Complete Newbie needs a bit of help

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Shermanator said:
OK on the first day I filled the tank up with ordinary tap water and got the undergravel flitration with powerhead system going. On the 2nd day I splurged out on a Eheim Cannister filter and added this to my setup. Your help would be much appreciated
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IMO I don't believe both an undergravel filter and canister filter in neccesary, All the undergravel type setups I've seen are notorious for being nitrate producing machines. As long as your canister is rated for your tank, I'd use only that.

Just My Opinion,

Reddog80p
 
UGF are not nitrate producing machines. Waste and the nitrogen cycle produces the nitrates. Regardless of the filter you use, nitrates will be produced. Poor maintenance of any closed system will cause the nitrates to rise.
 
The futurepets website states this:

At this time, due to varying country restrictions, FuturePets is are unable to ship all products to all countries.

But goes on to state that they often ship to Australia, UK bla bla bla.
So which one is it? What ever the case its a pretty vague and confuses the heck out of you.
 
Give them a call or e-mail and see what is up.
 
Ok a small update,

I went to the LFS and enquired about getting the python. So the only product he can get in australia is the Lee's Ultimate gravel cleaner- the one you showed me in one of your other links Rbishop. It comes in a 50 feet version. So I ordered it along with an additional 50 feet extension for it. Its setting me back about 140 Australian Dollars- so its a big investment that hopefully pays off just to make life somewhat a little easier. So waiting to get it online and going through the hassels of importing it- I decided to get it from him instead.

You were right RBishop the LFS owner also mentioned to me about the thermal shock of cold water going directly into the aquarium without it mixing. Luckily it is pretty much bordering on to summer here and the water is not that cold. The fish seem ok when I filled it and their was hardley any temperature variation when I checked it soon after refilling. It is winter that I will have to worry about. Our water gets pretty cold then. So till I get this python- I will just have to be extra careful on my next waterchange, and possibly do things differently.

Anyway thanks again you guys are a real asset for all of us newbies. Really do appreciate the help.
 
Reddog80p said:
IMO I don't believe both an undergravel filter and canister filter in neccesary, All the undergravel type setups I've seen are notorious for being nitrate producing machines. As long as your canister is rated for your tank, I'd use only that.

Just My Opinion,

Reddog80p
Click to expand...

Thats the first I have heard of this. As far as what I have been told and what I have read- UGF is the bare minimum that an aquarium needs for filtration purposes. On the contrary I have heard that their is no such thing as too much filtration. Never heard of any filtration method causing the production of nitrate tho. But you never no- I have learnt one thing - thier is alot of diffrentiating opinions out their :huh:
 
UGFs are good at biological filtration, but bad at mechanical (and, of course, chemical) filtration. As biological filter, they are very good. The problem is that all equipment needs maintenance. In case of an UGF, this maintenance may include tearing down the aquarium. And you cannot really have live plants, with some exceptions.

But if you don't want to have a live plants and don't mind taking the whole aquarium apart every few years, it's still a good choice ;).
 
Hay just a quick question,
What do you guys do when it is a very hot day. The reason why I ask is today here in Melbourne, its 38 degress. My Aquarium heater is set to 24 degress but because of the outside temperature indoors its currently 37 in my home. The water temperature has gone up to 27 and the heater has automatically shut off. Will thier be an advers reaction for the fish? They seem happily swimming around.

Just to stablize and bring down the indoor temperature I qucikly turned on our evaporative cooling system.
 
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