Need help guys on my tank

[wesleydnunder]

Also, as you're doing your water changes, it will help if you wipe down the inside glass and rocks/decorations that the silt will cling to.

Mark

[cichlid1409]

Your biofilter will have as much bacteria alive as there is available food for. Increasing surface area will not grow more bacteria than there is food for.

Mark

i agree/disagree yes more will not grow unless there is the food e.g. ammonia, nitrites. IMO surface area makes all the difference for bio media this is why you see bio-balls advertised as having more surface area than their competition.for all we know his tank is overstocked and he could use more surface area in his bio filter to up the amount of bacteria. as you suggested adding floss would do the same thing increase surface area for bacteria. like i said probably not a neccesity but i would have 2 110's on a 75g.

[wesleydnunder]

i agree/disagree yes more will not grow unless there is the food e.g. ammonia, nitrites. IMO surface area makes all the difference for bio media this is why you see bio-balls advertised as having more surface area than their competition.for all we know his tank is overstocked and he could use more surface area in his bio filter to up the amount of bacteria. as you suggested adding floss would do the same thing increase surface area for bacteria. like i said probably not a neccesity but i would have 2 110's on a 75g.

The suggestion of using floss was to have a finer trap for particulates, a better mechanical filter, not a platform for biofiltration. In use as a dust trap the floss generally doesn't, A: stay in the filter long enough to be colonized by a sufficient bacterial bed to matter and B: become clogged so that there is insufficient flow for long term use as a bio-filter bed. I don't make assumptions on the stocking density of someone's tank, or concomitant biofiltration suggestions which rely on those assumptions.

I agree that surface area is important for the efficient and optimum colonization of nitrifying bacteria, but your original statement that adding surface area will add nitrifying bacteria isn't necessarily true.

I don't disagree with multiple filters. I use more than one filter on all my tanks; always good to have one going if one quits. Two 500 gph filters on a 75 may be a tad much, but hey, the fish are easier to see if they're pinned to the front glass.

Mark

[cichlid1409]

your original statement that adding surface area will add nitrifying bacteria isn't necessarily true.
Mark

Quote:
Originally Posted by cichlid1409
is not something you need to do but .... it will decrease time for water to clear , hold more bacteria , create more water flow ,and add more surface area to extract detritus though.


never said it would add more bacteria.... glad we can agree to disagree.

[geoff_tropheus]

What kind of fish are you looking to keep in this tank?

The dust you see in the tank is most likely fines from the gravel. I would do daily waterchanges and add some floss like Mark said.

Personally, with the kind of fish I keep, I think 2-110's on a 75 is perfect.

If your keeping smaller fish, then it is overkill.

[kevinly]

What kind of fish are you looking to keep in this tank?

The dust you see in the tank is most likely fines from the gravel. I would do daily waterchanges and add some floss like Mark said.

Personally, with the kind of fish I keep, I think 2-110's on a 75 is perfect.

If your keeping smaller fish, then it is overkill.

i was thinking about having cichlids with my flowerhorn but doesn't look like its gonna happen now. my flowerhorn is about 5-6 in and very aggressive.. i can't find a deal on cichlids that are big enough to keep with my flowerhorn.

also i'm new at the fish hobby...what is floss?

[wesleydnunder]

Quote:
Originally Posted by cichlid1409
is not something you need to do but .... it will decrease time for water to clear , hold more bacteria , create more water flow ,and add more surface area to extract detritus though.


never said it would add more bacteria.... glad we can agree to disagree.

Sorry, I read "more" as an addition.

Mark

[wesleydnunder]

...what is floss?

Floss is a synthetic fiber which looks a lot like cotton batting or pillow stuffing. Being synthetic in stead of organic, it doesn't decay or break down in water. Packed into your aquaclear's media basket, floss forms a fine particulate filter which will catch a lot of the fines from the unrinsed gravel. Most LFSs carry floss.

Mark

[geoff_tropheus]

Like Mark said it is filter floss.

For the cichlids that go with a Flowerhorn, get in touch with Chris, his screename is SOULJAA.

He is real big into large cichlids and I bet he can help you with fish selection and where to get the fish you are looking for.