3 Month Tank – Fish Dying
>subject = Tank of Death
Problem = My tank is 3 months old, is a 10 gallon freshwater, has an under gravel filter as well as a "Millennium 1000" inwater filter. Within the first 2 months, I went through around 10 fish, all of which seemed to die within 2 weeks of purchase.

I started out with painted glassfish, a spotted puffer, and a swordtail molly. I bought several puffers over the first 2 months and had none which lasted over 2 weeks. Most commonly, they would most often turn very pale in color and become extremely lethargic, just laying on the bottom of the tank. (The tank was actually brackish at this time, with a salinity of around 1.008 I fed them a mixture of a few flakes as well as frozen brine shrimp) When the fish was disturbed and forced to move, the spots would return and the puffer would appear fine. Following this pale phase, the fish would start to turn black before dying a day or so later. This was a constant for all 3 puffers. The painted glassfish passed away at about the same time as the puffers. I'm not sure what exactly happened. They were perfectly fine at one point, but I woke up the next day to find both of them stuck to the filter and quite deceased. The swordtail molly actually survived, stayed healthy and gave birth, but was given away after I got my next batch of fish.

After I returned from spring break, I figured that it was time to try again, so I bought a fresh batch of fish. This time I went with 2 rainbow celebes, 3 guppies, a Chinese Algae eater, and a Dragonfish. Within 2 days of purchase, both the Chinese Algae eater and the Dragonfish were dead. I took the fish back to Petco and they did a water sample test which showed that everything was fine in my tank. I replace the two dead fish with 2 African gobbies, but one died within 3 days and now the last one is dying. As I speak, I have the goby quarantined and its just laying on its side in the bottom of the glass. When I came back from class I thought it was dead because it was floating stomach up in the tank, but when I tried to scoop it out it swam down to the bottom of the tank, upside down. (????) It’s just laying at the bottom opening and closing its mouth. It does swallow food, but then spits it back out a second later and goes back to its lethargic state. For the fish diet I’m feeding them "Wardley Total Color Flakes for all Freshwater Fish".

So, that is my dilemma in a somewhat large nutshell. The fish that swim in the middle and upper levels of the tank are doing fine. It seems that the bottom feeders are the ones that don’t do so well. There are no visible parasites, and I change the water as it evaporates out. There is a heater which keeps the water at around 78, and also a fluorescent light in order to provide optimum "sunlight". The only thing I think I’m missing are live plants.

I appreciate any help you can give me in this situation.
>Size = 10
>Age = 3
>Type = Community
>Number = 7
>Change = 4-10-98
>Percent = 10
>Primary = Under gravel filter
>Secondary = Millennium 1000
>Media = 4-4-98

You seem to be having a great deal of trouble with a tank that shouldn't be doing that. In general, my response is that the tank has not had time to age properly, let me explain, it takes approximately six weeks to mature a biological filter, and I wonder if that has ever happened. You mention the tank is 3 months old, but it seems that the water has been replaced and the fish replaced at least one full time (When you changed fish and water from brackish to fresh). I would suggest that the tank really started again when you did that. Before, if the tank was only three months now, I guess that it was possibly ammonia or nitrite that caused the fish to die (puffers are not your most hardy fish to start with, so ammonia and nitrite could possibly cause the death and the problems you recount.

Personally, I would do a number of things.

1) get a test kit - ammonia is OK, but if you are strapped for cash, make sure you have a nitrite test kit.

2) Use Cycle -my favorite for biological filter inoculation - add the right bacteria to the mix to make the reduction of ammonia and nitritre more powerful and more rapidly.

3) Use less fish in the beginning and get good advice for starter fish, the ones you seem to have chosen are more delicate and can often have difficulty in weathering the ammonia and nitrite storm.

Hope that has been of at least a little help. If you need more information on the nitrogen cycle, check the Basic Aquarium Guide on my website.

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Rapid BioFilter Initiation
>subject = bio-filter
Problem = I recently had to strip down my tank due to a fungus and bacterial infection - I suspect the cambomba I introduced into the tank. I was afraid of keeping any of my bio-filtration material alive because of re-introducing the fungus and bacterial infections (I'm fairly sure it was a bacterial infection because one of my goldfish died, and when I did a three point check on the corpse it had a fairly hard stomach).

Well, I heard a rumor on a mailing list that a woman had fully cycled a 5 gallon tank in less than two weeks. She did this by raising the temperature up to 82-90 degrees fahrenheit, aerating the water with a large air stone, and letting some fish food rot in the tank.

I have started her experiment four days ago, and although the fish food has completely broken down (into almost imperceptible bits) there is a high amount of amomonia in my 5 gallon tank. However, none of the ammonia has seemed to go away - nor is the nitrite level perceptible.

Have I already answered my own question about the validity of her experiment? Or should I add some Cycle to this 5 gallon tank. Furthermore, will the temperature level (82-90) facilitate the growth the bacteria? Should I add more fish food for the rotting?

I need to have my bacterial filter on line as soon as possible, because as now, I have my two (4-5 inch) goldfish in a competely uncycled tank - with only a ton of zeolite and carbon keeping the ammonia and nitrite at check.
>Size = 30
>Age = near zero
>Type = Goldfish
>Number = 2
>Change = zero
>Percent = 10&
>Primary = Magnum H.O.T. + BioWheel
>Secondary = Aquaclear Quickfilter w/ micron cartridge + foam inserts
>Media = 5 days

The fact that you are not seeing any nitrite yet is not surpising, since it is normal that it takes at least 10 days to show after a filter is initiated. Ammonia in the tank will also inhibit the growth and replication of any nitrobacter bacteria, so the break down of the nitrite that is there will not occur until the ammonia is fully deleted as fast as it is produced.

In a standard aquarium start-up, the ammonia that is manufactured comes from two sources, fish waste of course, (and also decay of excess fish food as in your experiment) but more surprisingly, ammonia is produced in greater quantity by the fish respiration itself. As they breathe, they give off ammonia directly. In fact this seems to be the largest contributor. I personally recommend (as does the actual manufacturer of Cycle) that an aquarium be started, fish added and not fed for at least two to three days (actually the manufacturer, being an aquaculturalist actually suggests 7 days, but what hobbyist could withstand the temptation?)

Nitrosomonas takes ammonia and breaks it down to nitrite, it generally takes about ten days for the population to grow geometrically from 1 unit to the concentration needed to eliminate all ammonia as soon as it is produced. You see both nitrosomonas and nitrobacter replicate quite slowly in comparison with most other bacteria, taking anywhere between 8 - 24 hours per cycle, depending on water type. Since they grow geometrically, doubling (for clarity's sake) every time (we do ignore any loss through death of parents, etc.) so near the end of the periof the doubling can be in the trillions of bacteria per cycle, rather than 1 -> 2 ->4 ->8 etc.

The concept of raising the temperature, up to a certain point is valid, since the warmer the bugs are kept, the faster they reproduce, although there is a certain upper limit. Secondarily, but still vital in the equation, is the oxygen carrying capacity of the water. The hotter the water, the less oxygen it can carry, even with strong aeration, although this should help admirably in the temperature range you describe. Simply put, if the bugs are going through replication as fast as possible, it is vital to supply enough oxygen to them for their needs.

Your lady's experiment seems a little fast, we are talking only 33% of the general time required in ideal conditions for the maturation of a biological filter. It seems to me too fast unless there is some serious help. Remember, there has been questions raised in the literature whether nitrosomonas and nitrobacter are the actual bacteria doing the job in uninoculated aquariums. I personally have some doubts about that, but in certain cases the supposition that the bacteria you think are there in nature may not be active in the tank, and other less effective ones are actually performing the job.

Which brings me to Cycle, I know from personal experience the bacteria we say are in the preparation are there, and in at least the concentrations we state. That number is the toughest number we can give, since this is what we will offer at the end of the expiry date, not what is put in the bottle. Not only that, our research has created a team that works together best in the ratios we provide, and is not generally found in nature. Nitrosomonas and nitrobacter are there, at least 10 billion individuals per ml, the rest are ancillary, and create a symbiosis to make the environment for these lithotrophs as perfect as possible, further heightening their utility.

I can't really make your decision for you, but I will suggest the following. If your Lady did in fact cycle the tank in that short a time simply by heat and aeration, there is no reason to think that you can copy the results. Not because you are in any way doing it wrong, but she had to have perfect water conditions, by luck there had to be nitrosomonas and nitrobacter or other nitrifying bacteria strains and all other conditions had to be right for the growth and procreation of the proper bacteria with no bias toward the many other species in the aquarium just as naturally as nitrosomonas and nitrobacter.

There is no guarantee that your water has the right nutrients (besides ammonia) for the bacteria to thrive, especially nitrobacter, so even if you repeat identical procedures, unless you use her water with the proper ingredients, chances are your results will be very different,m and scattered wildly each replication.

I suggest Cycle for a few simple reasons, the bacteria you want into the aquarium, reliably and in high concentrations. These have a better chance, in the initial phase, to grab the proper locations for them, and to replicate and work optimally. You don't have that kind of assurance with natural seeding. Cycle adds the bacteria needed for the Biology to be proper in the aquarium situation, natural seeding allows whatever is in the air, in cysts in the water supply and feces from the fish to gain a foothold, good or bad. Cycle adds beneficial bacteria that can begin to control the ecology and make the aquarium a healthy place, actually outrcompeting "bad" strains and getting rid of them.

Sorry for taking so long to help you, but I thought you might want a little bit of background to help make your decision, rather than simply telling you my "professional" opinion, always remember, this is a hobby, not a science, so there are many ways to do the same thing. As in the experiment you mentioned, if it worked for her, then it was right for her, but you must also take all the information and make your own judgement as well. The more you progress, the more important it will be to melt a thousand opinions and come out with the route that is best for you and your fish.

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Ammonia Level too high
Problem: My aquarium worked perfectly for the first 2 months. However, for the past 2 months, I have had 2 continuous problems:
>1. Not able to reduce the amonia level (much too high). This is forcing me to change some of the water at least once a week. ( I do add cycle once a week)
>Size: 20
>Age: 4
>Type: Angel fish, red sword, neons, cat fish and others
>Number: 15
>Change: weekly
>Percent: 20%
>Primary: biolife (Hagen)
>Secondary: none
>Media: n/a

I will try to answer your points at the actual place you asked them.
Watch out for your ammonia levels being too high, often with Cycle in the tank the action of the fish will tell you whether your test kit is accurate or you are calibrating the results correctly. Ammonia test kits mease Total Ammonia Nitrogen (TAN) in an aquarium, depending on your pH and temperature, ammonia may or may not be toxic. At lower pH the ammonia is ionized and is not toxic, the higher the pH the more unionized ammonia is there and it is toxic to fish. The temperature is also a factor in this toxicity as well.

It is the case that a lot of the test kits show inaccurate levels of ammonia, they may be out of date or misread. Whatever the case, depending on the levels you are getting, look at the fish, are they under stress, if they are not and you are reading high levels, chances are either the ammonia is non-toxic, or the test kit is inaccurate for whatever reason.

Measure your tap water, or are you using a chlorine remover to remove chloramine, if this is a substance in your water, when you break the chloramine bond, ammonia is one of the by-products. You might want to put new water into a storage receptacle and aerate it for at least 24 hours to remove any traces of ammonia before adding it to the aquarium. Filtering it with Amrid will also help greatly in this case.

You might also reduce the amount of feed you are introducing. Ammonia cames from a number of places, the gills give it off during the respiration process it is true, but the rest comes from wastes and excess food. If you have any food left over after two minutes with none hitting the bottom, you have overfed. Do not feed bottomfish, since they graze on bacterial floc and other semi digested wastes. They rarely will eat fish food directly or by choice. As such, unless the species is what you are keeping, ignore them at feeding time.

By reducing the input of organic material, there is less to decay and create the ammonia concentration. Basically, with the respiratory exception noted above, ammonia will be a direct result of the organic material you place into the closed system.

>2. Excessive algae growth. I do not belive that there is too much direct light on the aquarium. The aquarium light is on for 12 hours a day and I have very recently reduced tha to 6 hours.

If there is any direct light on the aquarium, there is too much. Direct sunlight will cause an algal bloom. I suggest that only artificial light ever enter the aquarium for this reason. Cutting back to 6 hours only is probably one good way of reducing algae build-up,.

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Heavy Cycling
Problem: I am having problems keeping my tank from heavy cycling. I would like some advice on water changing technique and other possible things to make my tank a success
>Size: 55
>Age: 1
>Type: Gold Fish
>Number: 8
>Change: today
>Percent: 33
>Primary: Aqua Clear 300
>Secondary: Sea Storm 60
>Media: today

The aquarium will cycle naturally, usually in about six weeks if left to nature. To speed the process, I would recommend Cycle to add the right bacteria in large quantities. Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter are both in the bottle in dormant form and you will find that regular inoculation will speed the natural process. Reduction of food is also a good way to keep the ammonia down in the initial stages. If you feed too much, the toxin level will increase. In a new tank it is a good idea to only feed once a day (actually in any tank) as much as the fish will eat in 2 minutes with nothing hitting the bottom.

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Does Ammonia Remover affect pH
Problem: Tank is cycling... ammonia levels are remaining high after a week. I've cut feedings to absolute minimum. I have a box of Fluval Ammonia Absorber. If I add the suggested amount (10 tblspns) to the middle basket of my filter will it affect the pH or other water qualities?
My pH is currently about 8
>Size: 55
>Age: 1
>Type: Asstd. African cichlids
>Number: 6
>Change: weekly
>Percent: 10%
>Primary: Fluval 303
>Secondary: none
>Media: n/a

Adding ammonia remover has not changed pH to my knowledge. You seem to be doing the right thing with minimal feeding, so the wastes are not a factor. To hurry the Nitrogen Cycle even more I suggest using Cycle to naturally increase the bacterial population. Ammonia remover will remove some ammonia, but it will fill to capacity without any notice. The live bacteria nitrosomonas and nitrobacter in Cycle are the bacteria that naturally eliminate ammonia and nitrite, so inoculating your tank with these will lessen the damage and quicken the entire process.

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Dosing Cycle
My ammonia level finally dropped! Now, of course, the nitrites are up; but it's really a relief to know the cycle is almost finished. Speaking of "Cycle," I added a bunch when I first started the tank. After almost two weeks, I had no measurable ammonia. I thought the stuff was a miracle. I thought the bacteria were in place and working. That's what I thought until day 15, when the ammonia started going up fast. All the nitrogen cycle charts I've looked at show ammonia peaking at about day 10. I wondered if adding the Cycle delayed my peak. Maybe I should have waited a week or so before I added it. There probably wasn't much for the bacteria to eat that first week.

In general, the directions for the Cycle read to add the proper dose for the aquarium at first, then add a second dose in 7 days. Again add the double dose in the next seven days so you do a double dose three times then go back to the normal dose on a weekly basis. The reason for weekly dosage is to ensure the proper bacteria are available at all times. The bacteria level is highly predated, and bacterial populations shift on a regular basis. Due to this Cycle is recommended on a weekly basis to ensure that the right bacteria are available at all times.

You are correct about the ideal Nitrogen Cycle having the spike foir ammonia at 10 days, but this is an ideal. Feeding, organics in the water, dead fish, etc. can all change the timing and make it not so neat. Also remember that ammonia present in the system has the effect of inhibiting nitrobacter, the strain that uses nitrite and creates the final by-product nitrate.

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Tank is Cycling
Problem: Tank is cycling... ammonia levels are remaining high after a week. I've cut feedings to absolute minimum. I have a box of Fluval Ammonia Absorber. If I add the suggested amount (10 tblspns) to the middle basket of my filter will it affect the pH or other water qualities?
My pH is currently about 8
>Size: 55
>Age: 1
>Type: Asstd. African cichlids
>Number: 6
>Change: weekly
>Percent: 10%
>Primary: Fluval 303
>Secondary: none
>Media: n/a

Adding ammonia remover has not changed pH to my knowledge. You seem to be doing the right thing with minimal feeding, so the wastes are not a factor. To hurry the Nitrogen Cycle even more I suggest using Cycle to naturally increase the bacterial population. Ammonia remover will remove some ammonia, but it will fill to capacity without any notice. The live bacteria nitrosomonas and nitrobacter in Cycle are the bacteria that naturally eliminate ammonia and nbitrite, so inoculating your tank with these will lessen the damagfe and quicken the entire process.

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Is a hood needed for Oscars?
Steve, I have a 30 gallon tank for my oscar. My question is do I need to have a hood for my tank? I have a stand that won't allow the hood to fit. Will it cause problems for the oscar if he is in a open aquarium???

I would trend to recommend that you find a cover for the tank in some way, even if it is a sliding glass top. Although oscars are not active jumpers, all cichlids have been known to jump and it is never a pleasant sight to see your favorite fish on the floor and stiff after he tried to jump his way to freedom. Even a sudden fright could have the fish swim up and out, so I would recommend finding some form of covering to stop a disaster before it has a chance to occur.

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UG As additional filtration
>subject = Water Turnover
Problem = Hi, I have a 75 gal. freshwater tank run with a Fluval 403. I wish to aid this unit's bio-filtration. I was considering an undergravel filter with power heads, but I sometimes worry about the chiclids digging too much - at least the wild ones. I have used clip on filters on my old 30 gal., and a friend used one on a 55. I am even considering a combination of the 3 types. My question is what filter configuration would you suggest, and how many times should it turn my water over?
>Size = 75
>Age = new, about to set-up
>Type = Chiclid/Community
>Number = green terrors(2), plus dithers(4-5),targets(3), and scavengers(2)
>Change = date
>Percent = ??%
>Primary = Main Filter - Fluval 403 canister
>Secondary = Additional Filtration - that's the question(smile)
>Media = date

This is a really hard one, since in freshwater I tend to use Undergravel filters for Biological filtration. I also have African Cichlids, so know intimately the problems they cause with UG filtration.

I would still tend to use an UG, since they have the singular weakness (with the exception of EvenFlow), of passing water through the path of least resistance, the water passes most often through the gravel right around the riser stem, so even when they dig, as long as there is a 3 - 6 inch undisturbed area right around the riser, most of the biology will not be disturbed.

Surprising - yes - but that is a fact of water, even when the plates are open further away, the finding I see is that water still passes most through the area of greatest suction. Evenflo UG are the only filters made to use the Powerhead exclusively, and they have been designed to pass water under the plate evenly throughout their entire surface area.

But let us discuss a different approach, you can also use the Power Filter, in a slightly different way that you understand, but let us look at the strengths of the two filters, outside power filter and canister. I would employ the AquaClear to remove dirt and debris, it is essentially a mechanical filter, other power filters use gimmicks which supposedly turn their machines into biological powerhouses, but testing at H.A.R.S. (the Hagen Aquatic Research Station) show no differences in biological efficiency in the aquarium between wheels and the AquaClear, in fact units without wheels actually seemed to work better!, the real difference was in turbidity though, AquaClears had cleaner water as measured by turbidity meters than any other filter.

