Several Questions...

[PintoHawk]

Questions. . . . please, I hope nobody slaps me for any of these questions or my lack of knowledge. I am trying to learn and do the right thing.

1. Bacteria

I have read a few mentions now of keeping the good bacteria from old filter media, not to rinse out your media in tap water, but instead use treated water, and don't scrub your filter, rocks, all. etc.

Ok, so how do I clean the filter and still keep the good stuff in the tank? Bucket of tap water, treated (how do I treat it?) and rinse it in there and put it directly back in? Won't that rinse off the bacteria goodies we want to save?

2. Fishless Cycle

How exactly do I do a "fishless cycle"? This is still confusing to me. I have recently acquired a large tank (free yay), possibly 45 gallon (huge yay) that is long and low shaped (I hear this is good, surface area and all), and I want to do everything right.

3. Bio-Spira

Have any of you used it? Is it worth it? Where do I get it? How does it work?

4. Test Kits

I have the ammonia test kit, but that's it. What else do I absolutely need?

5. Java Moss

I hear it is an excellent live plant for raising fry, and easy to care for, grows in almost any condition, etc. True? Other plants you recommend with these same traits? I have ordered a bag of Java moss, should arrive in a week. Any tips for keeping successfully?

6. Local Breeders

Anyone aware of any LFS in southern Alberta that will buy from local breeders? Anyone else in southern Alberta breeding livebearers? Trading? (Lethbridge, Taber, Medicine Hat areas)

Thank you!

[Qattarra]

I'll get this started by answering #1.

You should be doing a (min.) 25% water changer every week. I do 50. Save some of this water in a large bucket. When you do your filter, you only need to remove enough "gunk" from it so it flows well. This means swishing the media under the water to remove excess. Don't squeeze out too much. It should still look a bit icky. You'll find that the "gunk" in the filter smells almost sweet, never foul. Now that filter should be good for at least the next two weeks or more. If it clogs up again you are feeding too much. The next week during the water change , leave the filter alone , what you'll need to do is vacuum the excess gunk from the gravel. Never do the gravel and filter the same week. You'll remove too much of the good bacteria and you'll throw off the cycle and get a nasty nitrite spike, possibly lose fish. In a lot of cases (such as large canisters), you should not need to clean them out more than every 3 months or more. Even then it's only if they clog up and the flow slows down too much.

Conclusion, use only the tank water that you'll toss into you flowerbeds after. Clean only enough off the filter media to resume good flow. Never the same week as the vacuum cleaning of the substrate.

[werner]

Fishless Cycling Edited April 9, 2008 by werner

[bottomdweller_fan]

I'll give a shot to questions 2 and 3.

#2 Here is a great website that explains fishless cycling.

#3 BioSpira is live bacteria; however, if it has not been properly stored and used immediately the bacteria die. You are better off to get some used media or gravel from someone with an established tank. It will be cheaper and easier to get hold of.

Great questions and good luck.

[PintoHawk]

Thanks Qattarra, your answer was very thorough and direct and helpful, I appreciate it.

Werner, that link was very informative and helpful, I have saved it in my favorites.

Bottomdweller: Another excellent link, thank you. I will be using media and gravel from my first tank, which has cycled.

Thanks everyone.

[darkangel]

I will take a stab at #4. IMO the basic test kit would contain, Amonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, and Ph. However with one of my planted tanks I have enough test kits to almost concoct some sort of illeagal drugs. Hope this helps.

[Stacey]

A few comments......

1. What folks have already said about rinsing the media is aquarium water is right on. However I should also like to add that the filter itself will have to be occasionally dissambled and cleaned.

2. Bio-Spira is, according to what I've read, not yet approved for sale in Canada.

5. Java Moss is very easy to grow. Tie it to wood or a rock, and drop it in the tank. When you get a huge mass, pull off some and tie to another rock/ wood. Repeat till you're giving it away.

6. Keep an eye on the buy and sell forum here. Plenty of people on this board with fishies for sale.

HTH

Edited April 10, 2008 by Stacey

[PintoHawk]

LOL@ darkangel, thanks for your response.

Stacey - thanks for the info, all very good answers.