new taink

[zig zag zoey]

i got a new 10 gal taink i filled it up with watter turned the heeter on and the filter the watter terned gray was it from the filter? when i emptied it i found out that the gravle was dirty maby it was that? i also need to git an air pump i was wondering if a 20 gal pump would work becouse i cannot find aney store that selles 10 gal pumps. i was also wondering if i could seperate the mails from the femails once thay git sexed so i dont have anay axadentel pregncies or if i should leev them alone in 1 big school

[Bettachris]

always clean the gravel b4 adding it to a tank. it really doesn't take that long to set up a ten gallon, so do everything you can think of.

I recently took apart my 10 gallon, took all of the gravel out, cleaned about 20 times, and replaced all the gravel, filters, water, plants etc.... in about 1 hour and 25 mins.

Here is the pic of that tank.
http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m191/BettaChris_Fish/Fish%20Tank%20Pics/?action=view&current=DSC00459.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch2

[cstrohmeyer]

It is hard to have too large of an Air pump. Many of the better air pumps have reostats which allow you to control your air flow, so if it is too strong you just turn it down (which adds to the longevity of the pump). For the money I think the ReSun or Million Air (Via Aqua) are best. The ReSun 9602 can out produce many Air pumps at twice the price (3.5L/ minute). Also filter redundancy is good for better filtration and added securuty if another filter/pump fails. As to your fish sex question, we need to know fish you have to help there.
For more aquarium info:
http://aquarium-info.blogspot.com/
http://americanaquariumproducts.com/Pumps.html

Carl
Aquarium Design and Maintenance since 1978
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/

[zig zag zoey]

how do you cleen the gravle? i boild it 2 times and washed it off 10 ntimes to mack shure its cleen amd when i was boiling it i notest that the paint on the fravle was comming off i got as mutch off the cleen rocks as possable i am just worried that the paint will come off in the taink and kill the fish
i am gitting a 10 gal air pump today becouse the petstore finly got them in i have no clue what company its by but its a 10 gal i think it will be fine thay dont sell the best stuf (so thats why its so cheep) but it will be fine fore now and its only $3.00

[cstrohmeyer]

I don't recommend boiling gravel, in clored gravel in can cause it to peal. The color coating on colored gravel is epoxy, so it is non toxic after it is cured.
Rinsing gravel in freshwater several times is adequet.

Carl
Aquarium Design and Maintenance since 1978
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/

[zig zag zoey]

ok i just wanted to make shure all the jerms and that were ded

[BirdLuver288]

if the gravel has never been used before, or if you had the gravel all its life *as in fresh from the store* and never had a fish die while on that gravel, there shouldent be any "germs"


But if its used gravel from somewheres else, unless its not natural gravel *which can be boiled* just trash it, I wouldent risk killing all my fish if all i has to do was pay $3 for new gravel :)

[zig zag zoey]

i need t go by some new gravle fore som reson it makes the watter relly foggy

[BirdLuver288]

also, did you clean teh filter pad first? it has a bit of dust on it, and not just a rince will do it, I usually take 10 minuets to clean mine...bu the dust will turn your water colros and is harmfull for fish if its passed through the gills in large quantities..

[Bettachris]

the best way to clean new gravel is,

uses a pasta strainer and by using a plastic cup, scoop gravel into there and wash it out. it may take a few mins to do it.

next add it to the tank, when adding water place a plastic plate on the gravel and pour the water on that so it doesn't sturr up the gravel.

i would get a few scoops of established gravel or "cultured gravel" from a friend, it is best because it has bacteria and boost starts the tank. getting a few scoops of established gravel is good and spread it around the tank.

alow your filter to run for a few days and it should clean the water, along with live plants. than you can start cycling.

[zig zag zoey]

ok i will try that bettachris how am i soposto clean the filter birdluver? i am going to try to git the taink all nice and clean so i need to know how to git everything clean (filter gravel watter)

[BirdLuver288]

you clean the filter pad my swishing it around either under running water or in a bucket untill the water no longer is grey/murkey ..

To clean the filter itself, a washcloth will do, just wipe the inside of the box of algae/debre..

To clean the tubing, they make special brushes for this, only cost you a few bucks, and my walmart carries them every now and then, but most petstores should carry them, you should also get between 3 and 5 brushes..

[zig zag zoey]

the filter pad dosent come off and the filter is 1 of those wheel things. i have the taink up and running and its as cleer as i have never seen it i got new gravle...i know it was the gravle becouse everything els is old exept the gravle

[mynameislola]

Congratulations!!!! Now the cycling thing will happen for the next few weeks, and then you can get your fish. What kind of testing equipment are you using? The strips that test for a buncha stuff are my faves.

[zig zag zoey]

my grandma said i didnt need to test things in fresh watter so i didnt git anaything to test with my grandma is a varry experinced fish keeper so is my mom thay have had everything! so yea i think thay know what thay are talking about when thay say i dont need to test fresh watter

[phillydogs]

The gray might be from the charcoal in the filter. Let it cycle for about a week before adding any fish.