New to Nano - need set-up basics advice?

[kev-dog1]

My Aquapod 12g has arrived! Very exciting! The tank I'm dismantling - 55g - has been set up for eons...prob 9-10 years now. This will be the first new set-up I've done in awhile. It will house 2 favorite clowns while we sell our house.

Hoping to add sand, base rock and water this weekend.

Regarding the 4 chambers in the rear...The first at the overflow has a filter sponge. Keep it? If so, how often should it be cleaned, rinsed...with every regular water change?

The next chamber had two sacks of small ceramic ring things...I've heard these are useless.

Chamber 3 had bio-balls and a sack of charcoal.

Chamber 4 is for the powerhead, back to the tank...I will be changing powerheads to the MaxiJet 900.

I'm not planning on using the ceramic rings, nor the bio-balls. Probably put a small heater in one of the chambers...does it matter which? Any advice on getting light to one of the chambers to house some rubble LR and chaeto?

Lighting will remain stock for now. A fan upgrade may be in my future, but right now I'm focusing on initial set-up...

...So please offer as much advice, hints, tips to help me in this set-up...it will be very much appreciated.


Thanks
kev-dog

 

[kkyyllee]

for getting light to the back chambers, cut the laminate covering of the back where you want cheato and then you could get a desk lamp with one of those 10 watt screw in bulbs, its doesnt matter where you keep the heater, if you keep the sponge clean it out every week durring water changes

 

[kev-dog1]

Do I NEED the sponge? is it a timebomb for nitrates?

 

[kkyyllee]

you dont need the sponge and its a pita to clean, i would take it out and just use filter floss