yellow or would die due to transfer, however it's generally OK. We have plenty of pages devoted to plants, so make sure you visit them.
4) Antibiotics or other medications SHOULD NOT be used as a prevention!!! pH can be made stable by maintaining the KH (carbonate hardness) level the be of 4 and above. 6-7 is ideal. Carbonate hardness can be increased by adding sodium bicarbonate to the tank as I mentioned it hundred of times on aqua-fish.net.
5) Cleaning everything outside of the tank is normal, many fish keepers keep doing this regularly. Of course, they don't perform a 100% water change when doing this. Bacteria that live in substrate won't be affected by this maintenance. Gravel doesn't have to be cleaned, it should be replaced every 3-4 years instead. Partial replacement of gravel is good too, this can be done every 6-12 months.
6) Plants SHOULD NOT be uproot, moved or replaced unless this is the goal. Plants should not be cleaned - they "clean themselves" naturally if they're healthy.
7) Ceramic rings - this is a biological filtration while activated carbon is chemical filtration. Zeolite - I haven't used it yet, although it's a known absorbent of heavy metals and substances that activated carbon absorbs too.
Answers: I described how to sex angelfish within this comment (click the link). Sexing juvenile angelfish isn't possible. And yes, if the pair is transferred to another fish tank, then they may find it difficult to build a pair again. However if they were a pair, it's very likely that sooner or later they'll pair up again.
Regarding cleaning: If it works, then it's good. I use an ordinary gravel vacuum cleaner shown and described here: Aquarium gravel cleaner. However, methods may vary, and if it works for you, then you don't need to change anything.
1) It would be better to mix chlorine remover with tap water before the water is added to a tank; Why? Because chlorine mixed with ammonia produce chloramine which is very dangerous to fish and cannot be removed by using chlorine remover.
2) The chance of having at least one male and one male are high. The chance of having one gender only is 0,03125 which is 3.125%. So there's a 96,875% chance that you have at least one male or one female in the aquarium.
3) Adding plants is OK at this stage. Some leafs may turn yellow or would die due to transfer, however it's generally OK. We have plenty of pages devoted to plants, so make sure you visit them.
4) Antibiotics or other medications SHOULD NOT be used as a prevention!!! pH can be made stable by maintaining the KH (carbonate hardness) level the be of 4 and above. 6-7 is ideal. Carbonate hardness can be increased by adding sodium bicarbonate to the tank as I mentioned it hundred of times on aqua-fish.net.
5) Cleaning everything outside of the tank is normal, many fish keepers keep doing this regularly. Of course, they don't perform a 100% water change when doing this. Bacteria that live in substrate won't be affected by this maintenance. Gravel doesn't have to be cleaned, it should be replaced every 3-4 years instead. Partial replacement of gravel is good too, this can be done every 6-12 months.
6) Plants SHOULD NOT be uproot, moved or replaced unless this is the goal. Plants should not be cleaned - they "clean themselves" naturally if they're healthy.
7) Ceramic rings - this is a biological filtration while activated carbon is chemical filtration. Zeolite - I haven't used it yet, although it's a known absorbent of heavy metals and substances that activated carbon absorbs too.
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Hello there! Thank you very much Mr. Mick and entire team of aqua-fish.net for replying me time to time.
Mick I'll go through your advice and buy an air-driven sponge filter - but, first I want to tell you the some thing about my filteration and the equipments I have for my aquarium and the problems I encountered since I started fish keeping hobby.
I started this hobby one year ago with an aquarium (30" wide x 18" high x 12" depth front to back). I purchased equipments:
1. An Electrical powerhead sponge filter (Foam is only media)
2. An Air-Driven Under Gravel Filter (two separate plate in size 10" x 8" both and two uplift tube) I placed them both corners of my tank
3. An air pump
4. An air driven shower ring (3.5" in diameter)
I started my tank with 12 Tiger Barbs, 6 Rosy Barbs, 2 Platies. At the start there were no problems and all the live stock of my tank were happy, but as time passed I mean after 2 or 3 months slowly my fish started dying - this situation started from the beginning of May to June (here I want to mention that in the month of June - July temperature of my area reached up to 40 - 45 Celsius). As I was totally new to this hobby and I had no experience of fish keeping and also I had no idea about the water chemistry. I got familiar with these things with them after visiting your website since July, before I was totally new to this. Prior to this my opinion about fish keeping was just buying a fish and placing it in water - was just enough.
