Filter Changes

[elliotulysses]

A canister's benefits come from easy maintenance, media storage capacity and pump strength. In my opinion, your filter is too small for a 20 gallon tank. Sponge filters work excellent, but take up a lot of room.

My honest advice? Even on a budget, your life support system, whether we are talking about a filter or heater or whatnot, is the most important item you will ever purchase for your frogs, never skimp on it. Buy the best filter you can afford. Search online and you should be able to find a decent canister filter such as a fluval 205/6 or an eheim 2213 for a decent price.

Alright I will definitely look into those filters. Would you say it is the best option? And I was worried my filter was too big/going to cause too much of a current!
I do know that sponge filters are kind of big, but are they powerful? I don't want my little guys to drown.

Also do you put in media, such as seachem's matrix/pond matrix instead of any filtration?
What is your experience using anything while cycling.

I feel like this is a difficult process, but well worth it in the end. And I know something new every day!

Again, I just hope it cycles quickly and I didn't put it to a halt by adding Seachem. I added some ammonia this morning.
I'm also on my fourth week (I believe! So maybe I've had my frogs longer than I thought!).

I just feel bad that they have a way higher than long tank. Luckily they haven't grown TOO much.

Also I try to do the best I can with my money and my frogs. I should be purchasing lymnozyme soon for their tank, regardless of no signs of illness, I'd rather prevent it than deal with something horribly sad. In their current enclosure I just have some decorations, good food, and clean it up daily(with feedings about every other day). The tank I'm preparing for them has live plants, fake plants, and will have more hiding spaces. They also will have a heater and thermometer in case my apartment's temperature goes haywire.
Tonight I'm buying a thermometer for the smaller tank, to keep an eye on temperature. I also test the ammonia of both tanks, rinsing the tubes in between.

[elliotulysses]

Adding plants to your filter would just continue the cycle. Prime will NOT stop the cycle process. Understand that Prime's main purpose is a dechlorinator. It is not used as an ammonia remover. There are separate products for that, which I recommend you stay away from.

Semi-dirty frog water will help the cycle, not because there will be any bacteria in the water, but frog waste, which will help grow more bacteria.

Remember that the biological cycle takes about six weeks to complete, and about 6 months to fully mature. There is no shortcuts to the process. So just sit back, relax and enjoy the frogs until their tank is ready.

Are the daily water changes right now stressful to my frogs? Someone at the petstore tried to give me bacteria for starting a cycle to put in their tank (which doesn't have a filter, thus the 20% water changes.

So for the tank I'm cycling, adding prime to the water during some slight water changes should not be harmful to the cycle?
I know there are products to "jump start" your cycle, but I don't know if I exactly trust them.

But if it's about six weeks, the two weeks more should not be too difficult. Tonight I am still checking the water quality of both my tank with frogs and the one without it with the people at the pet store. While I'm there I'll look at canisters and sponges, but I want to know a little bit more about sponges!
Does the filter they come with have carbon inside? Any easy ways to get rid of that? And how long do they typically last?

[deranged chipmunk]

Alright I will definitely look into those filters. Would you say it is the best option? And I was worried my filter was too big/going to cause too much of a current!
I do know that sponge filters are kind of big, but are they powerful? I don't want my little guys to drown.

Also do you put in media, such as seachem's matrix/pond matrix instead of any filtration?
What is your experience using anything while cycling.

I feel like this is a difficult process, but well worth it in the end. And I know something new every day!

Again, I just hope it cycles quickly and I didn't put it to a halt by adding Seachem. I added some ammonia this morning.
I'm also on my fourth week (I believe! So maybe I've had my frogs longer than I thought!).

I just feel bad that they have a way higher than long tank. Luckily they haven't grown TOO much.

Also I try to do the best I can with my money and my frogs. I should be purchasing lymnozyme soon for their tank, regardless of no signs of illness, I'd rather prevent it than deal with something horribly sad. In their current enclosure I just have some decorations, good food, and clean it up daily(with feedings about every other day). The tank I'm preparing for them has live plants, fake plants, and will have more hiding spaces. They also will have a heater and thermometer in case my apartment's temperature goes haywire.
Tonight I'm buying a thermometer for the smaller tank, to keep an eye on temperature. I also test the ammonia of both tanks, rinsing the tubes in between.