Let us suppose that you add an Aquaclear, with cichlids that is a very reasonable way to make currents in the tank and eliminate the problems of digging. The fish themselves will help the filter by rooting around and sending waste into the water to siphoned off from both the Aquaclear and the Fluval. But in the long run, the Aquaclear is better at getting the debris in the water and it will fill faster - water movement is higher and there still is quite a bit of media. The biological filter will establish on both foam and carbon (or BioMax if you really push for biology add that to the very top of the chamber filling in where the Amrid often is used). This waste removal is Aquaclear (and any clip-on filter's) forte. So why bother with the Fluval - the answer is simple, the water flow is less, but the filter material is much more massive - I would treat this as my biology - the Aquaclear keeps the water much cleaner that without, so the Fluval has much less waste to deal with. As such, it becomes that much more powerful a biological filter, and it requires less attention to media, allowing it to get that much more \seasoned and effective.

As you can see, I danced a bit on what is best, but I have always found that if you use the filters to what they are best adapted to work, the power filter as the primary mechanical - no matter what all the hype in the market, and the Fluval designed to provide the best biological, I think you will find an noticeable difference. The fact that Power heads or Aquaclear both will provide a much stronger water movement for the fish is also a major advantage,

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Set-Up Problems - New Tank Syndrome
>subject = New Aquarium Problem
Problem = I just recently started a new aquarium and I am aware of the fact that there are bacterias that will transform the ammonia to nitrite and then to nitrate but how long does it take. After four days my aquarium was so cloudy that I couldn't see the fish. I change about 10 percent of the water everyday to see if it will clear up but so far it just looks more dirtier. It got to a point where I was afraid the fish might die so I removed it and placed it in a smaller container. Do you know if this is natural or could it be the food that is making the water cloudy (I am feeding my fish sinking pellets because my filter just pushes the flake food to the bottom of the tank.). Am I suppose to wait longer or should I just start all over again?
>Size = 10
>Age = 4 days
>Type = Goldfish (Oranda)
>Number = 1
>Primary = Main Filter: a power filter that hangs on the side of the aquarium

The best thing I can do is to mention for you to read the basic aquarium guide, it is found under the product manuals in the P.I.L.L.. This was a manual I wrote quite a long time ago, and is still very current. If you want to see the other website I am webmaster for, try www.hagen.com, either way the Basic Aquarium Guide is on both. There is lot more Hagen specific information on the hagen web, but there is also a lot of general information as well.

As for your actual problems, read about the Nitrogen Cycle, it takes at least 10 days, and usually a lot longer to grow a wild population of nitrifying bacteria to eliminate ammonia production before it becomes toxic. Then it takes at least another three weeks before the populations of nitrobacter grow to remove all the nitrite from the water as fast as the nitrosomonas create it from ammonia.

Believe it or not, the bacteria that remove ammonia/nitrate have nothing to do with the nitrifying bacteria, I suggest that you click on the fish information page and look at the sections on cloudy water. You will find that your problem falls under "New Tank Syndrome", where there is commonly an explosion of bacteria in the water column that thrive on organic nutrients that have entered the tank with you're new water. I recommend there, and continue to suggest you stop feeding your tank for three days and the cloud should clear, I also suggest that it is relatively harmless, much less dangerous than keeping the fish in a smaller container without filtration or the possibility of diluting the rapidly concentrationg ammoni levels.

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Upgrading from Fresh to salt
>subject = Type of filter
Problem = I am getting ready to set up my fish tank again. I have a 55 gallon acrylic tank - it has two rectangular parts connected by two horizontal columns. I am planning to start with freshwater tropical fish, but would eventually like to 'upgrade' to marine fish. What type of filter is best? I was recently told that I should treat each rectangular part as a separate fish tank and put two filters on - one on each side. However when I bought the tank, the salesman only sold me one filter. I did have some problems with sick fish. What should I do?
>Size = 55
>Age =
>Type = Community

If you plan to upgrade to marine fish, you will need to change most of the decorations, the gavel and the filter media, but as long as the filter is adequate, you should be able to keep that and the heater. The canopy is probably specific to the tank, so that will be kept as well.

As far as filtration, it really is a function of what you want to keep. You don't mention the filter you have now, so I have to shoot in the dark and guess. If the filter is a power filter that clips onto the back directly, I would tend to add an undergravel filter with powerheads, If at all possible I would direct the jet of the powerhead through one of the cloumns to keep water movement strong in all areas. If the filter is like a Fluval, a canister filter with hoses, make the input and the output go into different tanks, that should make the water flow consistent throughout the tank. If those don't work for you, I would agree with adding separate filtration in each tank. But you should really ensure there is flow through the horizontal tubes, that way you don't have to worry about heat differentials in the aquariums where one is heated and the other cools - a sure way to expose the fish to disease.

If you plan to add marine fish, and need to purchase a new filter as well, consider strongly a set-up that includes a Fluval style canister. It will allow strong biological filtration and can usually be installed at any time. For marine FISH, I prefer to use both a canister and undergravel filter with powerheads, and a protein skimmer (doesn't work in fresh - so don't get one until you go to salt) If you want a reef, you should add a trickle system (Wet/dry) remove the Undergravel and add plenty of extra lighting.

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Shells in a Fresh Water Aquarium
>subject = tank deco
Problem = As a new goldfish owner I'd like to ask a question before I do thing rather than ask for remedies to problems arising from my lack of knowledge. The question is quite simple: can I put sea-shells in a goldfish tank? Some say it's bad for the fish (calcium being washed out), soem say it is okay provided the shells are boiled first. What is your suggestion?

P.S. Well, it is not a tank but a bowl. I know I shouldn't be keeping my fish in bowl but I did not buy my tank yet and I have been presented with the fish for X-mas. I am definatey going to buy one soon.

What you are going to get is my personal opinion, and since this is a hobby, not a science, take that for what it is worth.

I personally would never put shells in any fresh water aquarium, they have the tendency to release carbonates into the water and make it harder, now if I was keeping African Cichlids that do like hard water, that would not be a problem, but then I also add dolomite in the substrate as well.

That is the first reason I don't add shells, a second one is that there are sharper edges on shells, and for goldfish which root around in the substrate and mouth much of the material at the bottom, small sharp pieces of shell can harm mouth tissues. Again, I work with the motto better safe than sorry.

Finally, the last reason that I don't add shells is the possibility of adding foreign organic material, bacteria or diseases into the bowl. That is the reason for boiling the shells beforehand, and I would recommend that before adding anything that had life in it or on it once (including driftwood, river rocks, etc.) since that can help to loosen attached organic debris and hopefully kill harmful disease bacteria or other parasites.

I know that may not be the positive reaction you were hoping for, but as a long term aquarist, I have found that it is much safer to keep with safe, non-toxic and inert materials whenever possible, you just don't know what is being added by other materials, and what kinds of exotic organisms you may be adding into your ecosystem.

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Expertise and answers
Indeed, I have been told by some that sea-shells release carbonates. On the other hand I have seen aquarium with sea-shells. But then, just to be on the safe side, I will not put the shells in. I very much appreciate your advice. Thank you once again for taking time to reply.

Would it be too much to ask if I could come back to you for some more some more help in the future? I have only recently started my "fish-farm" and I need all the help I can get. Of course I am looking for reading matter on goldfish, but that is not easily available in Poland, hence my ??

You are more than welcome to access my experience as you require it, that is why I have my page on the web, and have tried to answer every question asked, even those I don't know are told clearly my ignorance, as I believe that it is much better to deflect a question elsewhere if I don't know the answer rather than try to inflate my ego and offer false or damaging responses. SO, if you need it, and I have information pertinent to the problem, feel free. If I don't know, be aware that I will let you know, so that I don't cause any damage from ignorance.

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New 10 Gallon Tank
I received a 10gal aquarium for my birthday. It is a plastic type with the top molded onto the sides. It came with an undergravel filter powered by an air pump. Would this be enough filtration for a community tank?

If not, I'm not sure how to add outside filtration. The tank has openings in the top through which some hoses could be routed (for a canister type filter?), but the holes are only about 1.25" wide. I have a heater in one opening. If you do recommend additional filtration would you be so kind as to recommend a specific type?

PS: I love your WEB site!
Size = 10
Age = 2 months
Type = Community
Number = 10
Change = 1 a week ago
Percent = 20%
Primary = Undergravel
Thank you so much for your quick and informative response. After sending my message to you I did some more research in the WEB and discovered that I am probably having problems with the quality of my water because I did not cycle my tank. I will be purchasing some test kits soon so that I will know more about the water. I will also take to heart your recommendation about feeding the fish: I definitely have been overfeeding them! I will consider the Pro "MINI" Power Head in the near future once I have stabilized my tank.

The tank that I received is a Wal-Mart special; it is an acrylic tank with a molded top. I hope some day to have a large tank (55gal or so) but have no regrets at this point starting out with a 10gal. So far my mistakes have been relatively inexpensive ;) .

As far as your biases are concerned, they do not bother me at all. You were honest about them and I appreciate that. I visited the rchagen.com site and enjoyed my stay.

Thanks for your good words about my site, I appreciate them. Now to your question. Depenfing on the aquarium and especially the fish and airpump, you could be fine. I am not sure what type of tank is a ten gallon plastic tank, I am not really familiar with any other than the Tropiquarium which is an acrylic, and powered by a Fluval 2 internal filter. That might be a way to solve a lack of filtration, move to one of the internal filters like the FLuval, Trio, or QuickFilter. I apologize for recommending Hagen products - they are the ones I know best.

Canister filters on 10 gallon tanks are usually overpowered, Fluval 103 (the smallest of the canister Fluvals) pump about 110 galons per hour, the same output as a normal outside filter, and are an excellent choice for the well heeled, but not practical unless the budget is unlimited. I would tend to match the fish to the filtration, smaller community types such as livebearers and tetras should do fine in the tank as it is set up now if you follow a few practical pointers - the most important is to realize the majority of problems aquarists have are self caused. By overfeeding, the aquarist overloads the system and creates massive pollution. I highly recommend feeding no more than once a day - and as much food as the fish will entirely consume in two minutes with nothing hitting the bottom. That may sound cruel, you may feel the fish will starve, but I assure you, my three African Cichlids have been fed about once every three days for well over a year and are probably the most hardy fish you will ever see, without hollow bellies or other problem.

It is a matter of physiology, remember fish are poikilothermic (cold blooded) and do not require any energy to heat their body. Since 85% of the calories you burn are used to heat your body, if you feed as you would eat, you have overfed by at least 85% of energy requirements. Another thing to understand clearly is that fish never know when their next meal will be, so they will eat as if starved whenever food is available. They have no homeostatic control (such as receptors monitoring blood sugar level in our bodies) to tell them they are full. They will simply eat until they pop. So feed sparingly and you will probably be fine with your present filtration. If you must change, I would suggest a Pro "MINI" Power Head (from Hagen - sorry for the plug) in place of the air pump to powerize the undergravel filter. Otherwise look into either the Fluval Internals or on the upper end the Trio for great filtration power without having to modify the aquarium. If a cord can pass into the aquarium, there is not other modification required.

Back to

New 46 Gallon Tank Filtration
>subject = Filtration for new tank
Problem = Dear Steve, If you would answer questions with the speed and efficiency of some outfits, I wouldn’t keep bugging you. ;-) (Yesterday I received an e-mail answer to a question that I had e-mailed to Epson the first week of November about one of my printers. They make great printers, but their e-mail response time leaves a little to be desired, don’t you agree?)

Anyway, I have been most impressed with both your responses and your honesty. I am sure that I have been influenced by your recommendations. Now I have a couple of more questions since my wife and I just purchased a new 46G aquarium yesterday.

1) I am not sure what size filter to use, but I intend to use one of the Fluval canisters. I believe that the 303 would be the better size since the information that I have says that the 203 pumps 111g.p.h and is adequate for tanks up to 40G.

2) I am considering using an AquaClear powerhead Model 402 in reverse flow mode for my undergravel filter system. I am concerned, however, about pumping unfiltered water _into_ my undergravel filter. Can the water be filtered before it goes into the undergravel filter. Or would it be better to just run the powerhead in normal (forward) mode?

3) Can I attach the Magnum Power Kleen (Marineland) to my Fluval, or does Fluval make a similar product?

Once again, thanks so much for taking the time to respond to this newbie’s questions.
>Size = 46

Let's hit each paragraph as it was presented, that way I won't get confused (easy with my 4 year old son beside me)and miss something.

1) I also want answers within a timely period, so I know others want and deserve the same consideration. I aggree, a month or more is too much. Hope this response time is within proper parameters for the industry ( :-) )

2) A 46 gallon is an odd size for me, I would guess you are talking about a 48" x 12" x 18" or 20" ( for me this is a 48, or a 36 x 16 x 20 which for me is a 50. Makes no real difference except when you need to medicate, I use (length x width x height) x 232 to find the actual gallonage.

3) I of course am biased and agree a Fluval is one of the best filters on the market. I have had intimate experience with them for better than a decade and know of no more reliable system available. I also suggest that you move up to the 303 or 403, to give you a much more useful amount of filtration volume for better filtration as well.

4)One of the advantages of answering from P.I.L.L. is that you are asking my opinion and not making follow any corporate lines (although to be honest with you I am the one who usually makes those for the salemen in the field). I was a major proponent of the reverse flow when it was first suggested and implemented, but over the years I have changed my opinion. I do like reverse flow for some reasons, but there are better ways to do undergravel, if you let me digress for a few minutes.

Old style thinking with most of the UG filters on the market looks at the UG filter simply as a plate that water passes through, with the water passing evenly through everywhere. A few years back we needed to replace the Biozonics style filter - our deluxe filter - because it was getting too expensive to manufacture and bring it to market for a fair price. As such we gave it to the engineers responsible for powerheads and other technically advanced materials. They took three years to come with a suitable replacement, basically because they found the assumptions on UG filtration were simply working on false premises. Water follows the path of least resistance, so it basically passed close to the riser stem and very little flow was happening anywhere else under the plate. For this reason, the reverse flow is great, since it passes water under the gravel plate and then creates an even pressure underneath to force its way up.

The real problem with the reverse flow function of the PowerHead 402 is that its reverse current is about 1/2 of the forward or conventional flow. This, to me, as an aquarist, is a tremendous drop in efficiency. The new filters made by our engineers and introduced about 4 years ago were tuned for the PowerHead, rather than the air pump like all previous units before. the Evenflow systems make all water flow evenly through the entire surface of the plate and thus use the entire flow in conventional mode > without any loss. This has basically eliminated the need for reverse flow in my mind.

Sorry for the digression. The question you had was if you could filter the water before it goes into the gravel layer. Well, if you really think about it, the water is unfiltered when it is run conventionally and that has rarely caused a problem for anyone. I have never worried about it, but if you must put some form of pre-filtration, Identify the inlet for reverse flow, it is a grid behind the powerhead, a small inlet that you could - if you desire - cover with an AquaClear sponge, but you will sacrifice some of the water flow by the blockage.

5) I believe you can add a Magnum attachment such as the BioWheel, but I would suggest the addition of a "Power Clean" vacuum attachment is a waste of time. I know, I have my biases here, but I would tend to do my gravel cleaning in the old fashioed way where the dirty water is passed to a bucket, rather than allowing the dirt to fill the filter material fast and require it to be changed much more often and expensively than simply discarding dirt with the regular water change. It also sort of forces better aquarium management by requiring water removal and replacement rather than relying on the filter material to hold and rot material that is better discarded. (My personal opinion) I have always tried to use the filter media to its best advantage, rather than force rapid and expensive replacement. When you deal with a Magnum, it uses a cartridge style that needs replacement so often, they don't care how dirty it gets, its got to be discarded so often the added gimick just makes it seem like an advantage.

6) I have tried the basic aquarium guide link you mentioned, and I also found it broken, why I have no idea since it has not gotten a problem before, but maybe no-one is looking at probably one of the best free references there is - uh oh, now my real bias is there since I wrote it - but I fixed that link just now, so go back to it and look it over again. If you get others following, - my son is not allowing me to really search it out right now, please let me know, but the only problem is that all references need a .html extension, and the one that was there was .htm ( you need to type in the URL with the html extension and you should be able to get through it if it is a bad link. But, thank you so very much for the notification

Thank you so much for all of your _timely_help. Unfortunately I can't seem to find a reliable dealer here in my local town; that is why I am bombarding you with these questions. I am confident that once I get my aquarium up and running that my questions will be less frequent. If I am taking too much time away from your 4 year old son I understand. (We have 5 children :-) ). Just drop me a note and I will ration my questions. ;-)

My 46 gallon tank is a "Euro" tank made by Perfecto. It measures 36" x 12" x 19H" with the front glass curving out about 4".

I am quite confused about the undergravel filter business. (Reverse flow, normal flow, no UGF, etc.) But, I know that if I ask enough questions I will be able to make an informed decision. I came across an interesting idea (http://www.dalecombp.com/filters/undergravel.html ) of hooking up part of the return flow from the canister to the UGF. This seems to make a lot of sense to me. Do you care to comment on this arrangement? If so, would it work with a Fluval 303, or would it require the larger 403?

I appreciated your "digression" about the problems with hooking up a power head to an older style UGF. I have, unfortunately, been unable to locate the Evenflow undergravel filter in any on-line retail company's catalog. Are you aware of any place that I can order one? If I can locate one, which powerhead would work for this size UGF?

Back to

Nitrate
>subject = nitrate
Problem = I have a 70 gallon tank that stays around 70 nitrate. The tank only has a two biowheel top filter with beeds and charcoal. The tank is a fresh water community tank with an additional airstone. The nitrate stays around 50, never lower. Once in a while I have a fish die from internal infections. The angle ship do really well. The neons are o.k.

My 30 gallon tank has a 303 fluval and a top biowheel, corner shape tank. It does not have a nitrate problem. I was thinking of getting another fluval. Would it be best to take the 303 to the 70 gallon tank and get a smaller fluval for the 30, or get another 303 or 403 for the 70 gallon tank. What do you think?

The 30 gallon tank has plenty of water flow. The fish do well but can too much water flow hurt?

Can you give me some prices too. I would like to order direct.
>Size = 70
>Age = 1 year
>Type = Community
>Number = 30 - 40
>neon to angle fish
>Percent = this time only10 gallons three weeks almost 50
>Primary = Bio wheel

There are a number of questions in the message, I hope I will cover them all, but if I miss one, feel free to e-mail back for clarification.

1) Nitrate can be eliminated by live plants, regular water changes and anaerobic bacterial action. The Fluval with the BioWheel may be allowing some of the water to be treated anaerobically, but I tend to doubt that. Unless you are leaving the filter for very long periods of time and the flow diminishes, you are probably not anaerobic. Just be aware what is occuring in your tank to produce the nitrate. Fish breath out ammonia (literally) and can tend to concentrate ammonia released through decay and other processes as well in the water column. Benefical bacteria take ammonia and reduce it first to nitrite then to nitrate. The end product, nitrate builds up because it cannot be eliminated in most North American set-ups in any way other than water change since there is no real reliable way to anaerobically deal with it, and most NA tanks do not use living plants.

My suggestion with your larger aquarium is probably the best way is to purchase the filter for your new tank, so that there is as little disturbance to present systems as possible. This would allow the biofilter in the Fluval to gradually come up to spec while your smaller system is allowed to work without any problems. You don't need two systems crashing at once, at least this way, you can season the new filter in the larger tank then if you must, switch them. This would allow you to buy a smaller filter for the 30 although I would tend to stay with at least a 303, the size of the canister makes all the difference.

