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Pet Forum / Aquaria / Goldfish / March 2007Can a sponge or SOS nylon scrubbing pad be used as a bio filter media?
I've got another question about my goldfish. I've got the big one in a new 30 gallon tank. The ammonia was quite high, so I added some "ammonia clear" tablets to neutralize it. The API test kit still shows high ammonia, but the instructions said that the kit would still test positive. I never cycled the tank. I just dumped the fish in. Can you tell I'm a completely idiotic newbie? My tap water (from a well) has a very high ph (at least 8.8) What should I do about it? It is terribly hard and has messed up our pipes for years with lime deposits. I have a 4" airstone running full-time. My uncle dug out an old Whisper filter that sits on the outside of the glass. I bought a new filter bag and carbon for it. But it no longer has the bio filter media. Can I take one of those green nylon scouring pads by SOS (3M) and use that inside the whisper as the media for the bio-bugs? Or how about a sponge? (new & unused for both) I went to the local pet store today, and they sell filter bags & carbon, but they don't sell bio-filter material. I want to get the ammonia down and get the bacteria going as quickly as possible. I just don't know what to use as the "home" for the bacteria. Thanks. (I bought some :"cycle " by nutrafin to get the bacteria started.) Also, is spring water OK to use for water changes? Thanks for helping out this totally ignorant newbie. dave in michigan > I've got another question about my goldfish. > I've got the big one in a new 30 gallon tank. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > I never cycled the tank. I just dumped the fish in. Can you > tell I'm a completely idiotic newbie? I would start doing partial water changes to bring the ammonia down to safe levels. > My tap water (from a well) has a very high ph (at least 8.8) > What should I do about it? It is terribly hard and has messed up > our pipes for years with lime deposits. Goldfish acclimate well to PH that high. Don't start messing with the PH. > I have a 4" airstone running full-time. > My uncle dug out an old Whisper filter that sits on the outside of the [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > I went to the local pet store today, and they sell filter bags > & carbon, but they don't sell bio-filter material. No comment as I use Aquaclears. > I want to get the ammonia down and get the bacteria going as > quickly as possible. I just don't know what to use as the "home" for > the bacteria. Some here recommend Bio-Spira as the only one that really works. Meanwhile start those partial water changes and vac out any uneaten food that you see on the bottom. > Thanks. > > (I bought some :"cycle " by nutrafin to get the bacteria started.) > > Also, is spring water OK to use for water changes? Yes, as long as the temp is very close to the temp of the tank water. > Thanks for helping out this totally ignorant newbie. Please also Google Goldfish+care, Aquarium+cycling etc.  SignatureRM.... Frugal ponding since 1995. rec.ponder since late 1996. My Pond & Aquarium Pages: http://tinyurl.com/9do58 ~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö> ~~~ }<(((((o> that is a little high in pH, but GF outta do fine UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES USE GREEN NYLON SCOURING PADS. dont use anything that isnt specifically for aquariums. there are some "scrubbies" that have stuff in them kills fish immediately. if you go to walmart get polyester batting with NO TREATMENT, like no antibacterial or anything. you can use that as media. also, fish stores have white filter style material, even scrubbies for tanks... those are safe. Ingrid >I've got another question about my goldfish. >I've got the big one in a new 30 gallon tank. [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at http://weloveteaching.com/puregold/ sign up: http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?hl=en&q=puregold&qt_s=Group+lookup www.drsolo.com Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I receive no compensation for running the Puregold list or Puregold website. I do not run nor receive any money from the ads at the old Puregold site. