filter media question

pistolpete3521

AC Members
Mar 16, 2008
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Indian Trail, NC
Ok, so as some of you know, I was considdering getting a 20g long but may end up going a little larger due to stocking and such as well as a few fish I wanted. Question on media for cycling before I add anything just to kill it accidentally. Would that nasty looking gross thing in my filter on my 10g that looks like a white loosly packed sponge be what I need to put in my new filter to cycle it or should I just get a small bottle of bacteria starter junk from my LFS that says it will "introduce beneficial bacteria to your tank and shorten cycling process" because the goth chick working there idt has ever hada fish tank. =\
 
P.S. when I said media or beneficial bacteria you would have thought I asked for an explanation of a hydrogen cell or where to buy rocket fuel.
 
Im not sure if they carry any, oh wait... they may have, oh well. I am cashing my paycheck tomarrow and then looking for tanks and I found like 5 places online around where I live that I am going to compare prices at.

Do you think bow fronts distort any or have any advantages/disadvantages besides odd stand shapes? and is the thing I need to add the little white spongy thing or the coal beg thingy ?
 
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