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  • Filter maintenance

    Well howdy yall, I started my tank about 4 months ago. It took about a month for it to cycle and then I added fish in. I've been doing ~20% water changes every week and I try to do a 50 or more once a month to clean the diatoms(which are still a problem!!) and algae off of everything. I recently changed from gravel to sand and absolutely love the difference! All of my params have been constantly perfect :) *Knocks on wood*

    One thing I've probably neglected is the filter. I've got an Aqueon Quietflow 30 for my 20 Long. I've changed out the filter cartridge every 4 weeks like it says on the package.

    My question is this: Am I supposed to do anything else to the filter? The inside of it looks disgusting, along with the blue water fall breaks they put in there. Every time I start my filter back up after a water change, it dispenses white particles into the water, and if I move the cartridge while the filter is operating, there are tons of white/brown stringy items that come out of there. I doubt this is normal and don't think the filter should be doing this. It almost looks like old decomposing food.

    One cause might be because my dad severely overfed everything 2 months ago while I was out of town. I came back to very cloudy water, completely clogged filter and a mess everywhere! I now leave pre packaged food when I go anywhere.

    I don't know what action I should take to make sure I don't disturb the BB.

    I've taken pictures and video to help yall out, I aint sure how to properly maintain a filter I guess! Help would be appreciated!!

    Sean







    The last is a video, I believe you click and it should take you to play it. Sorry if it is sideways! :)

  • #2
    Looks like bacteria build up, that is alright. The water movement builds up your colonies of bacteria that complete your cycle. Overfeeding can result in an excessive build up, but its not harmful to anything given your WC schedule. Testing would not hurt, but might make you feel a bit better in the short term. As to most filters 'recommendations', I promptly ignore them. I use aquaclears for all HOB's, but thats my preferrance for ease of filter media. I would recommend pulling a bucket of old water during a WC and cleaning the old filter in it. Chlorinated water will kill your bacteria and can upset the system, but it will likely save a small amount on filter cartridges and provide more stable water parameters. I suggest everyone get rid of their carbon, it is nearly useless in tanks unless specifically used for something and can become a nitrate sink that leaches back in. I only use sponge media for mechanical, bio media for chemical, and some Purigen to polish the water for clarity. Just my suggestions though and I'd be happy to help explain anything in more detail if you need.
    In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
    Desiderius Erasmus
    GHAC President

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    • #3
      i agree... i stopped using carbon a long time ago. i only "clean" my filters when i notice the outflow slowing down...
      my fish house:
      2.5g- ramshorn hatchery
      6g eclipse- yellow shrimp, chili rasboras, yellow apple snails
      29g- geo grow-out, angels, 12"fire eel, dwarf frog, apple snails
      45g- jade sleeper gobies, native killifish, feeder endlers

      75g-
      2 oscars, parrot, silver dollars, albino channel cat, syno euptera, bichir, baby jaguar, convicts, yabby
      125g- fahaka puffer, rainbow shark
      and about a dozen bettas....

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      • #4
        Originally posted by allysangels View Post
        i agree... i stopped using carbon a long time ago. i only "clean" my filters when i notice the outflow slowing down...
        +1
        10g Community Planted Aquarium
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        20gH-Angelfish Planted Aquarium
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        • #5
          Originally posted by allysangels View Post
          i agree... i stopped using carbon a long time ago. i only "clean" my filters when i notice the outflow slowing down...
          + 2.125

          Just leave it unless the flow has slowed. only thing I clean in my filters are the impellers
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          • #6
            I have to say I agree with the above comments, but it looks like a lot of excess food and plant material as well. Just tossing out my $0.02.
            ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

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            • #7
              Thank yall for the replies, I appreciate all the help I can get. With the carbon in my filter, should I cut it and dump it out so there is no carbon in the system. I'm going to get some media material and put that in the back of the filter for extra surface area. I am looking at adding another hob filter as well.