Most canisters have flow control valves so you can keep the current at a minimum.

Sponge filters have no "power". They basically work on the basis of air bubbles within the filter "pull" clean water up from the middle of the sponge, while pressure pushes dirty water into the sponge. Their power is dependent on size, or surface area.

As far as filter media, everyone has their own preference. I only use lava rock. Have for about 10 years. I also never use any chemicals while cycling. I just let the tank cycle.

Cycling a tank is actually a very simple process. Just try not to over complicate it.

There is your whole problem "I hope it cycles quickly". Cycling a tank is NOT a quick process. It just takes patience. There is nothing you can do to speed it up. Just like humans, bacteria grow and reproduce at certain rates. So try to breathe, sit back, watch some tv, play some video games and let it do what it does. Prime will not interrupt the biological cycle. I will repeat this, because it seems you are not understanding how prime works. Prime will NOT interrupt the cycle. I use prime with every water change info and have ever done. It only helps your bio filter by binding with and removing the chlorine and chloramines in your water, which WOULD hinder the bio filter.

I would caution against treating preventatively. Doing so could cause the frogs to build an immunity towards the medication, rendering it useless if you ever do need it.

[deranged chipmunk]

Are the daily water changes right now stressful to my frogs? Someone at the petstore tried to give me bacteria for starting a cycle to put in their tank (which doesn't have a filter, thus the 20% water changes.

So for the tank I'm cycling, adding prime to the water during some slight water changes should not be harmful to the cycle?
I know there are products to "jump start" your cycle, but I don't know if I exactly trust them.

But if it's about six weeks, the two weeks more should not be too difficult. Tonight I am still checking the water quality of both my tank with frogs and the one without it with the people at the pet store. While I'm there I'll look at canisters and sponges, but I want to know a little bit more about sponges!
Does the filter they come with have carbon inside? Any easy ways to get rid of that? And how long do they typically last?

Prime is not harmful to the cycling process (see above).

A sponge filter is basically a perforated plastic tube covered with a sponge. You use an air line hooked to a pump to create bubbles which will draw water up the tube. They are the most basic of filters. I used them extensively when I was breeding shrimp. They are effective, but not as effective as a canister.

[elliotulysses]

Over 30 years of keeping tanks, I have used every sort of filter possible. I personally prefer canisters. Yes, you can run multiple filters, school of thought being is that you can never filter too much. I don't keep aquatic frogs, but have kept pretty much everything else aquatic from octopii to tetras and everything in between.

As far as brands of canisters, they are all pretty comparable, but I would stay away from that API modular canister. It is ****. Any if the others are fine, where it be eheim, fluval, marineland, ect.

I am thinking of converting to a sponge and canister filter. I am not sure whether I am going to keep my tetra whisper ex20, or just leave it there. It produces a fairly low current and I think my frogs are too big to really get sucked in. I tested it with my fingers and the whole barely takes up one finger and it was fairly easy to swim away from. I just hope my darlings aren't stupid enough to swim up the filter tube @_@ However I have heard of no one saying this?

But here are the models I was looking at for my 20 gallon:
Penn Plax Cascade Canister Filters - Aquarium Filter and Fish Tank Filter from petco.com
Fluval 06 External Canister Filters - Aquarium Filter and Fish Tank Filter from petco.com
Hydor Professional Canister Filter at PETCO
Marineland C Series External Canister Filters at PETCO

Any suggestions on which is best? I intend to buy off of Amazon and try to save myself a couple of bucks.

And while you don't have ACFs, have you had any fish meets filter problems? Does the canister option help with that kind of issue? I know the sponge filter will not produce much current and is supposed to last for quite a bit!

Also it is quite strange! API does good liquid test kits, so I would have assumed they would do better in the filter department. ): Thanks for the heads up though!

[elliotulysses]

Most canisters have flow control valves so you can keep the current at a minimum.

Sponge filters have no "power". They basically work on the basis of air bubbles within the filter "pull" clean water up from the middle of the sponge, while pressure pushes dirty water into the sponge. Their power is dependent on size, or surface area.