As far as fast flowing water, the fish normally like this unless it is so powerful that it blows them out. I have never found that a Fluval, with its operating spray bar will cause that kind of current. As long as the suction is gentle enough for the fish to get away, the amount of water filtered is always better to be high than low.

As far as pricing, I do not sell on the net, and I know that Hagen is not dealing directly with consumers. Their philosophy is to support the local independent pet retailer so they do not have a methodology to buy direct.

In case you missed it, their web site is

www.rchagen.com

I do have one more question, what size of fluval should I purchase for the 70 gallon tank?

Looking over your earlier message about the 70, and assuming you are going to continue to use the Marineland filters, I would say a Fluval 303 would be adequate, but would tend to move up to the 403 in case the biologicla load increases or if you intend to use the Marineland filter(s) in other tanks. A 70 is right in the grey area, I would always opt for the maximum filtration, but then real life economics can burst that bubble. I know, I told you either or, it depends..... but, It Depends!

Anyway, Hope that gives you a little to work with.

Back to

Tropiquarium Light Timer Instructions
Problem: I just purchased a Tropiquarium 68 and I can not understand how the programmable light timer/clock is to be set, yes i have read the instructions, however they make no sense. Any help would be appreciated, such as instructions that make sense.

PS What do I have to do to get the fish feeder unit, it did not come with the Tropiquarium. ( I purchased this unit new )

First things last, the fish food timer is an optional unit that is sold separately in most independent pet dealers. It is called the "NutraMatic" and comes in two sizes. Use the smaller hopper as that is what the Tropiquarium was designed to handle. The "Jumbo" unit will not rotate to my knowledge.

As promised, first thing last - the programmable clock. The first thing is to pop the cover and insert the batteries, this is not an insult to your intelligence, rather simply the first step. You will see the numbers light and be able to switch the light on and off with the manual switch. You will also find a set of instructions for setting the system inside.

Once you can open and close the lights, the next job is to set the clock.

Press the Adjust button for a few seconds, the hours will flash.

Use the Set button to change the hours until you reach the right one.

Use the Mode button to change the display to flashing minutes

Use the Set button to change the minutes to the desired time.

Press the Aut/Man button to stop setting the time when you are finished.

Next change the setting to auto with the Auto/Man button.

Once Aut shows in the right top corner, move your finger to Mode and press through the cycle. You will have the following icons show above the time, to the full left side you see a clear bulb with what appears to be rays emitted. This is the ON icon, to the right of this will next appear the OFF icon, a fully filled bulb.

The last settings shown are both icons showing with Aut on the right side. This is how the clock should appear normally when the light timer is activated. If both the icons are not shown, then the system will not turn on and off since it doesn't know both those important peices of data. I find this is where most people find they have problems.

The other possibility is to have no icons showing and MAN displayed at the top right corner. This is where the clock can be set - and the setting must be this to manually control the lighting.

Cycle to the ON setting.

Press the adjust button and get the display flashing for the ON time setting. Set this just the same way you did with the clock. Then shut the timer setting off by pressing the Aut/Man switch again.

Press the Mode button once more to get to the OFF icon on the screen only. Press the Adjust button and set the off timer setting. Once again move to the Aut/Man button to finish the process.

With the clock, on and off settings correct, use the Aut/Man button to select Aut and ensure both the icons are visible in this setting. When that is the case the timer is set and everything should go properly.

Back to

AquaClear in Salt Water Set-up
Problem: I want to set up a tropical marine aquarium. I have an aquaclear 300, but a friend told me that I shouldn't use it for a salt water tank. Is this true, and if so what filter set up do you recomend.
>Size: 55
>Age: 0
>Type: N.A.
>Number: 0
>Change: 0
>Percent: 0

The answer is difficult to respond. As far as an AquaClear 300 working in salt water, there is no problem with that, AquaClear filters work equally well in both fresh and salt water, although do not use Amrid in salt, it recharges in brine so thus is pretty useless.

Your friend would be right if he said that the AquaClear 300 is not enough to use in salt water, you will need at least some other filtration as well. Some would argue that all this might require would be a protein skimmer. If you are just keeping fish the addition of an UG Filter with power heads should be considered. If the 55 is going to house a reef, then a trickle style filter is important. Other possibilities in addition to the AquaClear 300 would be a Fluval.

Hope that helps you out, the real answer is that AquaClear 300 will work in salt water, but you probably need more filtration to be successful with either fish, invertebrates or a reef.

Back to

Aquarium Set-Up with Fluval
Problem: I am interested in setting up a new 45 gal tank. 36x12x24 With a Fluval 303 would I need to have a UGF as a secondary filter with reverse flow? The Aquarium manufactures like All-Glass are offering a corner compartmental overflow & underflow arrangement on their tanks. Would the extra investment in this option be worthwhile?
>Size: 45
>Age: 0
>Type: Community
>Number: 15
>Change: weekly
>Percent: 25
>Primary: Canister
>Secondary: UGF with reverse flow power head
>Media: n/a

Your set-up sounds good for most cases, although I would tend to use the Power Head in conventional flow, since the amount of flow is greater by about 2 times. For standard community fish (small) the reverse flow would eliminate strong currents that many medium fish like to swim against.

Using the Fluval with the spray bar, any lack of surface agitation caused by the lack of conventional output in the Power Heads would be compensated by the Spray bar breaking the surface tension. If you were not using the Fluval, then I would strongly suggest conventional flow for surface agitation. Hope this doesn't confuse you, it is just that reverse flow creates minimal currents since all the water is pumped down the stem, so there is not a lot of surface agitation to release carbon dioxide and add oxygen back to the water that can be used by the biological layer in the gravel. Using the Fluval overcomes that problem and will replenish oxygen adequately.

Have you considered or seen the Evenflow UG plates. They are the only ones designed to work exclusively with Power Heads, they overcome the problems of path of least resistance, the basic reason reverse flow is incorporated, but do not suffer from the flow restrictions of the reverse flow mechanisms. Look into them if you want full forward flow but total bottom coverage in the biological bed.

Filtration is always beneficial, so I cannot judge whether the extra expense for overflow boxes is really worthwhile. If you have the Fluval and UG filter running, a third filter might not be required, and even if later you feel you are underfiltered, there are Trio's, extra Fluvals and even AquaClear filters that can be added for a minimal expense to the aquarium when required.

Back to

Using Sand in an Aquarium
Problem: I need some information on what is becoming a item that disappeared from the market. I am trying to track down aquarium sand from Hagen. Do you have any information on where I can find sand. I realize that very one has moved to gravel, I would like to remain a sand person.

Aquarium sand is normally only used in Marine aquariums since it is quite dangerous. The problem is that it goes quite anaerobic and can release toxic gasses into the aquarium as nitrate is reduced. The main problem with sand is that it packs. I must admit that I have been taught for many years (34) that sand is not desirable in the aquarium, it will pack and cake and will often cause more problems than it could possible solve.

In almost every book you read, sand is not recommended. In my experience Hagen has only sold coral sand for marine systems. There was some decorative sand at one time many years ago but it was discontinued due to lack of interest.

I know this may not be what you wanted to hear, but at least you know a bit more of the reasons.

Back to

Nitrite Level too High
>subject = NO-level to high
Problem = Even after daily water change my nitrite level is too high. The discus chimes are wide open and some discus show a red mouth. Furthermore the discuss show black stripes on there body, which disappear after waterchange.

I have this problem sice about 3 weeks. During this period I change the water nearly every day. I removed all my plants and stones out of the water but cannot get a constant water quality.

My water temperature is 30 degree C and I use tap-water for water change.

Recently I give them medicin from Germany to recover, but don't see any improvement
>Size = 200 liter
>Age = 3
>Type = discus
>Number = 20 average age about 5-8 month
>Change = daily
>Percent = 30

I guess from your address that you are in Taiwan, and I have no idea what the water supply variations by season may be, but here is Canada, we are in the middle of spring, and we have severe run-off and lots of rain. With this type of condition, the municipal water has extra chlorine added to make sure it is safe to drink and the normal Nitrate and Nitrite levels rise to dangerous levels. I cannot compare the conditions there, to here, but wonder if the problem is not due directly to the actual water that is being used to do the water changes.

Why did you remove the plants, they require nitrate to live and are an excellent way to naturally reduce nitrate levels and stabilize the water condiotions over time. From your comments you also removed the place for bacteria to do their beneficial role of reducing ammonia and nitrite to natrate. Of course you will have trouble with stable water conditions, all the areas that provide it seem to have been suddenly removed.

Discus do not like to be in a bare tank, they need places to swim behind and through and these are now gone, regular water changes are good, but check your water for chlorine, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. You may be adding more with the change than is in the water. This is rare, but it has occured in the past.

Back to

My Fish are Dying!!
>subject = My fish are dying!!
Problem = I am having problems with fish dying. I set my tank up on January 3 and introduced fish a week later. A male betta died two weeks later with most of his fins rotted off. I had treated the tank with a "complete remedy" but did not seem to help him. Last Wednesday, (the 11th), I scraped the sides of the tank, vacuumed the gravel and topped up the water (which had sat for 2 days).

The next morning, all four neon tetras were dead and the following morning the Bala shark was dead. On Feb 14, I visited the pet store and explained my problem. They suggested a 5-in-1 water treatment and to increase the water temperature to 78* from 74*. I bought 4 black tetras, a red-tail shark, two guppies (male & female) and a beautiful male betta and some live plants. I removed about 1/4 of the water from the tank, introduced the fish slowly and everything seemed fine.

All fish seemed to be healthy although the red-tail shark and a male swordtail did seem to be chasing the betta around. Last night, the betta seemed to hiding in the floating plants and this morning, he was dead. The female guppy has died tonight. All other fish appear to be fine. I am so frustrated (and becoming broke!). Any suggestions?

When I used the "complete remedy" which was for fungal and bacterial infections, I removed the carbon filter, then changed it 10 days later according to the instructions on the bottle. Also did a 1/3 of tank water change at that time.
>Size = 10
>Age = 1 1/2
>Type = Community
>Number = 9
>Change = Feb 14
>Percent = 25%
>Primary = Outside of tank Charcoal
>Secondary = none
>Media = sorry, don't know what media means

Primarily, it sounds like you are having trouble initiating the aquarium and making the water safe for the fish to live in. The first thing you should do is ask your pet store to do a full set of tests, including ammonia, nitrite and pH. This would give you a snapshot of the water that the fish are being put in. My best guess is that the water has either a high concentration of ammonia or nitrite, considering the age of the aquarium it is probably nitrite and will take a few more days for the bacteria to populate to the point where they are able to handle all the nitrite produced by the nitrosomonas bacteria that eliminate ammonia to nitrite on its way to nitrate.

Deaths early in an aquariums life are most often due to water and the changes occurring as it matures. I suggest you look at the Product Manuals area of my website (below the columns), and look at the Basic Aquarium Guide, with especial attention to the nitrogen cycle parts. The same manual is on the Hagen web as well, so you are welcome to look that over as well.

In general, fish will kill themselves in the first 4 weeks or more as they will produce a large quantity of ammonia, generally from respiration but also due to decay of excess food etc. Dead fish also decay quite rapidly and will quickly create a high enough concentration of ammonia that will kill the surviors as well when the bioloigical filter is not fully established.

I suggest Cycle right at the beginning to get the Nitrogen Cycle initiated more rapidly and to help alleviate the ammonia and nitrite problems within the aquarium. Other illnesses will occasionally occur, but when antibiotics are used, they also impair the biological beds and the ammonia problem compounds. This happens from increased ammonia production from stress and impaired bacterial reduction of the ammonia, so the end result is a large build-up that kills.

I would allow a few fish to stay in the tank at all times, ensure the filter and its media are kept clean, but not disturbed if not required. When you were told to remove the carbon (the stuff in the filter is called the media - by the way) this was to ensure that it did not actively remove the medication, if it was not already exhausted and de-activated, it could have been easily replaced.

I know I have rambled a bit, and hope that some of the questions you had were answered, get the water tested first, if you want me to comment after, no problem at all, but also tell me what the filter is that you have, it may be a power filter like an AquaClear, Dynaflo, etc, but it would help to give me that information. 5 in 1 water treatment - as far as I know is an Aquarium Pharmaceuticals product that is a tablet. It is for conditioning water. I do have a preferance, but will not comment as of now. If it is what I think it is, it is designed to make tap water safe, and should be added every time new water is drawn from the tap, but it does not provide disease remedy. I may be wrong, but a more liberal use of brand names would give me a better chance of figuring out what is going on in your aquarium.

Thank you for your prompt reply to my letter. I bought testing kits and the results were as follows:

pH: higher than 7.6 (water was very blue)

ammonia: between 1 and 2 ppm (water was quite yellow)

nitrites: less than .1 (water was barely pink)

I used the Marine Enterprises, Inc "Fresh Water Analysis Center" testing kit.

I was able to lower the pH. It is between 6.8 and 7.0.

I am unable to make much difference in the ammonia reading. This is where I need your help as I am getting conflicting advice. The lady at the pet store (whose advice, based on past experience, I have always received somewhat skeptically) where I usually deal does not have any of the ammonia-removing products you mention on the web-site. She has told me that Wardley ChlorOut will get rid of the ammonia. She said to add it to the water, remove the carbon from my filter (a Whisper Power Filter 2) then add the carbon filter back 24 hours later. The instructions on the bottle say nothing about this, and seems to me is meant to be used if chloramine has been added to our water. I don't think is the case judging from what you have described in your reference to chloramine.

This is what I have done:

On Monday night, I vacuumed the gravel well and siphoned off about 1/3 ofthe water. I added the correct amount of Chlor-Out to fresh tap water and also added four 5-in-1 Water Conditioner tablets (by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) and 2 drops of pHDown. I removed the filter and installed a new one (with carbon) 12 hours later.

Tonight, the ammonia seems to still be about 1ppm.

My questions:

1. Will ChlorOut remove ammonia from water if it is not from chloramine but from organic sources?

2. Is it necessary to remove the carbon filter when adding chlorine-removing products to your water? I do not see this in your suggestions nor is it on the bottle instructions.

3. The lady at the pet store said my water should never be above 72*F yet the books I have both seem to set the temperatures for 75*-81* for the types of fish I have (or had).

There is another pet store about 10 miles away that is well-stocked with aquarium supplies and I am sure would have any products that you might suggest.

Thank you again for your help. I am somewhat more hopeful that I may yet be a successful aquarist.

1) Chlorine removers cannot do anything to ammonia. The higher dosage for chloramine releases ammonia into the water, it does not do anything to remove it. Chloramine is a compound put in municipal water for one of two reasons (usually) It either must travel quite a distance and the gaseous chlorine would dissipate before delivery (Edmonton to St Albert), or the treated water is stored for long time (over 3 days) usually in an underground reservoir (Ottawa). In most other cases chlorine is added to make water "potable" (fit for human consumption). Chlorine as mentioned is a gas - if left uncovered or aerated it will normally dissipate in 24 - 48 hours if left standing. Chloramine is a compound that never dissipates. It is made by bubbling chlorine gas through ammonia pellets and producing a liquid compound that can be eliminated by at least a double dose of chlorine remover (I use up to 4 times personally when dealing with the problem). When the chlorine-ammonia bond is broken the chlorine is eliminated immediately (well, within a couple of minutes) but the ammonia is released into the tank and must be eliminated by other means. So the simple answer is that unless the product has other agents to eliminate ammonia, it will stay in the tank until it dissipates by the bacterial action within the aquarium.

1a) All ammonia is inorganic, it can be either tocxic or nontoxic, but that is a factor of pH and unless you ask again I won't go into that chemistry yet. The ammonia sources within the tank are respiration, decay and chloramine breakdown, but whatever the source, the ammonia itself is virtually the same. Don't try to distinguish from the source, it is all the same problem.

2 Should you remove the carbon when using a chlorine remover - NO. Carbon electrostatically removes particles and suspended dyes and medications from the water over time. Chlorine removers should be deployed BEFORE the water is added to the tank - ideally in the bucket so it is already long gone before the water is added to the tank. Carbon thus has nothing it can remove. It does take out dyes and medications such as antibiotics, so proper dosage levels are drastically affected when carbon is available to capture the medication with the carbon matrix. As such, it should be removed during medication only. With the Whisper filter, you are a bit more hadcuffed with the amounts and types of the filter media than Hagen's AquaClear (Sorry, my biases are showing), but you still should remove the carbon when you treat with a medication such as a dye (malachite green for ICH, or antibiotics - TC, EM, etc.) Otherwise, leave the carbon in for the duration of its activity, between 2 weeks and 1 month. After a month is is probalbly not removing any more dyes or liquid impurities and with any cartridgre filter must be replaced.

3. Go with the books. I use the Baensch Aquarium Atlas for most of my species specific information. 72 will tend to cause a lot of ICH (white spot) on tropical fish where their native environments are normally between 76 - 80 degrees F Discus like it closer to 90. 72 and below are really only suitable for goldfish, bettas can tolerate it and some tetras will survive, but all but the goldfish will be healthier, happier and more active at higher temnperatures.

I probably went over an awful lot of ground here that may be a bit confusing, but hopefully I hit the majority of your questions with at least a partial answer.

Back to

Overfeeding rather than overcleaning
>subject = Cloudy water
Problem = The water in our aquarium has turned cloudy 2 or 3 times. We have changed about 1/3 to 1/2 of the water each time using a gravel cleaning siphon. We have been using distilled water because our tap water is at times very heavily chlorinated.

Have we changed water too often? Are we making a mistake using the distilled water? Tonight I read about CYCLE in the Hagen product manual I found thanks to your site. Do you recommend using this product and will it help our problem?
>Size = 10
>Age = 11 days
>Type = Goldfish
>Number = 4
>Change = Jan 4
>Percent = 60
>Primary = AquaClear 150
>Secondary =
>Media = Added AMRID tonight

Chances are better that you are overfeeding rather than overcleaning. When water goes cloudy - a milky color rather than greenish tinge - the chances are that the water is carrying an excess of organics. When this occurs, there is a population explosion of bacteria in the water column that makes the water cloudy as the concentrations of bacteria make a haze to the eye.

I generally recommend the following, stop feeding the tank for three days. This allows the bacteria to use up the excess nutrients and then they die back naturally. Then cut back on the feeding you are doing. This should be done as much as the fish will eat in TWO minutes with no food hitting the bottom. Anything left uneaten after two minutes is an overfeeding and the amount should be reduced the next time you feed.

As far as Cycle is concerned, I highly recommend it, all the tests I have seen show that it provides the bacteria necessary to break down ammonia and nitrite and is a very beneficial addition to the aquarium. I use it regularly and have it tested even more often,

Back to

Algae
Problem: Thanks for the informative page. I have just set up my old tropical tank(heated) for gold fish (unheated). The tank has a partial UGF, A SECCI filter with a foam insert and a corner filter with bio beads and activated charcoal. Under gravel filters get really dirty and probably are not needed for gold fish. What do you suggest I replace the gravel at the bottom with? After this change would the two remaining filters be OK. The tank is the standard 3 foot tank. I currently have 4 fish and will probably increase to 8. By the way from a temperature perspective I am in South Africa.

Oh, also how do I prevent/control algae formation in the tank. Is there an equivalent of an a tropical algae eater which will survive in a nonheated tank??

