# Questions



## davery08 (Mar 4, 2011)

So I just got a new filter and I gave my old filter to a friend that also has piranhas.. He has a filter right now on the left side of the tank and is wanting to add the filter I gave him to the right side, so he'll have two filters for his 55 gallon. The filter he has right now is working fine but he just didn't know if adding another filter would hurt or be a good thing?


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## e46markus (Dec 9, 2010)

Can never have too much filteration. I would strongly recommend running both.


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## Tensa (Jul 28, 2008)

would be helpful







more filtration is never wrong


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## davery08 (Mar 4, 2011)

Thanks!


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## Guest (Apr 30, 2011)

Adding another filter is fine, the more filtration the better.


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## Smoke (Sep 8, 2010)

^ What they said


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## Da' Manster! (Sep 1, 2009)

you can never go wrong with ample filtration!...I have two Aquaclear 110's on my 55'er!...20x's turnover rate!....


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## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

did you run both filters? Switch media maybe? Hope you didn't get a new filter & pull your old one right off. It could take a couple weeks to establish your BB in the new filter.


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## davery08 (Mar 4, 2011)

Yeah he's running both filters now and it seems to be doing well. He is having a rough time with his water right now and the ammonia in it is like deadly high so he is going to do about a 20% water change every 3 days. Recommended by the guy from our LFS. Should he do it more often. Not as often?


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## e46markus (Dec 9, 2010)

What are the readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates? I'd add some aquarium salt if theres high ammonia showing. Water changes would help with ammonia burn but if the tank wasn't properly cycled the water changes would only slow the cycle down.


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## Tensa (Jul 28, 2008)

20 % every 3 days is not often enough if there is a issue. the new filter should help the problem/eliminate it. i would add some salt to the water to help ease the effects of the nitrite spike which is sure to follow. 20% every day during this time wouldnt be bad either. as posted above please post the water test ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate so we can better advise and give help. we know its not your tank but we still love to help out.


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## Guest (May 1, 2011)

What is the pH of the tank water? 
With a pH below 7 his ammonium level will be higher then the ammonia so it's less toxic to the fish. I'd do a 10% water change every other day, with too many water changes beneficial bacteria will never have a chance to catch up and the filter will never fully cycle. If he add's some drift wood it should knock down the pH a good amount to ensure any ammonia content in the water becomes ammonium so it's easier on the fish during cycling.


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## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

No I'm talking about your tank. How you worded your question has me thinking your didn't cycle your new filter before taking the old one off. You said I just got a new filter & gave my old one to a friend & the fact that your asking if its ok to run two filters. Which has me thinkn you didn't run the two filters together. If you had would you be asking if its ok to run two. I doubt it. If you didn't run old filter with new for a minute or switch the media to your new filter your new filter isn't cycled yet & you'll have same problem your buddies having.


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## davery08 (Mar 4, 2011)

My fish tank is fine. Cycled well. Good water condition. Sorry for the confusion but the problem is my friends water. He has had his 55 gallon for probably a year now so his water has been well cycled and everything but recently his RBPs have stopped swimming around and they were "itching" so he assumed something was wrong. He got a powerhead and it helps them swim around a little but one still "itched" so he tested his water. I don't know what all the numbers were but I know he told me his ammonia was really high(maybe like a 2 or 3). He said everything was above what it was suppose to be so he did a 30% water change and cleaned all the sh*t and everything. Yesterday he added another filter to the tank (now he has 2, one on both sides) but he tested his water again yesterday at the LFS and they told him his ammonia was really high (they were actually surprised fish were living in this water, that's how bad) so the LFS guy told him to do a 20-30% water change every 3 days and it will fix his water problems.

So that's what is going on but the questions we have is, is that a good amount of water change in those days? Should it be more and more often or less? Also when he does his water changes he uses water from his bathtub so after he adds the water he adds water conditioner for tap water? Good idea right? Any idea on how to get his fish healthy and active again would be great


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## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

Ok, you keep side stepping my question. Hope your friend isn't filling his tub to get water. Getting water from tub is fine but not if he's filling the tub to get it.


