nztrudy Posted September 9, 2003 Report Share Posted September 9, 2003 Ok i have 18 tanks and have just started up with tropical fish about 8 months, now i don't have any filters in these tanks and only air stones, what filters do people recomend, are corner & sponge filters ok? i do a 50% water change every week (which i have just found out that is to much) , The ammonia level is 0mg/L, tanks sizes start from 25L up to 130L. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 9, 2003 Report Share Posted September 9, 2003 Depending on stocking levels, and tank maintenance, you don't necessarily need a filter at all. I use a variety of filters, depending on what is available, the size of the tank and what sort of fish are in the tank. Do you have 18 tanks of goldfish? Are they separated by variety? Corner and sponge filters are fine for smaller sized fish but larger fish need more filtration. I like HOB ('hang on the back' like AquaClear or Whisper brands) filters or external canister filters because I like to keep as much equipment as possible out of the tank itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 9, 2003 Report Share Posted September 9, 2003 Welcome to the fishroom by the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nztrudy Posted September 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2003 Thanks for the welcome, fish in tanks are 1 angel, 1 Betta, 18 plattys 10 guppys male & female + fry, albino cats, 2 bloodfins, 1 neon, clownloach, swordtails x4 male & Female, 4 pink kissers, 1 tiger barb, all separated by variety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 9, 2003 Report Share Posted September 9, 2003 50% a week isn't too much, I do that on all my tanks. Cheapest for 18 tanks would probably be a bunch of big homemade sponge filters in place of your airstones. Like Caryl says, it depends a lot on what's in the tanks. Better would be a bunch of in-tank or HOBs. Maybe a central sump system if it's convenient though then you have the concern of possibly spreading any disease throughout all the tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nztrudy Posted September 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2003 Hey thanks for that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted September 9, 2003 Report Share Posted September 9, 2003 nztrudy said... > ... what filters do people recomend... There's nothing wrong with a well maintained undergravel filter as a place to start. 50% water changes are generally good though, as long as you're happy the water going in is pretty close in chemistry to the water you're removing. Avoid big variations. What size are these tanks? A neon in a 8 foot tank would probably live out its whole life without needing a water change but one in a 8 inch tank would need much more maintenance. If you're ever in Palmerston North, I have plenty of spare undergravel filter plates since I use mostly sponge filters (no gravel in the tanks in my fishroom). Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nztrudy Posted September 10, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2003 Hey thanks for all that, i don't get to Palmerston North very offen but will keep you in mind, the neon is only in a 60L tank with the 2 glassbloodfins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted September 10, 2003 Report Share Posted September 10, 2003 nztrudy said... > ... the neon is only in a 60L tank with the 2 glassbloodfins. That's like 24 x 12 x 12 inches? (60 x 30 x 30cm)? Plenty of room for three little fish even without filtration, especially if there are some plants in there as well. Do keep me in mind if you're in the neighbourhood. The UGF plates are 'free to good home'... Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nztrudy Posted September 10, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2003 Thanks heaps, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted September 10, 2003 Report Share Posted September 10, 2003 When you say well maintained u/g filters what sort of regiem do you mean???? I have u/g filters in all my tanks (the whole three) and also fluvals, 204 & 304 With the u/g I vacumn the gravel weekly. When needed I take the uplift tube and bottle brush it out and all the other bits. Change the little charcol thing and zeolite thing. Replacing the airstone at the same time (maybe once in six months). So i am curious if I am being over zealous or lazy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajbroome Posted September 10, 2003 Report Share Posted September 10, 2003 Goldie said... > ... what sort of regiem do you mean???? Sounds like you're doing fine. As long as things are kept clean and there is a good stream of bubbles, UGFs can be a very good basic filter, especially biologically. Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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