My Filter is thick with brown mush..

[Chunandler]

I just changed my filter and put in a new one. My pleco he started to eat wafers recently and now the bottom is always littered with their crap. (2 bala sharks also) I've have had my filter in for 4 weeks before and never had anything this thick. Today I had to take it out after one week because there was so much stuff on there it was restricting water flow. The water has also clouded up a little. I'll be getting a new tank with a biggr filter, but not for a couple weeks. What can I do?

This link is a picture of the filter: http/myweb.cableone.net/dhall768/filter.jpg

 

[LesGerber]

Well what I would do is take your filter and get some water from the tank and try to wash it best you can in the tank water to try to get the sludge off it. Also if there are algae wafers that arent getting eaten then you are using too many and need to cut back. Is that filter the only type of filtration you have for your tank I have never cared for the filters that have replaceble filters. They get all mucked up and you usually have to pitch them. Maybe you can strip the filter down and use the plastic frame to support some filter floss .....something that you can wash out.
When you get a filter for you next tank, look into a filter like a aqua clear filter, they have replaceble sponges and it allows you to add different things like floss.

HTH


Les

 

[Chunandler]

I do one wafer as day and it's always eaten. This is my only filter, I've had it for over 5 months. I'll definately get a better type of filter on my next tank. thanks

 

[LesGerber]

What type of filter do you have and on what size of a tank do you have it on......if you are feeding only one wafer a day then this shouldnt be causing your problems. How often do you do water changes and how much do you do each time? Now I am puzzled as to why your filter is getting so clogged now


Les

 

[Chunandler]

I have a 10 gallon aquarium with a Aqua-Tech 5-15 filter. I changed the water once a week and do 20% changes. I'm going to start giving the fish bloodworms only a couple days a week and give the pleco a wafer every three days. This should be ok until I get my new tank. I'll feed my sharks flakes more instead of bloodworms. What do you think?

 

[LesGerber]

How many fish do you have in this tank and how big are they? I know you said a pleco and a couple of balas.
I know you are aware that these fish will out grow the tank they are in as plecos can get over 10 inches and I have seen where balas can get over a foot.
That may be your problem right there, they may be over loading your filtration as the filter you have is rather small. I have one of those on a baby tank and I have to clean my filtration every other day or so to keep it working right, and no I dont use those premade things. I used half a filtration spoonge from my aqua clear filter and stuffed it in there and then put filter floss in front of it and it works pretty good
If you can swing the cost go to Wal Mart and get a replacement sponge for an aqua clear filter and cut it in half. You should be able to get one for under 5.00
Also while you are there go to the fabric department and get a 20 oz bag of Poly-Fil( thats the name ) That is what I use and it works great for a cost of 2.50
Make sure you get one that has 100 poly fil and no additives. The Ploy-Fil brand is safe as I have used it for months


HTH


Les

 

[Tanked]

the aqua-tec 5-15 is the same filter as a penquin mini with bio wheel, only no biowheel on the 5-15 (you bought it at walmart? 10 gallon combo?) you can rip the blue part off of that filter, dump the carbon out (not neccasary as proven to me by les and CM) and put filter floss behind it. you can then get a 99 cent aqua clear 200 bio insert (sponge) and put it in front ot the cartridge. I rinse my floss weekly and change it every other. my water is crystal clear and the fish seem very happy.

the problem with the 5-15 is it has no biological filter, only mechanical and chemical (the little cartridges) putting the Sponge up front will give it biological as well.