Filters

My tank is currently cycling, starting on it's 2nd week. I have the filters and the removable media in my Emperor 400, and I was wondering if I should change the filters since they are a little dirty. However I was thinking that maybe having them a little dirty would be beneficial to establishing the cycle. I do have 65# of LR however. So should I change them? The water is clear right now. ??? ???

 

i would leave the filters in until the cycle is over it wont hurt anything to leave them in. also when you do decide to take them out you may want to take some tank water in a container and shake them out real good. u would be surprised to see the critters that will take to your filter media. i took them out of my filter and put them in a qtank to help that with the bacteria and now my qtank has a full supply of pods, and 2 types of snails that were in the filters

 

I'm confused on this filter issue. Elsewhere I was told to get rid of my Emperor completely that it was not necessary.

And how about after my cycle is over and I begin to add fish, should I continue to use the filters (if i decide to keep the emp)? or should I just run the removable media with carbon?

By the way, my tank is starting on its 2nd week and Ammonia & nitrite = 0, and Nitrate = 20, SG = 1.023 at 84F. Someone told me that my cycle is over. Could it be that fast???? 8)

 

with the proper amount of ls and lr as your filtration outside mechanical filters arnt needed. you can get rid of it if you want to that would be your decision. even w/o the filters it can still serve other purposes like running carbon to help clean the water. i have macros in my tank and if they go sexual and make the water cloudy the carbon will help absorb some of the nutrients they release. also it makes for good circulation especially surface agitation. good circulation on the surface helps add oxygen to the water. the more movement the more oxygen. i would suggest keeping it. i myself may throw a filter back in it and just use one side, with the critters ive been finding it seems to serve as a mini refugium. my scooter is fat and happy maby this has someting to do with it.

2 weeks does seem to be a little fast maby hang out another week and make sure everything is stable. also now is a good time to add your clean up crew if you are getting one. this is when your alge blooms should start and adding them will help you keep a handle on them

 

Karla, thanks for the help and the quick response :thumbsup2:

I think I'll do a 20% or 10 gallon water change next saturday and then wait another week and add a clean up crew and then wait a few days and then add a pair of percula clowns.

 

:thumbsup1:sounds like a plan :thumbsup2:

i would like to suggest some ideas for a clean up crew
for mine i have mainly snails a lot of places tell you 1/gall but i disagree with that if you get a good mix you dont need a tank full of crabs and/or snails

i have 2 cleaner shrimp, 2 blood shrimp- great against ick and clean up the extra food that hits the bottom

4 trouchus, turbos, stomatella, peppermint snails- added 5-6 of each type and are all alge eaters but seem to eat different types of alge

2 fighting conchs, 6 nassarious snail- great sand sifters, pick left over foods from the sand conchs eat alge also. the nass snails are good detrivores not only eat left over food but if someting dies they clean it up fast. i had a turbo die and 4 of them had the shell cleaned out within a day.

mini and micro stars- clean a lot of junk up also and multiply fast. started with 5 of each in a det kit now to many to count

broke down and added an emerald crab for the bubble alge but hes being good and doing his job

the glass and sand seems to be keeping clean with this mix. you can go with what you want to this is just what i have. i added some ls from a lfs and got some spagetti worms they seem to be multiplying also and keeping the sand clean. these can be bought in kits also but mostly as an extra item just got lucky and got them in the sand. (75 gall tank). the more diverse the more interesting the tank will become ;D