beginner needing help choosing filter media

cushcam

Hey guys, I was recently given a used 60 litre tank. Its my first time owning an aquarium so I'm a bit clueless about a lot of what's involved .

Basically the filter media which was in the little plastic cages in the hood of the tank were almost completely gone. There was small pieces of black sponge in the second two, I'm assuming a coarse and a fine. A lot of the ring type media was still in the first of the boxes. The tank had been used for goldfish a few years ago but now I intend to use it to keep a few tropical fish.

Can someone please tell me what media/sponges to buy with a link if possible as I'd like to start with all new media etc. Does the sponge usually fill the plastic cages?

Sorry for the long winded thread but I just want to get things set up right before I start getting to cycle the tank etc.

cushcam

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cushcam

The little boxes are about 2.5" square if that helps. Thanks in advance for any help or advice

Knine

If it were me I would go to the petshop & get a new filter & it will have all the sponges with it. I set up a 120 litre tank recently. It cycled & all was great until the filter stoped working. I had to buy a new filter & my tank in spite of my best efforts cycled again & I lost some fish.

I would recommend you also get a decent water testing kit.

cushcam

Thanks for the advice, yeah a water test master kit is top of my list before I start cycling the tank

Jen Pigs Fly

Try the juwel compac sponges, see if they're the correct size.

Only filter media of that shape and structure that comes to mind seeing that picture is JUWEL or fluval.

Go into the shop, bring one media in with you to match up sizes, It does look like the JUWEL compac size however.

Wobbly_Legs

There is no need to buy a new filter so long as the mechanics of it are still working producing a flow through the filter.

You could buy any filter sponge media and cut it to the size you need for the first section, don't be too worried about the size.
In the second section you could use cut up drinking straws about 1cm in length, Bio Balls or Ceramic Rings, both available from ebay.
in the top section you could use activated carbon this will keep your water crystal clear, once the tank has cycled. Make sure to put the carbon into a small media bag, new sock with a knot tied in it or something similar to make cleaning the filter and replacing carbon media easier in the future. Carbon can degrade quickly and become messy if put straight into a filter.

meathenterpr

Have a Fluval Osaka 155 with Fluval 205. Keep Discus I replaced the original media over time with Biohome Ultimate Filter Media (it on eBay) and filter floss. Added extra floss at the bottom of the trays. Also cut out a sponge you would use in a sink and added it to the inlet hose so I have a lot of mechanical filtering going on. So far so good.