New Setup, advice would be great

I have finally set up some new tanks, Three, four foot tanks one on top of the other. I have divided two in half, as breeding tanks. So the top tank has a large canister filter and will be used as a grow out tank. However I am not sure what to do with the bottom two,(four). Do I use individual canisters or buy a big pump and connect sponges to them. I DONT want to do daily water changes so I need good filtration.

Also what about lights, they will get dim light in the day time, but do they need additional light? how much light do they need? should I put lights on a timer so long each day?

I have a fully cycled filter to add to one of the small tanks as I am hoping to set it up quickly, I have a pair trying to produce in a community tank. I will also add a sponge. However this will only be tempory as I would like a good system for the lower four tanks. Any ideas I'am not handy, hubby is but cant push my luck too far. Any advice would be appreciated.

individual canisters would be the way to go, less chance of a problem that way. no chance of a deaises spreading

sponges will also assit, your filter that has been cycleing may be a asset to speed up the cycling process of the tanks. start with a quailty set of sponges in each and use the filter to seed these sponges by runing it in each of the tanks. also look at saving for a series of canisters if your not a DIY freak

lights are nice to view by but not a nessecity, depends on your budget and skills. whatever suits your application

What do you recommend in the way of canisters. I have a Rena which I love. quite, easy to clean and work on, but I think they are hard to get now. I also have a Eihem paid $500 for it and I really dont think it is worth it, I cant lift it, self priming it takes someone a lot stronger than me. I have heard that aqua clears are good but maybe too much water flow in a breeding tank? However if you used a long spray bar, a prefilter and turned it down I would think it would be OK?

I am thinking of ordering the fluval 104 or maybe the prime 10 which is better?

I'm running several of the Fluval 104's on breeding tanks at the moment. They are well priced and seem to be doing a great job. They have a control on the top of the cannister to adjust the water flow, so I can just keep it ticking over without creating too much current when the pair are spawning.

I put a sponge on the intake pipe, to prevent fry getting sucked into the filter. Works for me.

Thanks I ordered 4 of the Fluval 104's from 'age of aquariums' last night, I will leave them BB but to kick start things, I will add some gravel etc from another tank, and seed the filter if I also add seachems 'stability' could I add fish staright away?

Also how do you have the filter media set up?

Sorry to jump into this thread, just a quick question, Kaza how do you divide you 4 footer into a 2 footer :?:

I would assume he uses eggcrate style dividers.

Actually she took them to a glass place who makes aquariums and he put a piece of glass in the middle so its now two tanks I seen her set up yesterday quite good actually.

Kaza's actually a girl, but yeah egg crate is normally the way you would divide a tank, to allow water flow.

damn it leanne, you got in before me....now I look like a fool :lol:

Sorry Dave :roll: :lol: I think she said to me last night shes having individual filters for each tank so she wont need the water flow bit worried if one discus gets sick they all might catch it as they are her breeding pairs that are going in it.

Leanne

If you are after individual filters decent size hang on filters may be better than canisters. They'll cost less, take up less space and are IMO easier to clean and keep their flow better.

To late I have gone with canister filters, I have also ordered this thing that goes on the end of the intake pipe which spins around and difuses the water coming in. I am really pleased with my set up but I am desperate for it to be cycled and ready for fish. My two community tanks are war zones at the moment with fish trying to breed etc.

PS Leanne I went to the LFS to tell him my exciting news (the GSS have laid) and guess what someone had been there before me. :shock: Its kind of like being pregant and someone breaks the news for you. :roll: :wink:

sorry :roll: I went there today to get some live bs for your fish im looking after :shock: and he asked how you were so we got talking :oops:

Leanne

News that good would be hard to keep a secret :P

Hey leanne I dont mind, anyway this morning I watched the mother (red dragon) eat her wrigglers (what was left after the father tried to move the eggs) .
I didnt expect anything as this is her first time, anyway this morning they can go in their own tank. I am also trying an experiement in one tank I am cycling it using goldfish, (I know all about the risk of disease) I will take some of the water to uni and have a look. I am also going to cycle the other 3 tanks with ammonia. The last tank I have used a cycled filter, gravel and ornaments so I think it should me fine. Once it is established I will take the gravel and ornament out (slowly).

What I really want to know is how everyone sets up their filter media for canisters. I put the rocks/noodles etc onthe bottom then course filter pad and then fine. Do you think bioballs are better than noodles?

I have my cannisters set up just the way you describe. Lots of people use bio balls now because it increases the available surface area for bacteria to colonize. I have small bio balls in some and noodles in others, and can't find any difference.

If you were using a large sump, then bio balls would definately be the way to go.

ceramic noddles still have a rather large surface area due to the porus nature of the material,

hence the reson air bubbles out of them when thay are initally placed in water

i would use noddles in cannisters and bio balls in sumps :wink: