Need some advice

[Spare]

Have a question for everyone because I am not sure what to do.

I have had this fishtank for 3 years now. For 2 of those years I had a Penguin Bio Wheel filter. I was not a huge fan of this filter so when I moved and had to transport the fishies I decided to treat them and myself to a new filter. I went to Petco and walked out with a Fluval 204 filter. It was expensive but the sales girl in the fish dept talked it up and looked much easier to maintain.

I installed the filter and all was well. It provided a strong current and I was quite pleased and the fish seemed to enjoy swimming into the current.

After the first time I cleaned it the output on the filter slowed alot. It was no longer the tidal current it was. The filter is still cleaning the water quite well so no complaints.

I started seeing the bigger fish charging to the top to grab a breath of air and then going right back down to the bottom. So I started running the air pump a few hours a day to keep the water aerated. One day while I the pump was off I noticed all the fish at the top and all seemed to be gasping for air. I turned on the air pump and the fish returned to normal. Tonight I turned off the air pump and went out for 4 to 5 hours and when I returned they were at the top again and gasping for air.

I cleaned the fluval 100% and the output is still the same. Its not a tidal current just a gentle current and while keeping the water clean its not providing the aerated water the fish need. I heard somewhere that an air pump is not meant to be run 24/7 to provide the Aeration of the water. So on to my questions finally

1. Can you run an air pump all the time to provide the Aerated water?

2. Are there any problems with Fluval fliters that I am not aware of?

3. Since the fliter is cleaning the water would placing a power head in the tank help keep the water moving?

Its a 30 gallon tank with a Fluval 204 filter and the air pump is a whisper40 with 2 5 inch air stones attached. Any advice would be helpful.

 

[godzuki]

my fluval does this with the water current, I just turn it off remove the fan clean it and then replace it when I turn it back on it is back to normal... as for the fish gasping when you turn it off i havent a clue.... but I dont turn my filter or bubble wand off... have you done a water check??

kiss kiss

 

[Spare]

my fluval does this with the water current, I just turn it off remove the fan clean it and then replace it when I turn it back on it is back to normal... as for the fish gasping when you turn it off i havent a clue.... but I dont turn my filter or bubble wand off... have you done a water check??

kiss kiss

[snapback]913296[/snapback]​

I took apart the Fluval and removed the fan for the first time this evening and it does not seem to have made a huge difference. The very first night when I plugged it in its was shooting water out but it has slowed down quite a bit. I thought there might be an obstruction but I checked suction on the intake and its working fine it just does not create the same current it did the first night I got it. I have only had it 5 months.

Last I checked the water it was fine but that was a few weeks ago so I will check it again to make sure but the wierd thing is if that air pump goes of for a few hours they are at the top. Not just one fish but all of them and once that air pump is back on for an hour the fish return to normal.

The filter I had before was a bio wheel and the water was like a waterfall and this never happend this has only started happing in the past 2 to 3 months

 

[spanishguy111]

my fluval does this with the water current, I just turn it off remove the fan clean it and then replace it when I turn it back on it is back to normal... as for the fish gasping when you turn it off i havent a clue.... but I dont turn my filter or bubble wand off... have you done a water check??

kiss kiss

[snapback]913296[/snapback]​

I took apart the Fluval and removed the fan for the first time this evening and it does not seem to have made a huge difference. The very first night when I plugged it in its was shooting water out but it has slowed down quite a bit. I thought there might be an obstruction but I checked suction on the intake and its working fine it just does not create the same current it did the first night I got it. I have only had it 5 months.

Last I checked the water it was fine but that was a few weeks ago so I will check it again to make sure but the wierd thing is if that air pump goes of for a few hours they are at the top. Not just one fish but all of them and once that air pump is back on for an hour the fish return to normal.

The filter I had before was a bio wheel and the water was like a waterfall and this never happend this has only started happing in the past 2 to 3 months

[snapback]913319[/snapback]​

It doesnt sound like you moved your media over from your old filter so youve probably re-cycled your tank. Sounds like theyre gasping from nitrite. Ya leave your bubbler on all the time. Its fine.

You know you can aim the output of the canister filter so it just moves the surface. No matter how low the flow is it should always be able to move the surface a LOT. Also dont take your temp over 80F oxygen is hard to keep in water above that

 

[Spare]

K I checked my water and the results are as follows

PH 7.2
Ammonia 0 ppm (mg/l)
Nitrite 0.25 ppm (mg/l)


As far as the media I follow the directions and do not cycle all the parts at once. Thats one of the things I like about the fluval. That foam and the media rince off nice I have changed the foam once in the past 5 months the rest of the time I just rinse it out really good. The bio filter chucks are the ones that came with the filter and I added the mechanical filter media about 2 months ago.