Well, after few weeks my all fish were dead and I totally closed my tank, during that time I visited aqua-fish.net and here I found many articles about fish keeping hobby and water chemistry and I cleared lot of my concepts and I again started fish keeping hobby.
As I wrote in my previous questions that I can't afford expensive canister filter and it's media, so I again started my hobby with UGF and electrical powerhead sponge filter but i was not satisfied with the water quality of my tank. One month ago I saw an idea of DIY-Based PVC Jet on youtube website; that idea impressed me a lot and I made a PVC Pipes based on UGF Jet and run it with the help of my powerhead which I already had - it satisfied me a lot. After placing it in my tank I have no debris/detritus that are present in my tank and water quality is transparent like a mirror.
Here on you website I read an article "How under gravel filter work" the author of that article is totally in favor of UGF, he mentioned that if an UGF can be cleaned on a regular basis so it is more efficient and reliable than other filteration in performance and it is economical meaning too.
Well, now I have only one filteration that is DIY-based PVC jet running with an electrical powerhead which I run whole day and in the night I only run air driven shower ring to provide the oxygen to my fish and I do this only for that because whole day's fast flow of powerhead may tire my fish so at night, a gentle flow of shower ring may provide them some relax.
Up to now I don't have any aquarium testing kit and I don't know what is reading of my tank, I just change 20% - 25% of my tank water on a weekly basis. If my fish are happy and there is no mortality in my tank - is it a must to buy a test kit or shall I leave it as it's going?
Instead of gravel vacuuming, if in 2 or 3 month I clean my whole tank and wash the gravel and my PVC jet and again fit all the things I hope it will work for not developing ammonia in my tank, will this cleaning harm my fish or their health?
After reading your answers I know that I can't go with natural plants because I can't uproot them after every 2 or 3 months - nor remove them from my tank so I decided that I will go with plastic plants and natural plants mean more lighting. Because cleaning them is just a piece of pie. Is it a must for an angel fish tank to have natural plants, what do you think?
In my last question when I asked about adding sodium bicarbonate in my tank you asked about the pH level reading of my tank, but I have no testing kit to check the reading so beside adding sodium bicarbonate in my tank if I weekly change the 25% of my tank's water does it work for me and maintain the pH, KH level of my tank water which I used in my tank come directly from river through filter plant. Definitely, it contains chlorine, but 15 minutes prior to adding it into my tank I use chlorine-remover. Is it good?
Fish those I have are 5 Angels, 2 Gouramies, 4 Bala Sharks. I'll retren bala sharks and gouramies within a couple of days. They both are fine and active, eating well and they consume all which is given to them within 5 minutes, their skins, fins all are fine and they all are active so it means there is no danger in tank, what do you think?
On one of my questions I asked on your website, I got an answer that my tank is suitable for only 2 angel fish so I decided that I'll keep only one pair of angels, but right now my five angels are juvenile, as the become adult I only want to keep an exact pair and return remaining 3, so what do you thing only couple of angles will produce as much excrement so the ammonia level of my tank will increase rapidly and my filteration won't be capable of controlling it?
As I mentioned that right now my filter works properly and giving me the crystal clear water - so if for a couple of months I do not add Air-Driven box filter into my tank, will it OK?
Sorry for a lot of questions, but as I am totally a novice and want to go long time with my fish therefore I am asking you time to time. Please reply if possible. Thank you very much again, Regards.
Naveed.
Mick I'll go through your advice and buy an air-driven sponge filter - but, first I want to tell you the some thing about my filteration and the equipments I have for my aquarium and the problems I encountered since I started fish keeping hobby.