Sorry for the delay in response, in Montreal we are in week two of a major ice storm, Power is fluctuating and prioritization sometimes delays the stuff I like to do in favor of finding firewood or the next warm meal. It is getting back to normal, but delays are inevitable.

As far as your fish are concerned, South Africa is much warmer than Montreal, at least everywhere where I went on my one trip there, so I would not be very worried about a real coolwater fish for eating algae. Ask your local pet retailer, they would have a good idea of the best available fish. I would tend to use a plecostomus, but again a local expert is better informed for your particular area.

One of the best ways to control algae is a combination of proper light durations - ensuring that no direct sunlight hits the tank - and reduced feeding. remember, the only source of many of the nutrients that the algae needs to grow are added to the tank by the feeding regime. So, when you feed only as much as the fish will totally consume in two minutes with nothing hitting the bottom. I would feed no more than once a day.

Back to

Green Water

>subject = Green Water
Problem = My tank is 6 months old...all went well for about 3 months and I developed green water. Have done a complete water change and still no luck. I have a 25 gallon tank (an Eclipse model) with standard components to which I have also added a reverse-flow under gravel filter.

Until recently, I was using strictly artificial plants. 11 fish occupied the aquarium: 4 serpae tetras, 3 black tetras, 2 cory cats, 1 gourami and 1 plecostomus. The aquarium sits on a stand that puts it 10 inches off the floor. It sits against a wall, but is within 1 foot of a north-facing window.

PH is fine and ammonia is fine. I haven't checked for nitrite or nitrate levels.

I'm now down to the tetras and 1 cory cat (8 fish).

I am 13. Can you help me?
>Size = 25
>Age = 6 months
>Type = Community
>Number = 8
>Change = 10/31/97
>Percent = 100%
>Primary = Main Filter is a filter pad & wheel.
>Secondary = A reverse-flow power head.
>Media = 10/31/97

Green water is almost always a result of light, generally it is the result of some sunlight striking the aquarium directly. Other possibilities is that the lighting you are using is too long. Green water is normally an algae bloom that is so intense that the algae cells are so populous that they go free floating.

Another possibility is that the food you are using is too much and that the extra wasted part is decaying and adding too much phosphate to the aquarium water, again promoting an algal bloom.

I would rarely try to eliminate the problem with a full water change and scrubbing, since you will eliminate your active biological filter, one of the possible explanations for the loss of your fish. I would be checking nitrite as well as pH and ammonia, since it runs a different and later course than ammonia. If the tank is efficiently eliminating ammonia, changing it to nitrite, then the nitrobacter bacteria will only have begun to kick in after the ammonia is totally gone.

Generally, when I was faced with this problem, instead of a complete water change, I would find a Diatom filter (preferably one made by Vortex) to rent and use it to remove the algae floating in the aquarium as well as remving most of all the dirt in there as well. I found this will clear the tank and often removes the organics that were contributing to the bloom. Then I eliminate any sunlight shining into the aquarium, and cut of the fluorescent lighting (the last time I encountered this problem was when a client had a tank in his office, it ran fluorescent lighting 24 hourts a day - and caused the bloom that way. So cutting down ambient light to a reasonable 4 - 8 hours only with no sunlight is the next step after cleaning the aquarium with a diatom.

Finally, I used a Pond Block by Jungle to keep the algae down until the whole thing rebalanced. For quite a while they were unavailable, and I think they still are in Canada, but I used this as the mildest form of algicide, it seemed they only dissolved as fast as they were needed in an aquarium, although they are listed for about 250 gallons of water in a pond.

Hope this possible course of action works for you, the other, natural method would be to use something like Turtle Clean (by Hagen) to slowly and naturally eliminate the problem through competitive exclusion. If you want more information on that - try www.rchagen.com in the fish area under the Total Care information.

Back to

Keeping Goldfish in hard water
>subject = Water Hardness
Problem = My dad bought me an aquarium for my sixth birthday. I want to get some fish, but the pet shop told me our water was too hard. Do you think I should soften the water before putting in goldfish. Two pet shops have told me two different things. If I need to how do I soften the water. How many fish should I put in a 10 gallon tank.
>Size = 10
>Age = New
>Type = Goldfish
>Number = Nine yet
>Change = N/A
>Percent = ??%
>Primary = Hagen Aqua Clear A595
>Secondary = None
>Media = N/A

The water must be very hard for a pet store to tell you that you can't keep goldfish. They are usually quite hardy. You should also find out what your pH is. This is a test for how much acid or alkalinity is in the water, and more often that is more important. It should be in the range of 6.5 - 7.5 for the best results. Many water supplies are more like 7.8, and the fish will survive fine in it as well. Over time, as the water ages, the pH will tend to drop due to bacterial action, so don't worry too much as long as the pH is not much higher than 7.8.

You can soften water naturally with peat, although it also tend to acidify (drop pH). I would guess that you have hard alkaline water, the two factors often are combined. It also turns the water brown, not always the desired result. There are other fish that do really well, although they are more aggressive - like African cichlids. The problem is that they grow large as well.

I have found that goldfish do well in almost all waters, the hardness might just cause some fraying of tails, so if you are really worried, you might want to use some distilled water occasionally. You can buy it from a drug store normally, and you should never use it exclusively, maybe adding half to the water you use for changes. This will dilute the hardness, and may acidify the pH but not give you the problems of pure distilled water which is very acid and has been stripped of trace elements and electrolytes require for fish to survive.

Always remember, this is a hobby, not as much of a science as many people would have you believe. As such, you will hear a lot of opinions. You asked mine, and I will give that to you as well, but always remember, it is only an opinion, hopefully informed in most cases, but still up to you to believe or not.

You ask how many fish to add. I prefer to reply with fish inches. Let us say you wish to add small goldfish, about 1" in length (don't include the tails). You should be able to start with about 10" maximum, or ten fish. In the very beginning, I would add only a few, probably no more than 4" to let the water age naturally. The fish breathe, and when they do, they add ammonia to the water which if allowed to concentrate will kill them. That is the reason you want to be very patient and add only a few fish at first.

When the tank has aged - about a month to two months after you started the aquarium, you can add more, maybe bringing the total population to 10". When it is fully aged, with proper filtration, I would never recommend more that 2"/gallon (my rule of thumb) or 20" of fish in all.

Oh, and one more thing, do not overfeed your fish. That has always been the biggest mistake for new fishkeepers. Never feed more food that the fish can eat in TWO minutes - without any hitting the bottom. Anything left over will rot, and it will cause pollution and environmental problems that can lead to disease. If you feed lightly as much as they can eat preferably once ( but possibly twice) a day, the fish will be healthier and their environment will be optimal.

Best of luck with your new hobby, I have enjoyed fish for many years, but I only started when I was 10,

Back to

Goldfish and Cichlid Diseases
Problem: I have some fish with problums.Can you help ? I have 3 different tanks -- 1 tank is agressive,1 community and the other is goldfish....Well first things first in my goldfish tank one of my fish has on one side of it it seems that it scales are lifting up and there are what look like red open wounds under them. I have taken it out of the tank to inspect it further on one side the fish is very smooth and on the side that Im telling you about it is very rough !

Now, in my agressive tank I have a albino convict and in just the last few days I have found large white spots on it. Now I would think that it may be ick but the spots are large and the last time I came up with ick they were little white spots....

Last but not least in the last tank I had a angle fish that came up with hole in head .. Now that is the only fish that has showed any signs of this but is it not a parisite and shouldn't the other fish in the tank have it too ?

Diseases are always hard to diagnose from afar, but I will try to help you as much as possible.

1) Goldfish - generally, when the scales raise there is some form of parasite involved. As such I would be lookibng for a goldfish specific remedy for parasites. Often, I will start with adding aquarium salt to goldfish tanks as the oldest time general remedy - and it seems to disinfect the aquarium and control a number of parasites.

Otherwise, I will admit to relative ignorance about assorted carp - goldfish and koi are coolwater fish, and not one of my strongest suits. Please understand that I try to help as much as possible, but when I don't know, I orefer to show my ignorance and hope you can find more knowledgeable experts in the field that won't hurt your chances with wild guesses or erroneous speculation.

2) Again, there are lots of things that go on where a single look could be more informative than a million words, but it almost sounds as if the fish in question - the cichlid is suffering from a fungus infection. Fungus might look like what you describe, since it normally is seen as white patches that are often puffy. For fungus, I generally recommend cleaning the aquarium to remove excess organic wastes that are offering plenty of nutrition to the fungus. After the cause is removed (poor or neglected water conditions) I generally treat with EM tablets. Using erythromycin is often the best way to counteract the damage, but you must look for the conditions that caused the affliction in the first place.

3) Your angel may well have hexamites - a parasite that attacks the lateral line. It causes holes in the openings to the sensitive receptors along the lateral line, but most often appears localized to the head. For this problem I generally have used a product called Hex-A-Ex. Depending on who supplies it, it could have only german instructions, but recently there have been translations into english for the American and Canadian hobbyist. You are correct that this can be contagious, and is again often an indication that the water is polluted. Often the discus and larger cichlids like oscars that show it have been fed on things like beefheart or other foods that have a high polution value. Again, improved water conditions are the first order of business, increasing the temperatue for discus and Angels makes them more comfortable and then adding the proper dosages of Hex-A-Ex.

Back to

Preventing Diseases before they occur
Thank you Steve you may have been more help than you know .. I will try the salt in the carp tank ! as far as the poor water condition goes I'm not sure what I could do more?I do regular water changes . I almost go over board on filtation with under gravel,power heads and outside filters... If you can think of any other thing that im not doing that would cause any of these conditions that would cause a fungs or other bad condition please let me know.

P.S. you know more then me about those trash fish but hey the kids like them the best :)

I always walk a very fine line when I reply to questions of the type you asked, basically because I don't get every disease in the book, and there is a very great amount I do not know. So it is really difficult to respond to disease troubles, and then of course there is always the chance that I will offend someone wiuth my answer.

In the long run, I have tried to cure problems before they start, and that is to relieve as much stress in the environment. Hence, the comments about water conditions and solving the root of the problem, not the symptom.

You seem to be doing everything you can to keep water conditions at their peak, so I wouldn't have a lot of ideas in that vein. The only other thing I could suggest is to start to use a product I promote in my "professional" area. With that preamble, I must recommend a product it was my responsibility to evaluate a decade ago, and have watched help improve the conditons for uncounted fish. The product is Cycle. The concentration is amazing for Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter, so toxins like ammonia and nitrite don't stand a chance. Since this is not a commercial site (really neither is the Hagen web), I won't go into the features here, but do suggest you visit the

www.hagen.com

website for lots of fish information. Its nowhere close to completion, but it will be of use to anyone interested in fish, and it will get better over the next couple of months as well. It covers the entire range of pet products delivered to the marketplace.

Sorry for the commercial, but look into Cycle, its the only thing that looks like it is missing in your set-ups, and although you can do nitrfying and denitrifying totally naturally, I prefer the insurance policy of knowing the bacteria I add with Cycle are the most concentrated, the most effective and the best way to biologically improve the overal aquatic conditions in any aquatic system.

Once again, I apologize if I sound like an advertyisement, it is not meant to be offensive in any way, just the excitement for a truly unique product that really does work.

Back to

Water Hardness
Thanks for your e-mail, it is very helpful. When the pet shop tested our water for hardness they used a kit with various droppers, one was supposed to make the water go purple. They had to keep putting in drops, up to 30-35 drops. Do you think this should be OK. The pH and ammonia were fine. They also told me I should test the pH regularly, one said every week. I agree that this is supposed to be fun, its getting more like a science lesson every time my dad takes me into the pet store. Still he is very patient with it all (and he's helping me send this e-mail, have to keep on his good side, he has the Visa card).

We have everything else set up and I want to get my fishes.

Once again, I must put in the rider that what I say only comes from experience and opinion, I do agree that it gets to be pure science if you let it, but it can also be pure fun too. Hardness has always been the lowest on my list of important features (remember - this is only my opinion) and personally I rarely even tested for it during my career. Only when I was interested in keeping guppies with flowing tails did I have a problem with it - its like swimming through cement for them, and it can rip their tails. Otherwise I did ignore it. I made sure I always did the maintenance, so the rest of the water characteristics stayed level and correct. In almost every case I can remember, this was all that was needed.

Others have different opinions, and they have reasons that work due to their experience. I can only say, you have to get off the fence and make a decision either to add fish and see what happens (sorry, my solution) or take steps to lower the hardness (again I think I mentioned doing a partial water change and adding distilled water to dilute the hardness. I think though that you should know there may be a different way to deal with it, but here we get back into science. There are two types of hardness actually. The first you can do something about is called carbonate hardness. It can be lessened with the use of a water softening pillow placed in the filter - this product is made by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals and can be recharged in its packing solution after you have exhausted it.

A second type of hardness is often called general hardness, and it includes carbonate hardness within the test, the difference between the two results (Carbonate and General) gives you a reading on how much hardness cannot be removed by resins. If there is a high carbonate hardness, and not much difference between the carbonate and general readings, you can do something to soften it, but if you have low carbonate and high general, then there isn't a lot you can do but live with the water and keep the other parameters as high as possible.

Back to

Keeping Goldfish in a bowl
>subject = New fish......
Problem = My problem isn't really a problem, is just that I have inherited three goldfish ( well thats what I think they are ) from a friend who is leaving the country and I don't really know anything about looking after them. So really I'm after a little bit of general advice. The fish live in two separate bowls, they don't have any aeration system, I have been told to clean out the bowls and wash the gravel every 2 weeks or if it is looking too cloudy.
>Size = see above.
>Age = don't know
>Type = ??????????
>Number = 3
>Change = yesterday
>Percent = 100%
>Primary = none
>Secondary = none
>Media = n.a.

Your request is very difficult, not because it is hard, but it is a problem to tell you step by step everything to do, most of it is already in the literature, and just needs to be explained. That really is the difficult part.

Most of the products I will talk about can be further explained there if you want to browse the Hagen site (www.rchagen.com), so I hope you forgive me if I am relatively brief with their explanation. I also suggest that you read the Basic Aquarium Guide which gives a good starting point about keeping fish.

Fish naturally poison themselves with their wastes and their respiration, both of which create ammonia concentrations in the water. In the case of a bowl, the replacement of the water is required to dilute/eliminate the ammonia and its by-products nitrite and nitrate before they can kill the fish. That is the basic reason that you should change the water every week and rinse the gravel. Since there is no filtration, the food you feed will also foul the water and create lots of ammonia as it decays so the gravel must be rinsed as well.

The problem with this method is that the water you add back to the bowl could also kill the fish. The reason that this may occur is simple. The water that comes from the tap may have chlorine or chloramine added if it is from a municipal water supply. These chemicals are added to make the water "potable" for humans, and are there to kill bacteria and other micro-organisms that can cause disease to humans. Problem is that they also kill fish by reacting with the gills and literally burning them (scientific term oxidize).

As such you must use a water conditioner to make the tap water safe for fish and other natural inhabitants of the aquarium (beneficial bacteria). I suggest AquaPlus a new Hagen product that is the top of the class in making water safe for fish. You have the toughest case since there is a complete change every week. I do however suggest that you fill a couple of 2 liter soda bottles with water at all times, condition it and allow it to sit for at least 24 hours before you change the bowl. The conditioner removes all traces of chlorine, AquaPlus also removes harmful metallic ions and makes the water much easier for the fish to live in.

The other important factor is to feed very minimally. I know that the fish will look like they are starving even after feeding five minutes beforehand. But remember they are Poikilothermic (cold blooded) and need no energy to expend in heating their bodies. I suggest a feeding every two days as much as they can eat in two minutes with none hitting the bottom and none left over. If there is some left over, reduce the amount you feed the next time. Too many aquarists kill their fish with kindness but more particularly overfeeding. They don't need as much as you think they do, and too much will simply rot and kill them as it decays.

I know that won't answer all your questions, but I am more than willing to answer more specific ones. I do suggest you visit the Hagen Web, it has lots of information on your needs for fish.

Back to

Controlling Phosphates
>subject = Phosphates
Problem = Problems with Phosphates around 2.0 ppm. The tank is not subjected to sunlight and the light is on for 5-6 hours a day. Feed my goldfishes twice a day/small portions of Wardley Gold which is lower in L-phosphates, and clean my gravel with siphon once a week. I have a pair of Nubia plants that are doing well and it does not contain any other organics. I have used Brite & Clear which used Aluminum Sulfate to bring down the level of phosphates...and it worked, but after I stopped using it, phosphates are on a comeback.
>Size = 20
>Age = 3 months
>Type = Community
>Number = 3
>Change = 4/25/9
>Percent = 20
>Primary = Marineland Eclipse Unit
>Secondary = Undergravel w/ air pump
>Media = 4/25/97

Generally I have used less food to control phosphates, but a newer technology is beginning to take hold. It exploits the concept of competitve exclusion. In this case I would probably suggest the Bio-Care Turtle Clean product distributed by Hagen. This is a super concentrated bacterial preparation that, over time, will build a potent bacterial population that works on wastes as a primary purpose. The idea is that by using the product on a weekly basis, the beneficial bacteria become the dominant ones in the aquarium. As dominant, they compete and then outcompete for the various elements they require for life. One of these is phosphate, so they incorporate it directly into the bio-mass, removing it from the environment by binding it within their population.

It is a longterm solution, and requires a slow build-up of bacteria to the point where they become dominant. When this occurs, however, algae is less capable in the competition and is often the loser in the battle. The result is lower phosphate and natural algae control.

Back to

Green Water
Problem: For six months the tank remained relatively clear. after this period, the water gradually became green and very cloudy. Two weeks ago, we did a complete water change using 5 gallons of bottled water and 5 gallons of tap water. We cleaned the gravel and acccesories but did not replace anything. We also added the whisper junior filter at this time. Within ten days, the green, cloudy water had returned. The tank is located on a kitchen counter with a solid wall behind the tank. It has always been in this location. The fish are fed sparingly. What can be done?
>Size: 10
>Age: 9
>Type: Red tail shark
>sword-tail
>tetra albino
>strawberry and blueberry fish
>Number: 5
>Change: week
>Percent: 25%
>Primary: screen filters (under gravel)
>Secondary: whisper junior
>Media: n/a

Green water usually means a couple of things, but primarily that the conditions are perfect for growing algae, since that is normally what green water is, a bloom of algae. If your aquarium is receiving ANY sunlight directly, that is probably the cause. Your tank is 9 months old, so this is the first time that the sun may be hitting the tank when it is seasoned with plenty of organic material to provide the raw ingredients to algae to grow and thrive.

First thing, ensure that no light is hitting the aquarium from the sun. If it is, you will probably have the problem recurr on a regular basis. If it hits a side, then use a background to block the light. I must admit that I have also heard of this problem and had to treat it in an office that ran its fluorescent lighting 24 hours a day, in other words a brightly lit area could have the problem even if direct sunlight is not striking the water.

Secondly, watch what you are feeding your fish, be sure to feed the fish only as much as they can eat in two minutes with nothing hitting the bottom. If there is anything left over at all, the tank is overfed and should be cut back in food offerings. If you are feeding quite often, you migh want to cut back to the feeding regime above, but only feed once a day. Remember a good source of phosphate for the algae (something that causes algae blooms in lakes) is fish food, so every milligram of waste is adding to your problem.

