Looking to upgrade. Somewhat a newb

nerdyrcdriver · Sep 2, 2011

Hello everyone, I currently have a 5g hex by marineland. I have 2 guppies and 3 neon tetras. I also have a double tale male betta (I will refer to him as steve from now on) in my bedroom in about 3/4 gal of water. I am looking at upgrading the neons and guppies to a 10 gallon tank. I have been told that I want to do 20, but I really don't have the room and don't mind doing the extra work to keep the 10g clean and running properly. Plus, right now I also have other things I want to buy, but those can wait. I would rather have the fish happy than my other hobbies (that have been on hold for a while anyway) to keep me from helping my fish. I then want to put steve in the hex 5 to make him even happier. (He made a bubble next and is swimming around all happy now)

So, I plan on getting a 10g tank from petco during their $1 per gallon sale until the 17th. I also plan on getting a hob filter. I dont know which one yet. I was looking at this filter
http://www.petco.com/product/102601/Aqueon-Aquarium-Power-Filters.aspx

but, I also like this one because it has a bio wheel. (which I think would help get the tank cycled better faster) can anyone help me out there? The pic of the one I am thinking of is off to the right for $17.99

http://www.petco.com/product/2402/Marineland-Penguin-BIO-Wheel-Power-Filters.aspx

But, I am willing to get anything that either petco carries or pet smart. I really, dont want to deal with used items right now. I would rather be able to run to the store and get everything I need so I can get the tank cycling.

Right now that is about it for any questions or concerns that I have right now. As dundadundun can vogue, I will have a lot more questions in the coming future.

Thanks in advance

Nick, (nerdyrcdriver)

jpappy789 · Sep 2, 2011

What are you currently using as a filter? The older media can just be transferred over rather than having to re-cycle, assuming you did so in the first place.

Of the two I would get the bio wheel over the aqueon, just going by brand alone. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to equipment. Personally I like aquaclears (ACs) for HOBs.

nerdyrcdriver · Sep 2, 2011

Ok, I have looked into all of the hobs. Just picked a couple that I knew my local store had. I like the bio wheel because, well it has a bio wheel. For the filter right now in the hex 5 it is just the stock filter. The problem with just placing the old filter in the new tank is that I just changed the filter yesterday not thinking about it at all. As for cycling the hex 5. I let it run for about 52 hrs b4 putting fish in it. So, it wasnt ever properly cycled. I have never replaced the bio wheel and this is the 3rd or 4th time I got into fish with this tank. This being the first time it lasted more than a week. (thanks so much dundadundun). It has actually been about a month now. Probably like a week less so 3 weeks since I have had the fish. (and about 4 days since I got steve).

assuming I dont put the old media in the new tank, how long would i need to cycle it if I have a bio wheel? I might be able to use the same bio wheel again. I dont know much about it but it might fit.

If I do put the old media in the new tank, where do I put it?

platytudes · Sep 2, 2011

The bio-wheel really doesn't do anything much, to be honest. What it does is keep some beneficial bacteria alive in your filter so that if you throw away cartridges, there is still some left instead of essentially removing most of it by disposal.

A bio-wheel filter also has a LOT more capacity for media, compared to those very thin Aqueons. I use those Aqueons on my planted shrimp only tanks, however, and they are fine for that purpose....since the plants do a lot of the water purification, and I use sponges not cartridges, which I rinse in aquarium water every month or so.

The Aqueon is a little quieter, cheaper, and has a very slim profile so if you are tight on space behind your aquarium, it is perfect.

The bio-wheel filter, however, is much easier to customize. You could ditch the cartridges and just get media for an AquaClear Mini or 20. Use a sponge on the bottom and a bag of Biomax on the top, and presto! No need to keep buying media...just rinse it in aquarium water. It saves money, and a reusable sponge and ceramic media setup works a lot better to keep an aquarium balanced than floss and carbon, which is meant to be disposable.

As far as the size of your tank, a 10 gallon tank is fine for that amount of fish. I would add maybe another couple of guppies and 3 more neons, neons like to school so I would up that to half a dozen. Wait until the tank is cycled all the way and balanced. If you rip out the floss from your old 5 gallon hex cartridges and stick it in the back of either filter, it will help to speed up the process...using the same gravel or sand will, also.

If you are ok with having just neons and guppies, a 10 gallon is fine, but if you want to do more with your tank then a 20 gallon is definitely the way to go. A 20 gallon tank is much more stable than a 10 gallon tank, and with the Petco $1 per gallon sale, is really a steal...I would highly recommend a 20 long over a 20 tall

30" vs. 24" inches; it makes a big difference.

platytudes · Sep 2, 2011

nerdyrcdriver said:
assuming I dont put the old media in the new tank, how long would i need to cycle it if I have a bio wheel? I might be able to use the same bio wheel again. I dont know much about it but it might fit.

If I do put the old media in the new tank, where do I put it?

