I need some help with my green tank

[Iminit]

For $20 bucks it can’t hurt . I use those filters in many of my tanks and even bought 4 extras over the last couple of years. But I’ve never had one break. With the floss it becomes a polishing filter. Id say your tank should be clear in hours.

[Greg-Florida]

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Going in now. 4:29PM EST. I won't look at the tank until 7. :-)


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[Iminit]

Remove one of the sponges. Leave the tube in the middle and fill it with floss.

[bluelagoon]

If that won't work . Try feeding less like mentioned. 1 maybe two very small feedings a day. Even better go without food til the water clears.

[Greg-Florida]

Remove one of the sponges. Leave the tube in the middle and fill it with floss.

If that won't work . Try feeding less like mentioned. 1 maybe two very small feedings a day. Even better go without food til the water clears.

That's what I did Tom. And you're right Mervin, I need to cut back on the food and feed larger flakes, the small get into the gravel.

First, I vacuumed the heck out of it, then went 3 days with no food, then did a big wc with another vac and of course it looked great.
After a day or 2 it is hazy. Saturday-yesterday at 4:30 put in the new powerhead and today, still hazy! Dang!
Maybe it's not the right floss. I have another dual-density floss I can try today. I think I'll pack the floss compartment tighter.
Here's a pic of the new filter and haze. It's definitely fine particles in the water.

IMG_6773B.jpg

[bluelagoon]

You need to let your media and BB to do there job. Don't expect it to happen over night. When you see it getting cloudy means there is an imbalance in ammonia, nitrite or nitrates. Those smaller fish don't need much to eat. The gold fish can be messy and will need a much bigger tank. They're not the best tank mates for tropical fish. Take those out for a few days see what happens. To me your tank looks over stocked for a small tank and small filter

[Greg-Florida]

You need to let your media and BB to do there job. Don't expect it to happen over night. When you see it getting cloudy means there is an imbalance in ammonia, nitrite or nitrates. Those smaller fish don't need much to eat. The gold fish can be messy and will need a much bigger tank. They're not the best tank mates for tropical fish. Take those out for a few days see what happens. To me your tank looks over stocked for a small tank and small filter

I agree and I'm giving my new media time to do it's work. I learned I have been overfeeding by way of flakes that are too small.
We're at almost 5 weeks now on the new sponge in the HOB and 4 weeks with new the air-driven sponge filter.
The tank is pretty darned clear, I'm looking for crystal clear (kind of as a challenge and a test) because I know it's achievable.
I added the power head yesterday thinking for sure with ample mechanical filtration these fine particles will be filtered over night and I'll have clear water.

I now suspect that the new powerhead/filter I put in is not passing most of the water thru the floss I put in the top canister. I'm going to make some changes and report back on clarity shortly.

And yes, noted on the overstock, probably is! Nowhere else for these guys to go, and I have 4 new babies!

[bluelagoon]

Looking back at the posts. Al's first post had all the answers.

[Greg-Florida]

Looking back at the posts. Al's first post had all the answers.

Thanks Mervin. I went back and read it, and I heeded that advice. You're right, I need to give it time.

[Iminit]

Ok the water looks clearer but still not right. The odyssea is flowing strong? I ask cause I don’t see the bubbles moving. A front pic will help. Next what is coming into the water dead center of the top of the tank? Is that the light?


Just some things I’ve picked up going through the thread. With the nitrate. Next time you test read the tube over the chart. It’s the last color you can’t see through the chart.DAA5FFA5-37C0-4E7B-8B08-447159A37F51.jpg that looks bad! But it only 20ppm.

When removing those cartridges from the filter. Take the floss off them and add behind the sponge. This will transfer the bacteria to the sponge faster.

I am surprised the filter didn’t clear it up. You did use poly floss? Try filling the other cage with floss too. Leave the sponge floating in the tank. Bb will still grow on it. You can also buy a polishing pad and cut it to wrap around the inside of the cage in front of the floss.

[bluelagoon]

If it is a chemical imbalance floss won't clear it up, which seems to be the issue. Mechanically, floss will remove particles but I don't think it particles. Looks cloudy to me and too much of a bio load. Just needs to catch up and to do this maybe not feed until it does catch up. The uneaten food causes ammonia and sometimes will do this in an uncycled tank. It's possible the cycle was compromised when the cartridges were washed.

[Greg-Florida]

Ok the water looks clearer but still not right. The odyssea is flowing strong? I ask cause I don’t see the bubbles moving. A front pic will help. Next what is coming into the water dead center of the top of the tank? Is that the light?


Just some things I’ve picked up going through the thread. With the nitrate. Next time you test read the tube over the chart. It’s the last color you can’t see through the chart. that looks bad! But it only 20ppm.

When removing those cartridges from the filter. Take the floss off them and add behind the sponge. This will transfer the bacteria to the sponge faster.

I am surprised the filter didn’t clear it up. You did use poly floss? Try filling the other cage with floss too. Leave the sponge floating in the tank. Bb will still grow on it. You can also buy a polishing pad and cut it to wrap around the inside of the cage in front of the floss.

Yes, that's the light cover touching the water in the center. The odyssea is flowing well.

The first day I only put floss in the top compartment and later realized after it didn't clear that the water coming thru the sponge in the bottom enters the center tube and can go STRAIGHT UP to the power head and out. That's the path of least resistance so there's very little water being drawn thru the floss in the top. So then I added floss in the bottom. I'm using dual-density floss from Filter First, they don't specify the microns because it's not woven.

Today there's not much difference in clarity so I ordered a 50 micron polishing pad that I'll wrap the tubes in under the floss.

I'll send a front pic and check and report balances tonight before I wc. Here's what I'm using: https://www.ebay.com/itm/334326293447
The fine side seems fairly tightly woven.

filter first.jpg

[Greg-Florida]

If it is a chemical imbalance floss won't clear it up, which seems to be the issue. Mechanically, floss will remove particles but I don't think it particles. Looks cloudy to me and too much of a bio load. Just needs to catch up and to do this maybe not feed until it does catch up. The uneaten food causes ammonia and sometimes will do this in an uncycled tank. It's possible the cycle was compromised when the cartridges were washed.

I do think you're right Mervin. Your input with Tom and Al's on this has taught me a lot. I think I'm feeding them quite leanly now and I vacuum well with each wc.
I'll give it some time.
However... when I have on my magnifying glasses and look up thru the water at the light, it does appear there are particles in the water, so that's what I want to try to filter out. If I can't do that with the polishing pads, I'll leave it alone and let it catch up taking caution not to overfeed.

[Greg-Florida]

Remove one of the sponges. Leave the tube in the middle and fill it with floss.

I may have misunderstood this above... now I'm thinking you meant to put the floss in the tube, which would guarantee ALL the water goes thru the floss. I filled the top can with floss wrapped around the tube and left the sponge in the bottom, then later replaced that bottom sponge with floss, but still think the power head can do better with a polishing pad. More to come whence I test water and post a current pic.

[Iminit]

No around the tube not in the tube. In the tube and it will get sucked into the motor. Don’t want that.

That’s a lot of polishing pad!” I usually get a 12”x12” pad and cut to fit.

Even though you did a lot to the tank I don’t think you lost the cycle. It could be a bio bloom but I still think the floss would pull it out of the water.