# Kribensis and filtration



## Murray (Jan 15, 2007)

I have a 20 gallon tank stocked with 2 kribs one male one female, 3 zebra danios, 4 rummy nose tetras and one small common pleco. Clearly the Kribensis are the center peice of the tank. I currently have an aquaclear 30 hang on back style filter. For those of you who are not familiar with aquaclear filters they allow a sponge insert a charcoal insert and a biological something or other bacteria insert. It is rated for 20 to thirty gallon tanks. I heard it was a good idea to also have an undergravel filter hooked up to a powerhead for water circulation. Will this have an effect on the behavior and breeding of my kribs and other fish? Should I buy a smaller powerhead rated for 10-20 gallon tanks or the more powerful one rated for 20-30 gallon tanks? How much gravel should i have on top of the undergravel filter? Is it still possible to start growing a very small amount of java moss?

Thankyou guys.

p.s. the tank has been running for two years however this fish set up is relatively new (2 months)


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## StarLab (Jan 14, 2007)

If you feel a powerhead is going to create too much water movement, you can always just run a bubbler in the uptake tube of the undergravel. Granted, it won't give as much "pull" but will likely still create enough water movement to pull the waste from the undergravel for your hangon to grab.

I would say the AC-30 should do a pretty good job on it's own. With a good maintenance schedule, undergravel becomes a personal option, IMO. 

I have one tank with undergravel that is lushly planted with java moss. (A Saber Tusk Barracuda currently lives there) Shouldn't make a difference to the moss. It seemed to establish quite nicely in that tank.


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## Murray (Jan 15, 2007)

StarLab said:


> If you feel a powerhead is going to create too much water movement, you can always just run a bubbler in the uptake tube of the undergravel.



I was asking you if it would be too much would you reccomend the smaller one then for a powerhead and how deep should i make te gravel, thaknyou so much for the help its extemely appreciated


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## StarLab (Jan 14, 2007)

Sorry!  Just re-read your post.

Most powerheads have some kind of flow adjustment. So go for the larger one and just tone down the flow if you need to.

Not sure on the optimal amount of gravel. We have several tank setups with various levels of gravel between 1-3", and I haven't come across any failing systems because of it. I would say 1-2" should be good. 

Perhaps someone else will have better insight as to the optimal amount of gravel.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

get rid of the pleco, they are poo machines and get over 2 feet long. For a filter, and emperor 280 is a great filter.


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## Murray (Jan 15, 2007)

StarLab said:


> Sorry!  Just re-read your post.
> 
> Most powerheads have some kind of flow adjustment. So go for the larger one and just tone down the flow if you need to.
> 
> ...


Alright thankyou for your advice. I just wondered about the strength of the current and the baby krib fry as well as will they get sucked through the gravel if the gravel is not deep enough, because kribs do dig. I guess i could make the gravel deeper where the caves are.



Gourami Swami said:


> get rid of the pleco, they are poo machines and get over 2 feet long. For a filter, and emperor 280 is a great filter.


i already have the filters i love my aqua clear and im pretty sure undergravel is the addition i would like, im simply inquiring what powerhead to purchace not which filter i could use as a alternate choice, unless of course my filter combination is a very bad idea, however im fairly sure its not, thanks though. I know the pleco is a poo machine i used to have an 8 inch one i just let them grow to abuot that big then trade them in for babies afterwards.


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## StarLab (Jan 14, 2007)

If the situation comes up and you see struggling fry, just take the powerhead out and go with a bubbler setup as I described above. Once the fry are a bit larger, put the powerhead back in.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

an 8" pleco will be much too large for a 20g


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## Murray (Jan 15, 2007)

Gourami Swami said:


> an 8" pleco will be much too large for a 20g


correct thats why i removed it and got a smaller one.


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