my filter doesnt filter crap....literally

[scriptwiz05]

im still a newbie, i have my tank and have had fish in it for about 3 weeks now, there is poo ALLOVER the bottom, I wanted to get a water python and clean that up along with a water change but i dont want to change water for another couple weeks as i hear you are suppose to wait a while for the cycle. is the filter supposed to be taking care of this ?

[Nick89]

Well first what size tank you have? What filtration? Could be that your filter isnt enough for the tank. Example. You bought a whisper 5-10 for a 10 gallon tank. Although it says 5-10 you should go 30-60 or something like that because 5-10 isnt enough I should know, i've done that before . Always go more than it says. Or it can be a mechanical problem, is it making any noise?

edit: Guess what im trying to say is, that it could be a mechanical problem with the filter itself, or that particular filter can't handle the bio-load of your tank.

[A340]

You have two issues to deal with here:

1) You're tank may or may not be cycled. For that, we need your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels. Have the spiked yet?

2) For the filter. What size of tank do you have? What type of filter do you have?

The only part the filter plays in the role of cylcing your tank is by building a colony of beneficial bacteria in order to breakdown the ammonia and nitrites into nitrates. This happens during the cycle process. Most of the members use a fishless cycle.

What I would do is, do a major water change to get that poop out, clean out your filter, buy a bottle of Seachems Stability and more or less start over but this time, adding Stability to accelerate the cycle and keep the fish from any harmful effects during the process.

[scriptwiz05]

hi, im at work so not able to look at type of filter, i know its the filter that came in the box so i would assume it would be ok. i bought all of it together in a big box. its a 55 gallon. last check if i recall the readings were ph 7.2 ammonium .5, and I dont recall the nitrite reading. so the filter is NOT supposed to filter the poo or is? yes it does make noise. it seems to make the normal noises and spurts a lil pop every 5 seconds or so, nothing loud.

[Nick89]

Did you get the 55 gallon kit from walmart? If so, the filter that comes with it, isnt really enough And i think its aquatech which isnt that great atleast in my experience of owning one. But it depends what type of fish you have as well. IF you have like an oscar then 1 filter wont be enough especially if its rated up to 55. Way i look at it, is if it says for a 30 gallon tank, i cut it in half, so that leaves it at 15 which isnt enough for a 30. Id reccomend if you have a dirty fish like an oscar to get either 2 penguin 350's or a nice canister filter.

[scriptwiz05]

no i got it from petco. but is the filter supposed to get the poo off the bottom?

[Nick89]

i think thats what the gravel vac is for. But the filter should catch some of it.

[scriptwiz05]

ok so im thinking of gettign the water python, i hear its good for vacuum as well as water changes?

[A340]

no i got it from petco. but is the filter supposed to get the poo off the bottom?
You'll always have poop, extra food and other stuff on the bottom, that's why it's important to vacuum the gravel everyonce in awhile. Also, Cory Cats are great bottom feeders that keep the bottom quite clean of leftover food (not poop though).

As far as the filter goes, if you are just using the one that came with the kit, it's not providing enough filteration. I would buy another one if I were you.

The basic rule of thumb with filters is, you take whatever the filter is rated for, as an example, the AquaClear AC50 is rated for a 50g tank, divide that by half and you have the maximum size tank you should use that filter with, in the AC50 case, a 25g tank.

[Nick89]

Yeah you hook it up to your sink, and put the water on and it fills it up. Be sure to put water conditioner in though i think Before you fill it back up.

[Nick89]

You'll always have poop, extra food and other stuff on the bottom, that's why it's important to vacuum the gravel everyonce in awhile. Also, Cory Cats are great bottom feeders that keep the bottom quite clean of leftover food (not poop though).

As far as the filter goes, if you are just using the one that came with the kit, it's not providing enough filteration. I would buy another one if I were you.

The basic rule of thumb with filters is, you take whatever the filter is rated for, as an example, the AquaClear AC50 is rated for a 50g tank, divide that by half and you have the maximum size tank you should use that filter with, in the AC50 case, a 25g tank.


yeah thats what i said too. For instance, i have 2 filters and each one is rated up to 75 divide one in half and its 37.5. then divide the other one by half and 37.5+37.5= 75 gallons. So, 2 filters basically add up to 75 gallons, which is enough for a 55 gallon tank.

[A340]

ok so im thinking of gettign the water python, i hear its good for vacuum as well as water changes?

Unless you have a heavily planted tank, I would vacuum the gravel at the same time you do your water changes, with the python, it's the same process, you just stir up the gravel a bit more instead of just sticking it in the tank.

Also, don't forget to get the temperature of the new water as close as possible to the temperature in the tank and add the appropriate amount of water conditioner as you're filling up the tank again.

[CAF]

The filter provided as mentioned does not have enough power to keep the tank clean. That being said, no hang on the back filter, canister filter, etc is going to clean all of the fish waster from the gravel areas. If you are going planted you are fine as it acts as a fertilizer for the plants otherwise make sure you clean it out using a siphon, be it a Python or other gravel vac. While Stability is a good product, I prefer Bacter Boost from Marc Weiss Co as it complete the cycle in a couple of days versus the ten to fourteen days Stability takes.

[scriptwiz05]

The filter provided as mentioned does not have enough power to keep the tank clean. That being said, no hang on the back filter, canister filter, etc is going to clean all of the fish waster from the gravel areas. If you are going planted you are fine as it acts as a fertilizer for the plants otherwise make sure you clean it out using a siphon, be it a Python or other gravel vac. While Stability is a good product, I prefer Bacter Boost from Marc Weiss Co as it complete the cycle in a couple of days versus the ten to fourteen days Stability takes.


ok so if i kept the filter as is and didnt add another does that mean i would just have to do more water changes then i would with 2 filters?

[CAF]

Yes. While you are still going to have fish waste in the substrate, the filters do manage to get some of it out of the water column before it hits the ground.

[Lady Hobbs]

If you've had fish in that tank for 3 weeks and not changed the water yet, you need to start doing that. Changing the water does not set your cycle back but cleaning it or cleaning the gravel or changing filter media will. Bacteria is not in the water itself.

You can vac up just the upper layer keeping the vac high enough to not disturb the gravel.

[MeganL3985]

Wow...what kind of fish do you have in there that you can see a lot of poop on the gravel? I have yet to see anything laying on top. I only see it when I vac. Another 3 questions....how many fish, what type of fish and how much are you feeding them daily?

[A340]

While Stability is a good product, I prefer Bacter Boost from Marc Weiss Co as it complete the cycle in a couple of days versus the ten to fourteen days Stability takes.
I've had Stability cycle my tanks within a couple of days as well. However, I wish I could find other products such as the one you mentioned, I'd really like to try them. Guess I'll have to do more shopping online ... lol!

BTW, is Aquakid329 now PokerChamp?

[cocoa_pleco]

yep, he switched his name

[Becikeja]

Have you thought about under gravel jets. I have been reading a little about them, no experience with them yet, but plan to install them in my new tank. From the claims you can really cut down on cleaning your gravel. They simply act as a reverse under gravel filter and literally keep poop from settling on the bottom. This gives the filter more opportunity to suck them in. Anyone here have experience with them?

[Nick89]

BTW, is Aquakid329 now PokerChamp?

yep its me.