The immediate solution is to use a diatom filter on the aquarium to remove the algae from the tank and then to reduce the nutrients for the bloom by reduction and more efficient digestion by the fish. Fish have short digestive tracts and as such when fed often, undigested food is simply forced from the intestines by the new addition. Another reason I only recommend single feedings (actually my Africans get fed about twice a week) and the entire ecosystem seems to do much better that way.

A different cause is can be the actual water supply, although in Canada right now we haven't begun to see the results of Spring, with 6 feet of snow around my driveway, a spring melt and runoff always brings problems to aquarists. The snow melt brings with it lots of dead organic material into the reservoirs (dog feces, dead animals that were frozen during the winter, and even car wastes that were frozen as well). Municipalities treat with extra doses of chemicals to make it safe for human consumption, but the general water quality for fish deteriorates dramatically. I try to stay away from water changes whenever the spring melt or a strong rainstorm occurs, I know that a lot of organic material (the stuff of algal blooms) and extra chemicals are added that can often harm my tank come in with and water change.

Finally, once you have controlled your bloom as effectively as possible, you could try one of two approaches. If you live in US, you can use the Pond Block by Jungle. It is useful for ponds, but the old formula in the states is also effective when placed in an aquarium. I used to use that method for years. It is as much a preventative as a cure, although if you do not expect an overnight miracle it will gradually bring it under control with a relatively gentle algicide.

I have moved onto a different approach personally, and hope that it will work for you as well. A new set of products, BioCare Waste Control and Turtle Clean have been introduced by Hagen to clean up aquarium wastes and the environment of turtles. One of the things that Turtle Clean is designed to do is to clear water clouds, both green and milky. It is biological and takes time, but it is all natural bacteria that simply outcompete with algae for the limited nutrients in the aquarium When (for instance) a phosphate molecule is available, if there are a lot of algae, they will incorporate this into their structure.

Waste Control and Turtle Clean are so concentrated that over time (weekly addition) the populations of beneficial bacteria build to such an extent that when a phosphate molecule is free, it is outcompeted for by bacteria and incorporated into the bacterial biomass, and away from the algae. Studies have shown that when a bacterial population reaches the correct size it will outcompete weaker species that in this case are usually undesirable.

At any rate, sorry for the longwinded explanation, hope that somewhere in there you do find the answer that works for you.

Back to

Bad Odor from tank
Problem: setup tank 4 - 5 days ago.for the last two days the tank has had a really bad smell to it.the smell fills the air in the room. Have made a major water change,cleaned out filters,added wardley complete conditioner.has been four hours and there is not a notable improvement. Hope you have some insight on this problem.
>Size: 55
>Age: 1 week
>Type: oscar,jack dempsey/assorted smaller trop.and feeders
>Number: 17not counting feeders
>Change: major 3/8
>Percent: 75%
>Primary: aquaclear500 (2)
>Secondary: none
>Media: n/a

The tank you have could easily show a bad odor as the tank is quite overcrowded for an initial set-up. I would not be surprised if you have a high concentration of ammonia from the amonut of wastes being generated by the inhabitants where there is not an adequate biological filter to remove them. In general, the very highest amount of fish you should have is 1 inch of fish per gallon.

In addition, I would not add any fish food for a few days to keep the ammonia production as low as possible. It would seem that the odor production is the result of starting the aquarium and loading it with a lot of fish, many of which will beocme food quite shortly. As the fish are eating, probably overfed, the short digestive tract of the piscevores loses efficiency and allows undigested food to be expelled. This will add to the ammonia production by decaying. Again another cause of odors.

In general, the best way to start a tank - according to microbiologists, is to start with a few fish and not feed them for the first week. This allows the natural ammonia production of the gills to provide food for the bacterial component of the aquarium, while not permitting the concentration to build up to deadly levels, at least in most cases.

The use of Cycle Bacterial Aquarium Supplement will add the correct bacteria and they will make the smells less over a bit of time, but a simple water change, if there is a lot of organic waste in the water may not get rid of the detritus that is causing the odor, it will reduce the ammonia concentration and lessen the danger to the fish, however.

Back to

Cloudy Water
Problem: My aquarium keeps getting cloudy. I don't understand, I've never had this problem setting it up before. (10 yrs old) In Virginia now - only thing different>Size: 50
>Age: 1
>Type: small mix
>Number: 3
>Change: new
>Percent:
>Primary: jet pump through rocks
>Secondary: wisper filter -also another suction type - total of three

Cloudy water usually means there are excess organics in the water. This can come in with the water supply in the case of a new and sterile aquarium, and as such will cause a burst in the growth of heterotrophic bacteria to the point where they become so population dense that they appear as a milky cloud to the naked eye.

I usually recommend stopping feeding for three days to allow the bacteria to naturally control themselves by using the organics up so the population starves and drops. If it is a new tank this should give you the fresh start towards clear water. The filtration surely seems adequate, just too much organic matter entering the system. In an older aquarium when the cloud suddenly appears, I then again recommend the cessation of feed for three days to allow everything to get back into balance, then return to feeding regime that is about 1/2 of the previous amount. Too many aquarists overfeed their fish, and cuttiong the amount in half often does the trick.

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Cloudy Water - II
Problem: I've been changing my water every week about 20 percent and the water in the tank is always clouded. if I use the water cleares it works only for 2 or 3 days. I feed my fish once a day. I've never had a clear tank since august when I bought it.
>Size: 20
>Age: 6 months
>Type: red pacu
>Number: 2
>Change: weakly
>Percent: 25%
>Primary: wet/dry filter, aquaclear power filter for 20 gallons
>Secondary: undergravel filter
>Media: 2 weeks ago

Cloudy water usually means there are excess organics in the water. This can come in with the water supply in the case of a new and sterile aquarium, and as such will cause a burst in the growth of heterotrophic bacteria to the point where they become so population dense that they appear as a milky cloud to the naked eye.

I usually recommend stopping feeding for three days to allow the bacteria to naturally control themselves by using the organics up so the population starves and drops. If it is a new tank this should give you the fresh start towards clear water. The filtration surely seems adequate, just too much organic matter entering the system. In an older aquarium when the cloud suddenly appears, I then again recommend the cessation of feed for three days to allow everything to get back into balance, then return to feeding regime that is about 1/2 of the previous amount. too many aquarists overfeed their fish, and cuttiong the amount in half often does the trick.

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New Tank Syndrome
Problem: It still very cloudy,even I have used 2 pads of actived carbon to purify the water. and the bad odour is coming out too.
>Size: 48x36x24
>Age: new
>Type: 3.5 " Chinese goldfish Oranda
>Number: 9
>Change: New set up
>Percent: 10%
>Primary: one for 200Gal wet/dry system
>Secondary: with dls pre-filter
>Media: 2 pads of activated carbon & 2 bottles of cycle added in

A new aquarium can cloud up for a number of reasons, often the water placed in the aquarium is carrying a number of organics which will allow a population explosion of heterotrophic bacteria for as long as the "food" is available. When there are enough bacteria, they will appear as a milky cloud to the human eye. What they really are is billions of bacteria suddenly going wild since the inhibition to growth (chlorine) has been done.

This is termed "new tank syndrome" and usually dissapears after about three days when the organics have been used up and the population of heterotrophs dies back due to lack of food. If the tank is overfed during this time, it can become a relatively permanent problem. I usually recommend not feeding the aquarium for three days to let the bacteria naturally eliminate the organics and then die back.

The Cycle is a biological preparation of lithotrophs which use ammonia and nitrite as food sources, they do not clear aquariums, rather they eliminate the poisons created by the fish and decay. I would not feed the aquarium for a few (3) days to let it stabilize, then feed quite sparingly for the first month to allow the nitrogen cycle to establish. This will minimize stress due to ammonia and nitrite since less will be produced.

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Cloudy Eyes – Losing Scales
Problem: large tank with two large, healthy, well-established fish, catfish and cichlid/jack dempsey. Bought oscar and tinfoil barb large enough to add without being harrassed by other fish. Oscar adjusted perfectly, but the barb has developed cloudy eyes and started to lose her lovely shiny scales. At first she had a great appetite and appeared to be adjusting well, but now she shows no interest in food. other fish not yet attacking her -- she is lively still. Came home from aquarium with small red patch on her side, almost looked like a scrape.>Size: 55
>Age: 72 months
>Type: red tailed tinfoil barb, catfish (very large -- alpha fish); jack dempsey; very small tiger oscar
>Number: 4
>Change: 48 months for a complete change; 24 moths, 50% change; (evaporation is such that we add about 10% new every week)
>Percent: 50%
>Primary: whisper "C"
>Secondary: none
>Media: five days ago

The exact cause of the problem is still a mystery to me, but I do have a few comments about the set-up that might lead you to a solution.

In my estimation, a full water change should never be done, and a change rate of 50% every two years is very low. In general the better aquarium maintenance routine involves weekly or bi-weekly water changes, but if you have been successful for so long a monthly change would probably suffice, although your fish load has been relatively low.

If we look at the fish you have kept and the ones you added, the only one that really requires good to excellent conditions is the barb, they like clean fast moving water with lots of swimming room, cichlids like the dempsey and oscar are able to tolerate fairly tough conditions and the catfish is used to being down and dirty.

When a water change is only done as rarely as you do it, there is a good chance there will be a concentration of nitrate built-up over time. When only evaporation is replaced, all the minerals and other elements in the water other than h2o also remain behind as the pure water evaporates. This is the reasoning behind doing regular, more evenly separated water changes.

My guess, and that is what it must be, is that the hardness in the water is high, the clouded eyes can be a result of hitting something, or a reaction to poorer water conditions than the Barb can tolerate. The loss of shininess also could be a result of ongoing stress over water conditions that will eventually overtax the immune system and allow sores and wounds to progress.

The best thing I think you could do would be to do a few water changes, 10% on a daily basis to get the water back into shape without radically changing the environment. I would also tend to treat with erythromycin to keep fungus or some bacterial problems at bay, but probably the real cure is to use a more regular water maintnenace program that takes into account the residue from evaporation as well as the evaporation itself.

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Conditioning New water for tropical fish
Problem: How can I condition tap water for use with warm water tropical fish?
>Size: 25
>Age: 1
>Type: 1-Painted Platy, 1-Sunset Platy, 1-White Platy, 3-Tetra
>Number: 6
>Change: Jan 2
>Percent: 50%
>Primary: Fluval 303
>Secondary: none
>Media: New

I suggest the use of a tap water conditioner such as Aqua-Plus, a new product put onto the market by Hagen, but there are quite a number of water conditioners available that will do the job.

The problem is simple, Municipal water supplies are made safe for human consumption by adding chemicals that kill or incapacitate bacteria. These same chemicals are deadly to fish as well. In addition, copper pipes and other sources of metallic ions create water that can prove stressful to fish because of metallic ions, these must be neutralized before the water contacts the fish.

The most common poison added to the water supply is chlorine. Old style aquarists will make this go away naturally by holding the water in a container and aerating it, the chlorine gas dissipates naturally. But too many times there simply isn't time, so a chlorine remover must be used. This acts instantly, but untreated water should never be added to the tank, rather put it in a bucket and add the chlorine remover BEFORE the water gets to the tank.

Chloramine is added more frequently than in the past, this does not dissipate, so a chlorine/chloramine remover must be used. Otherwise serious damage and often death occurs. Again, a high quality water conditioner will remove it without difficulty, but trace ammonia will be left from breaking the chloramine bond. That is normally not a huge problem, unless the animals are very sensitive to ammonia or the biological filter has not been established or is weakened.

Hope this gives you a better idea of what is going on. There are a wide variety of water conditioners available, from simple chlorine removers all the way to Aqua-Plus which does lots and lots of other things that help relieve the problems that new water will create.

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AquaClear - Heater - Power Head
Problem:
1) Is my AquaClear 300 sufficient for an aquarium this size.. I would like to add more fish, and wonder if I would need a larger filter?

2) Is the PowerHead 402 with the quick filter a good addition, or is this meant for temporary filtration?

3) I have a 100 watt heater...I've had no problem in keeping a steady temperature. If this heater ok? I've heard people say I need 5 watts per gallon. The temp of my room is about 68-70, and the water is at 76.
>Size: about 55
>Age: 2
>Type: 4 silver dollars(about 5inches each), 2 angels (2 inches), 4 lemon tetras, 1 gold snail, 1 large pleco (10inches)
>Number: 12
>Change: weekly
>Percent: 10%
>Primary: AquaClear 300
>Secondary: PowerHead 402 with quick filter adapter
>Media: n/a

1) AquaClear adequate?

Essentially you have 10 fish since I tend to disregard all bottom fish in the biomass count, they should not be fed as part of the feeding regimen since they tend to ignore it anyway preferring the wastes produced by the fish and other decayed matter.

The 300 is recommended to a tank size of up to 100 gallons, although that is quite execessive. I always use a rule of thumb of at least 4 times water capacity per hour, and you are much closer to six. With the types of fish you have, this should not be that much trouble.

2) Power Head 402 a good addition?

Yes. The use of the system can be beneficial when you want to remove excess suspended particulate matter. I would tend to add an undergravel filter and run it with the power head, that will be even more beneficial, since you create a stronger biological removal of ammonia and nitrite, while allowing the AquaClear to perform more as a mechanical filter, which is its most potent advantage. The Quick filter can be used with the Power Head off the UG, if you remember that it should be run about 20 minutes then replaced on an UG stem to restart the oxygen flow to the bacterial bed. With an AquaClear removing the sus[eded debris more efficiently and an undergravel filter receiving less fill from debris (cxause the AquaClear is colelcting it), bot filters work more efficiently and the overall environment is healthier.

I know that really isn't the answer you were looking for, but it is my opinion that the Quick filter is best when used as a quick waste capture tool in a number of aquariums during cleaning protocols. Aquarium Stores find this to be quite useful, when they need to clean suspended debris after a cleaning rapidly. It is not to say that this will not be useful, or that it cannot run all the time, both are true, but an UG filter is a more effective use of the present equipment.

I would suggest you look into an Evenflo UG filter, they were made to have a power head running, and they do work more effectively with the gravel layer.

3) You are right, the standard rule of thumb is 5 watts per gallon (or 1 watt per liter which takes even more. In your case a 55 or 205-210 liters would require a 200 W heater. But, with said, you must look at your particular case and needs. You have angels which generally like warmer water than 76, BUT, if they are happy, then do not change the way you are keeping them. Anyway, you might have some problems raising the temperature, but if it works for you now, who is there who can argue with success. I always caution, this is a hobby, not an science, so what works for you may not work for the next guy, but that does not mean one of you is wrong!

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AquaClear –Fluval Comparison
>subject = Filter selection
Problem = I have a 20 gallon aquarium, that is stocked with various Tetra's and a catfish as a bottom feeder. I also am growing live plants.

I am presently planning to set up another 20 gallon tank with the same scenario, but don't know if I should get another Aquaclear, or try a Fluval external 303, which I am told is a better filter.

Do you have any experiance with the Fluval, or know of any drawbacks to using such a system?
>Size = 20
>Age = 6 months
>Type = Community
>Number = 10
>Change = April 26 1997
>Percent = 33%
>Primary = Aquaclear 150
>Secondary = Additional Filtration
>Media = April 26 1997

The AquaClear uses a powerful flow through the filter to pass a lot of water over the media and provide strong mechanical filtration. The Fluval moves less water per hour generally, but through a much greater amount of filter material. In addition, the three modules allow you to choose any type of media to use. In the case of tetras, you might want to filter through peat to soften and acidify the water, this is easy with the Fluval and much more difficult with the AquaClear due to the construction.

My answer would be if you wish to perform any type of chemical changes to the water for breeding, etc. the FLuval is the better choice. If you want strong mechanical straining of the tank, the AquaClear is the best bet. The Fluval provides better and more powerful biological activity than the AquaClear can, but of course the prices are very different.

Yes, the Fluval is the more advance filter, and it provides a lot more versatility than an AquaClear is designed to offer. If given the choice, I would definitely move to the Fluval, the advantages are that much greater.

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Flow too strong
Problem: I am using an AquaClear 200 filter in a fifty gallon freshwater tank. The suction in the extension tube (intergrated strainer) occaisionally holds a fish against its slotted intake holes until it dies. I lost 6 fish this way in the past month. Any suggestions?

First, one possible solution is to use the flow control to reduce the amount of water input into the filter. With most other filters this would be a problem since the amount of water flowing through the pump and thus the filter material would be lessened, and the water could become dirtier. However, AquaClear filters have a patented flow control that, even when reduced flow is entering the input (thus less suction for small fish) water is being supplied to the pump in full flow. Thus when you have reduced the AquaClear 200 to minimum, the input will be about 66 gallons per hour, and the output back into the aquarium will be the same, but the pump will be pumping the full 200 gallons per hour through the filter media. You get the water polished by the media, rather than just filtered at reduced flow.

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Placement of AquaClear Inserts
>subject = Water Cleaning
Problem = I have a small 5 gallon tank with just goldfish. I just bought an AquaClear Mini for filtering the water as my undergravel system didn't seem to be working. I want to make sure that the foam cube goes on the BOTTOM of the unit, with the carbon bag ON TOP of the foam...is this correct?

Also, I need to know how to clean the tank...I see where some people change only 30% or so of the water...how is this done? DO you just syphon it off, and then dump new water in or what? Also, how do I clean the uneaten fish food and debris from the gravel in the bottom without emptying the whole tank out and rinsing and cleaning it?
>Size = 5
>Age = 1.5 weeks
>Type = goldfish
>Number = 5
>Change = never..
>Percent = None
>Primary = AquaClear Mini
>Secondary = None
>Media = 98-01-26

1) Yes the foam is used on the bottom, the carbon above. The foam traps the particulate matter dragged into the siphon input before it can come into contact with the carbon and clog it before it can adsorb dyes and liquified impurities theough the minute pores in the carbon surface.

2) Your local pet store should have a gravel cleaner for sale. this is a siphon tube wuith a larger tube on the end for disturbing the gravel, and allowing the lighter particles to be sucked out with the water flow without taking the gravel out.

You are right, the recommended water change is to remove about 20% of the water every two weeks, 30% is fine as well. The way I recommend this is to remove the water from the gravel level with a gravel cleaner into a bucket. I use this dirty water to rinse out the sponge of the AquaClear to ensure you do not damage the biological filter before you replace the sponge back into the system. Then I dump the water out, refill the bucket and use a proper water conditioner to ensure the tap water is safe for the fish. I use AquaPlus, for more information I do suggest you visit the fish section of the hagen web

www.rchagen.com

and look at the electrical products section for the Basic Aquarium Guide. It will give you lots of information (and of course some product suggestions which you can ignore if you like) that will be a longterm aid for you in this hobby.

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Seasoning AquaClear Inserts
>subject = changing filter media
Problem = It is time to change the carbon filter insert in my AquaClear mini. I was thinking of placing the new insert into the filter while keeping the old one for some time more. This way I will give the bacteria time to develop on the new insert without reducing the overall ammount of bacteria in the filter. I know that the order of placing inserts into the filter is important ("white-black-white" or sponge-carbon-ammonia insert).

