I'm new to this and there is more to it then I first thought. I wis I had found this place befor I set up my tank. here is what I have a 29 gal tank with 14 small fish (head and tail lights and neion tetras) I have a rena filstar xp1 and a wisper 2000 and a undergravel filter) also can I filter too much? I did not do a fishless cycle. how soon can I add more fish? and what shoud I be checking the water for?I admit I just don't know how often do you change the filters?
- Thread starter jeffminsc
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I'm new to this and there is more to it then I first thought. I wis I had found this place befor I set up my tank. here is what I have a 29 gal tank with 14 small fish (head and tail lights and neion tetras) I have a rena filstar xp1 and a wisper 2000 and a undergravel filter) also can I filter too much? I did not do a fishless cycle. how soon can I add more fish? and what shoud I be checking the water for?
you should read the stickies first and see where you can go from there, i wouldnt add anymore fish till u get a test kit and test your water for nitrate, nitrites, and ammonia, most people here suggest the master test kit. when u set up ur tank did u add any chemicals to it? if so what? how long have ur fish been in the tank?
The Rena is a canister filter, correct? That means there should be space in it for really any kind of media you want. Ideally, you'd want something like filter floss and ceramic rings. The rings are a GREAT media for growing bacteria and the floss filters particles out. As the floss becomes...yuckified...it can be replaced without really negatively affecting your bacteria colonies. Thats one reason why canisters are great. However, you can get by with just rinsing the floss out for quite a while. I've only changed mine completely a few times in 3 years.
As for the whisper, which i think is an HOB- you don't really ever have to replace it. A good rinse in tank-temp water (use water from a water change) is fine.
You need test kits for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Nitrate is the one you'll use most frequently after establishing your tank because it is the measure of how much waste you have in the tank. Ammonia tests test for the ammonia that fish wastes create (the first stage of cycling) and thsi then turns into nitrite, which is very very toxic to fish.
You can add new fish after the tank has cycled - but only a few at a time because you don't want a lot of ammonia and nitrite in there.
I wouldn't use the undergravel filter, myself. I think they tend to be more trouble then they're worth (they trap a lot of gunk under there)...but too late now.
You cannot overfilter your water. However, you will only colonize enough bacteria to feed off of the limited amount of waste you have. Plus, you don't want to create a whirlpool.
As for the whisper, which i think is an HOB- you don't really ever have to replace it. A good rinse in tank-temp water (use water from a water change) is fine.
You need test kits for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Nitrate is the one you'll use most frequently after establishing your tank because it is the measure of how much waste you have in the tank. Ammonia tests test for the ammonia that fish wastes create (the first stage of cycling) and thsi then turns into nitrite, which is very very toxic to fish.
You can add new fish after the tank has cycled - but only a few at a time because you don't want a lot of ammonia and nitrite in there.
I wouldn't use the undergravel filter, myself. I think they tend to be more trouble then they're worth (they trap a lot of gunk under there)...but too late now.
You cannot overfilter your water. However, you will only colonize enough bacteria to feed off of the limited amount of waste you have. Plus, you don't want to create a whirlpool.
Three kinds of filtration on a 29 sounds like overkill to me...you could easily get away with taking the ugf out of the tank if not both the hob and the ugf. I think personally thats probably a pretty loud tank with an air pump and a HOB going at the same time
I'd 2nd the question of how long your tank's been set up...and that you should get tests to know what your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels are. 14 tetras in that size tank probably wont allow too much more stocking of the tank...maybe some bottom dwellers. I'd wait to add more fish until you know that your tank is completely cycled.
Here's a great thread to read in case you haven't seen it yet:
http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/showthread.php?t=19568
I'd 2nd the question of how long your tank's been set up...and that you should get tests to know what your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels are. 14 tetras in that size tank probably wont allow too much more stocking of the tank...maybe some bottom dwellers. I'd wait to add more fish until you know that your tank is completely cycled.
Here's a great thread to read in case you haven't seen it yet:
http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/showthread.php?t=19568