Giving up... very soon

[Tobrienne]

Hey all.. some of you might remember a lot of my newbie posts and blunders I've had since getting my pair of discus. With all that fiasco.. and trying to stabilize my water parameters and trying to get my tank cycled.. I have great news!!! My tank is cycled and the water tests come out perfect.


Just. One. Problem.

Now my Top Fin 40, HOB, is SO loud that it keep me up at night from two stories down! So once everything starts looking up.. my fricken system is failing. So what do I do? I get an AquaClear off someone on Kijiji (Canadian version of Craigslist only better) and started cycling it alongside my Top Fin. My plan was to allow it to do its thing for a month until its established and then take out the obsenly loud Top Fin, keep the filter media, and chuck the unit.

One. More. Problem.

While doing a WC today I decide that I do not like the sand substrate in there. So what do I do? I decide to suck it out with my python. That's all well and good and wonderful, yes its getting stirred up a little bit and of course I am worrying how it will affect my discus so about 50% of it gets sucked up.. I refill the tank, treat it and plug everything back in... except now my sponge filter AND the AquaClear are NOT working but my Top Fin is still whirring away loudly.

WHAT. THE. HECK.

Someone out there really wants me to fail with my discus. Get this.. as this makes NO sense to me what-so-fricking-ever.

My air pump works fine, no kinks in the hose, no holes, air is coming out the opposite end just fine. So I plug it back into my air sponge.. ok I feel air suction so I begin to drop it back into the tank.. ok it is bubbling just fine. Then once it hits a certain depth IT STOPS WORKING! I removed the hose and dipped it up and down in the tank... working.. lower.. not working. This makes NO sense to me what so ever.

Now.. the AquaClear.. it's not doing a darn thing but the motor still sounds like it is doing something.. so I am beginning to think that maybe by my messing around and agitating the sand it settled into the mechanisms of both items and buggered them up somehow. Now the store are closed.. not to mention I'm broke til the 15th... and my discus tank has decided to crap out on me.

I would LOVE your feedback lol.

Side note: looks like my empty cycled tank is getting new tenants tonight. Ugh.

[Larry Bugg]

If your sponge filter is woring in the top half of the tank and not the bottom then your air pump is not putting out enough air to out of the tube at the bottom of the tank where the pressue is greater. Is your air pump adjustable? Can you turn it up? Until you get if figured out just keep the sponge high enough that it is still working.

[Floppy Fin's]

If your sponge filter is woring in the top half of the tank and not the bottom then your air pump is not putting out enough air to out of the tube at the bottom of the tank where the pressue is greater. Is your air pump adjustable? Can you turn it up? Until you get if figured out just keep the sponge high enough that it is still working.

A1 response.... and if he has enough sponge filters of the Hypro variety they are all he needs in the new or old system for now.

[Tobrienne]

If your sponge filter is woring in the top half of the tank and not the bottom then your air pump is not putting out enough air to out of the tube at the bottom of the tank where the pressue is greater. Is your air pump adjustable? Can you turn it up? Until you get if figured out just keep the sponge high enough that it is still working.

I would believe this.. IF it were a new/used pump but this pump has been in this tank since I got it and has always worked just fine. So something got buggered.

[Tobrienne]

A1 response.... and if he has enough sponge filters of the Hypro variety they are all he needs in the new or old system for now.


*ahem*

She.

[DiscusDrew]

Its possible with the minimal water changes you've been performing that if you unplugged the air pump some water could have back-siphoned into the pump, which could have caused problems with the pump. Regardless it sounds like its time for a new air pump. As for the filter, take it apart and really clean out the impeller and such, then plug it back in and see if that helps anything, also make sure you fill the media cavity with water before you plug it in, it minimizes the work the impeller has to do to get water running. Hopefully that will fix it, make sure you are unplugging your filters and heaters when you do water changes in general, even if your doing smaller water changes.

P.S.- Sorry I didnt have time to get back to your last PM Tobrienne, please PM me with the results of your aging test so we can what we need to get done there as well, if anything. Good luck my friend!!

[Tobrienne]

Its possible with the minimal water changes you've been performing that if you unplugged the air pump some water could have back-siphoned into the pump, which could have caused problems with the pump. Regardless it sounds like its time for a new air pump. As for the filter, take it apart and really clean out the impeller and such, then plug it back in and see if that helps anything, also make sure you fill the media cavity with water before you plug it in, it minimizes the work the impeller has to do to get water running. Hopefully that will fix it, make sure you are unplugging your filters and heaters when you do water changes in general, even if your doing smaller water changes.

P.S.- Sorry I didnt have time to get back to your last PM Tobrienne, please PM me with the results of your aging test so we can what we need to get done there as well, if anything. Good luck my friend!!

My absolute fav person :) I knew you'd see my pain here. I'm waiting for the filter to dry completely so that I can bang out any sand if it got caught in the impeller. I wouldn't doubt your theory on the pump too.. so yes it's definitely time for a new one! Woohoo! :( Lucky for my my empty tank was cycled and therefore they have been slowly introduced to their new home. They are swimming around SO happily its insane! They live their new pad lol

[Tobrienne]

Oh and my WC was inconclusive need a higher pH test kit... yay more shopping lol

[dprais1]

i always refill the media chamber on my AC before i plug it back in other wise it is nosiy, not even sure if it would refill without what i believe is called being primed. if you haven't tried then try filling the chamber with h2o and plugging in.

