quick questions.

[Shekoi]

i've only had my fuval 304 for a couple of months now, i'm running it with the valve half open, as its to powerful a flow for the plants and fish if fully open, is this ok?

and the inlet pipe is about 5-6inches off the gravel surface, will this be ok? or would it be better closer to the gravel to remove the solid waste more???

i've also been handed a blue ram from a neighbour whos other fish have died and he's now bored of fish or something. he is small only an inch or so. i've had him in quantine and now he's in my main 40g tank!!!
will he be ok on his own? and will he be ok in my tank?

i know it's slightly over stocked, but i do have goo filtation and i do 10-25% water changes weekly. the tank is also heavily planted!!
what do blue rams like/ need, food etc? any information would be greatful.

cheers shekoi.

 

[Hound]

It is generally fine on a Fluval cannister filter to be run with the valve half open, but don't close it any further when run for an appreciable length of time. Having the intake about 5 inches from the gravel should be fine also. Considering your bio load I would be tempted to lower it to about 1 inch from the gravel surface however.

As long as the ram has a cave to call his own he will probably be fine in your tank. My own rams seem much more likely to pick food off of the gravel than catch it in the water. Essentially speaking the eat any food that my raspborra and neons miss and stake claims to any sinking food put into the tank for my peppered cories and otos.