Filter Seems Clogged

[tgo]

Hi I need help, my filter's flow is way down (Elite Hush 10) and its only a month old. I have cleaned out the media using aquarium water a few times already, since I have plants and such. The carbon media has some brownish, slimy stuff on it, is this normal. I can't figure out what can be clogging since I also looked inside the tube as well. Please help, thank you

 

[tgo]

took the filter apart, apparently the white colored cottony growth (algae?) I had was collected in different parts of the filter, its working fine now

 

[Goodygumdrops]

See if the top will come off to clean the impeler unit,in most filters,this can get really clogged with gunk and it makes a huge difference when you clean that bit.
Normally,the little impeler is magnetic and you can just lift it out then rinse through the tubes.

 

[waterdrop]

If your filter has clogged several times in a month, its possible it is too small for the job. Sounds like you've given it a good clean. Be sure and note that in your logbook and keep track of how often it needs cleaning. Brown debris is normal in a filter. Its called mulm and is composed of all types of tank debris in various stages of decomposition. Be sure and do good weekly gravel cleans if possible and these will lower the load on the filter.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[tgo]

I pretty much do gravel cleaning every time I change the water, which is every day I guess. I don't do it overly thoroughly, but I figured I may as well vacuum while I'm doing my water changes. The stuff that clogged my filter is this almost thread-like, wet toilet-paper looking stuff that started to grow heavily on this ornament that I had (now gone). It spread to the walls of the tank but I scraped it off with the algae brush, but bits still show-up now and then.

What the heck is this stuff? Never really found out. It seemed to be especially prone to this fake-rock ornament. It floats around after water changes and I think it is what clogged my filter. I

might consider buying a better filter anyway, if anybody has good reasons why I should chnage from my current Elite Hush 10 for my ten gallon tank.

I don't know how I would do this without the expertise on this site, thanks for your help

 

[waterdrop]

Hi tgo!

Yeah, I always feel like I might as well gravel clean if I've got the tube in there to siphon, even if it doesn't seem to really need it. Besides, once you've got fish it helps keep the little ones from getting sucked up!

I think the stuff you are seeing is actually the bacterial biofilm materia mostly from the heterotrophic bacteria (the ones that eat organic materials and produce ammonia from it) and maybe a little from the autotrophs. Since I can't see a picture I suppose its also possible that its a combo of a white fungus growing on bits of algae, that's a temporary thing that also happens sometimes. All these things go away and are rarely a problem.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[tgo]

thanks waterdrop, I was a little worried it might be serious. To be honest, it would be extremely difficult to capture it in a picture anyway, so i'll take your word for it.