How to add sand/stone or wood inside tank?

[freddiewee]

hi psp1000,

BB is biobacteria, it is the good bacteria that is able to breakdown your harmful chemicals like ammonia when your fish waste decomposes. You can get a bacteria solution from All if not most LFS, if you dont want to it will just take longer for the bacteria to cultivate and become active to combat your cloudy water. The shop in plaza sing is on the second basement floor, same floor as GNC, saw them selling 1 female guppy for $3+ close to $4 but cant blame them also i guess rent is high. Maybe you try to rinse your sponge filter before even using it when you take it out of the brand new box? if not i dont suggest you take it out too often because your BB will die and then you have to start from scratch. If you want to reduce water change i do suggest you get another filter so as to keep the water very clean! 2 heads are better than 1! just watch out for the outflow because discus do not really tolerate very strong currents in waters.

Cheers!
Freddie

[psp1000]

ok..just need to check with you, will the setup media for canister make the water cloudy too? Iam using the below mention setup for my canister, wonder if this is the correct set up for my Dolphin C-1000 Canister filter

1) 1st tray (Top) - Ceramic Ring (that come with it with the canister)
2) 2nd tray (middle) - it come with carbon but I did not use it, therefore I just place abit of Ceramic ring in it.
3) 3rd tray (bottom) - black sponge and follow by the white sponge.

Is this setup correct? what happen if this setup is wrong? what will happen ?

[freddiewee]

it depends on the type of filter because some have water inlet that flows from top to bottom then out to the tank while others flow from bottom to the top then back into the tank... any pic of your canister?

your setup for your filter should be correct if the water comes in from the bottom. usually it should pass through the sponge first then ceremic rings.

[psp1000]

Currently i using the setup as follow;

1st tray (top) abit of ceramic ring
2nd tray (middle) - ceramic ring follow by white sponge on top
3rd tray (bottom) - black sponge follow by white sponge.

[freddiewee]

looking at the picture of your filter on the net it should be inlet in from top and water out from top too after it goes through the whole filter. Psp1000 i think your setup for your filter little wrong, tray 1 and 3 should swap. if possible go get more ceramic ring to culture more BB.

cheers!

[psp1000]

freddiewee
Regular

I did try it when i unplug everything, it look like the water inlet will go to the bottom then out from the bottom to top to the outlet. I use to try the setup you advice, but after i did it, it look like some small partica flow into my tank (small white color tissue like). Therefore I change back to mine setting and seen to be no more those small white color tissue like partical anymore. Therefore abit confuse on the setup ....

[psp1000]

I have just brought a BB solution from Petmart, do a nearly 100% water change , clean up my canister today, add the BB solution for the tank to do a full cycle , wait for few days and see will it make any difference for the cloudy water for the past few weeks.

[freddiewee]

if its bottom to top then your set up should be correct . Oh and your tank water is still cloudy after a few days? within 2 weeks max should clear up by then. what plants you intend to plant psp1000?

cheers!

[psp1000]

ya my water still cloudy after a few days, maybe due to I keep change water and keep clean the canister. Now I have redo everythings, clean the whole tank, clean the canister and add in BB soloution. wait for few days see will it still cloudy not.

Still not sure what plants to plant yet, cos still not sure about the adding in sand/stone yet. Have went to Petmart/Rainbow , saw some hard scale but not sure which to add in yet, meanwhile just settle the cloudy problem first.

[psp1000]

Freddiewee : My water still cloudy after I added in the BB solution since Saturday, any advice? or should I wait for few more days and see how it go? after Adding in the BB Solution, the next water change is how many %%%???

[freddiewee]

Hey Psp1000.

Dont do water changes now because what your doing may in turn kill the BB due to the chlorine and stuff like that. What you want is just to be patient, sit down, dont be too hasty. Don't keep doing water change. After awhile should clear up (Approx 1 - 2 weeks). Only do water change when your filter has cycled, meaning it can cope with water changes and has enough BB established in your filter. 20ml (2caps) per day should do the trick.

it shouldnt be your canister problem since you've washed it already. Have you washed your gravel? Because some brands (Usually cheaper ones) dont wash them clean leading to the particles in your water that you have added to your tank. Must must must try to wash the substrate to the cleanest possible state before adding otherwise your going to have a big headache when you add water.

And what size substrate do you want to put in Psp1000? (This will determine the types of plants you can grow in your substrate)

Cheers!

[psp1000]

well I have try not to do any water changes but sometime it turn too cloudy really make my discus feel stress, therefore I think i will only do 50 or 40 % water changes when it turn cloudy.

I intent to to have plants for discus aquariums over 30 degree. Any recommendation and where to get it? and what substrate is suitation for discus tank?

Any advice?

[freddiewee]

Lapis would be good but make sure you wash it before putting it in, it may be dirty and has lots of particles. But if you want to keep plants that grow mainly on wood or stone you may not want to put lapis sand as it traps dirt after awhile. Dont get white sand (which i did) gets dirty very easily, but i guess just have to be patient fr the plants to grow over it.

Cheers!

[psp1000]

Ok, tot of getting lapis to make it not so bare bottom. Anyway
Went to Petmart today, buy 2 plants (on the left side) and 1 jave fern from other shop (Those small shop near petmart). Any comment on the plants ? Iam new in plants, is these both plants easy to take care ? I on my light 24hrs de.is it ok for the plants?

[luncheonMeat]

i didnt think it was so hard to add substrate to your tank. Really depends on how and what kind of plants you want. You can remove the water and fish into a few pails put in a air pump for the fish temporary. Maybe, take out half tank of water but don throw away. Also don wash your filter.

I feel that lapis would be a wise choice. Washed them really clean before introducing them. and then plant your tank. Then put back the original water and then your fishes.

Im not 100% sure, maybe other veterans or bros can suggest other methods.
Just my 2 cents.

Cheers!

[psp1000]

thank for the advice, but well now just temp leave it as it be first. See how it work after a month or 2.