# Is this right?



## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

I am trying to prevent fry being sucked into the filter and have heard you can put a sponge over the intake. Is this right? (This is going to be my fry tank for 3 platy fry)







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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

It looks good as a prefilter.

The tank is really antiseptic looking though - they'll need some algae and plant life to provide food between the meals you provide.


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

Would moss balls work?


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

I put one in the net breeder with my 3 platy fry and they seem to really like it.


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## katanamasako (Jun 29, 2012)

marimo moss often has lil hitchhikers like algae and snail eggs on it, sometiems fry really like it, that and food particles get stuck on it, and will get stuck int he sponge, you'll be seeing the fry picking at it, they're not eating the sponge, just food and bits on it.


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Hello kat...

The sponge will work, but you'll need to rinse out the debris regularly. I wrap a piece on nylon stocking around the intake and attach it with a small rubber band. You can also get intake covers online from fish supply places. They're a few dollars, plus shipping.

B


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## katanamasako (Jun 29, 2012)

BBradbury said:


> Hello kat...
> 
> The sponge will work, but you'll need to rinse out the debris regularly. I wrap a piece on nylon stocking around the intake and attach it with a small rubber band. You can also get intake covers online from fish supply places. They're a few dollars, plus shipping.
> 
> B


I agree with this, it might be a problem if it gets too much debris in it. live plants will also provide some food for the little fry.


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

I ordered a fluval pre filter sponge which i have read fits the aquatech filter good. 

On a side note ~ I have been cycling for 3 days and did a round of tests today that resulted in 0ppm ammonia, 0ppm nitrites, and 10ppm nitrates. Is this a false reading?


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

*whistle*


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## ro laren (May 3, 2012)

Have you tested your tap water for all your baseline results yet? Some water supplies will have nitrate.


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

Not recently on the nitrate. But no ammonia are nitrites in the tap.


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

Tested for nitrates just now..0ppm


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## ro laren (May 3, 2012)

What kind of test kit are you using?
Maybe just a false reading, or inconsistency in testing method. If you use strips, liquid test kits are preferred (and cheaper over time) than strips.


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

API Master Test Kit for Freshwater (liquid). I will wait a few days and test again.


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

I decided to use half of a sponge from my 37 gallon goldfish aquarium and some established biomax instead of cycling the new media that came with the aquatech filter.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

that would be why your getting those readings then!


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## simplykayla76 (Mar 10, 2012)

zero said:


> that would be why your getting those readings then!


Before that I was using new media that came with the filter. And I was still getting those readings. But it seemed so far fetched to cycle that fast so I decided to be certain and use seeded material instead.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

thats really weird! see how the tests look nia few days, might get something a bit more normal!


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