Hi! New guy here

[RoyKoh]

Hi,

I just set up a new 40L (10gal) tank, 10 guppies die and make me realize how important water cycling is .

Tank Make and Model : Classica XL390
Filter : Stock + Sponge filter
Filter Media : Carbon, Glass ring , wool
Ocean free bio gravel
Lighting : stock
Temp : 31 ~ 32 degree C


Fish still alive : 1x Pleco, 2x Cory Cat, 6x Platies

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
pH 7.6

Is it alright to add 6 more guppies in this setup ? Is my tank cycled enough?

Thanks
Roy

[spikey]

carbon is going to absorb all bacteria - whether good or bad as well as any medication that you put in. From my experience, it gives u clearer water but at a price. U may want to remove your substrate so that water management is easier.

[RoyKoh]

Hi spikey,

For carbon, is that a good thing ? that it absorb both good and bad, I have ammonia and nitrite reading from day 6 and day 9 test. The good bacteria is not establish in my tank ?

thanks

[jeffteo]

The carbon will not absorb the beneficial bacteria. Basically carbon is use to absorb the toxic chemical in the water. For a new tank, it is ok to leave it in the filter but after a month, it got to remove as it will no longer be able to absorb any more and will start to leach back into the water what it absorb. When dosing any medication or fertilizer, carbon should be removed also. Some people will add carbon to remove the excess medication from the water after the treatment is completed. Basically if not dosing fertilizer, there is no harm using carbon as it will makes the water cleaner and removes smell just that you will need to change it every 10 days.

As for adding more fish, you may want to do something about the temperature first. Try to keep it below 30 degree Celcius.

[RoyKoh]

Hi

Thanks for the info .. I am getting a fan or two for my tank . Any suggestions which is most suitable ??

Thanks

[jeffteo]

I am using Dynamax Vortex Cooling Fan W-8. It is a slim hang on fan which I hang at the back of my tank. I like the design as it does not stand too high at the top of the tank side. Only about 2 cm of the fan outlet is seen sticking out of the top of the tank. Noise wise, it is like a CPU fan running.

[RoyKoh]

Jeffteo,

So how many degree C it manage to bring down ?

TY

[jeffteo]

Around 2-3 degree. For fan cooling, it really depends on ambient temperature. With air-con on at 26 degree, it can drop further to around 24 degree on my 2 FT tank. My tank never exceed 29 degree when the fan is running while the lights are on.

You got to leave a small gap on the lid if you have one, if not the hot air will be trapped and not circulate properly. This may be one of the reason why your tank temperature is so high.

Regarding adding guppy to the tank, do some research on their compatibility with what you have before you get it.

[RoyKoh]

Jeffteo,

I agree with the hot air thing, completely forgot leaving any gap for hot air to escape, its like a green house I guess. LOL

I try to leave a gap and see how the temp goes tommorrow .

[RoyKoh]

Leaving a gap work well to bring around 1 degree down,

Today my platy give birth, I put her in breeder box but she give birth to dead fry.

Look like premature birth, I release her back to the tank, I have handful of plants, turn off the filter and she hide at one corner, hopefully the fry afterward will survive..

I am thinking of replacing the filter with Boyu internal filter SP-603E, need advise.

Thanks

[jeffteo]

Get an external canister like Eden or Shiruba. Ehiem classic 221x series will be better if you don't mind the price.

[RoyKoh]

But my is just 10gal/40litre tank, is it too over power ?

[jeffteo]

More is better than not enough when coming to filtration. All those I mentioned are around 300 L/H which is about 7.5 times which IMO is still ok. Internal filter often drip the rubbish back into the tank when doing maintenance. Smaller tank with good filtration will have lesser or no Ammonia/Nitrite spike.

I actually have super duper over filtration. Mine is 60L with a DIY wet dry sump filter running a 2000 L/H power head. I think I should still have about 800 - 1000 L/H with a 1.2 meter head. 2 liter of ceramic rings in the wet dry and with an internal Hailea 200 L/H filter for surface agitation and water circulation. The DIY was an experiment and decided to continue to use it as I enjoy the hassle free maintenance. Just need to pull out the drawer with the filter pad, rinse/replace it and put it back in and I am done.

So don't worry too much about over filtration. The filter can still be reuse should you upgrade to a bigger tank later.

[RoyKoh]

Alright thanks, but mine come with a built-in hood. No place to place the inlet and outlet of the hose .

[RoyKoh]

How to install canisters filter when I had a built-in Hood?

[jeffteo]

You got to mod the hood in the case. There should be some holes at the back to start with. Maybe make it bigger to fit.
Mine got 2 lid on the hood, front and back. So i remove the back and just let it rest on top of the pipes while still be able to provide some cover from the top.

[RoyKoh]

Beside mod the Hood . What you think if I install a eheim pickup 2010 instead ?

[spikey]

Beside mod the Hood . What you think if I install a eheim pickup 2010 instead ?

u can try the eden series as well - no less reliable.

[RoyKoh]

ok,

I will check out at C328

Thanks

[spikey]

i am not sure C328 or polyart (both a clementi ave 2) have the smaller eden series - u might want to try seaview at seletar. Went there this afternoon - confirm have.