As far as filter media, everyone has their own preference. I only use lava rock. Have for about 10 years. I also never use any chemicals while cycling. I just let the tank cycle.

Cycling a tank is actually a very simple process. Just try not to over complicate it.

There is your whole problem "I hope it cycles quickly". Cycling a tank is NOT a quick process. It just takes patience. There is nothing you can do to speed it up. Just like humans, bacteria grow and reproduce at certain rates. So try to breathe, sit back, watch some tv, play some video games and let it do what it does. Prime will not interrupt the biological cycle. I will repeat this, because it seems you are not understanding how prime works. Prime will NOT interrupt the cycle. I use prime with every water change info and have ever done. It only helps your bio filter by binding with and removing the chlorine and chloramines in your water, which WOULD hinder the bio filter.

I would caution against treating preventatively. Doing so could cause the frogs to build an immunity towards the medication, rendering it useless if you ever do need it.

How odd. Many places say that you need this product to prevent redleg, but so far my frogs have seemed quite healthy and content. Should I perhaps open a new thread about lymnozyme and get opinions? I do agree that it seems like it may make the frog resistant to treatment, but it is supposed to just kind of make the bacteria in the water less harmful.
Redleg seems like a horrible disease so I just want to make sure that if/when my frogs die, it will be a painless way. Like the opposite of redleg. However, as I said, neither seem to be showing signs of illness and seem quite healthy (save for being stressed out about my turkey baster-siphon).

I think my impatience is only be cause I feel like they are in an improper tank. Currently my girlfriend is trying to keep me from being so aquarium-focused and we do our best to take care of them now. Hopefully the water quality is good. I'm personally concerned with stressing them out with the turkey baster and water changes!

[deranged chipmunk]

I am thinking of converting to a sponge and canister filter. I am not sure whether I am going to keep my tetra whisper ex20, or just leave it there. It produces a fairly low current and I think my frogs are too big to really get sucked in. I tested it with my fingers and the whole barely takes up one finger and it was fairly easy to swim away from. I just hope my darlings aren't stupid enough to swim up the filter tube @_@ However I have heard of no one saying this?

But here are the models I was looking at for my 20 gallon:
Penn Plax Cascade Canister Filters - Aquarium Filter and Fish Tank Filter from petco.com
Fluval 06 External Canister Filters - Aquarium Filter and Fish Tank Filter from petco.com
Hydor Professional Canister Filter at PETCO
Marineland C Series External Canister Filters at PETCO

Any suggestions on which is best? I intend to buy off of Amazon and try to save myself a couple of bucks.

And while you don't have ACFs, have you had any fish meets filter problems? Does the canister option help with that kind of issue? I know the sponge filter will not produce much current and is supposed to last for quite a bit!

Also it is quite strange! API does good liquid test kits, so I would have assumed they would do better in the filter department. ): Thanks for the heads up though!

They are all comparable. I tend to lean towards fluval. There is a huge battle over which is better, eheim or fluval. It's just a matter of preference.

I assume you mean problems with flow on the filters. Yes, I kept dwarf freshwater shrimp for years. The problem with them is their size when born, being just a few millimeters. A sponge or better yet, a piece of pantyhose over the filter inlet protected them brilliantly.

From what I understand, API actually produces very few products, they just brand them. The filstar line of filters are made by Rena, which was bought by API. I would guess that most of their products would be similar.

[elliotulysses]

They are all comparable. I tend to lean towards fluval. There is a huge battle over which is better, eheim or fluval. It's just a matter of preference.

I assume you mean problems with flow on the filters. Yes, I kept dwarf freshwater shrimp for years. The problem with them is their size when born, being just a few millimeters. A sponge or better yet, a piece of pantyhose over the filter inlet protected them brilliantly.

From what I understand, API actually produces very few products, they just brand them. The filstar line of filters are made by Rena, which was bought by API. I would guess that most of their products would be similar.

I think I will probably go with a fluval and a canister filter. I just will be patient and add them at the same time and let them seed.
I just was wondering what fluval model would be best for a 20 gallon?
As for sponges, I have no idea where to even start looking for them. As in, which brand.