Search:

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/sponge_filtration.html

Connect an air line, and then the airpump blows air into the column of the sponge filter. The air bubbles up to the surface, while...

Since you already have an airpump, why not get a sponge filter? It provides more biofiltration than the whisper.
...

If you don't have any fish in the aquarium, don't do a water change until ammonia hits about 4ppm.

If you have fish, you have to keep the ammonia and nitrites below 0.5ppm through water changes,...

Do a really big water change like 75% or over, and test your nitrates 2 hours later. If you nitrates aren't closer to 20ppm, then there may be something wrong with your test kit.

So you are saying that you shook bottle number 2 vigorously.?

You could also use use powder form of Rid-x septic waste treatment to help reduce the mulm build-up.
...

indirect white light or indirect sunlight.

If you are feeding pellets, epsom salt solution will help and won't pose any risk to the fish. It will just excrete out the solution. I've used it on fish when metro failed miserably.

15 grams...

50%% water change a week during winter, with gravel vac

75% water change a week during the summer, with gravel vac

Cold water only used during water change

Feed fish epsom salt soaked...

Reduce the tank temp to the lowest range for your fish, and only feed 4 times or less a week.

I failed initially at keeping a fish tank with UGFs too, until I found a fishkeeper who gave me these tips.

1. Never stick the gravel vacuum into the gravel where most of your bacteria live. ...

Nothing special, eventually areas of their tank (like the substrate or filter media) becomes anaerobic. Anaerobic bacteria consumes nitrates and full consumption mean that it is broken down into...

Convicts are aggressive to any cichlid fish that is close to their size. If the FM won't fight back, she will keep them to a corner. It's more likely that the tower is her territory. You can...

If you want something cheaper than purigen, granulated activated carbon is the one to get but it only lasts 2-3 weeks. It still won't solve the long term problem of too much organics in the water...

Bacterial Bloom is the result a heterotrophic bacteria explosion in the tank due to too much organics/waste in the tank. Autotrophic bacteria do not consume organics, they primarily consume ammonia...

Try a different water conditioner like Seachem prime or Kordon amquel plus. The stress coat maybe reacting to something in your tap water, causing the cloudiness to appear.

you can get a egg crate light diffuser from lowes or home depot and cut to size

I would worry that since you don't see your workers that often that they would take it upon themselves to see the oscar eat fish, and possibly any other food besides fish food.

So why do your co-workers want an oscar?

See link for benefits on using septic tank bacteria (which is the same as the pro-biotic bacteria)
...

Research plywood tank. There are many builds on MFK pertaining to that sort of build.

I use the Lifegard little giant since 1998, and it is as accurate as the glass thermometer. It reacts faster to a temp drop when I do a water change than my glass thermometer.

With cichlids it becomes hit and miss, and with EBJD, it is even more so due to the average EBJD being more frail than the typical JD. Cichlid aggression will just lead to stress on the EBJD, and...

If there are traces of organic waste in the used media, then the white cloud could be heterotrophic bacteria consuming the organics. A simple water change will clear up the cloudiness.

Did you rinse the gravel? Did you rinse the filter media?