Do I need ...?

[traco]

I am trying to figure out why my fish got hex. Couple of things

- slower growing than others due to my rookie feeding (worried about debris/nitrates so did not feed enough to fill everyone's bellys)

- moved from 65 to 90 gallon and removed fluval from the tank (was worried about spikes if power went out and not easy keeping clean...tubing, etc.)

- no real aggression or chasing of this little guy by others.

- mainly, do I have enough filtration for this 90 gallon?

I also have two hydro sponges running also in the tank.

I do daily water changes and the clarity looks great! :D Then next day, it is not as clear, murky a bit. I wipe down the walls weekly and clean the sponges alternating weekly.

I need to order some meds and wanted to get some comments/thoughts before I place my order. Should I get another filter due to the way the tank goes after 24 hours?

Barb

[JimmyL]

Your filtration and the amount of waste produced by left over food and your fish is not balance. You either do more water change or add more filter. Eventhough you've done all these. Very often there is still not enough based on your local water quality. That's why PP come to play to settle all organic matters, solidify it with oxidation and allow you to vacuum them out like polishing your water. Lots of hobbyists misinterpret PP as treatment of external parasites and skin diseases only. There is another side of it's function for keeping a healthy, disease free close environment like our fish tank. Hex is a rarity if you can maintain sparkling clean water condition with only 30% daily and feeding 100% BH with nothing else.
Jimmy

[BigDaddy]

Okay, JimmyL, your going to have to make your post more clear... I didn't get anything out of that post.

Barb:

What kind of filtration do you have on the 90 right now. You mention removing a canister filter, and having two hydro sponges... do you have a power filter on the back, or are you relying solely on the sponge filters for filtration.

You mention cleaning the sponges weekly. I'm hoping you are rinsing them in used tank water?

You mention doing a water change, and that the next day the water is murky. Is your tank cycling? Have you taken ammonia and nitrite readings lately?

Finally, how many fish are in this 90 gallon? And are you changing with water straight from the tap, or do you condition it first. If it's coming from the tap, is your tap water identical/similar to your tank water as far as pH/gH/kH is concerned?

[traco]

Filtration is hydro sponges, IV and V, also a Penguin 330(?).

I clean the sponges in used tank water, only squeezing gently just a couple of times.

No readable ammonia and nitrites. I use tap water conditioned with Prime, same temp as tank. PH is same between the tap and tank.

10 discus roughly between 3-4".

Barb

[BigDaddy]

Well, with the two hydro sponges and 0 ammonia and nitrite, you obviously have enough biological filtration.

But you definately do not have enough mechanical filtration. A Penguin 330 is definately not enough for a 90 gallon. Marineland only rates that filter for up to 70 gallons, and that would be pushing it.

I'd slap an AC110 on that 90 gallon as soon as possible. I know up here in Canada they are pricey, but they are worth it. If you aren't too worried about tank clutter, you could run it in tandem with the Penguin 330 (although I prefer the Emperor over the Penguin... the second pump driving the spray bars is SO worth the extra coin).

[traco]

Okay, a bit confused about biological and mechanical? :confused:

Does a hang on back filter with just sponges as its media classify as biological or mechanical? What makes a filter mechanical - adding bioballs or some different media rather than only sponges? Doesn't mostly everyone run just sponges in their hang on backs for ease of cleaning and having a good bioload?

Barb

[BigDaddy]

Biological filtration is your media that has nitrifying bacteria. Your biowheels on your Penguin provide biological filtration.

Mechanical filtration is the filters ability to mechanically remove particles from the water column. Sponges, filter floss, micron cartridges, all act as mechanical filters. Sponges can also act as a biological filter... that's what makes Aquaclears so nice... the sponges serve two purposes... biological and mechanical.

Your Penguin cartridges have a layer of blue filter floss on them to act as mechanical filters. But like I said... its just not enough for a 90 gallon tank.

[traco]

Oh, okay. I don't have any of the stuff that came with the penguin (carbon cartridges, etc...) I put sponges in both compartments and a prefilter on the intake. You can also do the same thing to the Aquaclears too, right?

Barb

[Dood Lee]

Is there a reason why you removed the fluval canister? The canister should be able to add both mechanical and biological filtration for your 90. Plus, it doesn't take up space in the back of the tank, so you can also keep the hang on back filters.

[BigDaddy]

Some people on this board (myself NOT included) fear reprocussions from having a canister filter go anaerobic after a power failure, the theory being that when the canister starts back up again when power resumes, the canister will be pumping "nasties" into the tank, to the detriment of the fish in the tank.

I guess power issues are more of a concern in certain States... where I am, the only power outage in recent memory that lasted more than an hour or so was the major Blackout two years ago that killed half the north eastern seaboard

[Evan]

I second bigDaddy's idea of the AC. Use two sponges inside with one on the intake. Clean ther sponge on the intake daily.

Your water should not be cloudy. I can leave my tank for a few days and come back and it still looks OK.

I have recently started using a HOT magnum with a micron cartridge. IMO this is a great filter.

I don't use a canister as a full time filter because they are more expensive and take longer to maintain. The power issue would not be a concern in my area either.

I do not see an issue of using one though, as long as it is kept clean.

[traco]

We have power outtages where we live during the winter, so that's why I was concerned about the fluval. We do have a generator which I have used before when I had my saltwater tank going. I didn't have any filtration going in that tank; acheived filtration with deep sand bed, and live rock. But I had to keep the powerheads, protein skimmer, and heater going cuz I didn't want die-off of corals.

I have the fluval going on another tank and am rethinking everything. We do have an inverter kicking around here which probably could be used also plus way easier to move around than a generator!! ;)

[Carol_Roberts]

Actually the best mechanical filter is a sponge on the intake tube of the filter. That way you can rinse it under the faucet everytime you do a water change. You will find that it traps all kinds of uneten food and feces. You don't want that gunk trapped in the sponges inside your aqua clear.

[Dood Lee]

Actually the best mechanical filter is a sponge on the intake tube of the filter. That way you can rinse it under the faucet everytime you do a water change. You will find that it traps all kinds of uneten food and feces. You don't want that gunk trapped in the sponges inside your aqua clear.

This is actually how I filter my tank. I use an eheim 2026 canister supplemented with a H.O.T. Magnum 250 (when necessary). I have a sponge over the intake of my canister (I use the prefilter sponges used for the Maxi-jet powerheads).

I don't understand where the idea comes that a canister is difficult to maintain. I clean my eheim once every 3 months, and the fish are fine with it. Since most of the gunk is caught in the prefilter (which I rinse out weekly) the canister is practically free of debris. The eheim is essentially just used purely as a bio filter, with mech filtration on the side. It also keeps my tank free of clutter, I have an inline heater connected to the output line of the canister, so the only things in the tank (equipment wise) are the input tube and spraybar.