Leaking Aquarium

I was walking up to my 50 gallon fish tank to feed my fish, as usual, when my socks get soaked by a big puddle of water on the floor. At first I blame it on my one year old toddler who is always spilling her water bottle all over the floor. I quickly wipe it up. But then I look up and see water leaking out of the bottom of my fish tank. Oh no.

I use a paper towel to soak up all the water, desperately praying that it was just leftover water spilling from the water change I did two days ago.

Ten minutes later, water continues to slowly but steadily leak out of my tank. My fiance says right away, "You better empty the whole thing, tear it down before it the crack gets bigger and damages our property." I have a mini panic attack. Tear down my pride and joy? A fixer upper I've poured almost $2000 into? No!

But reality was staring me in the face. I had no choice.

So I turned to Google. Explanations on how to reseal tanks were complicated and unfeasible. I didn't have time to do all that with a toddler to look after. I started going on Craigslist, desperately looking for another 50 gallon or larger tank to buy as a replacement. After sending a handful of emails, I went back on Google.

Meanwhile, in the background, my fiance's voice continues to nag, "What are you waiting for? Just empty the tank already! Move the fish and plants and stuff into your small spare tank."

I retort with great frustration, "Just give me some time to think about it!"

"Think about what?" He says, "It's leaking. You need to fix it or get a new one!"

So I hook up my Aqueon water changer hose and start draining away. I take out my spare 20 gallon tank (used as a plant terrarium) and start wiping it down, all the while silently mourning the loss of such a beautiful tank. I have spent 8 months getting it to the way it looks now...only to tear it down? And don't even get me started on how long it would take to catch all of my shrimp and fish in there (over 50!)

After changing out 50% of the water, I remove the hose. Ok, one last check on Google to see if there are ANY alternatives. One last check before I destroy my aquascape.

I visit a fish forum website and a genius on there was answering a question about leaking aquariums. He said in the past his tank had an unexpected leak. So he emptied it and tore everything down to check out the problem. Yet there was no crack or rupture in the silicone sealant. So he filled it up again and the tank started to leak from the bottom again. Long story short, he discovered that his filter was actually overflowing, causing water to drip from the back of the tank to the front.

OF COURSE!

I had noticed that after draining 50% of the water and unplugging my hang-on-back filters, the "leak" stopped for 15 minutes. Could it be??

I checked the back of the tank and lo and behold, there was a puddle of water right under my Fluval C3 filter!

So I refilled my tank and cleaned out my filter media. Plugged everything back in and it's been half hour now and NO LEAK! WOOHOO!

Problem solved.
Thanks Google for saving my butt.
Thank you inner intuition for staying calm and not listening to the advice of my fiance.

Imagine if I had torn it all down only to realize it was just the filter overflowing...

So just thought I'd share this funny story with you guys.

If you have a strange leak, make sure it's not your filter!! And don't keep the water level too high that causes the filter to overflow more easily.

Take care readers!

Chesmok

How a Filter Works

We've all heard of different filter designs that serve various purposes. There are undergravel filters, sponge filters, power filters, internal filters, HOB filters.....but as far as I know, all of them have more or less the same three basic functions:

1. Biological Filtration: storage of beneficial bacteria necessary to maintain a proper Nitrogen Cycle.

2. Mechanical Filtration: removes physical debris (rotting plants, dust, specks of this and that)

3. Chemical Filtration: removes discoloration of water, harmful & beneficial chemicals such as medicine and heavy metals using activated carbon (black looking "rocks")

***************************************************************************

1. HOB (Hang on Back) Filters

- This is the most commonly used filter in my experience. It hangs onto the back of your tank because there's a curved gap between the intake tubes and the filter media box. Usually on aquarium lids there's a perforated space that you snap off so you can fit your filter into a space on the backside of the aquarium.

- Price range: $20-$50

Setup and How it Works

1. Assemble the parts according to the instructions. Make sure everything fits snugly. Check that you have all the pieces. Rinse filter cartridges to get rid of carbon dust (black dust)

2. Plug it in, make sure there's a drip loop so trickling water won't damage your electrical sockets and the machinery. (If your model needs priming, pour water over the top of the box to get it the pump started and the water flowing. Other models should be self-starting)

3. Check that water is flowing at the correct rate and is constant. Adjust flow rate (if possible) with the adjusting valve. You turn it right or left to increase/decrease water flow. It's usually found at the top of the intake tube where it empties into the box.


Basically, the motor will spin a rotating object called the impeller, forcing water up the intake tube. It empties straight into the "box" containing the filter media, water runs through the filter media (which traps debris, eats up waste, removes chemicals etc.), and comes out clean the other end.


