Quote:
Originally Posted by
wen tom http:///t/395505/system-shot/20#post_3521580
Hey! Flower I read your thread on setting up a HT. I got a "biosponge" great big things, but when I hook up the pump to them the air just comes out, it doesn't go thru the sponge. Am I doing something wrong, Thanks, Wow what a story, (yours) I LOVE the way this group does so much for each other. wen tom
Hi,
I'm not familiar with the pump or bio-sponge you are talking about. "great big things??????" The thing about a sponge is that they can be cut very easy to fit your needs.
I use a HOB filter (larger then the 10g tank requires) I put media from the established tank into the that (it just sits in the back of the thing and water flows through and then "waterfalls" back into the tank.. For the rest of the set up, I use an air pump with an air line, no stone. I use a rubberband to attach the air line to a piece of PVC pipe that I hide behind a resin tank decoration (a rigid tube works better, but they are hard to find at the LFS and must be ordered)... I also take a little of the prolifera macroalgae from the display, and put that in there as well. If a new fish is sick, the macros and decoration are easy to remove, so that I can treat the tank with whatever medicine is needed.
When my tank was new, and I was first stocking the tank, I kept the little tank set up all the time. I had cycled it along with the display. Once I had the tank stocked, I didn't need to add new fish very often, so I figured out a way to do one in a pinch when I needed a hospital tank for a sick fish.
I usually have a tub of water mixing for water changes, it has a power head to churn the water...it will sometimes sit for weeks before use it, I seldom don't have already mixed water. If you don't, then you need to make a tub of water before you start, so you have some to replace what you remove from the display. New SW needs to churn at least 12 to 24 hours before you use it. Getting some premixed from the LFS is another option if you don't have a tub to store water. Anyway, I take the
old water from the display, and fill the 10g. The prolifera macroalgae and the used media makes a sort of "instant cycle" for that little tank to be able to use it. I keep those stick tests for ammonia, and test the water twice a day. Just in case I need to do an emergency change...so far I have never needed to, but I'm always nervous about an "instant set up", because there really is no such thing as instant anything when it comes to saltwater.
