Archived message board.
Upgrading tank
Badmans Tropical Fish Message Center:
General message area: Upgrading tank
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robin
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Monday,
February 11, 2002 - 10:16 am
have had a 20 gal freshwater tank for several years which
i would like to increase to a 30-40. with the exception
of a few tetras, most of my fish have been moved to my large
tank. this tank has a ugf and a penguin biofilter. if i
move everything quickly, will the bacteria survive the move,
or should i recycle the tank as if "new". also,
am tempted to go without the ugf as i am not sure it is
necessary (my lfs says it is. any suggestions.
as long as i am on the subject, any suggestions for fish.
previously this was a "community" tank (it was
my first one), and had mostly platies, tetras, etc.
would consider more aggressive fish, but my experience with
such fish is non-existent.
thanks.
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badman
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Tuesday,
February 12, 2002 - 09:26 pm
Robin, if your move is a quick one and you can keep some
oxygen to the gravel your bacteria should survive. I would
seed the new tank with some of the old gravel. This gravel
will have bacteria living on it and should give your new
tank a good start. I am going to take and answer from my
FAQ section on the UG filter issue, It may start a war,
but this is my feeling on them. I am not a big fan of UG
filters and have not used them for years, Here's why
(remember this is opinion).The UG filter is a bacterial
filter that utilizes a huge surface area ( the gravel
bed ) and the gravel as the medium for the bacteria
to grow on. This is great when everything is new and clean
and the tank is bare. The lift tubes create a current that
causes the water to flow through the the gravel, under the
plates and out again. This current brings the oxygen and
food to the bacteria. The good bacteria are aerobic and
need oxygen to live. Now over time the waste accumulates
on the bottom of the plates and sections of the gravel become
blocked. In these areas the water has no oxygen and the
anaerobic bacteria start to grow. Anaerobic bacteria respirate
deadly gasses that form bubbles in the bed and under the
decorations. Anytime they are disturbed they release into
the water and can harm the fish. Over time the entire gravel
bed will break down and no longer be effective. Once this
occurs you must completely break down the tank clean the
gravel, under the plates and start all over again. Not something
I want to do!. Now a 5 gallon is not so large as to be too
much of a problem, but just imagine a larger 4 foot 55 gallon,
not a pleasant thought. The UGs do work and do it well but
in my opinion the "future" maintenance issue far
outweighs the benefits.
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robin
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Wednesday,
February 13, 2002 - 12:00 pm
yike - they didn't tell me that at the fish store. thanks
badman - was leaning towards going without the ugf anyway!
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Pandora
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Thursday,
February 14, 2002 - 07:24 pm
Robin, they will omit to tell you many things at the fish
store, depending on which ones you go to! What great advice
from Badman, who I'd trust over an LFS anyday, because
he's not trying to sell you anything.
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