Fish and filter replacement rate

UncleWede · 01-16-2007, 02:35 PM

My son has a 30 gallon with 2 Oscars, a Jack Russell, and a sucker fish to clean the glass. He's a bit lax in changing the filters, so I've started being responsible. If I walk by and there are floaties, or the water isn't running over the filters, I change them out. There is a Whisper 20 on one end, and 40 on the other, plus I added a bubbler under the rocks. Should I have to change those filters every 3-4 days?
Also, how do you clean the tubes that suck the water into the filter? I managed to get (somebody's) toothbrush into one of them, but the other I simply can't get inside it. There is growth in there, and he totally freaked when I soaked in bleach and then rinsed for about 5 minutes.

viper531 · 01-16-2007, 04:28 PM

you can buy a special brush to clean the filter's intake tube (should be a couple bucks).

UncleWede · 01-17-2007, 02:36 PM

I don't think they are adults, at this point probably only about 6 inches long each. He got them about June of last year.
What is on the filters appears to be algae as opposed to fish waste products. He keeps wanting to put the used filter on the rocks so his sucker fish has a solid food source. That thing swims around with a trail longer than it's body most days!

01-16-2007, 02:35 PM	#1
UncleWede Long Time Admirer, First Time Owner 18430 Rep 9,426 Posts Drives: G01 X3 M40i Dark Graphite Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Oxnard, CA iTrader: (0)	Fish and filter replacement rate My son has a 30 gallon with 2 Oscars, a Jack Russell, and a sucker fish to clean the glass. He's a bit lax in changing the filters, so I've started being responsible. If I walk by and there are floaties, or the water isn't running over the filters, I change them out. There is a Whisper 20 on one end, and 40 on the other, plus I added a bubbler under the rocks. Should I have to change those filters every 3-4 days? Also, how do you clean the tubes that suck the water into the filter? I managed to get (somebody's) toothbrush into one of them, but the other I simply can't get inside it. There is growth in there, and he totally freaked when I soaked in bleach and then rinsed for about 5 minutes.
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01-16-2007, 04:28 PM	#2
viper531 New Member 6 Rep 26 Posts Drives: '06 330i SG Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: bay area iTrader: (0)	you can buy a special brush to clean the filter's intake tube (should be a couple bucks). __________________ '06 330i SG\|BlackLeather\|AluminumTrim\|Sports\|Premium\|Cold\|i Drive\|Steptronic
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01-17-2007, 02:36 PM	#3
UncleWede Long Time Admirer, First Time Owner 18430 Rep 9,426 Posts Drives: G01 X3 M40i Dark Graphite Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Oxnard, CA iTrader: (0)	I don't think they are adults, at this point probably only about 6 inches long each. He got them about June of last year. What is on the filters appears to be algae as opposed to fish waste products. He keeps wanting to put the used filter on the rocks so his sucker fish has a solid food source. That thing swims around with a trail longer than it's body most days!
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