Do you need a powerhead for a Biological filter

Do you need a powerhead for this to work? My tank is starting to get a lot of snail and fish poop on the bottom. DO I need to get a powerhead or will the bacteria take care of it? Also what is detritus and what can I use to get rid of it???

Got my aunt to print out the price of the powerheads. I can go price match now!!! ;D

 

I would recommend a powerhead to shift all the poop on the bottom - it could cause problems with the water quality. Ugh!

 

ohh your right LOL!! I m getting one tomorrow YAY!!!

 

If you're not running an external water pump on your saltwater tank, I think you definitely need powerheads (multiple) for water movement. You're gonna get stagnant areas of the tank that'll become cyanobacteria heaven (red slime algae).

 

I am getting an aquaclear today ;D

I got 2 more on ebay that I bidded on

 

Excellent - good move!

 

I would also suggest sand shifting crew.

 

Yep! Some nassarius snails and maybe a snad sifting starfish - even my hermits are pretty good at it!

 

I am scared of adding sand sifting starfish. They die shortly after.

 

Well I've had mine for about 4 months now without a problem ??? Maybe that's only if there's not enough food in the substrate?

 

My chaeto came in with some bristle worms, micro stars, and baby turbo snails. Will I have a huge PH soike at night with my light off? If I do I wil move it into a container at night

 

That's good! Cheato will certainly help. I don't know about the PH - should be ok. What's your pH lights on? And have you measured it with lights off yet? How much other vegetation do you have? I shouldn't imagine some cheato would affect it that greatly would it?

 

I have not measured it out at night but I have 8.1 with lights on. Only vegetation is a red slime algae patch in the tank. Its not big. Its about 2 inches by 1 inch.


What is the grey algae? I have never seen it before and the snails and crabs go right over it.

 

HI again folks. I have determined that I need to treat my tank for bacterial infections. However, doing so will obviously kill my beneficial bacteria. At the suggestion of many people on this site, I maintain my bacteria with 2 filters. How do I treat my tank and preserve a filter? If I take one of my filters offline for the duration of treatment (4 days) will the bacteria in it live? Do I need to do anything in particular to the water before I put the standby filter back online (after treatment). I just want to make sure I do it right so I would appreciate any suggestions.

 

what are you planning on using to treat the infection? the fish meds you buy at the store shouldnt kill your biological filtration

 

but they do Coffeebean, they do !!!!!

Omni, what are you treating for? How do you know it's bacterial?

 

but they do Coffeebean, they do !!!!!

hmm, you learn a little something every day. I assumed that the antibacterial meds were targeted to the bacteria they claim to fight. not just mass bacteria murder

good to know. do you have another tank you can keep the media in?

 

I am treating for Droopsy and Fungus using a Jungle Labs Fungus Clear which treats for Fungus and Bacterial Infections. Most of my symptoms are listed in another post but tonight I found more which lead me to believe that it's bacterial and fungal. White-ish growth and scales look like they're peeling. Symptoms from the other post were lost of appetite, staying in hiding at the bottom of the tank, and very inactive. I came to this conclusion after reading the disease chart on this website and noticing the other symptoms. I actually had to have some one else look at them to tell me what they saw because I couldn't tell if I was being paranoid or not.

 

most med labels say it won't affect the biofilter, and granted, some won't. I think Melafix doesn't. But a lot of them do, and that just makes things worse. If they were just honest about it, people would have a heads up, and know to check their readings.

 

do you have another tank you can keep the media in?

I have a 10 gallon fry tank that I could move the media to. Could that cause contamination of the fry tank? Will the benificial bacteria not survive with no circulation for 4 days?

 

Omni, okay, sorry I didn't see your other threads.

Just a question, I noticed in your aquarium info you say you don't know about the nitrogen cycle. Is that old info? or do you need some help regarding that?

