I am a bad fish mommy. :-( Some questions.

[kdrun76]

Another question: If I know someone with an established, healthy tank, can I cut a piece of their filter media and put it in my filter? Would that help to seed, or would I risk introducing other bacteria that could cause a problem?

That would be a HUGE help. Yes do it!

With the Emperor (or Penguin) filters, the bio wheel only needs to rotate 1 time every 24 hours to be working, it doesn't actually have to spin. I have 20 of them in my lab and and 13 of them at home. Out of 33 Marineland filters I have only had one ever fail me. Of those 33, most are Emperor 400's but they are a mix of both Emperor and Penguins and represent all sizes.


As for replacement cartridges.... charcoal is NOT needed in a tank for day to day use. It does have a job and there are times when you want or need it. There is NO need for charcoal to be in your filter all the time. When the emperor cartridge falls apart, cut the flossy bits off, toss out the charcoal an rubber band to the plastic piece a square of quilt batting.

There is no need to buy any replacement cartridges ever. Buy the filter and that is all.

 

[mshill90]

That would be a HUGE help. Yes do it!

With the Emperor (or Penguin) filters, the bio wheel only needs to rotate 1 time every 24 hours to be working, it doesn't actually have to spin. I have 20 of them in my lab and and 13 of them at home. Out of 33 Marineland filters I have only had one ever fail me. Of those 33, most are Emperor 400's but they are a mix of both Emperor and Penguins and represent all sizes.


As for replacement cartridges.... charcoal is NOT needed in a tank for day to day use. It does have a job and there are times when you want or need it. There is NO need for charcoal to be in your filter all the time. When the emperor cartridge falls apart, cut the flossy bits off, toss out the charcoal an rubber band to the plastic piece a square of quilt batting.

There is no need to buy any replacement cartridges ever. Buy the filter and that is all.

Why only once every 24 hours does it have to spin? That's a fail of a design if it only has to spin that much. One spin does nothing. I am almost 100% sure that they are supposed to spin, just like a water wheel...

 

[kdrun76]

Why only once every 24 hours does it have to spin? That's a fail of a design if it only has to spin that much. One spin does nothing. I am almost 100% sure that they are supposed to spin, just like a water wheel...

How exactly is that a fail of a design? It really is the ingeniousness of the design.

The wheel sits partly in the water, that exposes the bacteria to the wastes in the water, the single rotation per day that is required is sufficient to keep the bacteria distributed evenly on the wheel, and exposed evenly to the dissolved nitrogenous compounds.

In all of my filters, the wheels spin at a pretty good pace, but all that is required of them to function, is a single rotation every 24 hours. They function just as well spinning rapidly as they do with a slow rotation, meaning that if a mechanism is compromised in the some way,biological filter function isn't compromised. Biological funtion is dependent only on the rate of water flow past the filter, not on the speed of the wheel's rotation.


The Emperor/Penguin bio wheels are among the most brilliantly engineered biowheels mass produced for the general public. The HUGE systems used in aquaculture are rotated only a few times a day for the same reasons, compounded with the simple fact that it cuts energy costs to not have them spinning constantly.

 

[purplekelly]

Well, I tested my water and the ammonia was through the roof. I took it to my LFS and they tested it too just to be sure, and got the same result. I did another larger water change this evening and added some stuff they gave me at the LFS called Cycle. I am really hoping for improved tests tomorrow!

 

[kdrun76]

Cycle= stuff the fish store sells to make $$. Its less than useless.

In independent research (not paid for by cycle) it actually slows down the growth of the bacteria. I would really discourage you from using it.


60-70% water changes as often as is needed to get the ammonia back down to BELOW 0.5ppm. If that is 3 a day, then do 3 a day. Once its down that low, one a day will probably hold it there. It will take about a week before it goes down on its own. The you start to fight with nitrite.

We can face that battle when it comes. Right now, get the ammonia down.

If you can get that piece of filter from a friends tank, this is the time to put it in. The only things you need to be adding to your tank are LOTS of clean water, dechlorinator and a piece of filter floss from an established tank. Please don't add teh "snake oil."

 

[Warborg]

So what you're saying is that they can't get up to a foot? And I've seen maybe a total of five 18-24 long plecos in person. Yes they do get that big, but to me it's pretty rare to see them that size in the normal aquarium hobbyists tank................

It's not rare at all... I've had a 19.5 inch, 2 17 inchers, a 16 inch and a 15 inch all at the same time

 

[tcarswell]

Yikes ammonia through the roof.... Id say you need to definitely follow KDruns sound advice and also consider using prime in between water changes to somewhat reduce the effects of the ammonia on the fish.

A quick note. I hate how filter companies that are out to make a quick buck almost cost this poor woman her fish ! How they can recommend replacing bio media and everything is just absurd..

OP Way to be responsible and on top of things your care for your fish is commendable.
I wish you the best of luck and ease of cycle.

Id hit up friends or anyone with an aquarium for some of their bio media or gravel. Maybe even a LFS and add it to your filter. Just be on the lookout for any cross contamination and make sure it comes from a healthy eco system.