# Need to know what I do with these filters



## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Hi there,

My partner and I have just got 7 tanks, heaters, filters and undergravel filters, pumps, light units, for free.

What I would likt to know is how to use these

Tetratec (have 2 of these one small and this is the biggest of the 2)









Eheim 100









Auqa









Elite801









Under gravel filters (never used these)









Any help would be really helpful. Thanks in advance :thumb:


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## planenut007 (Mar 21, 2009)

looks like you got some tanks and some junk, toss the under gravel filters.
If you want you could get some spounge filters for the air pumps.
Other wise start lookin for some filtration.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Thats what we thought. We're going to get some new filters for each of the tanks now.

Think fluval would be the way to go as they are reasonably priced here.


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## overleaf (Jan 18, 2009)

bigcatsrus said:


> Thats what we thought. We're going to get some new filters for each of the tanks now.
> 
> Think fluval would be the way to go as they are reasonably priced here.


All you need to buy are some Lustar sponges! You have aplethora of air equipment there. The pumps hook up to the hose with the blue air stones, they then sit halfway down the Lustar sponge pipe and filter the tanks for you.

I wouldn't waste money on filters when you have most of the required equipment already.

The UGFs are garbage.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

What is a Lustar sponge?

Still a novice to the cichlid world


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## overleaf (Jan 18, 2009)

http://www.aquariumshop.ca/product_info ... ucts_id=65

They let you do sponge filtration:

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com ... ation.html


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## planenut007 (Mar 21, 2009)

Ya, use sponges, then switch th cans as time and money permit, fluval's or rena's are both good deal for money spent, shop around you may find a deal on one or more when buying together, also alot of diy filters that can be made to work for cheap, check out diy section, u tube ect..ect.
What are the sizes of tanks maybe some could be set together on same filter, I know not the best way to filter but if some are small in combined stands it is done with success.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

We're going to use what we have, IF it doesn't work out then we'll change the filtering system completely but the advice given will be taken into account and thanks guys :thumb:

The stand and tanks were in a pet shop and have been done by a professional. The name thats on the stand is Clearseal.

This is the stand and tanks (been moved since this pic).


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## planenut007 (Mar 21, 2009)

If you was planning on using what you have, why in the h e l l did you ask for advise?


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

planenut007 said:


> If you was planning on using what you have, why in the h e l l did you ask for advise?


Because we didn't know what were getting into. We've been reading about all sorts of filters.
The fact that this is a place to get advice, I felt it was best to get it from people who have experience with these instead of jumping straight in. Is that so much to ask???


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## brycerb (Dec 23, 2007)

planenut007 said:


> If you was planning on using what you have, why in the h e l l did you ask for advise?


Why can't we all get along? :-?


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

No bigcatsrus, its not. Some people just suck and when they have the least amount to say they for some reason get offended when you dont take their advice. :roll:

If you do decide to upgrade filtration I suggest not going with those mentioned and if you want a real bang for the buck get some Magnum 350's Those paired to the sponge filters will do great jobs and they are very simple in design.

The sponges will keep bio filtration in check and the Mags can be turned into mechanical monsters if you run them with floss.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

im going to play devils advocate.. big cat great score on the tanks.. planenut i do see what youre saying. bigcat... nothing but love but i have noticed in a few forums youve done the same thing.. ask for advice, advice is given, then youre like.....nah i like it better my way. just saying that ruffles feathers, especially admitting, like myself youre a newb.. anyhoo love cf love you guys... got the "cich"ness :thumb:


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

I really don't care what planenut007 had to say on that last comment, thats his/hers opinion but to get offended so easily, :lol:

Cheers JWerner2, budget wise atm we just don't have the funds to go spending nilly w illy (having a dobe and 3 cats plus another 2 tanks and the other house hold bills) and me without a job, need to be that extra bit careful. We have checked everything works and we're only short of a couple things to get the filtering system up and running. We should have it running by the end of the weekend, fingers crossed.


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

So from what it sounds, have you ruled on trashing the UGF's?

I take it you are?

You can DIY sponges for the sponge filters and if you keep your eyes open you can find people giving away some stuff on free cycle to help with that also how ever it is cheap and worth the effort to get it over with now. There are some great ideas in the Library section.

The UGF's are more headaches then anything, especially if you plan on removing them sooner or later which you will have to do if you upgrade. And with cichlids those things cane become very messy pulling waste down and trapping it in the gravel/substrate rather then making it easy for removal like HOBs or canisters and even sponges.

Good luck!


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

jfly I do take the advise openly, as said in my previous post finances are a little tight. We have enough to get the little bits we need to start the process.

Its not "I have a better way", I ask for advise to make myself think things through properly before acting upon advise given. I asked in the illness and health section about a problem I was having, still doing what was said as its still on going and amy ask about it agian. Maybe jfly you'll understand how brits actually work by that sometimes being stubbon and I can be very stubbon, on this occassion, no but thanks for the love :thumb:


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

JWerner2 said:


> So from what it sounds, have you ruled on trashing the UGF's?
> 
> I take it you are?
> 
> ...