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## davery08 (Mar 4, 2011)

no he doesn't fill his tub up with water.. he gets it room temp and fills up a 5 gallon bucket and then takes it to his tank.. and yes he is running both filters.. the one has has always had on it and the one I gave him, which he put in a new media because it didn't have any.. i hope those were the questions you wanted me to answer


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## Guest (May 1, 2011)

So he fills up the tub, lets is sit, then uses a 5 gallon bucket to move the water?

And bruner is asking about *your* tank, is *your* tanks filter cycled? Or did *you* put a new filter on *your* tank and give the old one to your friend?


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## e46markus (Dec 9, 2010)

The reason why its hard to tell you if the LFS recommendations on water changes is right, more or less is because we don't know what the parameters of the water is. If you post the numbers we might be able to help you with your friends tank.


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## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

Yeah I was asking about your tank n filter. The way you worded it sounds like you just got a new filter & gave your old filter to your Bro without cycling your new one. Your bros tank isn't cycled properly, he's change the media or whatnot(maybe rinsed in tap water)& lost his BB in his old filter. Doing bunches of water changes now will just prolong his cycle imo. You've left out what kind of filters we're even talking about also. Which I think matters also. Anyhow I'm not picking on ya. Just wondering if your gonna have problems like your friend soon. I get my water from tub tap. Add Amquel right to bucket while filling. I don't even worry bout temp much. As long as its not straight hot or straight cold. I turn both full bore till 1/2 to 2/3rds full then shut the hot off. The tank water will stabilize the temp of the fresh.as long as its close he should be fine. I suspect he's rinsed his filter with tap water. Always clean em with aged tank water if you/he isn't already. Imo there should be a 2 filter minimum rule with piranha groups. He should definitely cut back on feeding till his filters catch up.imo anyhow.


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## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

Hell we don't even know his stock yet other than piranha. His tanks a 55gal but how many fish 2,6,10, 30? What size 1/2", 3", 10". What's his feeding schedule & what's he feeding. Does he leave food in tank? We're missing some key info here & not just water readings.


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## Guest (May 1, 2011)

There's a lot of info missing








This thread has become one huge mix of randomness


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## davery08 (Mar 4, 2011)

okay here are the numbers.. ammonia-2, ph 5.5, nitrite between 0-.5 and nitrate between 40and 80.. he said the water tester was hard to read so thats the closest he could get
I got a new filter, set it up and cycle for 3 or 4 days before removing my old filter so it is cycled well.. when we put my old filter in his tank he put a new media in it because I had thrown the old ones away.. we figured it won't hurt having a new media in the second filter.. 
He has a 55 gallon tank with water temp around 80.. he has 3 RBP and i'm not even going to try to guess on how big they are but he has had them for a year so use your imagination. one of them is missing a tail and doesn't do sh*t all day but hide in the driftwood he has.. the other two use to just sit in one spot and never swim around.. he was tired of them not being active and was going to get rid of them but we've asked around to see if he could do anything to get them active.. he was told to get a powerhead.. that helped some.. and now the water testing has started and he has shitty water.. he cleaned the whole tank and IMO his tank looks 100% better and his water is clear but looks aren't everything so he tested his water again at the LFS and they told him it was shitty water.. the water readings are posted above.. then they guy told us to do a 20-30% water change every 3 days and it will help bring the ammonia down.. so he is suppose to do a water change today.. he purchased the salt that was recommended and is going to try that.. sorry for all the confusion this has caused I didn't realize what all it took to get healthy water

also, he feeds them daily, usually it is pellets that float but i've talked him into trying beef heart and he use to feed bloodworms, I also told him to try raw shrimp (i read that is good to feed them and my RBPs seem to like it) he doesn't leave any food in the tank they always eat everything he feeds them.. 
with the filling of the water.. he takes his 5 gallon bucket.. fills it up in the tub with room temp water.. immediately takes it to his take and puts it in his tank.. and goes back and repeats until full.. then he puts in his water conditioner

one last also.. i don't know the name of any of the filters.. MY newest one is a marineland something.. but I believe the two he has are Top Fin.. but I could be wrong.. i'll have to check

whispher power filter 60 and a top fin 60 are the filters


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## Guest (May 1, 2011)

