Classroom Fish

I make sure anything potentially aggressive starts off as the smallest in the tank and have never seemed to have an issue 0.0 probably not the safest method but I have a tank that full of things that would make ppl lose their cool watching them be all peaceful together

 

I make sure anything potentially aggressive starts off as the smallest in the tank and have never seemed to have an issue 0.0 probably not the safest method but I have a tank that full of things that would make ppl lose their cool watching them be all peaceful together

Stocking is an art, my friend. People who know how to do things are able to mix things the average person shouldn’t. Sometimes they’re just lucky.

 

I think I tick ppl off with my weird tank since they can’t get them to work together , but half the stuff in that tank I hand bred and raised . So there’s a lot of work and research and twelve different foods for each feeding to make it work . Totally worth it though

 

Good evening to you all

My name is Luke and I live in South Africa. I have been teaching primary school for almost 10 years now and, on the odd ocassion, have had a tank in my classroom. I feel it is a great way to teach children responsibility.

I am setting up a 3 foot tank which has a built-in sump. My question is: What is the best filter media to use in a freshwater sump? I am aiming to set up a community tank.

Thanks in advance.
Luke

 

I really like Marineland biowheel filters, because they are cheep and well made. How big is the tank? That will affect which filter size, and how many, you should get.

 

For the live bacteria they sell plastic bio media online Ive heard good things out of it. They also have terracotta pellets that will probably do a good job too. Pretty much anything that is solid and porous will do the job.

 

The tank is about 90 litres in all. The sump has already been built on.

 

I would get the "Marineland Penguin 350"
I have it on a similar sized tank, and it works great.

 

Unfortunately Bio Wheel Filters produce Nitrates.

Bio wheels run in a high oxygen environment that encourages fast aerobic nitrification, but little else. This allows for copious amounts of nitrates to be generated in a short amount of time. This type of environment does not keep a stable bacterial colony to respond to sudden changes in bio load either.

With this environment, there is also no chance for a de-nitrifying environment to establish in filters that employ bio wheels. It is noteworthy that these negative attributes are multiplied in the Emperor HOB Filter with spray bars running the bio wheels.

Please read the first and all these search pages for info here on why bio wheel filters may not be the best choice.


For your sump, Lava Rock is cheap but Matrix is the better choice.

 

With this environment, there is also no chance for a de-nitrifying environment to establish in filters that employ bio wheels.

I have to disagree. I have found that the bacteria colony will also produce in the filter cartridges. I don't even use the biowheel(s). I use them because they are cheep and efficient.

 

You can use all sorts of bio media from bio balls, ceramic rings to lava rock from a hardware store. It really just depends on your budget.

 

My local fish store (highly regarded one at that) uses sumps for all its tanks. The sumps are filled with nothing but ceramic rings, with only a small space left for filter floss that I assume are changed out regularly.

 

I have to disagree. I have found that the bacteria colony will also produce in the filter cartridges. I don't even use the biowheel(s). I use them because they are cheep and efficient.

That's why the first article is talking about anaerobic bacteria not aerobic bacteria like what is in your cartridges.

 

So does anyone have an example of how much of a reduction in nitrate can be expected by using matrix?

 

So does anyone have an example of how much of a reduction in nitrate can be expected by using matrix?

I don't want to take this thread off topic but if you will start a new one I will share what seems to be working for me. Please tag me in the new thread.

 

Thanks for all the replies and advice guys. Appreciate it.

 

All set up and ready to go.

All set up and ready to go.