2. Air Powered/ Sponge Filter

- Simple design powered by an air pump on the outside of the tank.
- Usually used for fry tanks or hospital tanks because it produces very little current
- Low filtering capacity, can't handle too many fish.
- Extremely cheap and a common DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Project!! (Price: $10-$15)

How it Works

- A plastic box containing filter media (a sponge or something similar) is suctioned onto the tank in a corner. It connects to air tubing that leads to the air pump outside. The air pump pushes air into the water, forcing the tank water to move into and through the box, which will filter the water and then spit it back out again -clean....ish.



3. Internal Filters

- Works in the same way as the HOB filter except internal filters, well, fit INSIDE your tank.
- Small size, compact; thus designed for small tanks (MAX 10G I'd say). (Some fit into your palm)
- Quiet (depending on brand) with a steady current
- Poor filtration capacity, doesn't cycle a lot of water and clogs easily.
- Requires frequent cleaning. If it only has one filter cartridge, your tank will often be sent into a mini-Nitrogen Cycle all over again because you're removing a lot, (if not all O_O) the bacteria!!

- Price range: $20-$30


4. Undergravel Filters

- Cheap, simple design, quite effective IF you maintain it properly
- Great filtration tool if properly used.
- Difficult to clean THOROUGHLY; requires constant maintenance.
- Bad idea if you want to grow plants - the roots will get very tangled with the grate.
- Gravel gets dirty real quick. Lots of debris gets trapped in the gravel using this method.
- If you fail to clean gravel thoroughly, it may "get stuck" or clumped so oxygen won't aerate it properly and bacteria will die this way.


-Price range: $20

How it Works

- A plastic grate with slits or holes in it is fitted at the bottom of the tank.
- Gravel covers over this grate.
- The grate is connected to a tube that goes up to the top of the tank.
- A powerhead motor at the top will suck up dirty water from beneath and within the gravel. It will oxygenate the water, and push this water full of oxygen back into the gravel, where all the beneficial bacteria are housed.
-An attached bag of activated carbon near the powerhead can add chemical filtration.***(This method is not ideal since the carbon will get used up really fast and you'll need to replace it like every week)

-An air stone powered by an air pump can also push water up using its little bubbles.

- Gravel becomes main biological AND mechanical filtration house.
- As long as oxygen goes into the gravel, bacteria can eat waste and clean water.



5. Canister Filters

- Extremely expensive
- Very high filtration capacity for large tanks (50 gallons +)
- Very good quality filters (hence the price!!)
- Minimal maintenance required (once every few months)
- Requires a lot of space (probably a cabinet stand) to store because they can be big.
- Looks cyclindrical in shape
- Can by noisy or super quiet depending on brand.


Price range: $100- $400


How it Works (as far as I understand....it's pretty complicated)

1. One tube draws dirty water from aquarium into one side of the filter. It goes down and through the filter media (bio/mech/chem filtration) and out the other tube as clean water into the tank again through a spray bar (diffuse spraying = less disturbance)

2. Powered by a heavy duty water pump, built into system or external.

3. Locked lids and sealed container = no spills!

4. Your choice of filter media - countless varieties to choose from!

Top 20 Essential Aquarium Equipment

Checklist for Top 20 Essential Aquarium Equipment: (+ How much you should expect to pay if you buy a new one)

1. Filter! (canister, Air-powered, internal, HOB (hang on back), sponge, power-filter etc.) ($15-$300 depending on brand, size, features, store)
2. Heater ($25-$40)
3. Thermometer ($2)
4. Appropriate Aquarium Stand ($0- $300 depending on quality, material, store)
5. Water Declorinator ($12 for a 400mL bottle)
6. Food (flakes ($5), pellets ($3), bloodworms ($8), brine shrimp ($8), daphnia ($8), white worms, black worms, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini etc.)
7. Gravel Vacuum ($10)
8. Large Bucket ($5)
9. Substrate/Gravel ($1.50/ pound. You need 1.5 pounds/gallon)
10. Plants (live or silk) ($5-$20)
11. Plant fertilizer ($10)
12. Fish net ($3)
13. Medicine (Melafix+ Pimafix = Prevention Kit) ($10-$15)
14. Decorations: hiding places i.e. caves ($15-$50+)
15. API or Nutrafin Master Test Kit ($40)
16. Multiplugs/ Electrical outlets ($10)
17. Tank background ($2/ft)
18. Canopy + Fluorescent Lights ($50-$100)
19. Algae scrubber / magnet ($3-$10)
20. Cloth/Paper Towels for the endless messes. ($10 trust me you need a lot of tissue)



Optional Equipment

- PH buffers ($10)
- Waste reducers ($10)
- Calcium, Phosphate, Copper etc. Tests ($15 ea)
- An extra filter
- Air pump ($10-$20)
- Air stones, valves, tubing... ($15)
- Aquarium Silicone sealant (extra sealing of glass tank edges, DIY decorations...) ($10)
- Ammonia chips (removes ammonia)
- Filter tube cleaning brushes ($8)
-CO2 / Oxygen for plants ($$$$)
- Automatic fish feeders ($20)
- Aquarium books ($20)
- Veggie clips ($3)
- Breeder net/cage ($6)
- Tank divider ($10)
- Plant trimmers
- Cotton string
- Strainer

My Fish Obsession: How It All Began

***Introduction

I used to hate fish. They seemed boring. You couldn't play with them or interact with them. I thought all they did was eat, sleep and swim around. So for the longest time, I yearned to have a dog or cat or even a leopard gecko at one point. Finally, after repeated rejections by my parents, they allowed me to keep an aquarium and a few fish.