I started this hobby one year ago with an aquarium (30" wide x 18" high x 12" depth front to back). I purchased equipments:
1. An Electrical powerhead sponge filter (Foam is only media)
2. An Air-Driven Under Gravel Filter (two separate plate in size 10" x 8" both and two uplift tube) I placed them both corners of my tank
3. An air pump
4. An air driven shower ring (3.5" in diameter)
I started my tank with 12 Tiger Barbs, 6 Rosy Barbs, 2 Platies. At the start there were no problems and all the live stock of my tank were happy, but as time passed I mean after 2 or 3 months slowly my fish started dying - this situation started from the beginning of May to June (here I want to mention that in the month of June - July temperature of my area reached up to 40 - 45 Celsius). As I was totally new to this hobby and I had no experience of fish keeping and also I had no idea about the water chemistry. I got familiar with these things with them after visiting your website since July, before I was totally new to this. Prior to this my opinion about fish keeping was just buying a fish and placing it in water - was just enough.
Well, after few weeks my all fish were dead and I totally closed my tank, during that time I visited aqua-fish.net and here I found many articles about fish keeping hobby and water chemistry and I cleared lot of my concepts and I again started fish keeping hobby.
As I wrote in my previous questions that I can't afford expensive canister filter and it's media, so I again started my hobby with UGF and electrical powerhead sponge filter but i was not satisfied with the water quality of my tank. One month ago I saw an idea of DIY-Based PVC Jet on youtube website; that idea impressed me a lot and I made a PVC Pipes based on UGF Jet and run it with the help of my powerhead which I already had - it satisfied me a lot. After placing it in my tank I have no debris/detritus that are present in my tank and water quality is transparent like a mirror.
Here on you website I read an article "How under gravel filter work" the author of that article is totally in favor of UGF, he mentioned that if an UGF can be cleaned on a regular basis so it is more efficient and reliable than other filteration in performance and it is economical meaning too.
Well, now I have only one filteration that is DIY-based PVC jet running with an electrical powerhead which I run whole day and in the night I only run air driven shower ring to provide the oxygen to my fish and I do this only for that because whole day's fast flow of powerhead may tire my fish so at night, a gentle flow of shower ring may provide them some relax.
Up to now I don't have any aquarium testing kit and I don't know what is reading of my tank, I just change 20% - 25% of my tank water on a weekly basis. If my fish are happy and there is no mortality in my tank - is it a must to buy a test kit or shall I leave it as it's going?
Instead of gravel vacuuming, if in 2 or 3 month I clean my whole tank and wash the gravel and my PVC jet and again fit all the things I hope it will work for not developing ammonia in my tank, will this cleaning harm my fish or their health?
After reading your answers I know that I can't go with natural plants because I can't uproot them after every 2 or 3 months - nor remove them from my tank so I decided that I will go with plastic plants and natural plants mean more lighting. Because cleaning them is just a piece of pie. Is it a must for an angel fish tank to have natural plants, what do you think?
In my last question when I asked about adding sodium bicarbonate in my tank you asked about the pH level reading of my tank, but I have no testing kit to check the reading so beside adding sodium bicarbonate in my tank if I weekly change the 25% of my tank's water does it work for me and maintain the pH, KH level of my tank water which I used in my tank come directly from river through filter plant. Definitely, it contains chlorine, but 15 minutes prior to adding it into my tank I use chlorine-remover. Is it good?
Fish those I have are 5 Angels, 2 Gouramies, 4 Bala Sharks. I'll retren bala sharks and gouramies within a couple of days. They both are fine and active, eating well and they consume all which is given to them within 5 minutes, their skins, fins all are fine and they all are active so it means there is no danger in tank, what do you think?
On one of my questions I asked on your website, I got an answer that my tank is suitable for only 2 angel fish so I decided that I'll keep only one pair of angels, but right now my five angels are juvenile, as the become adult I only want to keep an exact pair and return remaining 3, so what do you thing only couple of angles will produce as much excrement so the ammonia level of my tank will increase rapidly and my filteration won't be capable of controlling it?
As I mentioned that right now my filter works properly and giving me the crystal clear water - so if for a couple of months I do not add Air-Driven box filter into my tank, will it OK?
Sorry for a lot of questions, but as I am totally a novice and want to go long time with my fish therefore I am asking you time to time. Please reply if possible. Thank you very much again, Regards.