Nope keeping them for now but if its just too much then, change time.


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

Look at it like this. In your case, the same with lots of us, you are not looking for advice just a second opinion.

Nothing at all wrong with that.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

True very true. Maybe I used the wrong word.


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

Just keep in mind that you'll have to brake it down sooner or later WHEN you remove it and they do tend to develop a septic layer under them which is bad if the fish are exposed to it when removing it.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

All taken into account. Its a joint decison so I'll have a chat with my partner when he gets home and see what we'll do but I know what he'll say.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

wow.. wasnt tryin for any nasty attitude, just trying to diffuse the situation and point out that sometimes (maybe its how BRITS do it) before you post you should reread and make sure that things dont sound obtuse and offend SENIOR members in the forum. anyhoo way to go on the find


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Oh no attitude here (have had a busy day), if that what it seemed like then I'm sorry for how it sounded.

I reread things 3 or more times. I must add that I did say I wasn't being stubbon :lol: anyway never mind.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

whatev big cat got love for ya regardless, i can tell that you have gotten the "cich"ness and its good to see the enthusiasm.. i myself when i got the bug bounced from thread to thread just to post..(i was excited) .. even if i was a little off topic it was outta love for my fishies.. looks like the same for you :wink:


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

It could be like that. My partner had said it was starting to become an obession, maybe it is. It is exciting, I'm a big animal fan (part from spiders) and want the best for all the ones that we have atm.

Forgot to say jfly, thank you.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

bigcat agreed on everything but spiders.. whew i got bitten by a brown recluse.. ooh scary. thank you as well bigcat.. =D> on the find wow the possiblilities youve got with that FLY setup


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

It was that film acracniphobia, I was 5 yrs old when my older brother said come on watch this, now 20 yrs later still petrafied by them even in the pet shops I avoid them like the plague. We don't have any dangerous spiders here but still run!

Its now deciding on what we want to get.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

id have one sa, one ca, one peacocks / haps, one mbuna.. im green with envy opcorn: cant wait to see what you do with it


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## planenut007 (Mar 21, 2009)

Sorry bigcat, did not mean any offense, Looks like you got good deal on a sweet set up there.
Looks to be about 200 gallons or so. You could build a community filter (sump) for probly round $75 or so, would work fine, maybe isolate one tank for new fish, prior to placing in general population.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Thats ok planenut007, just be carful how you word things 

We got 10 tanks in total, the ones you see are what will be used for now. We do have a spaer 2' tank thats going to be used for a sump when we get the custom 1000L tank for the cats, other filteration will also be use for it.

We do need a hospital tank for when we get any fish. The first fish that will be brought will be plecos after that not sure.

jfly, 2 4' tanks have been separated, one in to 3 and the other in half and then we have 2 more 2' tanks. we need to be really carefule with what size fih we get and how many. Any ideas?


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## planenut007 (Mar 21, 2009)

That would make a great fry/grow out set up. wish I could find one...off to CL I go.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

The 4" one thats been sectioned into 3? or one of the 2" tanks?

Try yahoo free cycle for your area. This is where we got these.


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## planenut007 (Mar 21, 2009)

I heard a rumer that wally world (walmart) here may stop selling(killing) fish, maybe I can score one of their set ups.


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

You dont want one. They suck. The tanks leak all the time and the filtration units suck.

If the tanks weren't so trashy they would be ok, still gotta diy EVERYTHING making it almost pointless but I turned down one of those Marineland units myself from Wal-Mart a few weeks ago. They had it sitting out for trash.

That top one looks like a 33 long. Not much water but one of my favorite foot prints. Especially for fish that dont need deeper water.


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## Bigcatsrus (the bf!) (May 15, 2009)

Hi all, my other half might have gotten a bit confused with sizes!!!!

The rack we have has room for 3 x 48" x 12" x 12" tanks.

The top one is split in 3 and the others in to 2. Unfortunately one of the ones split in 2 has a bad crack in it but we were also given 3 x 2 foot tanks so I'm keeping the deepest one to use as a sump as and when we can afford the 1000 litre tank for the cats and we have replaced the cracked tank with the other 2.

This basically leaves us with 4 x 24" x 12" x 12" tanks = 56 litres each and 3 x 16" x 12" x 12" tanks = 37 litres each.

Hope that makes sense.

Regards

Dave :thumb:


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

You should be able to remove the dividers.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

We thought about that, just more work. I'm in the process of cleaning everything up and its taking some time.

The one thats been split into 3, if they were to be removed we would have to make support for the glass sliders to sit on. It is an idea that we have considered.


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

It would make it so much more easier to clean and filter when se up and stocked. You can use a sharp blade and just separate the silicone from the glass rather easy.

Then you can use them as a support brace to help hold the glass tops since they would be just about cut to size. Just silicone them in like a brace.

The dividers are not glass are they? If not it would be easy to make them more narrow. But its still doable if they are.

Good luck!


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

They are glass. Didn't think of it that way. I'll let Dave know when he's back and see what he say's as it wil be him doing it. I'l break it.


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