Thank you for posting this! I'm using a sponge filter in my 2.5 gallon and have been hoping my tank would just cycle itself like I've heard they do with fish in the tank. It's been a month and I'm still getting ammonia when I test it but I see that it may be a few more weeks yet till it cycles, hopefully.
Cycling your uncycled tank without trying
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I am beginning to be jealous of other ppl's water. 
I've been attempting to cycle a 29 gallon and a 10 gallon. Ironically, my 2.5 gallon minibow that I had before, cycled with no problem. And everyone told me that IT would be much harder to cycle than the larger tanks. pfft i say.
I've been attempting to cycle a 29 gallon and a 10 gallon. Ironically, my 2.5 gallon minibow that I had before, cycled with no problem. And everyone told me that IT would be much harder to cycle than the larger tanks. pfft i say.
OK, you've made a convincing argument. So say I want to get Azoo palm mini HOB filters for my tanks. (Because I know you're right - having a filter will improve the water quality in my tank, which in turn will keep my Bettas healthier.)
1) Will the Azoo palm mini HOB fit on a acrylic tank with a snap-on plastic lid (such as a critter keeper or one of those small plastic tanks that Petsmart/Petco sells)?
2) What else (besides the Azoo filter) do I need to buy? (plastic tubing? pump? etc? replacement pads?) Knowing this will allow us to buy everything at once.
Then, once I have it set up:
3) How often do I need to change the filter pads? How simple/difficult is this?
4) How often do I need to test the water parameters? Do I need to test ammonia, nitrates and nitrites?
5) What if someone doesn't own a testing kit? Can they just do, say 50% weekly water changes, and assume that the filter is making their water cleaner? (This goes back to your poll of how much people want to know about their tanks. Some people will want to do daily water testing, others won't.)
So say I want to get Azoo palm mini HOB filters for my tanks. (Because I know you're right - having a filter will improve the water quality in my tank, which in turn will keep my Bettas healthier.)1) Will the Azoo palm mini HOB fit on a acrylic tank with a snap-on plastic lid (such as a critter keeper or one of those small plastic tanks that Petsmart/Petco sells)?
2) What else (besides the Azoo filter) do I need to buy? (plastic tubing? pump? etc? replacement pads?) Knowing this will allow us to buy everything at once.
Then, once I have it set up:
3) How often do I need to change the filter pads? How simple/difficult is this?
4) How often do I need to test the water parameters? Do I need to test ammonia, nitrates and nitrites?
5) What if someone doesn't own a testing kit? Can they just do, say 50% weekly water changes, and assume that the filter is making their water cleaner? (This goes back to your poll of how much people want to know about their tanks. Some people will want to do daily water testing, others won't.)
The filter would fit but you'd need to do some mods to the critter keeper lid if you wanted it.
The only thing you need are replacement sponges for when the time comes, otherwise it comes with everything you need!
Changing filter pads is simple, you keep the pad in there until it's literally breaking apart. Once it starts to really get nasty, squeeze a fresh sponge in with the old one and let it sit for two weeks to become seeded; at that point you can take out the old one. To increase sponge life, when you do a water change simply squeeze out the sponge in old tank water and swish it around, this cleans it of gunk and keeps the filter running properly while extending its life.
You're supposed to test weekly but it depends, if you're cycling a tank then it's best to try to test daily to make sure everything is in check since you'd be doing a fish in cycle at this point I'm assuming? After the cycle, you should test fairly regularly although I never really do unless it looks like something is off. But if you do your weekly/bi weekly changes depending on tank size, there shouldn't be huge issues.
If you don't own a kit, you can take a sample to a store and they can test it; ask for specific numbers though. But techncially, yes they could continue on their merry way of doing twice weekly changes
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Also on the item of cycling, I didn't read the entirety of the first post but I've run into this thing where bacteria go dormant in pH's under ~7.2. My pH is readily around 6.5 which means I cannot cycle my tanks without buffering them, in this case, having a planted tank is convenient, as the plants establish themselves they will take care of the excess ammonia. But this is just my issue is all.
The only thing you need are replacement sponges for when the time comes, otherwise it comes with everything you need!
Changing filter pads is simple, you keep the pad in there until it's literally breaking apart. Once it starts to really get nasty, squeeze a fresh sponge in with the old one and let it sit for two weeks to become seeded; at that point you can take out the old one. To increase sponge life, when you do a water change simply squeeze out the sponge in old tank water and swish it around, this cleans it of gunk and keeps the filter running properly while extending its life.
