Arhhh!!! 1st time cleaning filter

[holbritter]

First I did a 50% water change. Then the filter. It's a Fluval 305. I followed all the directions and rinsed what I was supposed to. Then I hook everything back up, wait till it fills then plug in.

Now I have a bunch of junk floating all over the tank!!!
Did another 25% water change (afraid to do too much)
Where did I go wrong?? :confused:

[Sasquatch]

It's normal, when you clean a filter, especially canister filters, you often loosen some of the gunk inside it. When you restart the filter, the gunk goes shooting out the return pipe and ends up in the aquarium.

It's not a problem, you filter will either trap it again or it will deposit on the bottom of the tank. Next time you do a water change, just pass a gravel cleaner over the substrate and it should pick it all up.

Next time, just do the water change after you have cleaned the filter.

[Lady Hobbs]

I have no canisters but I have the same thing with my HOB filters after cleaning them. I just clean them first and change the water second as mentioned above.

[cocoa_pleco]

same with me. My canisters used to shoot white fluff after cleaning so it looked like it was snowing. My HOB filters just throw a little back.
Just net out what you can and let the filter grab the rest. Its really frustrating.

[holbritter]

Sorry for the relay in replying. Thanks for the info. I'm glad it's normal, and I will definately do the water change after!

[jweintraub]

You could also rubberband a stocking(pantyhose) to the return pipe before you restart the filter.

Just an option... I do it and it works great.

[cocoa_pleco]

You could also rubberband a stocking(pantyhose) to the return pipe before you restart the filter.

Just an option... I do it and it works great.



Thats a really good idea. I usually pull up a chair where the return is with a net like a dummy.

[lyinxz]

This happens to me also, tho i think it is a good thing.

I clean my filter first.
Then do a water change and all the food scraps and poo and junk float around in my tank.
I empty about %30-40% water.
When i add water i do only %10 a time , this way when i add the water it causes all the junk from the substrate and plants and ornaments to float around and gives me the chance to scoop it all up with my micro net.

All part of fish-keeping :)

[holbritter]

You could also rubberband a stocking(pantyhose) to the return pipe before you restart the filter.

Just an option... I do it and it works great.


Excellent idea!

"All part of fish-keeping :)" I'm learning...that's for sure!

[holbritter]

Cripes! My ammon is increasing, and my nitrates have jumped from 10 to 20. I'm going to have to do another big water change. Also, most of that stuff has stuck to some of the plants, which I think is probably causing this, so I'll take them out and rinse them off. My little honey's were near the top of the tank this morning, so I'm worried!

Anything else I should be doing??

TIA and keep your fingers crossed for my little babies :)

[jeffs99dime]

do you have another tank you can put them in for the time being?

[holbritter]

No, I don't. Planned on it, but figured I had time being a fairly new set up. My bad!
I have half the water out right now. I'm letting the filter cycle for about 30 mins. try and get all the gunk before I put back the plants and the new water. Dang it! Everything was going so well. I had also taken the carbon out when I did the filter cleaning. Don't know if that would help to put it back right now or not, but I'm not touching that filter again!

The filter is rated for 70gals., and circulation is rated at 185g per hour. So I'm figuring within a 1/2 hour, all the gunk should go through, right? I sure hope so.

[holbritter]

Ammon. still at .25 after 50% water change. Will do another one tonight.

[kimmers318]

I have a Q for those of you that are cleaning filters first, then doing water changes.....what water are you using to clean filter media with? I have always been under the impression that doing it with the water you remove from your tank is best because you know it doesn't have any chlorine in it. Tap water may have chlorine and/or chloramine, both nasty for our fish. The chlorine can kill bacteria (which is why alot of us use bleach to clean our homes) and it can kill the beneficial bacteria that is growing/living on your filter media. I realize sometimes it is just too nasty inside a filter that the plastic MUST be washed, but had always heard to just rinse filter media in tank water. Are you removing enough water to be able to clean filter media, that makes sense I guess. Things that make you go HMMMMMM!

[holbritter]

I used water from my tap to clean, but I'm on a well that has no additives and no chlorine in it. I also didn't rinse off the ceramic media, just the white sponge looking things. Filter floss I think?

Good news though....got the ammon down to 0. I really think the plants holding onto that stuff, causing even more decay, was the culprit. I won't make that mistake ever again!

[jweintraub]

Good to hear you got the ammonia down, make sure to keep an eye on it though and do checks regularly incase of any more crazy spikes!