filter covered in brown sludge??

[apples24]

tank been filled with fish for over a week now, used gravel etc from established tank, its a 3ft with an internal filter

took apart last night for a quick peep and the filter is covered in a light brownish sludge?

i was only checking it as was told once established the filter should be blackish

 

[apples24]

just too add i canot see any anywere else in the tank, the fish seem to be v happy, fingers crossed theyve been in 9 days so far

 

[Dragonslair]

It sounds to me to be a case of an overloaded filter.
Solution, is to get a power filter(bigger) or to decrease your bio load.
I think from what you say an external canister filter may be what is needed.
OR
you will need to clean your current filter out more frequently!

 

[apples24]

but that pump was used with that tank before with a fair few fish in???


it was thoroughly cleaned before put in and had been sat a while.

seing as my tank stil cycling what should i do?

 

[gadazobe]

Leave it be - the brown sludge holds most of the good bacteria that you want. As long as the water flow from the pump is good, then it doesn't need touching. The only time I clean my filter is when the sludge in it affects the water flow.

 

[apples24]

thankyou gadazobe that was my thoughts also

i shall leave as is for atleast another couple weeks

 

[sunbot]

Thanks godazobe you've helped me to my water flow itsent as powerful as it should be so i need to clean the filter not the sponges.

 

[gadazobe]

You can clean the sponges as well as the filter - but clean them both in tank water that has been emptied into a bucket - it helps keep some of the good bacteria. Also, don't let them dry out - the good bacteria will die if the equipment dries out. After you've cleaned the filter, go light on feeding for a day or so.

 

[sunbot]

I cleaned my filter last night i cleaned the whole thing what do you mean clean the sponges in tank (wont that make a filter pointless?)

 

[gadazobe]

Not in the tank but in water from the tank. Take some water from the tank, put it in a bucket or bowl and clean the filter in that water. Put the media back in the filter, put it all together again and put the filter back in its place. Sorry I didn't make myself clear before.

 

[sunbot]

m8 with the water in bowl do i poor it down sink?

 

[Adrinal]

take some tank water and get it into a bowl (or water that has sat in a bucket for more than 2 days with an open top (or else the clorine and local water purifyiers will kill the good bacteria). use this SAFE FOR BACTERIA WATER to splash the filter pads in and shake out the poo.

The idea is to get the large particals out.

 

[gadazobe]

Throw the dirty water from the bowl or bucket down the loo or water your house plants with it (great fertilizer ) and replace the water that you took from the tank with dechlorinated water at the same temp as the tank water. Hope that's clear.

 

[sunbot]

help me with this tread to plz.