Have you checked your ammonia, nitrite and nitrAte ?

oops, just noticed you're asking about your beneficial bacteria, so I guess you know about it ! hehee.... sorry !!

 

most med labels say it won't affect the biofilter, and granted, some won't. I think Melafix doesn't. But a lot of them do, and that just makes things worse. If they were just honest about it, people would have a heads up, and know to check their readings.

Most of the Jungle meds do say that they won't affect the biofilter as you said but this one doesn't... so I'm assuming that it does. I'm really just trying to do what's best here. I do have a bottle of TSS on standby that will be used once this treatment is completed but I would like to not have to depend on that if I already have 2 HOB filters with bacteria in each. I know one will have to continue to circulate and thus all that bacteria will die, but I would like to know how to preserve the other media.

Omni, okay, sorry I didn't see your other threads.

Just a question, I noticed in your aquarium ino you say you don't know about the nitrogen cycle. Is that old info, or do you need some help regarding that? I'll be happy to supply info for you, if you'd like.

Have you checked your ammonia, nitrite and nitrAte ?

oops, just notriced you're asking about your beneficial bacteria, so I guess you know about it ! hehee.... sorry !!

Yeah... thanks for the offer. I've learned a lot from this site since I started, that's why I keep coming back. My nitrates were higher than they should've been, they were 30 after a 50% WC so that could be a factor, but I didn't think that it could have the physical symptoms that I noticed tonight.

 

If it's contagious, the bacteria is in the filters as well. Moving it to the fry tank would infect that tank.

Even if you kept the one extra filter going on a rubbermaid tub for the duration, the contagious bacteria would still be within the filter when you placed it back into your main tank .

Edited to add>> Omni, I'd like to help, but feel in the dark a bit, because I haven't read your other threads, and don't really know what your dealing with in your tank, or what advice you've been given already. Can you direct me there, so I can read up? Thanks. ~ Joy

 

If it's contagious, the bacteria is in the filters as well. Moving it to the fry tank would infect that tank.

Even if you kept the one extra filter going on a rubbermaid tub for the duration, the contagious bacteria would still be within the filter when you placed it back into your main tank .

Sounds like I have to treat both filters then. Blower, guess I will be dependant on the TSS. One more question then I'll be done. The 2 filters I have are the AC 50 and the Rena Smartfilter 55. The AC is no problem because I took the carbon out. The Rena on the other hand has the carbon/filter combo and thus can't be seperated, meaning I'll have to remove those filter baskets (the biological filter is separate and can remain in place). If I let those filter baskets just dry out during treatment, will the harmful bacteria that may be in them die or is there another way to kill them since they won't be getting hit with the treated water? I guess peroxide might work. Any thoughts?

 

if you let the filter dry out, yes the beneficial bacteria will die, very quickly.

just a question. I couldn't find your other thread. Are you sure you have dropsy and a fungal infection??? Is any fish pine-coning?

Any way you can post pics?

 

Omni, I'd like to help, but feel in the dark a bit, because I haven't read your other threads, and don't really know what your dealing with in your tank, or what advice you've been given already. Can you direct me there, so I can read up? Thanks. ~ Joy

Don't know how to link you to it but no one has replied to it. The tank consists of 6 female adult mollies (they're what's sick right now), 1 Peppered Cory, 1 Apple Snail, a bunch of Molly Fry, Java Moss, Java Fern, Driftwood, Flame Moss, and a Waterlilly. 29 gal. Symptoms noted in other post were inactivity, loss of appetite, and constant hiding. Did a 10% WC Sunday, 50% Tuesday, 20% Today and plan on another 20% Saturday. If treatment is needed like I think it is, I won't start it until after the WC on Saturday. That's pretty much the details of the other post. It was called Sick Mollies and I think I put it in the Freshwater Disease forum.

 

okay, I read that.

It doesn't sound like dropsy, not at all and doesn't sound fungal.

