Treating Water, White substance around filter, other misc questions

[Punkrulz]

Hey guys,

Just throwing a few other misc questions around here to get some answers. They've been asked before, but they haven't been answered exclusively and I don't want to bump old threads.

1) Someone told me that when I'm adding water, I should always add a dechlorinator first. This is something I have never ever done. I assume I should buy some from the store, and follow the directions. I have two questions about that:
- My filter has a little "spout" that kind of inserts it via that method. Should I use that, or place directly into the water? This question won't matter pending the answer of the next one:
- Do I add dechlorinator to the water before adding it to the tank? Or can I add, then decholorinate?

2) I've noted that there appears to be this white, possibly chalky looking substance that's all around my filter and my hood. What is this, is it dangerous, and how do you treat?

3) My vacuum seems to be really weak. I guess it's because the actual hose line part is thin, not sure, but it doesn't seem to get enough umph to do anything. All I do is hit the gravel, it stirs it up into the water and I spend time trying to move the vacuum around trying to get it, but it fails. Any recommendations? I'm sure the Python is the recommendation to be, however I don't have the money to warrant it right now for a 10g tank.

4) Lighting and Air Pump. It has been discussed before that lighting should be on 10-12 hours per day. It has also been discussed that the air pump should be on when the light is off, when the plants aren't photosynthesizing. Is this correct? Also, does it matter the physical time of day it is when I do this? Or is it my choice when I choose to have one on, and the other? I only have two plants, and someone told me that while they forget the name they're pretty sure they're not heavily aquatic plants... so CO2 and such doesn't matter.

5) Are there any websites that you guys use exclusively that is a basic but easy to understand guide on fish, w/ pictures, descriptions, etc? Basically a fish dictionary. I used to have one but lost my favorites, and can't seem to find the website again.

I think that's it for now!

 

[Dr_fish]

The white chalky stuff is just hard water residue you can remove with some vinegar nothing to worry about. For the water changes I always put water in a bucket add the dechlorinator and let sit for 24 hours and then add it to the tank.

 

[TabMorte]

Tropical Fish: Buy Live Fish and Tropical Fish Supplies

Is the site I use for looking up fish. It's not complete but it's good a good profile on each fish they do have and a good compatibility chart.

You'r tank is 10 Gallons? I'm not sure you need a CO2 pump in such a small tank. At least I've never used one in mine and my plants seem happy.

Aquatic products

That's the gravel cleaner I use, the wide one like that I find is easier for cleaning up the 10G's bottom, it was all of like $10.00.

 

[FishGeek]

With the whole air pump thing (which I believe you are refering to FreshwaterJeff's thread) is for if you are running CO2 on your tank. It help release the unused CO2 (or something to do with that) If you are not runnning CO2 then dont worry about that.

As for the dechlorinator yes you should buy and use some. Chlorine does evaporate from water in a few days time but to make it safe immediatly for fish you need to use a dechlorinator. I add mine in as I am adding the new water to the tank. But I have a python. When I was using buckets I put a little dechlorinator in the bucket before I actually put the water into it. Then I filled it with water and dumped it into the tank. By adding it before the water you allow the dechlorinator to mix with the water and beging working before the water is dumped into the tank. Both methods work just fine for me.

As far as your vaccum being weak, what kind of vac are you using?? Have you checked to see if there was anything that got lodged where the hose and the big plastic tube meet?? I had that happen to me once or twice.

 

[Punkrulz]

You'r tank is 10 Gallons? I'm not sure you need a CO2 pump in such a small tank. At least I've never used one in mine and my plants seem happy.

Yes, the tank is 10g, but I never even thought about getting a CO2 pump. Way too extravagant for me, especially since I really don't have any live plants except for the two... won't be doing plants for awhile.

Oh! Another question:

6) Substrate: I want to switch substrates, if not switch I will just use a new substrate in my new tank whenever I possibly get that. I'm thinking about using sand, I'd really like to use sand, preferably black sand. Where can I get the appropriate sand to use, and approximately how much? Will it benefit the fish, and the plants? What about cleaning, since the sand can easily go through the siphon?

 

[Punkrulz]

As for the dechlorinator yes you should buy and use some. Chlorine does evaporate from water in a few days time but to make it safe immediatly for fish you need to use a dechlorinator. I add mine in as I am adding the new water to the tank. But I have a python. When I was using buckets I put a little dechlorinator in the bucket before I actually put the water into it. Then I filled it with water and dumped it into the tank. By adding it before the water you allow the dechlorinator to mix with the water and beging working before the water is dumped into the tank. Both methods work just fine for me.

