Media question

cougargirl50

cougargirl50

fish got the best of me
Apr 6, 2005
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Dover, PA
community.webshots.com
Ok this is a VERY stupid question but I gotta ask it.
I have been reading alot about cycling and everything. I have a 29 gallon with 3 goldfish in.
I had them in a 10 gallon last night and switched over to a 29 so they are new to this tank. I used all the same gravel, filters bubble walls, decorations and so forth. I had a post on another website asking if I used the media out of the 10 gallon tank.
OK so heres my question. :help:
The filters on the back of my aquarium have the white pouches that you pour the carbon into ok. I am reading that you dont change that at all because that is where most of your bacteria is? So does this mean you don't change the filter at all? Wouln't it get nasty.
Or am I reading into something wrong. I am new to this cycling stuff and all that I used to just fill the tank and put the fish in. But Im trying to do it right this time.

Thanks for your help
 
It depends on the type of filtration. I don't use carbon in any of my tanks, other than for specific reasons, like removing medications. Carbon has a short lifespan as chemical filtration--it quickly reaches thel limit of what it can adsorb from the water. However, bacteria will readily colonize it, turning it into bacterial filtration (bio-filtration). If you remove it from a system that does not have alternative media for bacteria to colonize, such as ceramic noodles or sponges, then you will remove the biofilter, not good. The pouch material will host some bacteria, so it's not a total loss, but it's a pretty serious amount of the total.

The pouch and the carbon can a) be rinsed to remove solid debris. b) replace just a portion of the total carbon, meaning there is always some that's old, in addition to the new amount. This results in a stable bacteria colony, as well as retaining some functioning carbon, albeit very little. c) Gradually switch over to an alternative media, like ceramic noodles, or Bio-Max, or even just sponges cut to fit in the filter compartment. This last would be my choice--easier, cheaper, and gives you more options for filtration types.
 
Orion's dead on target. That, and if you buy any new filters, buy one that has a dedicated biofilter like a Marineland Penguin or Emperor. The biowheels are terrific at housing bacteria. All they need is water, oxygen, a place to stick to, and nitrogen (the ammonia and nitrite).
 
What model filter are you using? Did it come as part of a tank starter kit, or did you buy it seperately? I ask because if it was part of a 10gallon kit, it is most likely a Whisper 10, which in my opinion doesn't even provide enough filtration for a 10 gallon tank. If it is a Whisper 10 or 20, you will need to get a new filter for the larger tank. In that case, you could go with a Bio-wheel equipped filter and run both filters on the tank for a few weeks. That would allow the old filter to act as the seed for the new filter bacteria colony. After a couple of weeks, just take the old filter off and you're done.
 
wingnut.
I am in fact :thm: using a Whisper Filter 10. I have 2 of them hanging off the back. We bought that aquarium back in 1997 so we have had it awhile. We are upgrading to the Penguin filters but I want to get my 29 gallon one done first. With this tank being only a 20 gallon tank this is what I was basing my filtration on. I found it on a website.

Tank size Minimum Filtration Ideal Filtration
29 gallon 6x29=174 gallons per hour (GPH) 12x29=348 gallons per hour (GPH)
55 gallon 6x50=300 gallons per hour (GPH) 12x50=600 gallons per hour (GPH)

They are basing that off of a 29 gallon and up tank. With me having only a 20 gallon tank, and 2 Whisper 10's on the back running at 90 (GPH) a filter thats a total of 180 (GPH). So I would be even higher than the minimum filtration for a 29 gallon. Plus im running the undergravel filter in this tank also. (So Im thinking this should be enough right?)

What we thought about doing is getting the Penguin or the Emperor filter by Marineland and putting one on one week and a month or so getting another one and put that on also. (That is our plan).

I am looking into a 29 gallon aquarium kit at my local superpetz store that already has a Penguin 200B in it. So I will be able to use that filter on the 29 gallon, and will also be running an undergravel filter, with powerheads.

This here is going to be another dumb question. I know I wish I had half the knoledge that some of yous have but.
This is only a for instance (my hubby wants to know) What would happen if we put a heater on the tank, and put a couple tropical fish in while we have the 3 goldfish in there as well. I want to get rid of my goldfish and put tropicals in there like some tetras or something, but the curiosity is getting the best of him.

Don't worry we aren't going to do this. But I am going to convert this tank over to tropicals. I will give the goldfish to my brother in law.

Thanks
 
Just some unsolicited stocking advice for the soon to be tropical tank. Feel free to flush it down the toilet if you want

Avoid neon tetras, they are quite delicate. Maybe someone else can suggest a hardy, tight schooling tetra. Although not a tetra, I find pencil fish much more interesting to watch. Make sure you get at least five or the school will break up and look chaotic.

Try getting a pair of friendly dwarf cichlids as a centerpiece fish. Bolivian rams and the slightly larger keyhole cichlids are great in a community tank. (Avoid the pretty yet delicate blue rams). CAUTION following this advice will lead to cichlid fever. There is no known cure.

Cory cats are great scavengers, but hide a lot if not kept in groups of three or more. (the more the merrier with these guys)

Finally, do lots of research on any fish you want to stock, and try to limit yourself to more fish of a few species. The tank will be more peaceful and more aesthetically pleasing if you do.
 
Your original post said that you had a 10 gallon tank so I was basing my suggestion off that. If you have 2 Whispers on a 20 gallon and want to start a new 29 gallon things change a little.

Here's what I would do:
I'd go with an Emperor 280 on the 29 gallon and a Penguin on the 20.
Take 1 of the Whispers off the 20 and hang the Penguin.
Take the filter cartridge out of the Whisper you removed and and put it in the extra media slot on the Emperor.

With that set up you would keep some of your bacteria colony in the old tank and seed the new tank.
 
Thanks for the advice. I looked at the 29 gallon aquarium kit last night while I was at the store (I didn't get to purchase it yet).

Its a 29 gallon from Marineland, comes with the tank, hood, Penguin 170, and of course the dual temp heater.

That's the tank that I'm going to be getting. So that would work ok for me. With movine the media around. I would have never thought of that. In the 20 gallon that I have I put an ounce of the Bio Spira in, would you still do that also with the 29 gallon even if I do the media change like you mentioned????
 
It really depends on how heavily you're stocking and how established the media is. If it's a light bio load and you have established media I don't think you need to add anything. Personally, I've used Bio-spira whenever I've set up a tank and when I add fish. It's worked for me, but I know other people have had problems with it.
 
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