*above: My 29 G tank as of March 1, 2011.


The thought was not immediately satisfying. My mom suggested I keep a little goldfish in a bowl. I hated the thought. Not only did it sound ultimately boring, it seemed unfair to the little guy. So I did a little bit of research. I visited all the pet stores in my neighborhood, and pretty soon, I became immensely intrigued by the diversity of available fish. I fell in love with freshwater tropical fish. They were so colorful and lively! I knew I still hated goldfish because they are extremely messy and were kept in tiny little tanks that were dirty, overcrowded, and filled with dead bodies.

I began my research. I spent endless hours hunting through fish forums and websites as well as scanning all the books I could get a hold of. I found myself faced with countless different viewpoints. Some people would say add aquarium salt in freshwater tanks, others claimed that salt would kill my fish. Some people insisted that I should keep 1 inch of fish per gallon of water, others said it depended on the species of fish and the dimensions of the tank...

The amount of information on the web was overwhelming. I wasn't sure WHAT to believe. I finally followed an important piece of advice: do what sounds logically reasonable. So I figured, it doesn't sound logical to put salt in a tank filled with freshwater fish. I also figured it didn't seem reasonable to put 10 one inch fish in a 10 gallon tank, even if some people said it would be okay. (They need swimming space too, right?) I mean, I'm not stupid. So I trust my common sense. For the most part.

(To be honest, my first experiences with fish the previous year had not gone well: I bought a pink betta fish with ZERO KNOWLEDGE of how to take care of it. Needless to say, I made a newbie mistake that cost him his life. =( )

But this is how I approached this exciting new hobby of fish keeping (the 2nd time around):


Step 1: Purchasing a Tank

The smartest thing I did was to buy a used tank that was already fully cycled. This ensured the health of the fish!!


Step 2: The Setup


I washed the tank with just water (can't use soap or detergents!!), filled it up with declorinated water, added the tank inhabitants + plants, and then it was just plug and play! Usually you should ensure that all equipment is submerged before plugging them in. Also, keep a drip loop so leaking water won't fry your outlets. Make sure all the equipment parts are assembled properly! Tropical fish like temperatures between 75-80F or 24-27C. Filter must be able to cycle the entire tank's water several times per hour, and should be the appropriate size or a little bit bigger than the tank size.

Step 3: First Feeding

I fed the Betta (who I decided to name "Neptune" because of his long, bright blue flowing fins) a few tiny pellets. I tried feeding the frogs too, but they weren't too bright. Apparently they hunt at night and by sense of smell, not sight. So obviously, the greedy little betta fish stole all the yummy bloodworms intended for my adfs (african dwarf frogs). Neptune's belly got so big I thought he was about to explode. I got quite worried because I'd read that overfeeding is the number one cause of fish deaths...

Step 4: Cleaning the Tank

A couple days passed. I learned to watch everybody closely to make sure they were healthy and energetic. My chubby Betta instantly grew attached to the sight of my fingers trailing just above the water...haha, the first time I heard him chomp down on the pellets, I got frightened until I realized that Bettas have teeth!

After 1 week, I anxiously decided to thoroughly clean the tank. I rinsed and scrubbed the filter, intake tubes, sponges, filter cartridges, tank glass...and realized I was missing a very important piece of equipment: a gravel vacuum! These cheap looking pieces of plastic are ESSENTIAL to tank maintenance! So I hurriedly went out and bought myself a small, self-starting gravel vacuum.

Needless to say, as a newcomer, I struggled with the seemingly easy device. It operated on some unfathomable physics principles....I learned how to use it efficiently after about two or three tries....the first few times weren't pretty: I spilled dirty water ALL OVER MY FLOOR! It wasn't frustrated though, thank goodness. It was disgusting how much waste was hidden in the gravel...

Later on, I also decided to add a plastic background so the back of the tank didn't look so weird.


Step 5: Choosing Tank Mates

Like most people, I thought my Betta was too lonely reigning over a 10G all my himself. So I ventured to the nearest pet store and bought him some neon tetra friends. Before anyone smirks at my decision, I would like to say that it wasn't a TERRIBLE decision. My Betta flared at the little tetras for about 10 minutes, but then proceeded to ignore them. Yay! However, I did make one newbie mistake: I bought 3 neon tetras without knowing a thing about them.