My questions are:

1. is there a reason why the new insert should not be kept with the old one?
2. can I simply place the ne insert on top of all the other media or should I place it between the old carbon and the sponge (or the ammonia insert).
3. how long should the old insert be kept with the new one (if at all)?
>Size = 20
>Age = 3,5
>Type = goldfish
>Number = 3
>Change = 4.4.98
>Percent = 20%
>Primary = AquaClear mini
>Secondary = none
>Media = about 3 weeks ago I changed the sponge

1) There is no real reason why you cannot "season" the new insert before you change it, this will begin to populate the new insert before the old one is discarded. I might add it a few days before the eliminating the old one, rather than keep an exhausted insert in the filter. If you know you are going to change the insert in 3 days, that should be plenty of time to let the new one initiate, then you can simply discard the old one. Personally I feel this is just an added step, the foam will be quite active and will offer the same bacteria. The inserts are not strain specific, so any of the filter material that has matured as far as biological filtration is concerned will not have a problem helping the rapid population of the new insert. As long as one remains undisturbed, the rest will be seeded without difficulty and much quicker than if there is no old material in the filter at all.

2) Since I have not experimented with this, I really can only offer a guess. I would sandwich the layers, this would keep anything from the sponge trapped in the new layer. When you do this, remember the actual seeding insert is the foam - not the carbon. The carbon might give some spores by contact, but this would be against the flow, and it is passing spores in the water current thatr seed the new filter. Once again this shows why I am not using this method of seeding, the seeding moves mostly upward with water flow, the bacteria are not strong enough swimmers that they will fight the current to seed below.

3) Personally, unless you are going to try to mature the insert for a couple of days, you are as well off to discard the old carbon and use the new active one immediately.

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BioLife Filters
Problem: Irritating noise from what seems to be the water pump assembly -Using part # a-16600 as a reference (BioLifeSystem)
-Problem is intermittant, on & off, not all the time
-Tried to re-align parts, but have had no luck
-Also need to know the size of my aquarium ( It was not marked when when we purchased it. >Size: unknown
>Age: new
>Type: Oscars
>Number: 2
>Change: weekly
>Percent: 33%
>Primary: Biolife
>Secondary: Biolife
>Media: new

I think I need to know a bit more about your system before I can tell you exactly what you need to know.

You mention you need to know the size of your aquarium, tell me a little more about it, I "think" that since there is no Bio-Life 68, but a Bio-Life 35 comes in a Tropiquarium 68, you may have mixed things up a bit. If you did purchase a Tropiquarium 68, the capacity of the system is 19 gallons (really 72 liters)

Noise in the Biolife can come from a number of causes, but the most common intermittent one is pretty easy to diagnose. If the system blows a lot of air, then shuts down for a little while, then starts, runs and then blows air again and stops, this is called surging and it is usually the result of clogged filter materials. The first step in this is to change the cartridge.

If there is a rattling within the system, then the check the power head for a loose shaft that may be allowing the unit to rattle a bit. Identify the material of the shaft, I hope that it is ceramic, older versions come with metal shafts in their power heads. Be sure the shaft is intact, it should be solid in the well, if it is ceramic, just touch it to ensure solidity, bending a ceramic shaft out of position can break it and aggravate your present problem.

Look over the impeller structure, escpaially the holes, be sure they are not worn to an oblong shape, in addition, be sure the impeller fan dose not rotate on the impeller when the body is held. There is a tab there that stops free rotation of the impeller fan (when you are holding the impeller itself in your hand), when the impeller is on the impeller shaft, the entire unit should rotate freely.

Hope that gives you a little insight, if I missed by too wide a margin, give me a response back with more specific information.

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Fluval and cloudy water
>subject = Fluval 303 Canister Filter
Problem = I have a 55 gallon tank with the Fluval 303 Canister filter. The tank has been set up for about 2 months now. The water in the tank is always cloudy. I have an under gravel filter as well as the fluval. When I cleaned the filter last week, I was noticing that the filter media was not dirty. The return hose to the tank is filthy. It appears that the water is not being circulated around the material. I believe that I followed all directions in setting up the tank but the filter does not seem to be working.

Please, you are my last try. After this, I am ready to pack the filter up and get a Magnum. Thanks for any help you can provide.
>Size = 55
>Age = 2 months
>Type = Community - 2 Pleku, 2 Oscars, 1 bala shark, 1 plecostemus
>Number = 6
>Change = April 13, 1998
>Percent = 25%
>Primary = Main Filter - Fluval 303 Canister
>Secondary = Additional Filtration - Under Gravel filter
>Media = April 13, 1998

Let us take this one step at a time,

First, in two months a Fluval will rarely ever show a lot of dirt, it is very efficient at not only trappuing it, but also the bacterial processes within a mature filter system will also tend to degrade the particles even further.

However, the output is filthy, that is rather strange, and leads me to make some assumptions. First is a guess to what the "filth" looks like. I would suspect that the build-up is very green or extremely dark, and this would indicate that the sediments are really algae working in a perfect place for growth. the water level is such that the output is giving algae all the nutrients it needs and since the bar is close or above the surface, the algae gets plenty of light to grow and thrive. Algae is not something that any filter will be able to remove, and the fact that this build-up is there also leads to the supposition that the tank has plenty of organics in the water that are leading to the cloud you see as well.

The cloud can be one of two colors, whitish or greenish. Neither one will be eliminated by the choice of a new filter, but you can control them with a better management of the amounts of materials added to the tank. Whitish clouds (I suspect this is yours) are the result of billions of bacteria growing and thriving in the water column. They become so heavily populated tht the naked eye sees a whitish cloud that is actually the bacteria. They are there because there is so much food in the tank for them that they simply get out of hand. This happens often right in the beginning of the set-up (called new tank syndrome) and often is the result of lots of organics in the water supply before the beneficial bacteria have a chance to establish.

Later (as in your case) if feeding is too heavy, organic material is solubilized into the water column and the bacteria in the water column simply adapt to the massive food supply and population explode. Now, I know the single most common problem in an aquarium is overfeeding - I know the fish always look hungry when you feed them, but physiologically they haven't a clue if they are hungry or not. They don't have controls to tell them when they are full. You can explode fish by feeding them every five minutes.

Fish are also cold blooded, 85% of the energy you consume is used to heat your body, and fish don't, so they don't need anywhere close to the bodyweight percentage you need of food to survive.

I tell you all this so you won't feel guilty with the cure. Stop feeding the fish for 3 days. If you are going away on a weekend, don't bother having them fed. Whatever, let the tank stabilize and reduce the solubilized food in the water by allowing the bacteria in the water column to eat it all up and then die back. No filter can remove the cloud (with the exception of a diatom (real diatom, not a pseudo-one that tries to be all thing to everyone). But diatoms need recharging every 24 hours and they do not biological filtration at all.

Once the cloud reduces, start a feeding regime that is about half what you were adding previously. Sparing the feeding makes more active fish - maybe only feed them once a day instead of 3 times with exactly the same amount of food they had before, that reduces the amount by 21/3 but probably will not hurt them - in most cases the fish are much better off.

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Fluval Rattling
>subject = Noisy Fluval 403
Problem = I have recently set up a new six foot aquarium using the Fluval 403 filter. I have found that it tends to make a slight rattling sound that seems to eminate from the motor area at the top of the unit. The external housing of the motor appears to resonate this noise.

My question is, have you found this problem before and if so, what would be the best remedy. Many have reccommended this filter because of its silent running. I have been careful to keep the filter below water level and have avoided water resistance where possible.
>Size = 300 L
>Age = New
>Type = Community
>Number = 10
>Change = 7 Days ago
>Percent = New
>Primary = Fluval 403
>Secondary = nil
>Media = 7 days ago

In many cases a rattling noise will be caused by air in the impeller well. Most often this occurs from the media (usually carbon) not being thoroughly enough soaked in water before use. It then exudes millions of tiny bubbles that can be trapped in the impeller well and cause the impeller to rattle.

I would suggest tipping the filter with the output highest to see if any air is expelled. You can jiggle it as well, it doesn't hurt the filter, but will evacuate air trapped in the system. Snce it is a closed system, the air will be expelled and the unit should run quietly.

If there is air that continues to cause trouble, I would always look over the input hosing to ensure that the siphon is not inputting air bubbles. This happens normally without anyone noticing, as air bubbles are added by a powerhead or air pump.

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Fluval Whistling
>subject = Noise
Problem = I have a fluval 403 and iIdid a change on it yesterday. It is running ok,but is giving off a high pitch squeal. How can I get rid of the noise? Should I reopen the canister and check impeller? Any ideas would be great
>Size = 100
>Age = 36
>Type = Community
>Number = 6
>Change = 02/04/98
>Percent = 20
>Primary = fluval403
>Secondary = two power heads
>Media = 02/04/98

I would tend to shake the unit to expel any air trapped from the change, or given off as minute bubbles by some media such as carbon and trapped in the impeller well. If that doesn't get the problem, it could easily be a minor air leak into the system, either on input or out hose connections where air is being drawn into the hose ans causing the whistle. This may be the most likely cause, especially if you didn't have any trouble with the system before. If there is not a lot of air in the canister, that would indicate the whistle is being created by the output section, drawing air and expelling it in the output.

Is there any air from the system being expelled, of course with a spray bar, that is often difficuly to determine. Ensure that the output connections are all sealed.

In the case of impeller noise, a thin application of vaseline to the impeller shaft will often dampen noise and lengthen service life of the impeller.

If you want to look more into the filter, I would suggest the Hagen site,

www.rchagen.com or www.hagenpet.com

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Fluval Noise
Problem: Thought you may be able to answer this. I have two Fluval 103. One in a 35 Gal. Salt Reef tank which is running perfectly quiet, can hardly hear it run, the other is on a 30 gal. fresh water communial tank and it runs noisy. Changed the impeller and magnet, and still makes lots of noise. Can you think of anything else to check. I have it next to my chair in the living room and it bothers me while watching TV. Could it be the difference in the type of water it is processing?

A noise is very difficult to identify, when I can't be there to hear it, since it could be a rattling impeller or an air lock, or even a venturi effect from a small input air stream. So, I will try to give you a few tips. In general the most common noise problem is to have an air pocket trapped in the system that is situated at the impeller well. The best way to determine this is to take the machine and tip it to the side and shake it somewhat. If there is air in the well, it should be expelled as a burst from the output. I would guess this would be the probable cause. If there is air in the system, you must determine where it is coming from.

Often a powerhead or air pump will blow a lot of air into the aquarium and the input siphon will bring these into the Fluval. And then you have the air in the impeller problem.

A second common problem is that carbon is not saturated enough beofre replacing in a canister system. The internal matrix of the carbon will trap a lot of air, and that is expelled relatively slowly over time as the carbon becomes thoroughly soaked. The best thing to do is make sure the carbon is not hissing when added to the Fluval, let it stay in some water for a few minutes (read 10 - 30) before putting new carbon in the Fluval. This eliminates the steady stream of minute bubbles that will cause air problems in the output well.

A third cause is a leak in the hose system, if you have eliminated the possibility of air entering from the siphon, but air is still in the impeller, then look for a slow air entry in the hose connections. Make sure all are tight and well fitted. If it is in front of the impeller (input) air will get into the well and allow the impeller to spin in air, making it rattle. Tipping it over expells the air, and should be done occasionally as a preventative for gas buildup.

If the noise is a high whistle, look at the output hose system, since as steady stream of air drawn into the output flow can cause this to occur. Be sure the whole hose system is tight and has no way for air to enter into the tubing in any way.

Finally, the impeller may have worn the shaft down, so the thickness oif the shaft is too loose for the impeller and allows it to add extra movements on the rotation. Check the shaft and the impeller holes for abnormal wear, an oblong hole is a sure sign that there is a problem, some scoring of a stainless steel shaft is common, but watch for serious deterioration of the metal structure. If the shaft has been moved to ceramic, this type of wear is not common, but the added wear characteristics of the shaft - it just seems to stand up better than metal - will cause the holes through the impeller to be the area of wear, so this is still a place to check. The only other problem that can happen with a ceramic shaft is that it will break when forced to bend in a way it cannot. So ensure the shaft is all one piece.

Finally, if all else fails to work, and the machine is still somewhat noisy, you might want to add a small dab of vaseline to the shaft to reduce friction on the rotation. It seems to work, and really isn't harmful to fish or environment.

Anyway, hope that gives you a little help, at least to see what kind of sources noise can come from - the other option is to better describe the noise so I am not shooting as much in the dark.

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Fluval Media Life
>subject = Just Wondering
Problem = I have a 29gal acrilic Marine Aquarium thats been up and running for about 5 months now. I have a FLUVAL 303 canister filter running and everything seems to be going fairly well. I've lost a few newly introduced fish for unknown reasons but probably not system related. I am now wondering if a Filter Media change is necessary and I have no information on just what a reasonable maintenance schedule should be. I have completely read the manual as well as the Fluval manual you have on-line.

Do you think I need to make any media changes? ie; is the carbon media still good? I have the Carbon Media in the bottom canister, then the Fluval Pre-Filter, and on top is the foam. I do 25 - 30 percent water changes about every 3 weeks to a month and the water seems to be staying nice and clear.

There are 2 Yellow Tangs, 1 Sailfin Tang, 1 Blue Damsel, 1 Coral Beauty, 1 Royal Gramma, & 1 Tomatoe Clown in the tank. I also have a couple Turbo Snails and a bristle star in there.

I am about to add a SKILTER 400 filter to the tank as well for additional filtration.
>Size = 29
>Age = 5 months
>Type = see above
>Number = see above
>Change = Sat 012498
>Percent = 25%
>Primary = FLUVAL 303 Main Filter
>Secondary = Whisper 2 Triad Additional Filtration
>Media = none

In general, each filter media has a specific life, and should be replaced when exhausted. Some media simply don't let you know they are exhausted, they don't change color or anything, so they are often overlooked, but should be removed and replaced.

The one that you have that is definitely in this category is the carbon. In general, the longest life expectancy I have ever known was up to a month and then the activated capture of solubles and dyes is gone. Of course it does continue to act as a strainer for wastes before the water flow enters the BioMax (I assume you used the media that came witrh a new "loaded" Fluval). The BioMax is used for bacterial population, so the carbon is sort of useless and redundant in this case for that job, it should be changed for its primary purpose, removing solubilized wastes, dyes and medications from the passing water stream.

In salt water, I would tend to replace the carbon with something like Boyd's Chemi-Pur, it is resin based and is stated to last for 6 months, with this added, filter changes are much less and the system is stable for much longer. I would take 1/2 the foam from the top, place it on the bottom as the pre-filter, then add the Chemi-Pur and BioMax and always leave one piece of foam at the very top. That is the real trick, as long as there is a foam at the very top, then the there is little chance for threads or other fibrous materials to move into the impeller well and stop the impeller.

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Fluval Impeller Noise
>subject = Fluval 303 not working
Problem = I bought a Fluval Canister 303 Filter from a guy at work. I've set it up, according to the instructions I found on your page, but nothing happens when I plug it in. Any ideas on what might be wrong? I've got the filter lower than the tank, I've double checked the power supply. It doesn't make any noise at all, and I don't think the impeller is moving at all. Do I need a new impeller or is my pump shot?
>Size = 60
>Age = 0 months
>Type = None
>Number = none
>Change = na
>Percent = na
>Primary = Fluval
>Secondary = na
>Media = na

Could be a bunch of things, but first take the unit apart and open up the impeller well. Remove the impeller (with both rubber tips on the steel (or ceramic) shaft.

Run your finger inside the impeller well, if the surface seems bumpy or rough, the motor may have been run dry - and the impeller friction may have disfigured the impeller well to the point where it cannot turn.

If that checks out, then, insert the impeller into the impeller cover first, then insert the impeller into the impeller well. Then close the impeller cover and ensure the impeller is sitting in the unit correctly. Plug in the power and see if the impeller rotates. If it doesn't even try, chances are the motor is the problem, if it rotates, then re-install the filter and try it again. Hopefully it is just a jammed impeller that is incorrectly inserted into the impeller cover and the removal and replacement procedure will overcome the problem. The reason the impeller cover is clear is it allow you to test the impeller and see if it will rotate with power.

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Suffocation of bacteria in SeaStorm Fluidized Bed
I have the equipment listed in the subject connected together in my 50 gallon tank. The Fluval canister filter is driving the SeaStorm fluidized sand filter. Obviously when I'm cleaning the Fluval, the Seastorm is "off". How long do I have to clean the Fluval until the bacteria in the SeaStorm start to die for lack of oxygen?

I have been told that an undergravel filter will suffocate in approximately 1 hour. This is in reference when a question is asked how long a power head can be used on a quick filter when it is removed from an undergravel stack and run to remove debris in the water.

I know that is not exactly what you asked, but I would extrapolate from that about an hour maximum. But remember, the undergravel still has its outer facing in the water, with no loss of oxygen at the interface. I would tend not to dally when cleaning and try to keep it within a half hour for the fluidized bed.

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Fluval Hose Letting Go
That's quite odd. They gave me three bags of the biomax, about one handful in each bag. I've opened one bag and placed the contents in the middle part of the canister. The sponge is on top and the carbon is on the bottom. Am I supposed to put all three bags of the biomax in the filter? That's why I assumed I have to replace them cause I thought they gave me extras. Anyway everything is working fine in my filter.

The Fluval units come with the filter media required. You should have received bags of both carbon and BioMax. The granules of the carbon are small enough to fall through the grid, so they must be kept in bags. The sizing is important for two reasons, fisrt you receive maximal surface area with the granular size, and the porosity is such that it will hold the impirities and draw them within the carbon matrix most efficiently.

BioMax is not a permanent media, it is designed with 50% porosity in the correct pore size to permit beneficial bacteria such as nitrosomonas and nitrobacter to thrive. It can be clogged by particulate waste, and as such the carbon has been used in the bottom to provide a fine screen before the water flow reaches the BioMax. We recommend that the material be replaced in the biological area every six months or so, seeing that the bacterial deposits in the tubes will fill them up. This is not to say that they are useless, their outside surface area will continue to provide some bacterial action, but they can be dropped to the lower chamber and used for pre-filter after they have essentially been exhausted as biological rings.

The whole concept of canister filtration is to use the maximal volume possible in the chamber. As such, Fluval externals media amounts were tailored to each filter. But the only "proprietary" media item is the foam. The carbon and BioMax were bagged individually, but with the idea that the number of bags needed matches the first number (103 = 1 bag, 203 = 2 bags, 303 = 3 bags and 403=4 bags). As you can see, there is no extra media in the package, all three bags should fit in the middle chamber easily, if they are not all used, you are truly wasting the capacity of the filter.

Fluval also has media recommendations written into them (I know, I wrote them), but there have been some who object to placing the carbon at the bottom. In those cases, I hasten to suggest to the consumer that the foam is split in two. While a foam piece should (read more than highly recommended) be at the very top, not only for filtration purposes, but more importantly the foam composition is such that it prevents any strings or other fibers from reaching the impeller and binding or stopping it. This protects your investment in the long term.

But the second foam - since the split - is available to be placed anywhere in the filter, such as the very bottom to pre-screen particles before they hit the carbon. Another reason the carbon was placed on the bottom is that it has the shortest lifespan, only a month or so, and then it should be changed. After that month, removing any original discolorations, dyes and other liquefied wastes, it should be replaced or another media selected. The use of the chamber technology makes this the easiest I know of. Hope this is welcomed mail, and helps you undestand the filter a bit more.