Being as I am not using a python, rather 5g jugs we have for our drinking water (no bucket, yet), will there be any difference for that? Will I have to wait 24 hours before putting water into the tank, or can I just put the dechlorinator in the way you described? How do you put it in with the python?

As far as your vaccum being weak, what kind of vac are you using?? Have you checked to see if there was anything that got lodged where the hose and the big plastic tube meet?? I had that happen to me once or twice.

I'm not sure the make or model of the vacuum I am using... all I know is it has a skinny tube that meets up with a larger tube, that's it... nothing special about it. It's also gotten to the point where sometimes the skinny tube detaches from the larger one... I don't see any air bubbles coming from there though, so I can't attribute it to lost pressure or anything... and no, I do not believe there is anything causing a blockage, again knowing this when the two pieces separate.

 

[FishGeek]

As fr the Sand, most of the debris sits on the surface of the sand and about every month to every other month you need to stir it up and do a water change. I know that a lot of the mom and pop pet stores have this black (also sold in white) fine sand. Its in a 5 pound bag and its labeled for fresh or saltwater use. I dont remember the brand or what its called exactly. But I have only seen it at mom and pop pet stores. If you want to switch substrate, do it in between your water changes and the changing of your filter pad. You want to have as much bacteria in other parts of your tank when you make the change. But otherwise its fine to do.

 

[FishGeek]

I just put it straight into the tank next to where the python is sitting puring water into the tank.

You can do it just like I described.

The only thing that I can suggest is to try and suck on the end to start your suction and see if that gives you a stronger flow. But you may end up spitting out some water. But its not any different than when you are swimming in the ocean

 

[Kissyboots]

Do you use this?

That's what I use. I put the WHOLE thing in the 20g so it fills it up all the way (no air bubbles). Then I hold one end closed and put it in a bucket that's about four feet lower than the top of the 20g. Then the water flows down. It's not supposed to be very strong, which is good so the fish don't get in there.

 

[Punkrulz]

Yeah I typically do wind up sucking the water out... I've never had water-to-mouth incidents except for the other night and that's because the g/f was distracting me as she was taking an interest in what I was doing. That is the exact same type of hose I use.

I may just wait for the new 55g tank to use black sand in. Do I use all just sand, or do I layer the bottom with gravel and the top with sand? Again, how much do I used based on the tank size?

And when you say you stir up the sand to loosen the debris, do you just stir it so the debris goes air... well, waterborne again, so the filter catches it?

 

[FishGeek]

Nop all you need is the sand. Unless you want to layer it.

 

[Punkrulz]

I do have one question left about the dechlorinator...

What should I buy? I'm looking at big Al's online right now, something called Tetra Aqua Safe maybe? Is that good, or should I get something else?

 

[TabMorte]

I have used AquaPlus and Prime both and they work every well. Prime I find is more economical (one cap full treats like 50 gallons where as 1 cap full of AquaPlus only treats 10G) but both work very well, illiminate chlorine and chlorimine. Prime also helps keep your ammonia levels down and premotes a natural slime coat for your fishes.

 

[brian1973]

I test my tap water for chlorine every time I do a water change, my tap water seems to have no detectable amounts of chlorine but i do add chlorine remover to the tanks after I fill them just to be safe.

 

[jen0910]

I use AquaSafe and I have never had any problems with it.

 

[Punkrulz]

I know these are going to be good to have, so I just ordered some Pimafix, Melafix, and prime... Just gotta wait.

 

[Lotus]

A lot of people really like Prime. I get AP Tap Water conditioner because it's really economical. The water treatments with slime coat stuff are better avoided, IMO, unless it's for a tank where you do a lot of netting of the fish.

I don't think there's a big difference in brands of dechlorinator, and they all use the same active ingedient.

 

[TabMorte]

Good idea ordering the Pimafix and Melafix now! Your fish will be greatful.

 

[Punkrulz]

A lot of people really like Prime. I get AP Tap Water conditioner because it's really economical. The water treatments with slime coat stuff are better avoided, IMO, unless it's for a tank where you do a lot of netting of the fish.

I don't think there's a big difference in brands of dechlorinator, and they all use the same active ingedient.

I hope this doesn't come back to harm me. I really wasn't sure how beneficial the added slime coat would be on the fish. As of right now the only netting I do to them is if they are dead, and once I get my 55g I'm sure they'll be netted around that time too...

In any case I'm sure this will be far more beneficial as opposed to not doing anything like I have been for the chlorine!

 

[TabMorte]

Well that's the differance between Prime and other conditioners I've used. Other conditioners ADD a slime coat while Prime promotes it naturally happening.