We swung by Mr. Walton's place this evening. (I'm also legal as a fisherman and "bait collector" in out state for another year.) The underwater heater is a nice idea because it gives you some flexibility in terms of where you want to put it. I'd try to leave it where the flow from the filter, or filter intake, would wash across it. That should even out the temperature through out the tank.

It is not a huge model. (Should have looked at the wattage.) Is it rated at 75 watts? Not a big issue this time of the year, it should do fine later on so long as the tank is not put in a drafty area in the cold months. If your home is as warm as our is now, you may not even be able to set it until the tank temperature drops to 78, 77 or 76 degrees F.

Less space has been left in the top for heat to escape, water to evaporate or fish to escape through when we use those underwater heaters. They seem harder to break. Also little hands (or big hands in my old high school classroom) don't get to play with the settings.

Does your tank hood have a detactable panal on the back? Figure out where you want your filter and cut an opening for it. If that back panel is the grooved plastic, you might save the cut out in case you might want to use box or sponge filter sometime and just want to close the top. Probably you can slide that back panal sideways if you change sides with the filter. (I've gotta have a whole pile of those segments around here some where.)

The power filter probably has a cartrage with some floss and activated carbon in it. The carbon does some chemical filtration and will remove urine for a week or two. After that the surface of the carbon will join the floss as a biological filter, hosting "good guy" bacteria which will help break down fish wastes into less toxic materials.

Unless you want to spend a lot of money on inserts, I would keep an extra around for emergencies and just rinse the one in service off every week or two. That way you get any big things out it which were "mechanically" removed.

The most important thing that filter will do is move the water to the surface, exposing it to the air where oxygen can be absorbed and carbon dioxide released. The second most important thing it does is move the water over various surfaces (filter media, gravel, plastic or real plants and other structure) so some biological action can take place.

Cleansing the water is still in big part your responsibility via those partial water changes of 20 or 30% every week or so. One of the huge myths in the hobby is that one never has to change water.

There are a couple of water conditioners out now which claim that with their product, one will never have to change water. Those chemicals probably dissipate chlorine in new water and bind or lock the ammonia, nitrates and nitrites for a time. They will still gradually get released into the water.

I'm astonished that they even make those claims! There are resons which will absorb nitrogenous wastes (the very expensive polyfilter for instance), but those are for emergencies unless you have a big budget for the aquarium.

There is only one way to clean out a toilet. :0

If the light is a 15 watt bulb, you will have a hard time keeping many species of plants alive. You may opt for no plants, for plastic plants or for low light plants along with a floater which would be near the surface. Live plants would also require that such a light be on for 12 or more hours a day, unless you have a lot of dispersed light in the room. (Effective lights need to be a certain wattage, near the water, not obstructed by a dirty panel, and on a considerable length of time.)

My favorite cut rate, emergency plastic plant is one of those soapless plastic pot scrubbers from the grocery store. They should still be rinsed under the tap before you unravel them. Not fancy enough for one's living room. ;)

Please also take a look at

Guppy Plants and Low Light Plants
   Section Ask Guppylog
Posted on Sat Sep 6th, 2003 at 02:24:23 PST