I say hold off on the meds until we can see what's going on. Do you have any anti-bacterial food in the house ? Jungle has a great product called Jungle Anti-Bacterial Medicated food, Petsmart & Petco sell it. (It can't hurt to feed it to them, so don't worry if it turns out it's not bacterial.)

Water changes are good, I'm glad to see you doing them.
Also, it can't hurt to do them every day, especially if you think there's a bacterial issue. Fresh water will help, so you don't have to wait till Saturday to do another one.

 

I'll get the Jungle and hold off on the meds like you said. Thanks for the advice. So what would you think it is given the white-ish growth and peeling skin. I know pictures would probably be better but don't let my internet connection fool you, I'm low-tech so my camera phone doesn't do much good. The creamsciles make it easy to see the white growth although it's on the top of their heads and not around the mouth like is often suggested and the silver one and one of the dalmations have what would look like peeling skin on a person. It's hard to see them all since they stay in hiding, so I can't speak on the other 2 dalmations appearance. I have to force them out of their hiding places just to get the glimpses I get. But it has to be something.

 

Omni, check out this site and see if this is similar to what you are noticing with your fish.


it's flexibacter columnaris (aka black molly disease)

also another site


edited to include> I noticed the symptom list is similar to what your mollies have, including not eating, the whitish growth on the head, the peeling scales.

 

Good stuff. Thanks for everything.

 

I hope everything works out okay for the fish. I know there's treatment recommendations in both those sites, if that's what you think it is.

Good luck, let me know how you make out !

 

Ok so the picture below is what I have come up with for additional filtration. Half the fun of this hobby for me is creating my own stuff. Now normally I have the power head running and the air pump both into that "pill bottle." The picture shown is with only the air pump. The question I have is do you think looking at this pic that there is some/enough/little/none water that is coming out of the top or do you think that there is not enough air power to pull the water all the way through the bottom, into the carbon, through that, into the pump, and through the bio media?? Btw there is not a whole lot of resistance all the way through. When I place my setup in the water it DOES flow freely all the way to the top without having to turn the pump on. I think it's good but I just wanted a second opinion on this due to the fact that I have never created or used any type of filtration that was air driven so I have no idea how powerful it is or isn't or how much it actually pulls through. Thank you in advance!!

 

Nice pill bottle.
I had made such a thing once. And yes you will get a nice bio filtration.
BUT, the flow of water will be tooooooo less.
I have used a 1inch pvc pipe with a length of 9inches (depth of water was 10inches) and I got a flow of half litre per minute, which calculates to roughly 8gallons/hour. This was done with no resistance and on full power of the sobo small air pump(3watt, also my pump is couple years old).

So for my 10 gallon tank I need around 40gph as per regular standards. But I have a betta so I think 8gph should be fine. Now if I add bio-sponge, or a media bottle like you have it will certainly afect the flow and reduce it to half easily.

If the uplift tube is shorter in length (mine was 9inches long) it will reduce the flow.

If the diameter of tube is wider (mine was 1inch diameter) it will also reduce the flow.

So you will have to play a liitle over here.

Just raise the outlet of pill-bottle 1inch above the water surface and see if the water is actually flowing out.

(All my calculations for pvc pipe were done with outlet raised 1 inch above water. So if submerged it should reduce the impact of gravity/air pressure and give me an increased flow of approx 15%, which will put my flow 5~8gph along with bio sponge).

Use of a strong air pump will give a better result. Or just use a new one, and not an old one like I did.

If you do some experiments do let us know. Meanwhile I will search for the papers where I had noted all of this.

 

Nice pill bottle.
I had made such a thing once. And yes you will get a nice bio filtration.
BUT, the flow of water will be tooooooo less.
I have used a 1inch pvc pipe with a length of 9inches (depth of water was 10inches) and I got a flow of half litre per minute, which calculates to roughly 8gallons/hour. This was done with no resistance and on full power of the sobo small air pump(3watt, also my pump is couple years old).

