Completely random tank questions

[teresa]

And this is the 10 gal divided tank set up


A close up of the filters


and this is the back of that tank


And a pic at how gentle the bubbles are

[teresa]

And so you can see what stuff I use



Hehehe a new camera is a dangerous thing ;D

[Rachel]

abm said:

Right:) I've been doing some reading on this. Where can you get "pure" ammonia? Thus far I've had no luck. I'm the most experienced fishkeeper among my friends (yes, be afraid...be very afraid ) so no one "locally" can give me any useful advice. This is why I was considering the other products (biospira etc).

I've seen what I believe to be pure ammonia at home improvement type store by me. I would think a hardware store or possibly a grocery store may carry it without anything added to it. One of the benefits to fishless cycling in my opinion is that you don't have to worry about levels that will be stressful to fish during the process (which would lead to more water changes along the way) and you can boost the amount of ammonia supplied yourself compared to what one betta would produce alone for example...that's what I was thinking about making it go faster.

[abm]

Thanks Teresa:) Great pics by the way

edit: By the time my post got up there, you had posted a BUNCH more pics! Yes, a new camera does become distracting

So, I can get one air pump to power more than one filter?
Geez I don't seem to be absorbing this knowledge very quickly
Luckily for me, this website is always here

Ok. Just for planning/informational/discussion purposes - if my tanks are 2.5 gallons each, what size air pump/filter setup would I be looking for? With bettas, we don't want a huge air current, so I know that "bigger isn't better", but I don't know what a good range might be. The one time I got up the nerve to actually ask what seemed to be a relatively interested fish dept employee at a big-box pet supply store (you know who you are) I had the definite feeling that she was just trying to move what she had the most of - she directed me to an aisle-end display and the thing looked like it wouldn't even fit into a tank smaller than 20 gallons.

[teresa]

abm said:

Thanks Teresa:) Great pics by the way

Thanxs

edit: By the time my post got up there, you had posted a BUNCH more pics! Yes, a new camera does become distracting

No Kidding!

So, I can get one air pump to power more than one filter?
Geez I don't seem to be absorbing this knowledge very quickly
Luckily for me, this website is always here

Yes you can, as long as you have the gang valve and enough plastic tubing

Ok. Just for planning/informational/discussion purposes - if my tanks are 2.5 gallons each, what size air pump/filter setup would I be looking for? With bettas, we don't want a huge air current, so I know that "bigger isn't better", but I don't know what a good range might be. The one time I got up the nerve to actually ask what seemed to be a relatively interested fish dept employee at a big-box pet supply store (you know who you are) I had the definite feeling that she was just trying to move what she had the most of - she directed me to an aisle-end display and the thing looked like it wouldn't even fit into a tank smaller than 20 gallons.

Now, on my tanks I use airpumps that I have had since the stone age cause they just don't make them like they used to but I have found that the Elite series by Hagen is ok. Just remember that the more lines you want to hook up the more powerful your pump has to be. on my 2 seperate tanks it is an Elite 800, so I think you would be safe with the same one from the newer series. you can get gang valves in double or triple easily. my teal colored triple came from Walmart and my grey one came from petsmart who does have a bigger selection. to tell you the truth though, the one from walmart is easier to use. The marina filters i use are under $5 at the lps, walmart doesn't carry them and the stuff to fill it is cheap too so I find it is the most economical and Betta friendly setup I have found

*just one little tip...if the filter wants to float, which they sometimes do, just put some cleaned marbles in it to make it heavier(you can see that in one of the previos pics

[twoluvcats]

Where can you get "pure" ammonia?

i've heard that one of the chain grocery store's house brand of ammonia is ok...but heck if i can remember which chain. Look in the cleaning isle, it will probably be on the bottom shelf. Check the label, what you don't want is "surfactant"...that's the foaming agent. The label should read "ammonia and water" (sometimes it will say "chealing agents" too, and as far as I've been told, that's ok)