Planted Aquariums

[BlueBaron]

Hi all I'm new here as you may guess as I'm in the Beginner forum. So please forgive me if my questions seem dumb. *PEACE!*
After seeing some of your tanks here I'm jealous you all have planted aquariums or reef ones. So my tank is a week old now and it looked crap, so I got more gravel changed some plants cut some down a bit, bought a new plant and moved stingray filter and cover up a bit with a artificial plant and a real plant. I emptied the tank out keeping 50% of the water put new gravel in after cleaning new gravel out with a bowl and running tap. Then added it to tank leaving a 1 inch gap round the front and sides. I planted plants added my coloured gravel which matches my tank (purple) and put a roman amphi jar in it so fish can hide and swim through.
Now I'm happy with it and it looks much better. It has a nice area for the fish to swim in, and places to hide behind plants and in the roman amphi jar and the filter is covered up quite a bit.
It was over crowded before now it seems fine.
Another two weeks and I can get my white mountain minnows.
Now for my dumb question It says on my filter to change the foam filter and zeolite/carbon every two weeks one of each and keep one of each. Stingray 5 filter
OK this is the dumb part, the form filters when i rinse them in water I've taken from the tank I have to replace one of them but why replace any its just form and once cleaned of debris they are full of good bacteria and its just foam. The zeolite/carbon I don't know enough about to comment on but logic seems to me to keep foam filters and save money.

 

[Lotus]

I don't see the point in replacing the foam pads either, unless they fall apart. Save some money, and just rinse them out.

 

[revfred]

Just keep at it and asking questions. I started planted tanks with a bunch of help from the folks on this board about 1 1/2 years ago. It has worked out great and I am definitely hooked. Best therapy I know.

 

[BlueBaron]

Only problem now since my 50% water change, the tank is clouldy. I washed to new gravel very well. ? mmm
still clouldy after 11 hours though less clouldy than when I just changed water.

 

[NoDeltaH2O]

Cloudy water is most likely a bacterial bloom as the bacteria are currently suspended in the water column. This will naturally go away in time, don't try to get rid of it with chemicals, you'll only be wasting your money. (Bacteria is GOOD in a fish tank as it is what eats up fish poop, breaking the ammonia into nitrite and the nitrite into nitrate)

I am glad you started with planted tanks as they are both more rewarding, and more forgiving of things (except of course plant neglect).

I like how in the product description for the stingray it says, "- Colorful display box". That'll last until it get thrown away on day 1! The stingray looks really cool (like a stingray) but what is it? I know it's a filter, but is it an internal powerhead or HOB or what? Very post-modern looking. I can really see a pair of them in one of those tanks with the stainless steel stand and hood. I rinse filters a dozen times or more before I replace them, as the carbon insert (chemical filtration) is not what I use them for, but instead just for mechanical filtration.

 

[dbacksrat]

so let me get this straight--you can rinse the mechanical media (filter pad) and reuse it? is this true? i've been replacing my filter pads for two years now, spending a heck of a lotta money? *bangs head on computer*

 

[Jadenblack]

I just rinse my fliter pads out with the water from the water change. I do throw them out every couple of months just because it makes me feel better knowing that there is a new filter in there every now and then, but I don't see the point in replacing them all the time.

 

[NoDeltaH2O]

I rinse mine under high pressure water via the hose at the sink, so the chlorine likely decimates the bacteria colonies on there every time. The way I see it, I have a LOT MORE bacteria spread all around the tank (plants, gravel, rocks, wood, glass) so there is no need to worry about sparing the lives of a few bacteria on my filter cartridge.

 

[BlueBaron]

I rinse mine under high pressure water via the hose at the sink, so the chlorine likely decimates the bacteria colonies on there every time. The way I see it, I have a LOT MORE bacteria spread all around the tank (plants, gravel, rocks, wood, glass) so there is no need to worry about sparing the lives of a few bacteria on my filter cartridge.

How about getting a squeezy bottle like a washing up bottle (not a washing up bottle but like one) and using the change water in it and jetting through with that, then you get high pressure and don't kill the bacteria.

 

[NoDeltaH2O]

that could work, but too much trouble for lazy me...

 

[Tarah]

Can I ask a question here too about plants? I'm also a beginner, and I only have plastic plants in my aquariam. I have a gourami, and a couple cardinals....but want more cardinals, and I hear they like better planted tanks. Also, I heard that gourami's like real floating plants.

So, how difficult would it be to add a floating plant, and what should I add? What's the easiest? Do I need any more products to grow them? I think I read gouramis and cardinals like Java something or other? Would that be good? Can I get it in without messing the whole tank up?

 

[NoDeltaH2O]

If you have plastic plants but would like some real floating plants, then go with duckweed. There is a profile on it here at MFT in the new profile section. Duckweed can grow in almost any water and needs no special attention. The grouramis will enjoy it and if you've got a male and a femal, look for bubble nests and babies. A lotus plant would do well also as they fair well in a non-planted tank without lots of light or CO2.

 

[derajer]

To answer the question about the carbon, Carbon is your chemical filter. It removes all sort of things, but mostly it keeps the fish odor under control. If you use any medication though, it will also remove that.

 

[BlueBaron]

I like how in the product description for the stingray it says, "- Colorful display box". That'll last until it get thrown away on day 1! The stingray looks really cool (like a stingray) but what is it? I know it's a filter, but is it an internal powerhead or HOB or what.

Here's a internal picture of a stingray filter.
The Stingray contains form and filter media for mechanical, biological and chemical cleaning.

P.S. Also the cloudy water has cleared now after 48 hours!