Naveed.
Regarding purchasing test kits: It is not 100% necessary to purchase test kits, however even a crystal-clear water and properly working filtration system may change as time goes by. Your tank can run for years and then a day could come when everything turns upside down. And you won't know what's going on - with test kits you can understand the situation and can take preventive actions. As you mentioned, current mortality can be zero, and it can be this way even 10 years.
A total cleaning isn't recommended because you're planning to wash gravel too - as mentioned above, nitrification bacteria live in the substrate too. All in all the entire cycling process will be reset and everything will start from zero if you do a "100% cleaning".
Regarding Angelfish tank and plants: I can't imagine an Angelfish tank without real plants. I keep these fish. Moreover, plants act as natural filter too - the more natural plants, the greater result. Some fish tanks don't need any filter because they simply contain a lot of live plants which do the filtration job themselves. A flow is required though.
Using chlorine-remover is recommended. You can use aged water too - leave it in a bucket for 24 hours and chlorine will disappear. Performing water changes along with adding sodium bicarbonate is OK too. By adding sodium bicarbonate to the water you only increase carbonate hardness and by performing regular water changes you also remove it - however total carbonate hardness is greater than without any sodium bicarbonate, so it's definitely OK.
Regarding condition of your fish: You're right, if they feel fine and if they show no symptoms of diseases, then you're caring for them properly.
Regarding number of Angelfish in your aquarium: Angelfish don't produce lots of waste, I recommended you to raise a pair only due to limitations in size of the tank.
Regarding adding or not adding air-driven box: I don't think that two Angels will cause the water to become polluted that much that another filtration equipment will have to be used.
A total cleaning isn't recommended because you're planning to wash gravel too - as mentioned above, nitrification bacteria live in the substrate too. All in all the entire cycling process will be reset and everything will start from zero if you do a "100% cleaning".
Regarding Angelfish tank and plants: I can't imagine an Angelfish tank without real plants. I keep these fish. Moreover, plants act as natural filter too - the more natural plants, the greater result. Some fish tanks don't need any filter because they simply contain a lot of live plants which do the filtration job themselves. A flow is required though.
Using chlorine-remover is recommended. You can use aged water too - leave it in a bucket for 24 hours and chlorine will disappear. Performing water changes along with adding sodium bicarbonate is OK too. By adding sodium bicarbonate to the water you only increase carbonate hardness and by performing regular water changes you also remove it - however total carbonate hardness is greater than without any sodium bicarbonate, so it's definitely OK.
Regarding condition of your fish: You're right, if they feel fine and if they show no symptoms of diseases, then you're caring for them properly.
Regarding number of Angelfish in your aquarium: Angelfish don't produce lots of waste, I recommended you to raise a pair only due to limitations in size of the tank.
Regarding adding or not adding air-driven box: I don't think that two Angels will cause the water to become polluted that much that another filtration equipment will have to be used.
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Hi, thanks for the writeup... very informative. I am setting up a 29 gallon community tank and will be using a Fluval U3 or U4 internal filter. My substrate is Tahitian Black Moon Sand. My question is whether or not the internal filter will be OK with this substrate. It's not as fine as clay sand, but it's definitely not gravel either. I would turn it off during vac/cleaning. Just want to make sure I don't ruin the filter. Thanks, Scott.
I've seen tanks with Tahitian black moon sand, especially cichlids tanks, and there was no problem at all. Ensure that there are no big bottom dwellers who could rearrange the sand per their expectations.
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Hey. Do I need to clean the filter sponge? How frequently?
Yes, it is necessary. Frequency depends on amount of filth only. Once a week is ideal - once a month is a must.
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I have a 4 feet fish tank that I am wanting to put African cichlids in. Is a 1000L/H internal sufficient? And will the strong current be OK for the fish?
Strong current isn't good for most African cichlids, they prefer slowly moving waters instead. If a 1000L/H filtration is good enough for a 4 feet tank? How about telling us the capacity of your tank instead? Don't get me wrong, but no-one will answer your question precisely. A 4 feet tank may hold 300 or even 600 liters of water, which fully depends on remaining dimensions.