--ive also noticed on my AC if my prefilter is dirty then they run noisy.

[strawberryblonde]

I just added my first AC HOB to one of my tanks tonight, and the directions definitely said to fill the filter with water to the top before plugging it in so that it can prime itself. THEN, it said to wait at least 2 minutes for it to fully prime. Uh huh, I was about to hit the panic button when it still wasn't primed and fully siphoning at the 5 minute mark. LOL

As it turned out, I had to walk away to answer the phone, and when I returned, voila, all primed and running smooth as can be.

Soooo, go ahead and clean out the impeller, make sure that the intake tube clicks securely into the pump housing, fill that sucker with water and wait patiently for at least 5 minutes before you give up on the thing, ok?

For the sponge filter, yep, prolly time for a new air pump. But, before you spring for one, try a little test I do on mine. Grab a fresh piece of airline tubing and see if it makes a difference. I was pretty surprised the first time I tried fresh tubing on my "failing" pump and then discovered that my old tubing had sprung a leak. I was losing air pressure and that was the reason it wouldn't work at greater depths in my tank.

One more quick thing. If you can get the AC filter working again, why not just stuff all the media from the noisy filter into the AC filter? That way you don't have to leave that noisy thing running for a month.

[shoveltrash]

re sponge filter - before you go & buy a new pump, take a pipe cleaner & run it down the air hole, thru the middle of the sponge filter bracket-thingy (for lack of a better term). the hydro I have in my AF tank gets clogged up periodically, this fixes it.

[nwehrman]

re sponge filter - before you go & buy a new pump, take a pipe cleaner & run it down the air hole, thru the middle of the sponge filter bracket-thingy (for lack of a better term). the hydro I have in my AF tank gets clogged up periodically, this fixes it.

Very true... Mine too, also have you rinsed the sponge since the tank cleaning? If its filled with crud the air pump has to work twice as hard and if water deposits are on end where airline attaches- pump works harder - hence the works higher up in tank but not bottom, it's easier at the top.


Nicole

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[krislewis3]

I was under the impression that one should not clean the sponge when using sponge filtration, due to the BB that lives in it.....advise????

[Larry Bugg]

I was under the impression that one should not clean the sponge when using sponge filtration, due to the BB that lives in it.....advise????

That is completely incorrect!!! A sponge filter should be cleaned out on a regular basis. It is filtering gunk out of the water. That gunk has to be removed from the filter or it will stop working and comtaminate the tank. When doing a w/c, simply fill a bucket with some of the tank water. Place the sponge filter in the bucket and squeeze the filter. You will see the gunk and be amazed at how much was in there. After several squeezes, I give one last squeeze not allowing the water to fill back up the sponge and place it back in the tank.

[Tobrienne]

I just added my first AC HOB to one of my tanks tonight, and the directions definitely said to fill the filter with water to the top before plugging it in so that it can prime itself. THEN, it said to wait at least 2 minutes for it to fully prime. Uh huh, I was about to hit the panic button when it still wasn't primed and fully siphoning at the 5 minute mark. LOL

As it turned out, I had to walk away to answer the phone, and when I returned, voila, all primed and running smooth as can be.

Soooo, go ahead and clean out the impeller, make sure that the intake tube clicks securely into the pump housing, fill that sucker with water and wait patiently for at least 5 minutes before you give up on the thing, ok?


Well I will plug it all back in and give it a try. I'll let it run for a good 10 minutes just to be sure. The first time I ever plugged the thing in it started up right away so I figured that was norma.. insta-start ya know? LOL



For the sponge filter, yep, prolly time for a new air pump. But, before you spring for one, try a little test I do on mine. Grab a fresh piece of airline tubing and see if it makes a difference. I was pretty surprised the first time I tried fresh tubing on my "failing" pump and then discovered that my old tubing had sprung a leak. I was losing air pressure and that was the reason it wouldn't work at greater depths in my tank.

One more quick thing. If you can get the AC filter working again, why not just stuff all the media from the noisy filter into the AC filter? That way you don't have to leave that noisy thing running for a month.

As for the airline tubing.. will try that for sure and the guys at Big Als said that I can try switching the filter bag to the AC "at my own risk" which worried me and I didn't want to try it in case I killed my fish lol... ugh!

[Tobrienne]

re sponge filter - before you go & buy a new pump, take a pipe cleaner & run it down the air hole, thru the middle of the sponge filter bracket-thingy (for lack of a better term). the hydro I have in my AF tank gets clogged up periodically, this fixes it.

I moved the sponge filter to my other tank where the discus got moved to.. and added the air pump from that tank to the air sponge and it worked no problem. Def something with either the hose or the pump itself. I'm betting the hose as it was always working fine on this tank before.

[Trier20]

I moved the sponge filter to my other tank where the discus got moved to.. and added the air pump from that tank to the air sponge and it worked no problem. Def something with either the hose or the pump itself. I'm betting the hose as it was always working fine on this tank before.

I'm thinking it may be the pump. If it's a few years old it may not perform to what it used to. So i may not be able to handle the depth of your tank anymore. Everyday wear and tear ya know. I think if you were to get a larger pump and get a gang valve your problem with that will be solved. I had a problem similar to this one and that is how i fixed it. Hope things start looking up for ya :)

[Tobrienne]

I will definitely be doing that. I need a new filter system and pump for my tank. It's just sitting with water in it right now lol I was so excited to get all 3 tanks up and running! Now I'm back down to two and have to start the cycling process all over again lmfao!