Thanks for the reply! So I should replace my biomax every 6 months and the carbon every month or so? If I rinse out the sponge, and I replace the biomax and carbon, then where will my beneficial bacteria be? Will it be on the walls of the canister interior? I am thinking of using the zeolite instead of carbon because it has the ammonia chips along with the carbon. I hope this will help during the cycling of my tank.

I am using the Fluval 303 but there's one thing I'm afraid of. One day I enter my house and the whole living room will be flooded! The reason is that some of the tubes that connect to plastic parts aren't securely fastened. When the tubes connect to the hose valves and to the canister, there are nuts that can be screwed and cover the ends of the plastic tubing. Thus preventing any leakage. But the tubes connected to the spraybar are not made so. They are just connected and I'm afraid if I accidentally tug at it, it will come loose and water will spray everywhere! Do you have any suggestions on what I should do?

Thanks for letting me give you a few pointers, I appreciate the ability to offer advice to those who really want to know.

The only time I have ever had a Fluval flood was when I used it to power a reverse undergravel marine tank way back. The pressure built up under the plate to a popint where it blew the line - but that is abuse, and I knew I was taking a chance.

Otherwise, I have never had a hose give way unattended, and know of no time when it did for consumers. (I have dealt with consumer complaints for better than 12 years as the "answer man" for Hagen, so that is not an offhand statement). Personally I ignore the hosing, insofar as cleaning is concerned. The dark tubing tends to remain quite clean, so I rarely disconnect anything but the bottom nut of the hose valve, this keeps the water in the input siphon, so I don't need to do any sucking on the tube, or remove and replace the connection. Output and input suctions are minimal for the tube diameter, so there is little chance that it will blow.

There are two forms of I/O now offered, the old style used barbed rigid elbows that grabbed the tubing positively and held it. Normally you need three to go over the aquarium rinm and attach the output. More trouble to remove than giving a chance to simply fall off or blow. The "candy cane" input might be a bigger problem, but pushing the tube over it will hold it as securely as every other siphon system I have previously seen. SInce it would not be pulled in normal use, and assuming there is over 1/2" - 3/4" overlap, the natural adhesion will prevent it from disconnecting.

The newer centralized block does have hose nuts at both input and output connections, so they are quite secure as well. They should never come apart unless you want them too, and are willing to undo them manually.

Finally, about bacterial populations. You start to get into my actual philosophy of bacterial beds. Personally, I don't expect the normal customer to be able to keep his hands off the canister, so I don't count on any bacterial populations other than those generated in the media itself. As such, I have championed the Cycle-Guard philosophy and have tried to remain true to its main thesis. Essentially, when you deal with any Hagen branded filter (AquaClear or Fluval) there are a number of media used. The concept is simple - never change all the filter media at the same time. If you are going to replace some of the BioMax, then skip the replacement of carbon or other media. That doesn't mean ignore it, rinse it out - BUT in used aquarium water, not tap water with its inherent chlorine or chloramine. Those toxins can kill up to 85% of the beneficial bacteria. Since the strains you want to keep are lithotrophic - they attach to clean hard surfaces - you will probably reduce the concentration a bit by blowing away some spores, but the main colonies will remain to seed the new media. I also prefer to suggest the regular use of Cycle, but that is an advertisement, and as such will not be pressed here.

So, if you never replace all the media at once, and the old media you do reuse is simply rinsed gently in a bucket of aquarium water (normally I use water that was removed during a regular water change since I do both aquarium and filter maintenance simultaneously, then vital bacterial colonies are conserved and rapidly seed the rest of the filter, permitting the claim of continuous biological filtration even after recommended media changes.

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Reverse Flow with Fluval
Hi, I would like to set up an undergravel reverse flow filter , However I have a fluval 403 canister and a 55 gallon tank, great white shark powerhead(400 gallons/hr), and a Visi jet powerhead (200 gallons/hr), Can I reverse the flow of these powerheads to force water under the gravel? Should i use an aquaclear reverse802 powerhead to force the water under the gravel while leaving the fluval canister filter doing its normal filtering? I' very confused on how i can set this system up Could you please help me???

Ah, Reverse Flow, a favorite topic of mine many years ago. It has become less important and has drawbacks that make it much less attractive than I thought it was.

1) I tried reverse flow with a Fluval, set it up, connected the output to the riser stem and started a Marine tank. Within a week or so the pressure of the Fluval was so great that the hose popped and the water flowed onto my floor for at least 45 gallons. Not the nicest sight. If you can guarantee that the hoses will not pop, the fluval will work as a reverse filter driver, in addition you are delivering clean water unde the plate, which is also an advantage.

I am not sure that you can reverse the flow with any standard power head, up to and including the aquaclear 201 and 301. They are simply made to create water flow and have very little pressure. The AquaClear's do have hose adaption that can get a hose to connect to the riser stem and do much the same thing as I mentioned in the Fluval.

The only powerhjeads made for reverse flow are the 402 and 802 AquaClear units and they do provide a flow under the filter bed, but you sacrifice quantity, to the tune of about half power under the plate as opposed to conventional flow.

There is another major disadvantage I have found with reverse flow, the water is not as agitated when it is pumped under the plate. Oxygen levels seem to reduce somewhat since the under the plate and deoxygenated by the bacteria. Since no currents are generated by the gentle upflow from the plate, there is little if any agitation of the surface so oxygen replenishment is minimal.

You must ensure an alternate method of agitating the surface when reverse flow is utilized. The Fluval with the spray bar would be adequate in your case.

I might want to suggest the other method of complete plate undergravel filtration. The Evenflow Filter. It has been designed for the use of a power head especially and overcomes the standard problem of UG filtration, the path of least resistance. Instead of water rushing through the area right around the riser stem, the water is forced to travel through the entire gravel area due to the hermetically sealed chambers tuned to ensure the suction is truly even at all areas of the plate. That is the way reverse flow is meant to work, by creating the pressure below the plate, the water works its way up everywhere. There is no path that offers less resistance.

The advantages of the evenflo is that conventional flow is stronger, more water moves through the gravel and supplies a greater population of bacteria with oxygen. The currents generated by conventional flow mix the water better and cause agitation at the surface. Venturi systems for sir deleivery to the output work as designed, so this adds further agitation at the surface.

I hope you are better informed about the advantages of Reverse Flow and conventional flow. I may not really have answered your question, but let me know if you need more information or another rambling discourse.

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Fluval Internal for low water
>subject = Fluval 2 Filter
Problem = I have recently purchased a Fluval 2 filter for use in a low water level tank set up in which I keep some fresh water crabs. If I run the filter on its side (to keep it submerged) will I lose any flow
>Size = 10
>Age = 6
>Type = freshwater crabs
>Number = 6
>Change = date
>Percent = ??%
>Primary = fluval 2
>Secondary = none
>Media = date

The Fluval 2 has been available for quite a number of years, and one of things that I advise it best for is the low water aquarium use as you propose. I have never heard that running it on its side adversely affected performance in any way. As far as I can see, it is one of the most popular uses of this filter because it is so versatile. You could even run it upside down if you needed to, but then the whole media chamber would be out of water.

I would not worry too much about running it on its side, there are an awful lot of other aquarists who are already doing exactly the same thing

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Fluval with a QSA Mini
Hi steve. I have a question,if I install a QSA mini to the output of my 303,would it run/work properly?would it cause to much restriction to the 303? Should I use a biowheel at the output of the 303 instead?

First, I haven't had any experience with a QSA Mini, so I really cannot tell you what they will do when attached to a Fluval. I can tell you this, the Fluval will push water well, I have used it as the power for a Reverse Flow undergravel system. I had to stop when the machine blew the hose by producing too much pressure. If I rememeber correctly, you are talking about a sand filter to use the output to run. I haven't heard anyone who has tried it, but I would assume that the system will work as long as you do not put too much backpressure on the Fluval. Remember that all Fluvals come with valves, and will run under a partially closed restrriction. So you should be able to get plenty of flow through any device that is not too restrictive.

In addition, if there is too much flow, you have the ability to restrict the output with the valve as well.

Hope you agree and that the answers above help you out. If I am wrong in my assessment, let me know and I will get some further research into the QSA.

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Fluval Rattle
Problem: This is my third filter. My problem is after four or five months I start to form a rattle inside the filter. I don't know why it is happening.The only thing left to do is change the hight of the inlet tube. Right now the bottom of the inlet strainer is right on my coral sand. The dealer has been helpful up to now, but I am afraid he will not help me anymore. This last time, I did find some very fine sand inside my filter, so that is what led me to think it was the level of the inlet tube. If there is sand going into my filter should the filter be ok? Also where do I stand as far as getting a different 403. Right now I am very unhappy with this filter. My friend has two of them also, and he has no problems. So that is just where I want to be. What ever you can do in this matter for me I would appreciate it.
>Size: 60
>Age: 60
>Type: triggers, damsels, angels
>Number: 5
>Change: monthly
>Percent: 40
>Primary: 403
>Secondary: mod-4
>Media: 6 months

If sand has gotten into the impeller, the rattle might be a sign that damage has occurred. If when you shake the filter some air is expelled, then the rattle may be from trapped air in the sytem. Try that first, since that kind of noise is most often associated with air, not sand. Air usually arrives from a leak in the hoses, or air bubbles escaping from the media as it is filled with water and releases air. Most often the culprit is carbon that was not soaked thoroughly before being placed into the filter.

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Fluval Manual Location
Problem: I am building a salt water mini reef in my 29 gallon tank. I need to increase the circulation and filtration in the tank and I'm thinking about buying a Flucal canister filter. Can you please send me more information about you filters?
>Size: 29
>Age: 24
>Type: Salt Water Mini Reef - Green chromide and an Orange spotted watcher gobi
>Number: 2
>Change: Bi Weekly
>Percent: 10%
>Primary: BakPak Protien Skimmer
>Secondary: 35 lbs Fiji Live rock
>Media: n/a

Would be very careful with any salt water system under 30 galllons, and a reef the size you mention is very small. With those few warnings, try:

www.rchagen.com to access the web site. Click on the fish and then the Product Information System/manuals, you will find the Fluval Cannister listed there.

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Fluval Tubes
The foam is just a mess from what I can see from the cansiter. The reason may be the floating fanwort type of plant which seems to be attaching itself to the filter intake and then is present in the filter itself.

I did rinse the gravel but under low water pressure and not to warm, just to clean it. I retained about 1/3 of the water from the original tank water for the move with out the bottom sludge. I had to move the tank about 10 miles but things seem ok and so do the fish. ammonia level where at 0 but I have not checked for nitrites yet.

I will be needing to change the intake tubes as well since I don't know if I can get then clean, The out put tubes are to short for my location as well so I might change them as well. The Fluval is the old variety with a 14 mm intake and a 12 mm output tube, originally orange in colour.

P.S. Do you do this out of the kindness of your heart.

Lots of questions, not so many answers but here are a few. First, Zeolite is the material that makes up Amrid and Ammonia Remover, So you are actually using what the last person did, just under a different name.

Second, I would guess the tubes were originally smoke rather than orange, I have never seen an orange Fluval tube, relatively clear smoke or brown.

There is a Fluval Brush that has a meter stem to clean the tubes of most debris. In most cases, unless the tube is really blocked, a little algae clinging to the hose will not cause harm.

See a close independent pet store for any of the products I mentioned, they are all Hagen brands and in Canada, most good independents will market them.

Finally, do I do this out of the goodness of my heart, the answer is yes. I will do as you suggest but I am not sure if I can find some of the brands you mentioned. Right now I am just going to let the fulval work for a week before I change anything. I will just add some new foam for my first change and maybe some extra ceramic tiles in the bottom of the filter since it is only 1/4 full of ceramic prefilter. In the middle I thought I would use ammonia rid in a filter bag with some carbon in a separate bag for a little while and see how thinks go. The person I got this from used something call "zeolite" only in the middle chamber.

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Fluval and moving tanks
Problem: Want to know if I should clean the fluval filter. I just moved the aquarium and had to do a complete gravle clean. Set up the ugf's but did not change the fulval filter materials. But it is really dirty. don't know when it was last change but it looks like over serval months if not longer.

I think I will have to change some of the hoses as well. The fluval only has about 2 inches of prefilter. I do not know how much to use since the manual is not overly instructive in this area. Want to use a ammonia rid type of medium for the second chamber, but again how much should I use. I have a new foam filter to insert when the time is right. In spite of the move, since I retained about 30 % of the water and the floating fan wort, the amonium is at 0 and the nitrites as well.

I am afraid the fluval is not working very well due to the low volume of filter material and the condition it is in. Any advice. I know I must seem like a pest but you are the only site that has provided information on the equipment I am using
>Size: 60
>Age: 60
>Type: 1 lemon pleco, 1 rhino pleco, 1 black molly, 1 leopard pleco
>Number: 4
>Change: bi-weekly
>Percent: 50%
>Primary: fluval 303, 1 ugf with aqua clear 301, 1 ugf with optima air pump
>Secondary: none
>Media: unknown

I would suggest that you can easily work with the Fluval without heavily disturbing it. My guess is that the matured filter media is holding up the biological filtration after the move and the seeding is proceeding in the UGF. In a couple of weeks the UGF should be strongly kicking in, assuming you rinsed the gravel but did not sterilize it too much. If you have chloramine in the water, it might be a little longer, but with relatively standard North American Municipal water , you should not have eliminated the entire biology, even if you rinsed it well with chlorinated water. So you can figure the bacterial population will reappear shortly.

The Fluval can be manipulated (and should be manipulated) module by module. If the pre-filter is not enough, open the Fluval and remove the bottom chamber, rinse the media relatively well (use water from a water change to ensure the bacteria extant on the media are not damaged) add the extra media you feel is needed and reassemble the sytem. You don't have to touch the other two levels at all if you do not want to.

You might wait a week and then do the same thing with the middle OR the top level, but if you work in separate modules each time, you protect the biology and get the filter back into shape in a relatively short time. Then you can go back onto the schedule of maintenance you feel comfortable. Above all, just like the AquaClear and every separate insert filter system made by Hagen, the best way to work is never change all the media at the same time, alternate to conserve and protect the bacterial power generated by the filter.

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Fluval and plants
When Live Plants are mentioned, then you are correct, I would tend not to use an undergravel filter. The Fluval 303 will do the job if you are as interested in the plants as the fish, then you will be running a relatively light load of small fish. This should be adequate for most situations. It is better on a fully loaded system to have additional filtration, but natural aquariums require less because the plants are using the nitrate and eating other toxins as well.

At any rate, for plants, a single Fluval should be adequate AS LONG AS you are not going to overload the system with too many fish.

Problem: need to know if i need the ugf would prefer not to if possible Sorry I did not fill out the form properly. I do not have this aquarium yet, I will be picking it up on Saturday this week. I normally only do 20% water changes with my 25 gallon set up. I was hoping that the molly might be given away along with one of the small pecos. I want to move two guoromi's into the bigger tank along with a couple of sharks ( small ones.) The current tank I have was also given to me but it had way to many fish. over 44 inches worth. They have been dying off due the the types of fish and size of the tank. This current tank has a aqua clear 200. I was hoping to raise some plans in the new tank and everything i read indicates the the ugf is not a good idea. I believe this equipment is approximately 10 years old as well.>Size: 60
>Age: 28
>Type: 3 plecos, 1 molly
>Number: 4
>Change: daily
>Percent: 50%
Primary: fluval 303
>Secondary: ugf
>Media: n/a

With three plecostomus (although their size would be slightly of issue and one molly (I assume this to be what you meant) the aquarium seems perfectly fine without the UG, but your reasoning leaves me a little worried.

Why do you want to disable the undegravel filter, it is an added way to ensure the breakdown of biological toxins such as ammonia and nitrite. This might be especially importnat with the types of fish you have now, since the tendency to overfeed and leave excess in the aquarium to rot is very easy. I always have recommended redundant systems to make everything more efficient in the long run.

Another thing that worries me is the fact that you do daily water changes at the 50% level. This seems to to be much too great for most applications. The standard water change is usually about 20% every two weeks, this allows the water to age properly.

If you have a reason for changing the water that often, don't be alarmed at my comments, but in normal cases, this kind of mass water change is unneccesary and rather stressful to the fish. But, with that said, that kind of fresh water replacement will tend to eliminate the need for much filtration at all, since the water has very little chance to become fouled or polluted by anything other than chlorine, chloramine or heavy metal ions from improperly treated new water. Ammonia and nitrite will be diluted almost as fast as it is created so the UG filter will not have a lot of impact.

Its not the way I would do it, it is the high level maintenance system, but it could work.

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Full Refit for reef with Fluval
Problem: I want to convert my Marine tank to a reef tank. Can you describe the basic steps to doing this? I've been told that I should first purchasea good cannister filter (Fluval 303), let it run for about a month then remove my undergravel filter. If this is true, can you also point me in the right direction to purchase a Fluval 303 at a good price over the internet?>Size: 38
>Age: 8
>Type: Yellow Tank, Coral Beauty, Blue Angel, (2) seabae clowns
>Number: 5
>Change: 3 weeks ago
>Percent: 30%
>Primary: undergravel
>Secondary: powerfilter and a seperate protein skimmer
>Media: n/a

I rarely have ever tried to convert to a reef without a full re-setup before. The problem with this for you is that you already have the fish, so a complete redo of the aquarium is impossible. For this reason I must agree with your comments about ensuring a fully established bio-filter is available before you remove the undergravel. Fluval is a good choice for cannister filtration, but you probably would be more successful with a trickle style filter IN ADDITION to the Fluval.

Let me explain. The Fluval should be considered as a very good mechanical filter that will heep most of the waste to a minimum and provide relatively good flow throughout the aquarium. But a reef really requires a dedicated biological filter that has much larger potential for nitrogenous waste reduction (ammonia and nitrite) before it becomes a problem. When a good mechanical filter is used to remove wastes before they decay and provides a clean particulate free water column to a powerful dedicated biological system, the chances of success are increased.

Trickles work the best (in my opinion) for reefs because they do not require oxygen from the passing water supply. Fluval, Undergravels and even AquaClear Power Filters all provide oxygen to the bacteria from the passing water supply, this basically deoxygenates the water and lessens the amount available to your actual inhabitants. The Trickle style, on the other hand, uses atmospheric oxygen and actually increases the amount of oxygen that is returned to the aquarium. The real problem is that this decay enhancer can become a powerful waste reduction area and clog up the nitrifying bacteria, that is why strong mechanical filtration is required for success (again in my opinion).

Filtration is only half the problem, you also must use good strong lighting. A single fluorescent tube will not do in the case of the reef. Be sure that you add as much lighting as you can, multiple fluorescent tubes, a halogen or Mercury Vapor are all possibilities, and of course combinations work better in the long run.

Finally, to your question about the UG removal, I strongly urge it in the case of the reef. One thing more, remove most (if not all your gravel) I have found that thick layers of gravel only trap extra wastes and become an ammonia production area, with the chance of anaerobic areas also developing. When I set upo a reef, I never use gravel, its simply easier to use a gravel cleaner to remove particulate wastes laying on the glass. You are trying to encourage a reef to grow, glass is fine as a base, and over time the reef will overrun it. A thin layer, no more than 1/.4" is as much as I would ever recommend, if you must have gravel.

