I've just set up 2 small fb newts in a 10 gallon tank with a water level of about 4 inches. The filter I'm using is a Tetra Whisper 10i, with carbon pellets in a mesh bag. I've got it on one end of the tank opposite the land portion. There are some floating plants (both real and fake) and a couple of larger rock features for the newts to climb on in addition to the gravel land area. Everything was washed prior to being put in the water.
Because of the way the water comes out of the top of the filter like a waterfall, there are a lot of bubbles in the water. So much so that at first I figured there had to be some residue on either the tank or tank features, or some soap had come off my hands. I changed out the water and still got bubbles so I moved one of the rock features to sit in the "boil". It seems to have cut back on the bubbling. So my guess is that I've got bubbles because I've got so much water movement?
Our water is from a well with a Culligan softner and de-acidifying agent. It's good water and has been fine for my red-bellied sliders and green tree frog tadpoles. The tadpole/frog tank uses a Whisper 10i but for some reason the water just barely flows out of that one instead of coming out in a "waterfall". Does anyone know how I can affect the flow to decrease the water movement in the newt tank? I understand newts don't like a lot of water movement and they are avoiding the bubbly areas. They only hang out on the land area, as if they don't know how to swim. I would like them to enjoy their habitat so I need to make it right for them.
