what to do with the new goodies

[pensky]

At the LFS I came across a guy selling a 55 gal tank with a hole drilled for overflow water to go into a rubbermaid container with bio-balls, and a pump to pump the water back. for $80.00.
I don't know much about how to use a filter set up, but for $80 bucks I could not pass it up.
how do I use the bio-balls and should I clean them and how do i clean them?
Is this a good way to filter?
any suggestions.

 

[dragonfli]

SO DID YOU ACTUALLY GO WITH THE 55? i remember a conv. about that earlier. wow $80. thats good. so did it come with a sump and everything? do you have a digital cam? would it be easy to attach a pphoto (now that the site works)

 

[pensky]

I just bought it before I went to work and had to put it in the shed then and it is 3:30 am (just got off). although I will take some pic in the morning because I know it was a good buy, yet I don't know anything about the bio-balls. He had them in a tube with some cotton looking stuff on top and the water would flow first throught the cotton and then the balls and back to the tank. Is this a good set up?

 

[ivanfj]

For the bio balls, you may just need to rinse them maybe like once a week with water. Just have to make sure the balls are not trapping anything. But if I were to do this, I would ditch the bioballs because I know I will be lazy cleaning them. I would still put liverocks in both the sump and the tank for filtration and run a skimmer 24/7.

 

[pensky]

HELP HELP HELP
I just check my tank and it went from 78 degrees to 90 in 11 hours.
it is 4 in the morning and everyone in the house is asleep.
I took off the hood and the heater out and I put some ice cube in the over the top filter
this is my 29gal I just change CC to LS

 

[ivanfj]

Do you have a clip-on fan or just any fans you can use??? Becareful when using ice cubes. They can drop the temp. way too fast and your animal may not be able to handle the change too well. Check all your powerheads and filter and make sure they are not burning or producing unusual heat. Definitely check your heater if you run one at this time of the year. If a heater cracks, they can run alot hotter than the temp. indicates.

 

[pensky]

YES i just bought a new heater today because i broke my old one makeing the CC to LS change
I have put 2 trays of Ice in the tank but just flowing them there so I don't get that water in the tank i can just lift the ice tray out
no fans at my disposal??
They are not dead but swimming very funny
tang very fast circles
2 clowns curled together in a rock
star fish at the top with legs flip over water surface still moving
"usual behavior for him"
can't see anemone

 

[pensky]

i'm down to 86 now should I stop and let it set or keep putting ice?

 

[ivanfj]

86 is still considered a little high IMO. Maybe 82-83.

 

[pensky]

is this too fast
am i better off to slowly cool or rapidly get it down
I can probaly get 6 degrees in 30 min
is that more of a risk than more exposer to the heat

 

[dragonfli]

just let it set they have been through enough tonite. if your room temp is ok then let it settle. they will slowy acclimate back again. they should be fine i hope the ice cubes didnt shock them too bad. (but i cant schold anyone i have doen the cubes before)

 

[dragonfli]

fish dont like anything sudden. let it slowly get to low 80's

 

[dragonfli]

have you ever jumped from a hot tub into the snow? thats what has happened here. you might want to soak some garlic into their food to help their immune sys. so you dont get an ich outbreak

 

[pensky]

ok it went down 4 degree 90 to 86 in less than 30 minutes so I will let it set for tonight

 

[dragonfli]

now take a breath and have a drink

 

[dragonfli]

when you gonna set up that new tank? you got a process in mind?

 

[dragonfli]

start a new thread BOI BALLS OR LR????? you will get some good info from that.

 

[dragonfli]

sorry i forgot i would for sure go with LR. and you could add some base rock into it and let the LR turn it into LR. much easir on the pocket book. but i guess you did save with that set up. love to see a pic.

 

[pensky]

really i have never had to deal with ich before. All I have at the house is frozen brine shrimp.
should i put a piece in a cup of tank water with garlic powder and let it set overnight and feed them around noon?

 

[pensky]

ok so just basically it would be the top tank with fish and LR then flow down into a tub with base rock and back. skimmer in the top tank or tube and I still have a bio-wheel should i use it?