Is My Filter Working Properly?

[zoeb2912]

hi all,

i have a aqua flow 3 800lh internal filter on my 100l tank. placed so it is flowing across the length of the tank. i have it on the lowest flow. (gouramis) media is black carbon impreg sponge at bottom and white filter floss at top.
i do a 20-30% water change weekly and sand vac.

by the next day the sand is covered in poo and doesn't seem to be getting sucked into filter. iv been watching it and the flow goes round the tank and the dirt seems to be pulled back up (not through filter) and blows back round the tank?!

not sure if this makes any difference but the sand under the filter has a dip in it like its blowing out of the bottom too?

have i done something wrong?

thanks. xx

 

[swanseastilo]

What fish do you have in your tank??

 

[zoeb2912]

What fish do you have in your tank??

i have
gouramis
2 pearl
2 opaline
2 honey
2 golden
6 bronze cory
6 bw tetra

thanks. x

 

[zoeb2912]

anyone?... x

 

[zoeb2912]

please could someone answer. my water is now turning cloudy and fish at top of tank. x

 

[swanseastilo]

have you tested your water??

 

[zoeb2912]

yep alls fine.
nitrate 5
nitrite 0
amm 0
ph 7
temp 26

 

[zoeb2912]

thanks!!!

 

[fluttermoth]

I don't think you're doing anything wrong; it's quite common for tanks with a sand substrate to get very 'poopy' very quickly.

The dip under the filter is probably just from a current. You could try moving the filter, if you can, so it blows the water round in a different pattern, and see if that helps at all.

And you could try switching your filter off, taking it out of the tank, stripping it down and putting it back together, checking that every part is attached properly.

I'm not sure why your water might be cloudy. A big water change, plus a new piece of floss in your filter should help.

 

[zoeb2912]

I don't think you're doing anything wrong; it's quite common for tanks with a sand substrate to get very 'poopy' very quickly.

The dip under the filter is probably just from a current. You could try moving the filter, if you can, so it blows the water round in a different pattern, and see if that helps at all.

And you could try switching your filter off, taking it out of the tank, stripping it down and putting it back together, checking that every part is attached properly.

I'm not sure why your water might be cloudy. A big water change, plus a new piece of floss in your filter should help.

thanks for yr advice. x