AquaClear 300 help please

[noyd]

I bought one of these fellas today, set it up and all (hope I did it right)... with the sponge on the bottom, and the carbon which is rapped up in some netting on top of the sponge.. I would also like to add ceremic noodles on top of the carbon, with the noodles in the netting also.

1) Did I need to remove the carbon from the netting before I put it in to the filter?

2) Can I take it out of the netting?

3) How can I add ceremic noodles to it? With or without the netting the noodles come with?

4) Is there anything else I need to do, or check?

Anyone who has one of these, or has experience with one, please help me out.

I am using Cycle® to help the AC300 to cycle my tank properly before I add any of my fish to it, how long am I looking at?

Cheers :^:

[BaZ]

Hi noyd

the carbon should be fine in it's little parcel, that's how they are designed to be used.

I don't run carbon in my filters unless I am trying to remove medication from the water or something similar.

My ac300's are set up with a sponge top and bottom, and in the middle is mixed bag of noodles and broken oyster shells.

From what you have said it doesn't sound like you have forgotten anything important.

As far as you cycle is concerned, I've never done one using a product like that so I do not know how long it would take sorry.

[noyd]

Thanks, I also have something else in mind, I've sprinkled a very tiny bit of coral in there for my high pH frontosa, after all cycle is done and I'm fighting to get my pH right (What should it be, for 3ft), could I possible get some more of that netting, put some coral into it, then stick it into my filter, and have it buffer the pH? And play with it until I get it right? Would that be a lot of trouble?

Cheers

[reesy1]

Dont play with your PH too much , measure your ph after the tank has cycled and just maitain the natural PH that your system creates , if its too low for your africans then use limestone or equiv rocks , if its too high you can try peat moss in filter but it is expensive just dont use chemicals because these will cuase temporary drastic shifts which equals dead fish. I keep africans and americans my water is bore water and ph of 7.6-8.2 , great for africans and my americans love it almost as much hopefully i will have some baby oscars to prove it soon. I just maintain these levels and dont try to play chemist , IMO think its the best approach. i also think KH + GH have more of an impact on a system anyway breeding and general health wise any way.

good luck anyway mate

[noyd]

cool thanks

I was told each time I do a water change, the coral that I have in there will up my pH, but really.. its only about a hand full of coral in there, thats not much is it?

I should be okay, right now the tanks pH is... 8.2/8.4 area, with no chemicals, just fresh new tap water (about 5/6 hours old with the filtration and Cycle®), plus the little bit of coral, how much can I expect it to drop as my tank becomes cycled?

I have also used some Aqua Master, Armour Coat, around 15 drops, and 2 tablespoons of Aquarium Salt by Science Products.

cheers

[BaZ]

The broken oyster shells in mine are there as a buffer. This is in addition to the marble substrate i have in my tanks.

Make sure you put it in a bag though (similar to your carbon) or it will spread through the filter and become hard work at cleaning time.

[trofius]

You can add the crushed oyster shells ar coral or whatever to the filter by placeing it in some old stockings, just put it in the end of the stocking and spread it out a bit, until you get the size you want then tie it up and put back over itself and retie it so that it is two layers thick. then cut off the excess, works fine and easier to clean.

[noyd]

I have a reading of about 1.0ppm on a tank that has been running an AC300 for the passed 2 weeks now, whats the fastest way to get 0ppm again? I have some fish in there now, I'm planning on doing a 25% water change everyday until its gone, can anyone think of anything else?

Cheers

[Mazimbwe]

...filter by placeing it in some old stockings...

hmmm...I'm sure "The Cook" would've preffered it if I had used old ones :

Glad she doesn't know. I just use the ones closest to the top of her draw!!

I'm glad it's pantyhose and not panty's tho.

She would think there was a "Snow-dropper" in the neighbourhood, pinching her knickers. LMAO

[PHL]

I am using Cycle® to help the AC300 to cycle my tank properly before I add any of my fish to it, how long am I looking at?

If you don't add fish, you can wait forever. The tank will not start cycling until you have a source of ammonia, which is usually fish waste. There have been some tests with liquid ammonia, but too little, and nothing happens, too much, and fiter bacteria dies, and you go back to start.

Add one or two smaller fishes, and test for peaks in ammonia, then nitrite, than stable nitrate; once that happens, you know cycling is complete.

I did use Cycle for my first two tanks, but that was some time ago, and haven't used it for my recent tanks, which were set up with 'instant' cycling (but that is another story, and should not be attempted unless you are sure of what you are doing).