Cloudy water stopped up filter

[mlee0332]

As you all may no, I just had a terrible pH spike in my cycling 10g. Well I have that under control and have no problems.

Well This morning I looked at my filter and it was so stopped up that the dirty water was at times trickling over the filter cartridge. well, when I removed the cartridge, LOADS of white cloudy stuff poured into the tank. Now it is soooooo cloudy you can't see the background good . What should I do. Leave it alone?

Also, now I have another question.

My ammonia has reached zero and I add some every day. Nitrites are off chart high (10ppm max. on chart) and continue to rise. The nitrates as well are sky high, and off chart (200 ppm max. on chart) and continue to rise. Does this mean that I am adding 2 much ammonia, and that it should be done cycling?

Can I do a water change to get rid of the cloudyness and also bring those nitrites and trates down. Or leave it alone and add less ammonia?

 

[WILDER]

Do you have any fish in there, the ph will be all over the place while you are cycling, what your ph in tap water, i would leave it alone no water changes, you are not far off from being cycled if your nitrite are peaking,amd cloudiness is due to a bacteria bloom.

 

[mlee0332]

no, no fish. If I did, they would have disintegrated

Sorry for the sarcasm!

So don't do anything different, not even the amount of ammonia?

I just don't understand how the no2 and no3 are Both off chart and still continue to rise...

Can you estimate how much longer till it gets done?

Thanx

 

[WILDER]

I thought you had no fish in it, just wanted to check,every tank is different, you haven't added anything for the ph have you, as ph will be all over the place, your tap water in ph will tell you what your ph should be.

 

[mlee0332]

I was just joking above, sorry if you took offense!

Umm I did at first when I panicked , and I lowered it to 6.8. Then after I added ammonia again it shot back up to where it was. I was told not to worry about it until the cycle was finished. So i don't take care of the pH problem any more. I just leave it alone.

My tap is 7.2 pH. Every other tank is at this level, or close to it.

That cloudy stuff was starting to filter out, but it stopped up the filter again. What should I do about that?

EDIT: I also have a 29g that is cycling. It's ammonia level is 0.25. It has fish in it. Should I allow the level to go up to 0.5 or maintain at 0.25. It has a neon in it, and I hear they aren't good for cycling.

 

[WILDER]

I no you was only joking, i wondering if the ph stuff has messed with the water, what filter is it, do you mean it keep getting blogged, i think i would do a water change.

 

[mlee0332]

It's a whipser HOB for 5-15 gs aquariums.

maybe it did mess the water. I should do a change then?

and about what percentage?

 

[WILDER]

Do you think the filter is up to the job, does it ripple the water, what sponges are in it, the white stuff could be from the ph product, just do a water change then test a while later.

 

[mlee0332]

I think I could do better...

It ripples the water. The same size filter in its competitor has a 10gph rating. This has a 9gph rating. It does get clogged easily...

Maybe I should Upgrade to one for 10-20s...

It has an aerobic pad and the bag cartridge they have for it. Nothing other than what is supposed to be in it....

 

[WILDER]

I would change if for a better one, as if it's clogging now with no fish in it, just put the sponges in the new one.

 

[mlee0332]

okay. Do you think i should change 100% water or 20% water or what?

I was thinking the exact same thing... Clogging with no fish... This one's going to be a piece of work...

Also, I have a 29g that is cycling. It's ammonia level is 0.25. It has fish in it. Should I allow the level to go up to 0.5 or maintain at 0.25. It has a neon in it, and I hear they aren't good for cycling.

 

[WILDER]

Remove about 20% of the water in the 10gal, and yes i would do a water change on the other one if you have a neon it it, as they are fragile little things.

 

[mlee0332]

would a divider cause the cycle to be slowed? I had a divider in the 10g when it was just getting started, and all the charts I was following were moving at a rate 2x as fast as this one, or would that be a filter prob?

 

[WILDER]

Yes, as if you don't have a filter on either side one part of the tank isn't get filtered as much.

 

[WILDER]

You could try testing both sides to see if there is a difference and that will give you your answer.