So for my 10 gallon tank I need around 40gph as per regular standards. But I have a betta so I think 8gph should be fine. Now if I add bio-sponge, or a media bottle like you have it will certainly afect the flow and reduce it to half easily.

If the uplift tube is shorter in length (mine was 9inches long) it will reduce the flow.

If the diameter of tube is wider (mine was 1inch diameter) it will also reduce the flow.

So you will have to play a liitle over here.

Just raise the outlet of pill-bottle 1inch above the water surface and see if the water is actually flowing out.

(All my calculations for pvc pipe were done with outlet raised 1 inch above water. So if submerged it should reduce the impact of gravity/air pressure and give me an increased flow of approx 15%, which will put my flow 5~8gph along with bio sponge).

Use of a strong air pump will give a better result. Or just use a new one, and not an old one like I did.

If you do some experiments do let us know. Meanwhile I will search for the papers where I had noted all of this.

Thank you for all that. And unfortunately I did try that and raising it even half inch can't get water out. it has to be pretty much at surface level. My air pump is also very small rated for up to 15 gallons so... But yea when I built this whole thing I built it around using both the power head and air. The air was never meant to be able to move the water, I only made it to run under and flow air through bio media as the power head was pumping the water through. After I was done with it I thought about if it was possible with this set up to do that with only the air but as you said, I definitely don't get water out anywhere close to an inch above the surface. thank you very much for your help!! Here's what it looks like running as I made it with the power head... What do you think?? Should make for a better, more effective and efficient bio filter right??

 

#1: You can just improvise by running the air at night time and the filter at day.

#2: if you have time then go crazy creative!

Also your bio filter will work efficiently with the air pump. Its just that the airpump alone will not generate noticeable flow in the entire tank But, will surely make some small water movement through the pill bottle to support the beneficial bacteria.

(One of my nano tanks does not have any airstone or filter, but has only biomedia sponge hidden behind the brick and it still does well. The water movement is provided by the two tiny shrimps. May add a betta or endler to it later)

 

#1: You can just improvise by running the air at night time and the filter at day.

#2: if you have time then go crazy creative!

Also your bio filter will work efficiently with the air pump. Its just that the airpump alone will not generate noticeable flow in the entire tank But, will surely make some small water movement through the pill bottle to support the beneficial bacteria.

(One of my nano tanks does not have any airstone or filter, but has only biomedia sponge hidden behind the brick and it still does well. The water movement is provided by the two tiny shrimps. May add a betta or endler to it later)

Ok so..better idea. Definitely my final right here!!!!! The picture can't show it but flipping it upside down with the airstone on top makes a HUGE Whirlwind of air and water going through. It looks like a bio filter from the Gods. Thanks again for ur help! Reading ur post gave me this idea. The air is actually getting pulled into the bottle cuz of the pressure from the pump head and when you hook the air filter on to of that..it looks about a 50/50 mix of air and water swirling violently inside of my pill bottle lol

 

I'm thinking of starting a freshwater tank (32 gallons). How much do I need as far as bio balls/ceramic balls...etc, to grow beneficial bacteria? Thanks!

 

Ceramic "doughnuts" or the rock style media from seachem is what I prefer. The bio balls don't work as well imo. For that size of tank one mesh media bad worth should be plenty

 

I guess it depends on what kind of filter you are going to run?

 

I'm thinking of starting a freshwater tank (32 gallons). How much do I need as far as bio balls/ceramic balls...etc, to grow beneficial bacteria? Thanks!

My preference is MarinePure, best biomedia product in my experience. Because of the high surface area, you don't need much either. CerMedia recommends one pack of MarinePure Gems is enough for 70 gallons: Introducing MarinePure GEMS

Since they don't take up that much space, I'd recommend just using a whole pack anyways. And also since they don't take up much space, you can probably pack them in no matter the size of the filter you eventually decide on for your tank. :3