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              • #8
                every time i clean my canister there will be some stuff that will come out due to the now increased flow. i only do a complete breakdown cleaning annually when i check my o rings. i keep some carbon around only to pull medications from the water after they have run their course.
                75G Standard - High Light Planted Community Fish
                28G Aquapod - Medium Light Planted Shrimp & Microrasboras
                12G Eclipse - Bonsai Planted Betta & Shrimp
                29G Standard - Vivarium w/ Red Devil Crabs
                45G Exo-Terra - Terrarium w/ Hermit Crabs (in progress)
                33G Cubish - Vivarium w/ D.auratus 'blue & bronze'

                GHAC Member

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by allysangels View Post
                  i agree... i stopped using carbon a long time ago. i only "clean" my filters when i notice the outflow slowing down...
                  +2

                  Plus if u wanna save money u can buy the blue filter pads
                  And cut them to fit in there would save u money and have a big supply

                  Don't clean them too much when I clean my emperor 400 and take out all the slime bacteria that have build up it make a louder noise
                  125 gal-P. Kachase,simochromis, vampire pleco,bn pleco,bulldog pleco

                  55 gal- Ilangis ,clown pleco,abn pleco,rubber lip pleco

                  55 gal-Canary cheek,Ikola,duboisi, and fry

                  10 gal -fry tank,snails

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Geral View Post
                    +2

                    Plus if u wanna save money u can buy the blue filter pads
                    And cut them to fit in there would save u money and have a big supply

                    Don't clean them too much

                    +1 i reccomend those cut to size pads to so many people... it takes away the hassle of "what replacement pad do i need?" and people like me with MTS i don't even know what brand some of my hand-me-down HOBs are.
                    my fish house:
                    2.5g- ramshorn hatchery
                    6g eclipse- yellow shrimp, chili rasboras, yellow apple snails
                    29g- geo grow-out, angels, 12"fire eel, dwarf frog, apple snails
                    45g- jade sleeper gobies, native killifish, feeder endlers

                    75g-
                    2 oscars, parrot, silver dollars, albino channel cat, syno euptera, bichir, baby jaguar, convicts, yabby
                    125g- fahaka puffer, rainbow shark
                    and about a dozen bettas....

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                    • #11
                      I use box filters in most tanks but I have some whisper HOB filters that I use with the carbon. Since your changing the filter out every 4 weeks I think you are fine. I would scrub the filter and get rid of all that nasty looking stuff but that's me. :P People used carbon filtration for many years so I think it's a valid method.
                      Guppies:
                      Hi-fin pepper Cory's, Black Cory's, Long Fin Golden Aneus, Swordtails, some lyretail(RREA's, Red, Albino Koi, Red & Gold Tux), Different types of BN plecos(albino, calico, long fin, blue eyed short & long fin)
                      Mystery Snails, Yellow Shrimp, CPDs

                      HAS Master Aquatic Gardener awarded 1997
                      HAS Master Fish Breeder awarded 1998

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                      • #12
                        I was not wanting to imply that Carbon did not have uses. It is great at removing medication and some various chemicals out of the water column. It does remove some Nitrite and Nitrate, but once it is saturated it can begin leaching it back into the water column. There are a handful of articles that have been written concerning the possibility that carbon can pull beneficial trace chemicals from the water as well. Many planted tanks and Invert tank sources suggest removing it if you are dosing trace elements. I simply have found it does little and could invalidate the supplements I add, so have removed it from my filtration systems.
                        In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
                        Desiderius Erasmus
                        GHAC President

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Redneck91 View Post
                          Thank yall for the replies, I appreciate all the help I can get. With the carbon in my filter, should I cut it and dump it out so there is no carbon in the system. I'm going to get some media material and put that in the back of the filter for extra surface area. I am looking at adding another hob filter as well.
                          Get some of the poly batting from Tim, Cut it to size and change weekly for mechanical. Consider adding a wet/dry for biological. Carbon is old school. Good luck
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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Totenkampf View Post
                            every time i clean my canister there will be some stuff that will come out due to the now increased flow. i only do a complete breakdown cleaning annually when i check my o rings. i keep some carbon around only to pull medications from the water after they have run their course.
                            +1
                            420 Gallon: IT's, NGT's, NTT's, AT's, Cichla Pleizona, Bichirs, Blue Arowana, Spotted Gar, Clown Loaches

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                            • #15
                              I replaced the carbon in my Aquaclear HOB with a Purigen 100ml packet. I like that I can look at it and tell when it's worn out. It does a great job polishing the water, and when it's worn out it can be renewed and re-used.

                              I cleaned all the slime and gunk out of my HOB & impeller yesterday when I did a water change, but only because there were a lot of loose particles (algae?) in the water that I could not seem to clear up. I rinsed the media in aquarium water, replaced the purigen, and put it all back. This morning the water is crystal clear.
                              I went off the deep end

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