Sorry, I don't know of any internet sellers of Hagen Products, but they should be found in most local independent pet stores. If you find any in your search, I would appreciate your letting me know for future reference.

Back to

Protein Skimmers
Question: Can you recommend a protein skimmer that will work in the sump of my wet/dry (trickle) filter that sits underneath my tank? I've got a 38 gallon that I'm grooming as a reef tank.

Depending on the make and model of the Trickle filter, you may want to enquire about the possibilities from the manufacturer. I tend to use the Amiracle protein skimmers, they will hang off the side of a trickle system and use a small power head with a strong air pump

I would always look for a powered system with at least a power head and a strong air pump for bubbles. The longer the column the better as the bubbles have more time to electrostatically bond with protein wastes.

With all this said, the Amiracle is a rather tall protein skimmer with a spout where the water is returned and where the unit hangs from the edge. It can also stand in the sump, generally this is a rule since a skimmer is filled with water so it should sit properly. Almost any unit that can hang on the outside of the aquarium will also hang from the walls of the trickle system. I know this is not naming names in particular, the Amiracle is the only one I am truly familiar with. But there will be lots of others available from a whole range of companies. So take the advice for what it is worth.

Back to

Fluval Internal for odd shaped tank
>subject = Filtration
Problem = Here is my problem: I have a 10 gallon tank that is odd shaped, it is a decrotive tank shaped like a flying saucer. My problem is I want a way to filter the system. I have been thinking about either a Fluval external power filter model 103 or a Fluval internal filter model one. Other than the obvious price difference I was wondering if you knew the dimensions of these (specifically the model 1) and also would these turn my round tank into a vortex? I have wondered if their pumps will push the water too hard and with nowhere for it to go but around will it spin the water in the tank wildly? Just what do you recommend I should do? Thanks
>Size = 10
>Age = New
>Type = Community
>Number = Undecided
>Change = bi-weekly
>Percent = 35%
>Primary =
>Secondary =
>Media =

That is tough to call, I would say that you need the Fluval 2 or 3 Internal, they are about 8" to 12" long and can be completely submerged, these two can have a Fluval spray bar kit attached to break up the water flow and reduce the chance of creating a vortex. By using a hose upo at top, you should be able to reduce the problem.

For better filtration, or depending on how big the tank really is to submerge a filter, the better choice is really the Fluval external. First, it is a better filter, it has more water power, but it also has a lot more filter material, and doesn't need to be changed as often. It also uses a spray bar that breaks the flow up a bit, depending on how you position it, but even better, the valves can be set to reduce the flow as well. You won't have as strong filtration, but at least it will go through lots of media to keep the tank clean and pure for fish. In a perfect world, that would be my choice, no worry for the fit in a the tank, no intank space used, and the return naturally goes back on top, so no return area used either. The valve and the spray bar make it the way to go, assuming the money is there.

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Trickle Filter
>subject = Understanding trickle filters
Problem = I am trying to build a trickle filter to aid in maintaining water quality in my 75 gallon turtle tank. I have three medium sized red-eared sliders in this tank (carapace 4-6") with a Fluval external 404 meaning that the waste problem isn't enormous but it is significant. If you could help me by explaining the different components of these filters (chambers, valves, pumps and positioning) and how these all work I would greatly appreciate it. What is the difference between a wet-dry and a trickle filter? Anyway I have some suggestions on how to build one and what the can do for a tank but I have yet to understand how it all works. Thank you for your time, this is a helpful resource.
>Size = 75
>Age = 24
>Type = red-eared turtles (sliders)
>Number = 3
>Change = every two weeks
>Percent = 100%
>Primary = External Power Filter
>Secondary = Trickle???
>Media = every 6-8 weeks

A trickle filter is the same as a Wet/Dry system, it is designed to place a biological filter bed above the surface of the water. This removes an important limit on bacteria, oxygen. Since they no longer have to get their oxygen from the water current (they get it from the atmosphere) they can populate much denser and become more efficient at removing ammonia and nitrite.

The trickle filter is biological in nature, that is why it is not used often in a turtle tank. Although ammonia and nitrite do become a smelly problem, they are not particularly lethal to turtles in my experience. The more important problem is to remove the solid wastes and excess food from the tank before they become the problem. A trickle filter is not very good at doing that. In addition, unless you are planning to drill the tank, you have the problem ov drawing the water up and over the edge of the tank by siphon and allowing it to fal through the biological media.

Another problem with the trickle style is the fact that unless it is vary carefully pre-filtered, the wastes suspended in the water will rapidly be caught in the biological media and allow decay bacteria to proliferate instead of nitrifying strains, making the unit a supercharged decay machine. Not the purpose you are intending I believe.

The way a trickle works is simple

Supply clean pre-filtered water to the tank. The biological material is suspended above the sump and water is dripped or sprayed into the bacterial chamber to drip through and drop to the sump. On its way the lithotrophic bacteria remove ammonia and nitrite and the exposure of the water molecules adds oxygen to the water and strips off carbon dioxide. In this case, oxygen content is greater after the drop through the chamber than before it enters (this is probably one of the reasons that marine reefs use the filter as it supersaturates oxygen in the water and helps the assorted living things in a reef get the oxygen they need).

After it falls through the chamber it is then pumped up to the tank and output.

In general, the trickle system is a surface skimmer first, normally having water from the surface strain thorugh a pre-filter box and remove anything floating on the surface by a comb affair, the water, after it enters the skimmer box is drawn up and over the tank side and drops through a prefilter chamber that is often simply filled with polywool to catch and trap particulate matter before it can contamminate the actual biological filter chamber and change it to a decay chamber.

The water drops by a pipe to the bacterial chamber and is evenly dispersed into the box, either by a drip plate or a rotating arm.

I know I may not sound too encouraging, but drip filters have way too many disadvantages for your application and very little use. Now, if this was a marine system.............

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EvenFlo Undergravel Filters
>subject = underground filter plates won't fit my aquariam
Problem = I curently purchased a hagen 108 gallon 5'long 18" wide tank. I curently have an aquaclear 500 filter and had the intention of putting in an underground filter with a power head, so I could get more biological filterization. But apparently I can't get the underground plates to fit my entire aquariam bottem. I'm wondering what I should do to get the best filterization for my home aquariam. I'm wondering what would be the most economical and what would be the best for the fish.
>Size = 108
>Age = 1
>Type = Community with chiclids that tend to dig the bottem
>Number = 16
>Change = April 3
>Percent = 20
>Primary = aquaclear 500
>Secondary = none yet
>Media = new tank

Best and most economical rarely are one in the same. So I will suggest you look into the EvenFlo UG Filters. They snap together and are designed to force water through and under the entire plate. In conventional systems, the water really only passes right around the riser stem, no matter how much of the bottom they actually cover. So, even if you leave over 6" uncovered with the EvenFlo, you actually have a much greater surface area and efficiency than any other system on the market. That is because the EvenFlo was designed for a Powerhead, and with the known flow rates and consistent pull from the riser stem, water current could be guaged and controlled. Other UG systems suffer under the illusion that the more bottom is covered and the more open the plate, the better the efficiency of the system will be. The problem is that water passes through the path of least resistance, and as such the greatest suction is tight around the riser stem, so that is where the majority of the water passes, the outer edges are simply dead and have no movement, no matter how "well designed" the openings in the plate seem to be.

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Bulb Specifications
I am trying to find out the specs (CRI, Lumens, Kelvin temperature) on the Hagen bulbs in particular the Power-Glo and Sun-Glo in the 48 and 24 inch sizes. If you have this available could you please forward it to me.

Sunglo: 24" -CRI 68 - Lumens 1230 - Lux 125 - Kelvin 4200 - Hours 9000
Sunglo: 48" -CRI 68 - Lumens 3100 - Lux1 300 - Kelvin 4200 - Hours 20000

Power-glo: 24" - CRI NA - Lumens 1100 - Lux 80 - Kelvin 18000 - Hours 9000
Power-glo: 48" - CRI NA - Lumens 22000 - Lux 180 - Kelvin 18000 - Hours 20000

The CRI is considered subjective by the manufacturer, and impossible to measure adequately with the Power - Glo bulbs. It is for this reason alone that it is not included since there is no published data

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Plant Bulb Recommendations
Encouraged by your invitation to contact you I would put some new questions forth.

Having done some research I'd found a shop which sells good tanks at good prices. I chose a tank of 85 litres wih a plastic top housing a lamp.
1. Is there anything in particular I should know about the bulbs?
2. How strong should the light be?
3. What plants do best with goldfish (latin names if possible)?
4. I already have one goldfish (with a long tail-it's called fan-tail in English I think), but what other fish will do well the goldfish (and vice-versa)?
5. What filer would you recommend (in terms of technical specifications rather than names and brands, as I think those available in Poland may differ from those available in your coutry (it's the US I think)?

1) Bulbs, if you want to grow plants, I would recommend a grow light of some sort, Aqua~Glo or Power~Glo are my favorite, depending on how much power I want to deliver to the aquarium. There are lots of growing bulbs on the market, but I have found that full spectrum lighting like Sun~Glo are excellent for illuminatrion but don't promote plant growth much.

2) Most bulbs are the same power, at least in consumption, so that question is basically moot. You did not mention whether there was a fluorescent or incandescent bulb, I assumed in the previous section fluorescent. If you have an incandescent, I find in North America the highest rated bulb for aquarium canopies is 25 watts. DO NOT EXCEED that wattage if that is what the canopy is rated, it will melt the canopy, pure and simple. If you do have an incandescent canopy, use the full 25 W if possible, but do not expect lush plant growth, the incandescent spectrum is mostly in the red and yellow, and these are not as conducive to plant growth, and they often do not have the power to properly permit strong growth in live plants.

3) I have not kept a lot of goldfish personally, and never really tried with live plants for them. Look in your local retailer for strong, hardy plants with large root structures since the goldfish will tend to dig and uproot plants. Otherwise, plant the plant in a pot and then place in the gravel. I would tend to use hornwort, elodea or anacharis. Some bog plants (the names escape me) are used as house plants and do well in the aquarium as well. The one I can't remember is a bright green with white stripes and thin leaves. It is a common houseplant and will do alright is alloed to have some leaves extend out of the tank.

4) As far as other types of fish, you need fish that do not need much heat, and are able to live with the relative large sizes that goldfish grow to. Koi are relatives and very nice. If the fan is small enough, a betta may work, but I would tend to stay with assorted strains of goldfish, rather than try to mix tropical or native fish into the community.

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Automatic Fish Feeders
>subject = Automatic Feeders
Problem = Can you recommend an automatic fish feeder. I've found a lot of different kinds on the internet, but it's confusing. I have a 20 gallon fresh water aquarium and would like an automatic fish feeder to work out to 7 days or more.
>Size = 20
>Age = 1 months
>Type = Community
>Number = 15
>Change = 7 days
>Percent = 50%
>Primary = Main Filter
>Secondary = Additional Filtration
>Media = date

I personally recommend the NutraMatic as the best fish food feeder I know. This web lets me be more flexible in what I recommend, but even with that, the NutraMatic is the best in my opinion.

Anyway, hope the recommendation helps, the NutraMatic is a battery operated feeder that will feed up to twice a day with a reservoir of about an ounce of flake food in the regular size, twice that with the jumbo feeder, besides holiday or vacation feeding, the unit is designed to be the main feed dispenser for weeks or months at a time.

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Disease – Color Loss
>subject = stress
Problem = I have a tri color shark who seems like he is loosing his color I also have jumbo danios who also seem like they are fading the tri color just jumped out of a 46 gallon tank and I guess that will just make things worse. Do you have any ideas about why they might be loosing their color? When the shark jumped out he got hurt so I treated the tank immediatley. the ph and ammonia levels are fine the tank is clean and the temp has not changed. I have had these fish for over a year and I havn't had any similar problems. Thank you
>Size = 46
>Age = 16 mths
>Type = Community
>Number = 11
>Change = 4-19
>Percent = 40%
>Primary = aquaclear
>Secondary = Additional Filtration
>Media = ?

I would take another close look at the water characteristics, if the fish have been in the tank for over a year and there have been no additions, a sudden loss of color would tend to mean that the water is changing somehow. One of the problems that occasionally happens this time of year is that the water for a water change can cause problems since the rains of spring coupled with a spring run-off often forces the water company to add extra chlorine (chloramine) to the water to make it safe for consumption. It is at this time of year that a lot of unexplained problems suddenly occur, and although I am unable to bring any proof to bear, I do suspect that the water supply changes dramatically in composition - increased organic compounds, extra toxins and higher levels of chlorine or chloramine. It would not suprise me that if someone is using the standard dosage of a water conditioner that it may be too little to take care of some of these unannounced changes. Loss of colour is one of the reactions to stress, and sudden pH drops as a buffer is overcome or the addition of chlorine or a heavy metal component can also create havoc with fish homeostatic functions.

Hope that gives you a bit to look for, it would be best to have your water tested somewhere else as well to ensure that accuracy fo the test kits - another area where age can cause unreliable readings. Assuming they read the same across the series for different places to do the testing, at least you will know your basic assumptions are correct.

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Aqua-L - Salt Water Ich
Subject: Re: salt water ICH
Dear Aqua'l,

Does anyone know about salt water ICH (white spot disease)? Preliminary diagnosis suggests that my witch flounder (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus) larvae have it. I know it is typically a problem with warm water systems, my fish are kept at 10 celcius, which may be why only about 5-10% of my fish are affected. The white spot starts small and grows while degrading the flesh. Fish can live with it for over a month, but usually die.

I am waiting for a proper diagnosis from a histology lab, but in the meantime I'm wondering if there are any treatments?

Sorry to hear about your flounders dilemma. From the sounds of it you may have salt water ICH (or Cryptocaryon) despite the low temperatures. You may also have a secondary opportunistic fungal infection as well. The time from infection to death which you are observing may seem long, but at the temperatures you mention, it is within reason. Being a ciliated protozoan, Cryptocaryon responds well to copper treatment (copper is not FDA approved for application to foodfish). Utilize a chelated copper and maintain copper levels between 0.15 and 0.3 mg/liter. In the past I have had excellent results with Earthtec Copper algicide, a very stable chelated form of copper. Keep a close eye on your fish for gill flaring or tetany (indicators of copper toxicity) and watch your water quality as at these temperatures the higher range of copper will effect your bio filter. Remember you will be treating the "swarmer" or "infective" stage of this parasite so at these temperatures a longer treatment period will be required. Plan on treating for 2 to 4 weeks.

If you are feeding live feeds, you may want to do water exchanges prior to feeding so as to lower copper concentrations.

If you feel you have a secondary fungal infection, or diagnosis shows the infection to be fungal, satisfy the potassium permanganate demand of the water and then add about an additional 1 to 2 ppm for fungal treatment. Perform a partial water exchange if the water maintains a pinkish color for more than 30 minutes. If allowed to persist beyond 30 minutes, your fish may begin to oxidize. Repeat this procedure every day until the infection clears up.

Thanks to everyone who responded to my message about salt water ICH. Here is more info for those still interested in this saga....we have a new preliminary diagnosis: Oodinium, according to a fish parasitologist in our department. We tried a 1/8,000 formalin bath for 15 minutes on the infected fish yesterday and now 50% of those treated are dead. perhaps the formalin is too harsh on the larvae. the survivors are not very active and may go tomorrow, while their white spots are still intact.

As for the tank dynamics...they are in a 3,000L completely flow through tank. the water is run through a coarse filter only which means that occasionally snails are found in the tank (I know that these can be intermediate hosts of fish parasites so remove them when i can). as there is no recirculation, a diatomaceous earth filter would not work, but thanks for the suggestion.

I'm looking for something mild which I can use on the fish that are presently showing no signs of the white spot disease so that I can effectively disinfect their tank.

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Slime on Water
I set up the tank-in-question as a quarentine tank for new purchases. The tank was set up and water added (the water was treated with a chlorine remover). I swapped a heater over from my established 10 gallon tank. There was some algee or bacteria (it was slimmy). At the same time I was running the corner filter in my established tank. After two days, I noticed a film on the surface of my new tank and decided to move the corner filter back to its tank and start circulating the water. After a day and a half, the water was clear and I added two Punctatus Cories. One died the next day with no traces of ammonia in the tank. I got a replacement and three days later, the other orginal purchase died (still no signs of ammonia). I went to the store and got another and two Rabauti Cories. I also got carbon to add to the filter. I had been running it with just floss in case medicine >needed to be added (I thought this could be part of my problem). The carbon >was rinsed and added to my filter when I got home, before the fish were added. A day later, one of the Rabauti Cories started to look ill. I moved all four fish to my established tank. The been in my established tank for a little over a week now and are doing fine. The two fish that died showed no visible sign of disease and seemed to be fine when purchased.

What may have caused the deaths?

Is it safe to add fish to the tank? If not, what should be done before adding fish? The quarantine tank has been sitting empty (no fish) with the filter running for a little over a week now.>Subject: Dying Fish
>10 Gallons
>1 1/2 Week Old
>Cory Cats
>Two Than Four
>No Water Change
>Corner filter is primary filtration
>No secondary filtration
>No media change

I did not receive this e-mail before, so I will try to answer your questions, but find it very difficult to do so, I am confused as to the filtration you are actually using for each aquarium. It seems you have a single corner filter for both, and that might be the most important factor.

Generally a slime on the water top will come from oils in the fish food, and will develop over time. If this slime was immediate, then the chances that the water had some form of oil or other compound in it when you set up the aquarium is possible.

To start with, ensure there is no chloramine in the aquarium, I assume that you are doing regular water changes in your main aquarium, and the fish are not showing any distress, however, if there is chloramine in the aquarium, the dosage should be at least twice to three times the dosage for chlorine. If you do have chloramine, it does not go away and could be the cause for the deaths. If the fish spun erratically before they died, this could be a sign of toxicity from chlorine, but that should not have been available after a week, chloramine could be still there. Look at the gills, are they inflamed or reddened, this is a sign also of problems with water that is not right.

You do present a serious problem, since one tank is safe, the other not. I do suggest filtration be run in both, not swapped over occasionally, You might want to consider a Fluval Internal 2, or AquaClear Mini to run one of the aquariums for filtration. Also a heater in each should be considered. I know that this would not be the cause of death in most cases, but you do not want your quarantine tank to cause illness problems, and poor heatring can lead to "ich".

One possibility to make the water safer would be to use old water in your quarantine tank. When you do a partial water change, add the old water to your quarantine tank, and the fresh water to the standard aquarium. This would eliminate a possible problem of bad water in the quaratine tank and you will know that both aquariums are close to the same conditions for all the fish.

Sorry that I can't straight out identify the problem here, but hopefully the comments above will give you a better idea of what may be wrong.

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UGF and GoldFish
Thanks for the reply Steve. We have relatives who have just returned to Ottawa very reluctantly after having spent 3 weeks here in summer. Hope things return to normal soon.

One question you did not answer was on the substitute for the UGF and gravel in the tank. What are your feelings on this with reapect to gold fish?

Undergravel filters will be disturbed by goldfish on a regular basis, they tend to dig in gravel for food, one of the reasons they are often seen as dirty fish, they keep disturbing the substrater in their constant search for food. All carp do this, and it is quite natural, normal and expected. I would probably remove the UG filter, but not the substrate, they would not feel as at ease without a gravel bottom.

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