Setting up my 37 gallon aquarium

keiferd

keiferd

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Nov 4, 2003
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Hello I'm new to this forum and I would like some advice on setting up my aquarium. I have a 37 gallon tall aquarium. To filter it I have an undergravel filter with 2 aquatic gardens 600 powerheads attached to the uplift tubes. I also have a marineland penguin 350 bio-wheel power filter good for 75 gallons. Is this too much? I"ve heard nothing but bad things about undergravel filters but I think it would be too much of a pain to remove it now. I would like to have this a well planted aquarium and what plants grow well with an UGF? I've had the tank set up for 2 days and I am using Hagen Nutrafin cycler along with 2 lyretail sailfin mollies and some snails to cycle it. So far I haven't read any ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate levels. Is it safe to add more fish since I'm using Cycle?
 
yikes, I had a ugf once, what a mess. Sorry no words about how to do planted tanks with them, I hear its next to impossible to do a good planted tank with UGF's
 
Unfortunately, the only "instant" cycle product to work is BioSpira which should only be used if it's kept in a fridge at the store and at your house before use...all these other products really don't help.

Don't add any other fish until the tank is cycled. Personally, I'd see if anyone, even a good LFS, has any used filter media to add to the back of your penguin filter - it will help get your tank going since it will be colonized with bacteria already (carry it home in a sealed ziploc bag).

Eric
 
well If anyone on LINY is planning on changing their filter soon let me know, I'll take your old one, I love how the penguin 350 has 2 extra slots for filter cartriges. Furthermore since I have a biowheel system good for 75 gallons, should I just remove the uplift tubes from my UGF and leave the filter grid underneath the gravel? The bacteria haven't established themselves yet so this wouldn't be detrimental right? would waste still accumulate under the grid?
 
I'd remove the grid - do one side at a time - there shouldn't be too much crud yet.

The penguin by itself should be more than good enough filtration.

Eric
 
well the thing is I have set up all my rockwork and it would be a major pain to try and remove the grids. I Know there is no crud yet, but if the uplift tubes are removed and there is no current going through the gravel, will there be crud buildup in the future?
 
Yes, with time gunk will slip between the rocks under the plates below and cause bacterial pockets you don't want to have. Right now, with only 2 fish in there is the ideal time to get the plates out...it would be much more of a pain to do it later.

Eric
 
Change it to a reverse flow. Attatch the output of your power heads to blow down the lift tube and use a sponge filter on the inlet side of the power head. This will allow only filtered water to move underneath the plate and keep buildup down to nothing.

http://www.aquariumguys.com/reverseflow.html

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Is that reverse flow kit compatable with the aquatic gardens or profile 600 powerheads as well?
 
Being a tall tank I don't know if Lyrtail Sailfin Mollies would be good in there for the long haul in a tall tank. Those things get big and need back and forth room for swimming.
 
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