Classic mistakes: Buying 3 SCHOOLING fish you know nothing about.


By the time I got around to reading all about neon tetras, I was convinced that one of the paler looking ones had Neon Tetra Disease: a dreaded, incurable plague that could infect the entire tank. I returned the little guy...but turns out it was just due to natural color variations and probably stress (which turns them paler sometimes). Over the next few weeks, I added more neon tetras until I had a total of 6. They loved to chase each other around, and got along super well with my Betta. There were a few nipped fins here and there, but they all healed naturally.

Sadly, one day, tragedy struck. My previously innocuous ADF (female) decided to eat one...and then two of my neon tetras. Appalled by this uncommon behavior, I separated the neon tetras into my other 29G tank. The 4 of them seemed out of place and scared with my other fish so I had to give them away.....

When choosing tank mates, you must consider adult size and compatibility as well as water conditions. You should not mix fish that require vastly different water conditions (i.e. soft vs. hard water, warm vs. cold water), as half of them will be unhappy. Also, consider aggression and territoriality. Some fish are pretty bossy and don't like others getting in their face...other fish love schooling/shoaling together and need the company. If you add small fish to an aggressive tank, most likely, they'll get eaten. Tasty snack for the big guys. Not so great for the little guys.

You should also consider things like swimming level, need for hiding places, color, food requirements, ease of keeping and reproductive tendencies.



Step 6: Adding More Fish, Multi-Tank Syndrome

Given the endless varieties of fish to choose from, was it any wonder that I decided to buy more? I decided to start up my own tank from scratch. So I bought a 29G tank. Just the tank. Nothing else. Silly idea?

I then bought a cheap Whisper filter. Bad idea. It was super noisy! You get what you pay for folks! I went and had to buy ANOTHER FILTER. This time I bought an Aqueon 20 filter. It was (thankfully) very quiet and cycled water very efficiently. It also oxygenated the tank - bonus!

I bought a nice heater, and then some tacky blue gravel. I thought I could cycle the tank with some "mature gravel" from my 10G tank. WRONG! Fastest way to cycle: obtain a used filter cartridge from an established tank.

The gravel didn't do a thing, but the groggy green filter pad I took from the 10G did the trick. Test the water (with a testkit) often during the cycling process to see your progress. At first, I was reluctant to buy a test kit, but these little bottles of chemicals are your friends!

Side note on Test Kits

- You should have tests for: Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, PH at the very least.
- Some other people will test for KH and GH (hardness of water)
- Still others will go as far as to test stuff like Copper, Calcium, Phosphate...for planted tanks.
- Test kits cost around $50, and have little bottles of reagents, a dropper, test tubes and instruction booklets. You take a water sample from your tank with the dropper, add the indicated amount of drops of reagent, shake it around and match the color of the water in the test tube to a color chart on the instruction booklet. Sometimes you have to wait a few minutes.



Anyways. Where was I? Oh yeah. I then added more tacky decorations: a weathered looking castle and a weathered stone bridge. It seemed decent at the time, but very childish and amateur looking. I scrubbed everything thoroughly and must've washed the gravel a million times. It still made my water cloudy for a day or two. It does that.

Some people suggest quarantining new fish. In my opinion, if you don't have a proper quarantine tank, healthy fish might even get sick in a "quarantine tank" without a filter or heater! So I didn't quarantine my new fish, and didn't find any problems (so far!)

First I bought 4 lively zebra danios. Their movements gave me mini-seizures! (Just kidding) Danios are infamous for their restlessness. Their always so busy chasing each other around. To be honest, I didn't really like those Danios. They were mean looking with their glaring eyes and upturned mouths. Plus, they were constantly "fighting". I bought them for their hardiness, and thought I could cycle the tank with them.

Next, I bought 4 fancy guppies. I bought them for their gorgeous colors: I have 2 "blonde" guppies, 1 red tuxedo guppy and 1 yellow leopard tail guppy. They are very vibrant and active, and will peck at my fingers for food whenever I clean the tank!

Next, I bought 2 Sunburst Mickey Mouse Platys. The fish store guy told me they were both males, but one morning I woke and realized one was a Mama! (More on breeding later)

Finally, I added 2 Oto catfish and 4 Spotted Corydora Catfish. (Sadly, one of the new Oto cats died this morning probably due to stress)


***Please note that I added all these fish gradually over a period of 2 months.


It is important not to add too many fish at once because this over-stresses the filter. The beneficial bacteria can't cope with a sudden "flooding" of waste, resulting in ammonia or nitrite poisoning. Usually it's a good idea to add 2-3 fishes every 1.5-2 weeks.



To Be Continued (in about 5 minutes in the next post)