Again, the bio-wheel doesn't cycle a tank overnight or do any of the super amazing things it claims to do. It doesn't do anything all that special at all. It is basically just like all of the other "don't touch this" parts of all filters nowadays...some use plastic grids, some use foam, some use fiber. It's biological media, vs. the disposable mechanical and chemical media which is floss (to mechanically remove particles from the water) and the chemical media, carbon. Basically, it never gets replaced and if anything, just gets rinsed very lightly. You will find that after years of use, your bio-wheel will probably stop turning and will need to be disposed of. When this happens, you will realize how little it really did. Seriously, it's more marketing gimmick than anything. The best part about the Penguin and Emperor filters that Marineland makes is that they are tough, cheap and black (vs. the clear AquaClears, which have never been my preference). They last a long time and are often on sale, to boot.

You will need to use an ammonia source, either a piece of shrimp, fish food, or pure ammonia, to create ammonia levels in the tank, which ideally you ought to measure with a test kit...you're looking at a minimum of 2 weeks, vs. just days if you use your old media.

Another thing to do is just drop your old media in the aquarium itself, but it would be a lot neater to just rip out the floss and shove it back in the filter, anywhere it will fit.

nerdyrcdriver · Sep 2, 2011

Ok, I will look into a 20g as a possibility. I like the aquaclear but not the fact they are clear. This tank will eventually be moved to somewhere in the house where people will see it more often than my bedroom or the bathroom. I think that i will get the stuff and wait a while for the bacteria to build up in my filter of the hex 5. Then I will replace the hex 5 filter and put the floss from the old one in the filter for the new tank.

As for the fish themselves

My plan as of right now is 4 guppies (total) and about 3 more neons through a few weeks. But, I am flexible. My only thing I dont want is 1 ugly fish, or two fin nippers. I had a danio for 2 weeks with my guppies. He is now at a freinds house probably ready to die in a pen plaxx sponge bob tank with about 10gph water flow. Honestly, I didnt care what happened to the fish, it was either loose him or the guppies. I liked the guppies more. Do you think that 4 guppies and 6-10 neons would do good in just a 10g tank? I wish that 15g tanks were more common than they are.

So, do you think the aqueon would be fine then? Honestly if it is cheap and I replace it a couple times, I dont care but I would probably upgrade eventually. Right now I want the fish happy and with more friends on a budget of about $60. (not including fish).

my list of stuff that I think I need
tank
filter
top for tank
a few plastic/silk plants for now
some gravel. (I like gravel bc of how easy it is to clean. If I used sand my vacuum thing would suck it right up)
any thing that I am missing other than lighting?

Oh, almost forgot

Thanks for helping me so quickly. I wasnt expecting a single reply until late tomorrow. (what I was used to typing about fish on an rc forum)

authmal · Sep 2, 2011

jpappy789 said:
What are you currently using as a filter? The older media can just be transferred over rather than having to re-cycle, assuming you did so in the first place.

Of the two I would get the bio wheel over the aqueon, just going by brand alone. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to equipment. Personally I like aquaclears (ACs) for HOBs.

+1

fshfanatic · Sep 2, 2011

jpappy789 said:
What are you currently using as a filter? The older media can just be transferred over rather than having to re-cycle, assuming you did so in the first place.

Of the two I would get the bio wheel over the aqueon, just going by brand alone. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to equipment. Personally I like aquaclears (ACs) for HOBs.

I agree, I would go with the Aquaclear as well..

dundadundun · Sep 2, 2011

remember, guys... this isn't about brand loyalty. this is about getting his tank up, running and safe for his fish on a budget... and moving his betta to something more proper while he's at it. this is a 14 yr old kid without a job giving up his remote control car hobby (think 40+ mph land rockets with a controller) temporarily so he can provide for his fish correctly. eventually he's going to want to get back out there with his friends and beat the street properly. if he's got to keep pouring every red cent of his allowance and argue, beg and plead with his parents to get it going, it's going to be a major downer.

that being said... +1 to every comment so far, but aquaclear isn't the only name in the game. anything with nearly zero bypass... or that can be easily modded for zero bypass will be sufficient for now.

a big +1 to platytudes posts. BTW, Nicole... awesome avatar! almost fits my picture of you exactly as i see you through your posts. stellar!

nerdyrcdriver · Sep 3, 2011

15 actually, but that is besides the matter. Winter is coming and the most I do with rc then is my micro dt in my living room or a micro heli. (seeming how my situation went on urc, I dont have much going on anyway)

So, what should i get for a filter. I am willing to spend a like $12-$25 on it. I like the aqua clear but, I like the black filters more for looks. (my grandparents tank with an aquaclear looked funny to me)

here is a link to all the filters at petco
http://www.petco.com/N_24_112_30/Fish-Filters.aspx

tetra pf10?

I dont really know what to look for in a filter. That is why I am asking you guys.

Not my main consern right now but,

what should my stock be in the tank if i get a 10g? (really, I can always upgrade later to a bigger tank. I dont have the $ to get the 20 right now and, I dont even have a spot to put the 10g yet. petco has the $1 per gallon sales at least once a year by the sounds of it)


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