You're supposed to test weekly but it depends, if you're cycling a tank then it's best to try to test daily to make sure everything is in check since you'd be doing a fish in cycle at this point I'm assuming? After the cycle, you should test fairly regularly although I never really do unless it looks like something is off. But if you do your weekly/bi weekly changes depending on tank size, there shouldn't be huge issues.
If you don't own a kit, you can take a sample to a store and they can test it; ask for specific numbers though. But techncially, yes they could continue on their merry way of doing twice weekly changes
-----------------------------
Also on the item of cycling, I didn't read the entirety of the first post but I've run into this thing where bacteria go dormant in pH's under ~7.2. My pH is readily around 6.5 which means I cannot cycle my tanks without buffering them, in this case, having a planted tank is convenient, as the plants establish themselves they will take care of the excess ammonia. But this is just my issue is all.
1. Yes, though it will require customization. You will have to cut through the plastic on the hood for the filter to hang, which will likely reqiure the removal of the pin that holds the lid on to the tank. The lid will function just the same without being attached to the tank, and I think you'll find it easier to work with the tank that way. I'm sure there are some kinds that are designed in such a way that it will not accommodate the filter, such as if the lighting element prevents you from being able to cut into the hood.OK, you've made a convincing argument.
1) Will the Azoo palm mini HOB fit on a acrylic tank with a snap-on plastic lid (such as a critter keeper or one of those small plastic tanks that Petsmart/Petco sells)?
2) What else (besides the Azoo filter) do I need to buy? (plastic tubing? pump? etc? replacement pads?) Knowing this will allow us to buy everything at once.
Then, once I have it set up:
3) How often do I need to change the filter pads? How simple/difficult is this?
4) How often do I need to test the water parameters? Do I need to test ammonia, nitrates and nitrites?
5) What if someone doesn't own a testing kit? Can they just do, say 50% weekly water changes, and assume that the filter is making their water cleaner? (This goes back to your poll of how much people want to know about their tanks. Some people will want to do daily water testing, others won't.)
2. All you need to buy, besides the filter, is a pack of Aquaclear20 sponges to use for media. It comes with media, but the sponge is an improvement over the pads it comes with. Too, you can use a piece of the sponge as a prefilter, over the intake strainer. The sponge is just real handy.
3. I have never once changed the sponge. The pads do lose their integrity over time, and need to be replaced. There is room in the filter to place the new pad, so that it can get seeded before you toss the old one. However, you can get several washes from a pad before it starts to fall apart. Its just way easier to use sponge. It cuts easy - cut the sponge to fit the filter, and then cut that in half - now you cam clean half of the media at a time and not risk damaging your cycle. Too, now you have a piece of seeded media you can remove from the tank to get an instant cycle on a new tank. You shouldnt have to clean the filter media very often. I clean mine once or twice a year. Not that thats what everyone should go do. If you have plants you'll likely have to clean more often than that as plant matter can clog things up a lot faster than one fishs poop. Once a month cleanings would be as aggressive a schedule as I would recommend.
Its very easy to do - lift the lid, pull the media out with your fingers. You don't even have to turn off the filter. Just go slow when putting it back in - jam in it fast and water will overflow from the filter.
4. Once your tank is cycled you don't HAVE to test for anything really. Its good to keep testing though, until you're familiar and comfortable. Eventually you will get tired of testing for ammonia and nitrite and getting 0s for both, and the frequency with which you test will diminish. Many people with cycled tanks never test their water. Nitrates you can test for - you can see how quickly it accumulates in the tank and you can use that to determine your water change schedule. Common advise is to keep nitrates lower than 40. Some take it a little further and say 20 ppm. Regardless, you can use that as a mark for when to change the water. You'll find the rate of nitrate production to be constant, so if it takes 2 weeks to get to 20 ppm this time, it's going to take 2 weeks next time too. Once you settle into your water change schedule, testing for nitrates isn't all that important.
5. You don't NEED to test if you are going to just stick to a schedule. Its certainly valuable for knowing when your tank has cycled, but after that, yes, just doing a weekly 50% water change and trusting the filter is doing it's job is all thats needed. For someone new to filters, it will be tough to trust at first. But in time you will, and you won't even think about it.
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