First off, I'd be more worried about the nitrate level then the ammonia seeing that it's around 2 (not deadly high) in a low pH tank. 40-80 is higher then normal. 
Why is his pH 5.5? What is the pH of the tap water he's using?

I'm getting the feeling these filters are internal, am I correct?
If so, they are no good on a Piranha tank, they don't hold enough media to seed with BB (beneficial bacteria) to take care of the bioload. You would both need to upgrade to external filters if this is the case.

Check your water, 3-4 days isn't enough IMO for a new filter to seed with enough BB before removing the old one, especially if it is an internal.

edit:
Just saw you put the filter names, your both better of getting external canister filters. You don't have adequate filtration imo.


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## davery08 (Mar 4, 2011)

by internal external filters what do you mean? they have like the filter part in the water but the big part of the filter(that the media is in) hangs on the outside.. I am going to test my water this week because I am starting to think the same

lol we'd both love getting those types of filters but for both of us right now money is an issue.. would these filters be good enough until we can save up $100 to buy these filters?


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## Guest (May 1, 2011)

I haven't used hob (hang on back) filters on tanks for biological filtration before. Though from my understanding of the filters you listed they will have a hard time and the water will easily go bad due to their media capacity. Piranhas are very messy eaters, and produce a lot of waste, so good filtration is a must especially for your friends tank who you said his p's are a year old. 
What media do you have in the hob filters? If its the regular carbon media, I suggest you get rid of it and replace it with good bio media. Your lfs should have a variety of bio media, if you ask the guy there for bio media to replace the carbon in the hob filters you both have I'm sure he'll have something. 
If he tells you it isn't necessary, don't listen to him as often lfs employees know very little when it comes to properly maintaining a fish tank.

Upgrade your filtration asap though, bad filtration will do nothing but frustrate you because you'll be battling bad water params constantly.

For now feed sparingly, don't over feed, and reduce the amount you feed. Keep the tank clean, and monitor your water chemistry.
I suggest you take a look around the forum, read the threads on cycling and tank maintenance, this will give you a better understanding on looking after your fish and water.
Good luck


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## davery08 (Mar 4, 2011)

thank you everyone.. i will work on getting a new filter for me and my friend also.. everyone has been a huge help.. i'll keep you up dated on how both tanks are doing


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## Guest (May 1, 2011)

No problem


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## davery08 (Mar 4, 2011)

MarineLand Magnum 350 Canister filter.. my LFS sells them and I might be able to manage some money to get it.. would that be a good enough filter.. it says it does 350 GPH and is good enough for any tank up to 100 gallons (i have a 55)


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## e46markus (Dec 9, 2010)

Don't have any experience with that type of filter, if your strapped for cash you can always look on ebay or other 3rd party sellers like craigslist. You can usually find a decent deal on a used canister.


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## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

Only I see wrong is. You took old filter off before your new one was cycled. It can take a couple weeks. Your buddy should add the water treatment before he adds it to his tank & not to the tank after he's done filling it. He's exposing his fish to tap water chemicals before he adds the treatment. This could be killing some of his BB also. 2-3 rbp aren't going to be real active. If he wants more activity he needs to upgrade to least a 75gal, add more fish, & bigger filter. With rbp the more you have the better they act imo. Also your friend needs to cut back on feeding for a while to every 2-4 days if not longer between meals. This would help with his polluted water problem.


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