Generally speaking, overcrowded tanks require hourly filtration that is equal to 2-3 x capacity. Normally stocked tanks need hourly filtration that is equal to capacity of an aquarium. In my opinion your tank won't hold 1000 liters of water, so 1000 liters per hour won't be necessary. On the other hand filtration rate can be controlled (increased to max, reduced to required minimum), so getting such a filter isn't a bad idea at all.
Generally speaking, overcrowded tanks require hourly filtration that is equal to 2-3 x capacity. Normally stocked tanks need hourly filtration that is equal to capacity of an aquarium. In my opinion your tank won't hold 1000 liters of water, so 1000 liters per hour won't be necessary. On the other hand filtration rate can be controlled (increased to max, reduced to required minimum), so getting such a filter isn't a bad idea at all.
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Hi. I am totally new at owning fish and I have no clue on what I need to get started. I have a 50 gallon tank I have been using for reptiles for about 7 or 8 years but I now want to use this as a fish tank. My first question: is that OK? Will that hurt the fish if it's been used for reptiles for so long? My second question: What would you recommend me getting for my tank if it is suitable for fish. I know I want a lot of different kinds of freshwater fish but I have no clue where to start and what I need.
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
Glad to see your approach, most newbie aquarists purchase fish first and then visit websites in order to ask questions why their fish keep dying!
Your tank is safe for keeping fish. I kept overland turtles and later I used those tanks for raising fish - it's OK to do so as long as tanks are cleaned properly. You can even use soap (which is highly recommended), however then you will have to rinse the entire tank with tap water a couple of times in order to reduce the chance of poisoning the water with soap or detergent.
We have two good articles that were written in order to help newbie aquarists:
A guide to the tropical fishkeeping and Setting up an aquarium - A step by step guide. The following article should give you a good overview on fish species: Compatible Aquarium Fish - Species and Forum (also read forum on that page). Finally, article about aquatic plants: Aquarium Plants - Nutrition, Care and Lighting Requirements.
Please, visit the previously mentioned links and read the articles. It's a lot of reading, but you'll know much more once you're finished. In case you have further questions or if something isn't 100% clear, you're welcome to ask again on any of our pages!
Your tank is safe for keeping fish. I kept overland turtles and later I used those tanks for raising fish - it's OK to do so as long as tanks are cleaned properly. You can even use soap (which is highly recommended), however then you will have to rinse the entire tank with tap water a couple of times in order to reduce the chance of poisoning the water with soap or detergent.
We have two good articles that were written in order to help newbie aquarists:
A guide to the tropical fishkeeping and Setting up an aquarium - A step by step guide. The following article should give you a good overview on fish species: Compatible Aquarium Fish - Species and Forum (also read forum on that page). Finally, article about aquatic plants: Aquarium Plants - Nutrition, Care and Lighting Requirements.
Please, visit the previously mentioned links and read the articles. It's a lot of reading, but you'll know much more once you're finished. In case you have further questions or if something isn't 100% clear, you're welcome to ask again on any of our pages!
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Hello there!
Time to time I ask question at this website and almost getting on answer whatever I ask here. Thanks for such a detailed information and answers! I am using a DIY based UGF and after reading on your website I'm sure I am taking proper care of my fish. My only question is that every 2 to 3 months I clean my whole tank including gravel. I remove all gravel outside the tank and wash it with the old tank water which is approx: 50% of my tank capacity, then I put all the gravel back in my tank.
I just want to ask whether it is good or not. I only do it because of undergravel filter, because I read on many web site that undergravel filter are prone to blockage if not cleaned properly.
Thank a lot. Naveed.
Time to time I ask question at this website and almost getting on answer whatever I ask here. Thanks for such a detailed information and answers! I am using a DIY based UGF and after reading on your website I'm sure I am taking proper care of my fish. My only question is that every 2 to 3 months I clean my whole tank including gravel. I remove all gravel outside the tank and wash it with the old tank water which is approx: 50% of my tank capacity, then I put all the gravel back in my tank.