I have the output nozzle just below the surface of the water and its aimed to get the water moving around.

I think I got everything right with it. This is my first cannister filter so I am not 100% sure on lots of things hence why I am here

 

[modernhamlet]

Are you rinsing the filter media under tapwater? If so, don't. Use a bucket of syphoned tankwater from a waterchange.

And I agree with spanishguy, sounds like you had/have a problem with nitrite, not oxygen.

 

[Tolak]

Sounds like the tubing may be a little gunked up, impeding the water flow a little. You can remove the tubing & clean it out with water pressure from the tap, or attach a piece of rag to a long wire & pull it through to clean them.

Tolak

 

[paulthegreat]

With any nitrite reading at all means that you do not have the proper bacteria concentrations. As before do not use tap water to clean the sponge just squeeze it out in a bucket of water taken from the tank during a water change and do not change out too much water at any one time. About 30-40% once a week works good for me. Why the outflow has been so reduced is a bit of a mystery. Sounds like you have tried everything that should fix the problem. Try to take it apart as far as you can and clean everything, when you put it back together test all of the moving parts to see that they are not binding. Could be that a part was not put back on just so and it is hanging up a bit.HTH

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

You should read up on the pinned articles here in new tank sydrome and cycling tanks and stuff, the beneficial bacterial that lives in your filter sponge helps break down ammonia and nitrites which are caused by fish and waste in the tank but are also toxic to fish.
When you buy a new filter it doesn't have any of this bacteria and there is nothing to break down these toxins and you have to cycle your tank all over again(the process of growing the beneficial bacteria in your filter).
Chlorine found in tap water amoung other chemicals can kill this beneficial bacteria which is why you mainly use dechlorinator in your tank to help remove the chlorine and other harmful chemicals present in tap water- chlorine is also bad for the fish's protective slime coats.
When you replaced your old filter you lost all your beneficial bacteria and your tank is now cycling- water changes with dechlorinator will help lower ammonia and nitrites as both of these toxins are lethal in any amount to fish, although try not to take out more than 60% water a day.

 

[Spare]

Ok good posts, it might be nitrate releated so I will monitior the water closer and see what happens.

Most of the stuff you are all suggesting I have done. I took the fluval apart cleaned the heck out of it. Made sure the hoses were not blocked because I was thinking the same thing. Last night I finally worked up the courage to take out the impeller. Its on a ceramic shaft and I was really afraid of breaking it but learned how to take it out.

As far as filter cleaning I am running the parts under the tap water because thats what I did with my other filter. Never was an issue prior to this but I guess I am replacing more water now in filter maintence so that might be the reason for the sudden change. I have the stuff to dechlorinate the water which I use as well the liquid to start the cycle in the tank. I noramlly add this stuff when doing filter maint.

Like I said I just moved these fish from apt to apt and I am proud to say not one died I think just moving from a off the tank filter to a cannister and not changing my maint procdures are to blame. Guess I will just have to monitor the water to make sure levels do not get toxic.

thx all

 

[Spare]

Ok I tested my water and the nitrite levels have returned to 0 ppm per the test kit.

I do have another question, Would to much salt cause the problems I am describing?

 

[godzuki]

Hi, you should NEVER wash your media in tap water, you need the bacteria in the media to keep the tank going... in theory when you’re washing it, all you’re doing is removing any junky bits that are trapped. Hence why you should do it when you do a water change, the water in the tank has the vital bacteria but the bacteria in tap water will kill the good stuff off. Leaving you with a tank that might need recycling... but more likely will...

not sure about the water flow, as I was saying when mine starts playing up, I take off the cap and take out the propeller,(turned off at the wall of course) I then use a cotton bud to clean the interior shaft, this tends to hold a lot of junk. If it still isn’t working right... I would take it back or phone the company and seek advice as if you have done all the things advised her and it still isn't working it might "just" be faulty...

 

[paulthegreat]

Unless you are using lots of salt and I mean a concentration of about 24%(which should kill about any fish, the salt should not be a prob. The benificial bacteria cling to surfaces and will be rinsed away by cleaning in chlorinated tap water. The filter medium is their best habitat since the filter pulls the food straight to them. Did anyone mention that chlorine tends to kill off the Beni's?

 

[xamdarb]

just dont turn your pump off