Set Up Advice

I currently have a 10 gallon tank. I have a whisper 2-10I filter...whisper air pump and back bubble wall. Black light LEDS and natural light LEDS. My current stock includes 3 glo tetras. Albino pleco and dwarf frog.
1. Should I upgrade to aquaclear sponge filter? Reason being is the cartridge filter seems sketchy. Some people say change filter..some people say clean in tank water till it falls apart.
2. I know tetras are schooling fish can I buy two more or will that over stock me?
3. I'm buying master water test kit bc currently using strips. I know that's frowned upon but what I currently use.
4. I can't buy a bigger tank bc of what tank is sitting on. So just trying to make this one best I can.
I use apI stress coat for declor. Top Fin bacteria supp.

Am I going in right direction?

 

Aquaclears are way better in my opinion, so I’d tell you yes.

People are likely going to tell you that you’re already overstocked, so I wouldn’t add more.

 

Is a sponge easier to maintain? And thanks!

 

1) virtually all of your benificial bacteria lives in the filter media so if you swap filters you will lose your cycle. If you must switch filters then run them alongside each other for at least 2 months to cycle the new one.

2) to be honest I would recommend rehoming your tetras. Your tank is too small for any and you are very over stocked with them and your pleco.

I'm assuming the pleco is a bristlenose?

African dwarf frogs need warmer water than your fish, need to be kept in pairs or groups and shouldn't be kept with fish. I would recommend rehoming your fish and keeping 3 or 4 african dwarf frogs.

 

I think it is a bristlenose. I was told he wouldnt very big at all.

Hes just over an inch. Ive had him 3 months

 

If it's a bristlenose then it needs 30 gallons minimum

 

I'm not saying you're wrong and appreciate your help. Why do they need such a big tank? Sorry I'm new to this and trying to learn as much as I can.

 

They get to around 5" long, have a very large bioload and mine is quite active.

 

I’ve seen way worse tank stocking than yours, so don’t worry. It’s a learning experience.

 

I really appreciate the help even if its not what I want to hear. Every time ive bought a fish from petco or petsmart. All you hear is "youll be fine" or " don't worry its a good setup". My pleco seems happy I bought the vegtable clips and weights to feed him better. My tetras seem happy just territorial. I assume its from only having 3. The frog for some reason likes the algae wafer I feed the pleco. And sometimes the pleco runs off the frog from the wafer. I guess I'm going to search for a 20 or 30 gallon tank setup and try to figure where to put it. A pet is a family member even if its a fish or dog or cat. Just want to do the right thing.

 

I really appreciate the help even if its not what I want to hear. Every time ive bought a fish from petco or petsmart. All you hear is "youll be fine" or " don't worry its a good setup". My pleco seems happy I bought the vegtable clips and weights to feed him better. My tetras seem happy just territorial. I assume its from only having 3. The frog for some reason likes the algae wafer I feed the pleco. And sometimes the pleco runs off the frog from the wafer. I guess I'm going to search for a 20 or 30 gallon tank setup and try to figure where to put it. A pet is a family member even if its a fish or dog or cat. Just want to do the right thing.

I respect that, and your stock isn’t cruel so to speak, just needs an upgrade. I’d recommend a 29g, on 10 inches long than yours now.

 

I rally like the way you have been taking this, I have seen worse stocking. In fact, I have had worse stocking

 

You might not need a 30 gallon for your pleco depending on the gender or genetics.

6 inches is a max size for a male.

If you have a female, it will stay closer to 4 inches or smaller from what I've read. It's hard to tell the gender until they're about 3 inches long when the bristles grow in for a male.

If you have a female, a 20 gallon will work for her. I have mine in a 20 gallon with three adult mollies and 2 Mollie babies. I had alter my filter by adding more biomax packs in order to grow a larger bacteria colony in the filter and I added live plants to help with the bioload.

 

I was told since its albino they are smallest of the plecos and be great with my tank, but that was from a petsmart/petco employee. So at this point I'm not exactly sure if that's true....

 

I would leave it run and add in a atI sponge filter the coarse version. Also add in some live plants if you don't have them.

 

I would leave it run and add in a atI sponge filter the coarse version. Also add in some live plants if you don't have them.

I have a floating moss ball. Not sure if that's enough.

 

I was told since its albino they are smallest of the plecos and be great with my tank, but that was from a petsmart/petco employee. So at this point I'm not exactly sure if that's true....

BN plecos aren't the smallest but they're one of the smallest and the males are much larger than the female so what minimum size tank it needs during to size is different for a male and a female.

The other issue with a bn pleco is that they are very dirty fish. Like mollies and goldfish, plecos have a heavy bioload.

But, if you're willing to make the changes to the tank like putting in extra biomedia for more bacteria and live plants or more frequent water changes then they can do quite well in smaller tanks.

Mine is in a 20 gallon planted tank and she's doing really well.

 

I have a floating moss ball. Not sure if that's enough.

I would add more plants like java fern, anacharis, amazon sword of others.

 

BN plecos aren't the smallest but they're one of the smallest and the males are much larger than the female so what minimum size tank it needs during to size is different for a male and a female.

The other issue with a bn pleco is that they are very dirty fish. Like mollies and goldfish, plecos have a heavy bioload.

But, if you're willing to make the changes to the tank like putting in extra biomedia for more bacteria and live plants or more frequent water changes then they can do quite well in smaller tanks.

Mine is in a 20 gallon planted tank and she's doing really well.

So if I was to buy a new 20 gallon tank kit this weekend what's best way to go about transfering everything from tank to another?

 

So if I was to buy a new 20 gallon tank kit this weekend what's best way to go about transfering everything from tank to another?

I like to set up my new tank on the stand. Then I siphon out half of the old water/waste into the new tank. I get the clear plastic fish bags from the pet store to put the fish in while I'm changing stuff. Start moving the gravel, decor and other stuff into the new tank. Try to fill up the new tank with as much old tank water as possible. Fill the rest of the tank up with treated tap water. Then every ten minutes take a halfway dixie cup of tank water and pour it in each bag for 40 minutes. Then I do a water change every 3 days. Hope that makes sense.

 

I like to set up my new tank on the stand. Then I siphon out half of the old water/waste into the new tank. I get the clear plastic fish bags from the pet store to put the fish in while I'm changing stuff. Start moving the gravel, decor and other stuff into the new tank. Try to fill up the new tank with as much old tank water as possible. Fill the rest of the tank up with treated tap water. Then every ten minutes take a halfway dixie cup of tank water and pour it in each bag for 40 minutes. Then I do a water change every 3 days. Hope that makes sense.

Yes it does thank you!

 

So if I was to buy a new 20 gallon tank kit this weekend what's best way to go about transfering everything from tank to another?

If possible I would try to get a 30 gallon. A 20 gallon isn't really big enough for a bristlenose. In a 30 gallon you could have a nice sized school of tetras.
Once you have moved the fish over I would recommend keeping your dwarf frog in the 10 gallon and giving it one or two friends.

 

If possible I would try to get a 30 gallon. A 20 gallon isn't really big enough for a bristlenose. In a 30 gallon you could have a nice sized school of tetras.
Once you have moved the fish over I would recommend keeping your dwarf frog in the 10 gallon and giving it one or two friends.

Yeah I'm trying to find a spot to put a 29 gallon. Has anyone heard anything good about the aqueon and aqua culture kits the 29 gallon ones?