I just want to ask whether it is good or not. I only do it because of undergravel filter, because I read on many web site that undergravel filter are prone to blockage if not cleaned properly.
Thank a lot. Naveed.
You're doing it right :) .
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I have a 120L tank. I just bought Sera Bioactive 250 external filter. Is this too overcapitalized or OK?
Also should be filter be kept on working 24/7 or should we switched off at night?
Also should be filter be kept on working 24/7 or should we switched off at night?
Such a filter is completely OK for a 120 liter tank, keep it running 24/7 as nitrification bacteria require oxygen to live and operate normally.
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I have a small tank, about 14 gallons, and two goldfish. What would be your recommendation for filtering? Currently I have a Stellar Airpump and a Bio-Clear double sponge filter, but it is really loud - I can hear it from the other end of the house, so I'll be turning it off at night as it is in a child's bedroom. Is an internal filter the best option?
I am using Fluval external filters, they're really quiet. Fluval 305 is running in my bedroom 24/7 for about 3 years and I really can't object. Of course there are other options, however bear in mind that there must be no air in the external filter, otherwise it's going to be loud.
Internal filters are usually more quiet than external, so I'd consider this option too. I've been using AquaEl and Atman internal filters, they're good in terms of loudness, however their filtering capacity is nowhere if compared to external filters.
Internal filters are usually more quiet than external, so I'd consider this option too. I've been using AquaEl and Atman internal filters, they're good in terms of loudness, however their filtering capacity is nowhere if compared to external filters.
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I set my 160 liters tank up about two weeks ago, and after week and half I changed internal power filter to external one (aqua mantaEFX200). At the base I have got Florapol 200, red soft granules substrate for flowers and at the top of it small gravel. I have two big pieces of bogwood and few plants Amazon sword, Alternanthera rosaefolia, Egeria densa, Cabomba aquatic, Vallisneria spiralis, Criptocoryne wenditii, Cryptocoryne becetti, Echinodorus harbi and Echinodorus bieheri. I also have APS 300 tetra air pump with bubble curtain through the back of my aquarium. I have two 900mm 30watt light ( not sure if it is T5 or T8- the thicker one).
I added two LED PRO WHITE daylight 300 mm 12" as some flowers were sending roots well above gravel level. I realised that there are dark brown spots on leaves of Cryptocoryne, Echinodorus and Anubias leaves. It is almost like dark dust covering them. When I cut some leaves out I smelt it and it smell like rich soil. Also my boogwood is covered like with dust and like brown maggot. (but it doesn't look alive) It is just lying there. It seems like the dust particles attached together. Unfortunately I added there 7 green tetras and two red shrimps two days ago. pH- risen from 7.4-7.8 , ammonia 0.12 , nitrite O.2 , nitrate -0.
Can I manage to control the dust like growth in my tank? What should I do with rising pH? I do not want to use chemical treatment. I am giving 10 hrs light during the day. Please help. I cut all the leaves off and in the morning it look nearly the same.
I added two LED PRO WHITE daylight 300 mm 12" as some flowers were sending roots well above gravel level. I realised that there are dark brown spots on leaves of Cryptocoryne, Echinodorus and Anubias leaves. It is almost like dark dust covering them. When I cut some leaves out I smelt it and it smell like rich soil. Also my boogwood is covered like with dust and like brown maggot. (but it doesn't look alive) It is just lying there. It seems like the dust particles attached together. Unfortunately I added there 7 green tetras and two red shrimps two days ago. pH- risen from 7.4-7.8 , ammonia 0.12 , nitrite O.2 , nitrate -0.
Can I manage to control the dust like growth in my tank? What should I do with rising pH? I do not want to use chemical treatment. I am giving 10 hrs light during the day. Please help. I cut all the leaves off and in the morning it look nearly the same.
The brown dust is diatomic algae and is quite common with new tank set ups. Your tank is still cycling so the pH will rise and fall until the water parameters settle down, you can brush the brown dust from the leaves of the plants and the decor, in time it will disappear as quickly as it came, it will be unsightly for a while. [Answer by Mick; fishtankforum.co.uk]
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Linda on: April 10, 2009, 5:59 am wrote