My Oscar Setup, Some Questions
- Thread starter cbobruk
- Start date
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Ok guys, here's what my plan is. Sorry for the noob-ness, I just want to make sure I do things right.
These O's seem to actually like each other, they're almost always by one another and the only aggression I have seen is opening their mouths at one another once in a while. I'd like to keep both of them.
I have been searching around for canisters, and I keep going back to the fx5. However, I have read that they are a pain to maintain. How big of a problem is this actually. Would this filter be worth it, or could I get something smaller and perhaps easier to maintain? I have never used a canister or seen one in action, it's all pretty new to me.
These O's seem to actually like each other, they're almost always by one another and the only aggression I have seen is opening their mouths at one another once in a while. I'd like to keep both of them.
I have been searching around for canisters, and I keep going back to the fx5. However, I have read that they are a pain to maintain. How big of a problem is this actually. Would this filter be worth it, or could I get something smaller and perhaps easier to maintain? I have never used a canister or seen one in action, it's all pretty new to me.
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If you're saying it will be packed with debris, that's okay. I don't mind cleaning bi weekly, which seems to be more than most people.
If you're saying it will be packed with debris, that's okay. I don't mind cleaning bi weekly, which seems to be more than most people.
My bad, My test kit does not have a bottle to test nitrates, only nitrites. Im using a tetra laborett kit.
I just did another test, ammonia is 0-3ppm (orange for 3, yellow is <3, color is yellow but has a very light orange tint) and Nitrites are 0.25mg/l. ph is 7.0
Cycled the tank a long time ago, fishless. I ran the filters from my old 30 and used a bunch of gravel to seed the tank. It ran like this for 6 weeks before the O's were introduced.
so the tank was cycled and then left to sit running with no fish in it for 6 weeks? i have a hunch all the bacteria died off due to no ammonia source if that's the case. sounds like you now have the equivalent of an uncycled tank with two oscars in it, due to those ammonia and nitrite readings, and the haziness - bacteria bloom. a nitrate test would confirm if there is any bacteria left at all in the tank.
i would suggest picking up the API freshwater master kit, it's a good one, and has tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, and high range ph. it's the only test kit i will use on my tanks.
I'm picking up a nitrate test after class tonight, however I'm still puzzled on which filter buy. I keep researching, but I hear different answers from everyone. I'm just looking to get proper filtration, without breaking my bank. (I checked out the cfs500, not sure I wanna risk, I'd rather pay a bit more for a good brand)
I'm picking up a nitrate test after class tonight, however I'm still puzzled on which filter buy. I keep researching, but I hear different answers from everyone. I'm just looking to get proper filtration, without breaking my bank. (I checked out the cfs500, not sure I wanna risk, I'd rather pay a bit more for a good brand)
Eheim or fluvial canisters should be fine, just make sure they are properly sized for the tank and load. Or, you cam build your own wet/dry sump. It's actually very easy to do, I am the least handy guy on the planet, but I just followed some instructions from the DIY forum and had it built in a few hours. It's litterly just a pump, a rubermaid container, a paint bucket filled with bio balls and a siphon built with PVC. In all it cost about $150 which is way less than one of those canisters are going to run you, and $100 of that was the pump, the rest is real cheap
Eheim or fluvial canisters should be fine, just make sure they are properly sized for the tank and load. Or, you cam build your own wet/dry sump. It's actually very easy to do, I am the least handy guy on the planet, but I just followed some instructions from the DIY forum and had it built in a few hours. It's litterly just a pump, a rubermaid container, a paint bucket filled with bio balls and a siphon built with PVC. In all it cost about $150 which is way less than one of those canisters are going to run you, and $100 of that was the pump, the rest is real cheap
Link?
Your red oscar looks just like mine. Hes 9.5 inches. Personally I think a DIY filter has the potential to filter better then most anything you can buy. The filter I built for my tank is just 2 five gallon buckets full of bio balls and a few layers of filter media all hanging over my sump.
