Okay before you chastise me for the tank size this is only temporary. They will be moving to a 125 gallon when we get enough money to replace the one that broke and yes all the fish get along very well there is no aggression toward or from any of the fish. (They all grew up together.)
Background info:
I have a 55 gallon tank with two 9-10" Oscars, 7-9" pleco, 4" gourami, and a 2" gourami. The tank has a fluval 305 and a fluval 405 and an additional power head. Occasionally it has plants in it for some color but only 'til the Oscars destroy them. I have checked all the levels of the water and all seem to be within good range, Ammonia=0, nitraite=0, ph=7.4, nitrate=about 40ppm(I can't get it to come down), and temp ranges from 78-82 depending on time of day. They get fed a homemade mix frozen cubes once a day and also get shrimp, seaweed and blood worms as treats a couple times a week. I clean the foam blocks in both filters once a week, which in turn means the tank also gets about a 25% water change once a week.
Questions:
1-How should I set up the filters media wise. Right now I have the 305 set up with the foam blocks, ammonia remover and carbon on the bottom, nitrate and peat in the middle biomax with fine foam pads on top. The 405 has foam blocks, carbon in the bottom two layers and biomax in the top two layers with fine foam pads on top. Is this a good set up or should i be doing it differently?
2-For circulation which direction should the two outgoing hoses from the filters and the power head (two out tubes make 90 degree angle) be pointed? Also should I put the power head toward the top of the tank or the bottom?
3-Just curious, before the fluval filters we only had a bio wheel that was meant for a 75 gallon tank so there was not much water flow. Since putting the 2 fluval filters and the power head in, the Oscars seem kind of irritated with all the water movement. They try to hide from the water flow. Is this normal or are my fish just weird? Maybe they are just not used to so much movement in the tank?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks.
Background info:
I have a 55 gallon tank with two 9-10" Oscars, 7-9" pleco, 4" gourami, and a 2" gourami. The tank has a fluval 305 and a fluval 405 and an additional power head. Occasionally it has plants in it for some color but only 'til the Oscars destroy them. I have checked all the levels of the water and all seem to be within good range, Ammonia=0, nitraite=0, ph=7.4, nitrate=about 40ppm(I can't get it to come down), and temp ranges from 78-82 depending on time of day. They get fed a homemade mix frozen cubes once a day and also get shrimp, seaweed and blood worms as treats a couple times a week. I clean the foam blocks in both filters once a week, which in turn means the tank also gets about a 25% water change once a week.
Questions:
1-How should I set up the filters media wise. Right now I have the 305 set up with the foam blocks, ammonia remover and carbon on the bottom, nitrate and peat in the middle biomax with fine foam pads on top. The 405 has foam blocks, carbon in the bottom two layers and biomax in the top two layers with fine foam pads on top. Is this a good set up or should i be doing it differently?
2-For circulation which direction should the two outgoing hoses from the filters and the power head (two out tubes make 90 degree angle) be pointed? Also should I put the power head toward the top of the tank or the bottom?
3-Just curious, before the fluval filters we only had a bio wheel that was meant for a 75 gallon tank so there was not much water flow. Since putting the 2 fluval filters and the power head in, the Oscars seem kind of irritated with all the water movement. They try to hide from the water flow. Is this normal or are my fish just weird? Maybe they are just not used to so much movement in the tank?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks.