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Zone 5 next to Lake Michigan I disagree I have used the green scotch brite scourer things thousands of times cut into squares they even make an interesting cannister filter media when choosing a sponge to use in a filter first make sure the stuff is 'open cell' not like a honeycomb or water won't be able to flow thru then make sure it doesn't have detergent or anti-bacterial on it last make sure it isn't gonna rot away under the water!! other things that work well are gutter guard, shade clothe, mosquito netting, body scrubbers, army men (plastic), chopped straws, sanded leggo, velcro strips..... really as long as it has a nice surface area your set that said I buy boxes of various foams from factorys in china they are safe for fish tanks and cost me nothing But in the past and in some of my filters still theres the odd sponge that was designed to fit on a mop or a tangle of packing tape growing bacteria is not really that hard and buying stuff from fish shops is always going to be far far more expensive perhaps it's best to go for 'normal' stuff when you start out but as time goes on and ya build your first bubble bead or fbf ya start to experiment I'd find a website that sells chunks of foam you can cut to size in the end thats the best way but when ya have to fill a huge sump anything goes :) > that is a little high in pH, but GF outta do fine > UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES USE GREEN NYLON SCOURING PADS. dont use anything [quoted text clipped - 56 lines] > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Zone 5 next to Lake Michigan > I never cycled the tank. I just dumped the fish in. Can you >tell I'm a completely idiotic newbie? Hey...we've all done it at least once. I put ~15 feeder goldfish in a 10 gallon tank and wondered why most of 'em died... > My tap water (from a well) has a very high ph (at least 8.8) >What should I do about it? It is terribly hard and has messed up >our pipes for years with lime deposits. Mine is 8.0 and my goldies have been fine for 3+ years with no pH adjustment. You could decrease the pH slowly with HCl or "pH Decreaser"...But I'd be worried about the ammonia first. Maybe try some ammo-carb or zeolite in the filter bag? Worry about the pH once that's under control. >My uncle dug out an old Whisper filter that sits on the outside of the >glass. I bought a new filter bag and carbon for it. But it no longer >has the bio filter media. I have been using "dollar store" 10/$1 scouring pads for years to clean algae from the glass. I rinse them well first of course. I suspect one would work OK as bio-media if you still have the holder. The "Imagine Bio3" replacement filter for the Whisper includes a bio foam pad and is cheaper than the whisper filters. Sold in multi-packs at www.Petsolutions.com and maybe your LFS. FYI, I use nylon stocking (pantyhose) instead of the filter bag when I don't need the charcoal...once the tank is cycled and settled. Laundered & well-rinsed of course...I can get 6-8 filters out of a pair...cut it 1-2" longer than the filter frame and fold it up at the bottom...bunch it up at the top so the clip will hold it. Don't try to rinse & reuse...toss & replace. CHEAP. >Also, is spring water OK to use for water changes? Probably... I'd want to test it first to know what's in it. Might be just as hard and high pH as your tap water(or worse). Also, you don't want to shock 'em with a pH change. I use my 8.0 pH Lake Erie tap water with a chlorine/chloramine remover. works fine. Best of luck! --Don in Cleveland OH Don Byrer Commercial Pilot / CFI Student Electronics Technician, RADAR/Data/Comm @ CLE Amateur Radio KJ5KB "I have slipped the surly bonds of earth; now if I can just land without bending the gear..." "I know what it sounds like....when doves cry" (Bird Strike 8/29/05) Top Fin® Bio 3 Filter Cartridges are teh name petsmart sells the carts for the whisper under. The Small Bio 3 Cartridge fits Top Fin and Whisper 10 Filters and In-Tank Filters. The Large Bio 3 Cartridge fits Top Fin and Whisper 20, 30, 40 and 60 size Filters. >> I never cycled the tank. I just dumped the fish in. Can you >>tell I'm a completely idiotic newbie? [quoted text clipped - 49 lines] > bending the gear..." > "I know what it sounds like....when doves cry" (Bird Strike 8/29/05) You can also rebuild the carts by slicing them and emptying out old media then slipping in some new sponge. With water changes ya don't usually need chemical filtration > Top Fin® Bio 3 Filter Cartridges are teh name petsmart sells the carts for > the whisper under. The Small Bio 3 Cartridge fits Top Fin and Whisper 10 [quoted text clipped - 54 lines] >> bending the gear..." >> "I know what it sounds like....when doves cry" (Bird Strike 8/29/05) |
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