Filter Not Working Up To Par?

[Mr.Tan]

Hello,
  I am trying to get an idea as to if my filter is the problem in this situation I am having.  I currently run a Tetra whisper EX hang on back filter rated up to 50 gallons for my 29 US gallon tank.  I have been noticing that the tank is never really crystal clear water like many tanks I see on here, or even in the past with my old tank setup. 
 
I use to run the same filter on my old "setup" that was just gravel and some plants the water was always crystal clear.  Now that I have switched the tank over to using aquarium sand with a flourite base for plant nutrients/growth and use driftwood (it was purchased from a fish store and I pre-soaked it for a couple weeks until the water was staying clear) my tank always seems to have a sort of haze to it.  It has been setup for around 5 months this way, it gets clear after I do a water change and change/clean the filter media and within a few days it becomes dirty looking again.
 
 
Could it be due to the type of filter I am using and the inability to actually filter out all debris/dirt from this new setup and the additions that I have in the tank?
 
 
I was thinking of switching to a canister type filter, would this work better? I see many people on here use them and the tanks are always so clean and clear looking. 

 

[Mikey1]

the filter has nothing to do with your problem, it is more than adequate for your tank.....a new filter or more powerful filter will not help.....
 
it is HOW you are treating the filter/maintaining the filter, thats the problem.....how often are you changing the media?.....are you changing ALL the media at the same time?.....if so, that is a big no-no.....you are removing all the beneficial bacteria, now you need to cycle the tank/filter again....
 
cleaning a filter too often does more harm then good

 

[Chad]

The way the Tetra Whispers are designed the sponge should always remain in the filter and doesn't get replaced when you replace the cartridge. If you clean the sponge be sure to do one at a time (if I remember the EX has two) and then clean it in used tank water and not tap.
 
I suggest you replace the cartridge more often since they contain carbon and carbon is one thing that helps to remove yellow from the water and makes it crystal clear.
 
I personally like the Whisper filters but prefer a good canister. They have a smaller in-tank footprint, which is nice, tend to hold more media, and allow some flexibility in what media you use which the Whisper line of filters doesn't. Because of that I think getting a canister might be nice for you, but like Mikey points out that might not fix the issue if you don't clean it properly (often is okay as long as it's done right, right being a way that doesn't kill the bacteria) and make sure the expended media is replaced frequently.