So I Got My New Filter Set Up..

[Jaymz]

Well, my Juwel filter came out very easily after all, but that was hiding filth like I'd never seen in a tank before, which I got rid of most of, yes in changing over my filters (from my Juwel internal to Tetratec Ex600) there has been a lot of dirt kicked up, but I have a few questions about the water colour.

Firstly, is it normal for a tank to be so cloudy when changing filters? Yes I may have been expecting too much for crystal-clear water so soon (I only put my new filter in yesterday) but there are nice big bits of dirt floating around in there now.

Could my airstone be contributing? I have a long air curtain going from the back-left corner (Where my strainer for the EX dwells), forward along the left-hand side of the tank, and a few inches along the front, could this be bummering up my water? Kicking up dirt because it may be too big?

What about the current from the spraybar - It seems to circulating water around the tank but any of the dirt in the water never seems to move towards the strainer, if you get me, it's moving water away from the back wall, down the front, along the bottom, up the back, away from the back wall, etc...

Or am I just being picky? Will it settle down on its own and prove me a worrisome idiot?

Many thanks, especially for the patience.

 

[fearce]

Hi,

Did you let your new filter run in a few weeks alongside your now old and out (existing) filter, as your new filter kinda needs to cycle and build up the beneficial bacteria to. or you could just put some old media from your old filter into your new to help your current situation.

This could be a cause!

 

[Jaymz]

Yeah I got some of the old media from my filter in the new one as I set the external up, I moved my decor around and it's cleared up very well, it may have been the air curtain agitating the dirt, as I replaced it with the original air stone and it's looking a whole lot cleaner already.

 

[fearce]

Cool.

Ok out of interest,for a comparison, can you see a big difference comparing the old juwel filter to your new external filter?

 

[Jaymz]

Well, there are no longer any areas on the surface of the water that are not getting circulated, as I noticed with the Internal, the water does seem clearer, although as mentioned above I think the airstone is kicking up dirt, may need an air tube or something, but if I leave the air off, the water looks lovely and clear.

Definitely recommend the external, it also gives your fish more room in the tank.