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View Full Version : Filtration sizing and water quality issues

ThaddeusW
08-12-2009, 06:55 AM
Hello!

Okay, I have been working on trying to improve the horrible water condition in my tank. When we first started taking care of the tank It had two small cartridge based filters and a power head. The brand of filters escapes me at the moment but one was sized for a 55 gallon tank (two cartridges) and the other a 35 gallon tank (one cartridge).

At first the water was a horrible brown and after we changed the water we also changed the filters in the 55 gallon filter as we were advised by a friend to leave one to keep the bacteria cycle steady after we changed the water (she advised we upgrade to a big Fluval 405). Well two new filters and water change later all was looking good until the water started turning brown and the filters clogged (water overflowing past the cartridges) in two days. We went across the street to Pet Land and purchased a Fluval 405 and hooked it up and after prepping the internals fired it up. Well the water still kept turning more and more brown so we suspected we had an algae problem and went back to Petland. Well after speaking to a person from the fish section we were told to add a second Fluval 405 to the tank as the "rule of thumb is to double your filtration capacity relative to your tank size". I thought it was a load of bunk to get us to blindly purchase another filter but he showed me their 90 gal fresh water tank with crystal clear water heavily stocked running a Fluval 405 and two 100 gallon capacity hanging filters. So we agreed to purchase another filter (405) and hooked it up. Well the next day the water cleared up allot but was still cloudy with a slight brown tinge. I figured to give it a few more days but again the water turned more brown again.

I must admit I am stumped and its frustrating to see those crystal clear tanks in Petland while ours looks like a sewage holding tank that happens to have fish in it. When the filters clog its with a brown scum, that has to be algae right?

So my questions are:

- Were we suckered into buying a second filter?

- How do you size your filters for the tank in relation to stock and capacity?

- How do I get my water crystal clear? (The million dollar question.)

- Is my poor water quality related to over stocking, need to cycle the water or an uncontrolled algae problem?

I am going to edit my profile to include my setup and stock. I am also going to start yet another post of my stock issues. It looks like a daunting task but I am more than willing to learn and take the time to fix this. Hopefully everyone here can help me get this tank into tip top shape!
jackson17
08-12-2009, 02:07 PM
Well, first off...for the fish you have, you need over filtration. But before we get to the filtration. You have to get rid of some fish. The pacu's get HUGE, and I mean HUGE! We will also need a picture of the unkown fish, without knowing what it is, it could get to big. Also, you have to get rid of some of the other fish. If you keep a oscar, you can only keep maybe one or two more fish, but NOT the pacus.

As for the filters, two fluval 405's are good. When do you do water changes? Do you have plants? Is it algae? Also, do you have a piece of driftwood in your tank? If so, and you didn't boil it enough you probably have tanis in the water, its harmless and fish like it.


We need to fix your stocking first, there is a huge problem in it. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it has to be done.
Northernguy
08-12-2009, 02:14 PM
When you do your water changes are you scrubbing the glass inside the tank?
Its easy to get rid of the algae on the glass.
How long are your lights on every day?
I do agree that your pacus must grow. They do get big enough to break your tank!
Here is some info on algae.
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jackson17
08-12-2009, 02:19 PM
Northenguy, I'm not the best with the other cichlids lol, if you could add some stocking help that would be great. All I know is that a 75 gal is minimum for a oscar, so I don't think any others can go in the tank...Right? lol
bushwhacker
08-12-2009, 04:10 PM
correct jackson, i've already commented on his stock in his other thread
Lab_Rat
08-12-2009, 07:47 PM
The addition of the filter is a big step in the right direction. Like NortherGuy said, there could be algae, but you also have many high bioload fish in that tank. What are your nitrate, ammonia, and nitrite readings? How often do you do water changes and how much do you remove each time? Answers to those can help us sort out your water problems.
ThaddeusW
08-12-2009, 07:47 PM
Well, first off...for the fish you have, you need over filtration. But before we get to the filtration. You have to get rid of some fish. The pacu's get HUGE, and I mean HUGE! We will also need a picture of the unkown fish, without knowing what it is, it could get to big. Also, you have to get rid of some of the other fish. If you keep a oscar, you can only keep maybe one or two more fish, but NOT the pacus.

As for the filters, two fluval 405's are good. When do you do water changes? Do you have plants? Is it algae? Also, do you have a piece of driftwood in your tank? If so, and you didn't boil it enough you probably have tanis in the water, its harmless and fish like it.


We need to fix your stocking first, there is a huge problem in it. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it has to be done.

The tank is almost baron save for a gaudy plastic decoration and a bit of gravel. Those Pacu's seem like they are going to be a pain. I just don't know how to get rid of them and would feel bad just getting rid of them, they are beautiful. But investing in monster tanks for them isn't for newbie like me (yet)! I do have a spare 55 gallon so some of the smaller fish could be moved to it. I also have a small 20 or 30 gallon tank but it is too small for the fish, maybe the two Blood Parrots can live there. But I need to first figure out where the tanks will be moved to and how to cycle them properly and then move the fish to them. So they might have to lived in the current tank for the next month or two until i get things straitened out.

Now how often should I change the water? Today I did a 50% water change, I drained the water half way and then filled it back up. I also scrubbed the front glass and two sides using one of those magnetic scrubbers. The back is difficult to get to so i just do as much as I can. Maybe I should get a better wand type brush as the one they had is very flimsy.
Lab_Rat
08-12-2009, 08:01 PM
With the bioload you have in there, I'd be doing twice a week water changes of about 30-40%. It is a good idea to set up the other tanks if you can. The parrots would do well in the 55g. You can put used filter media into the filter on whatever tank you set up and then that tank will be instantly cycled.

It really is best to rehome the pacu before they get any bigger. They're a fish that should really not be sold in pet stores since 99.9% of the people cannot properly house them at adulthood.

I want to applaud you for trying to do the proper thing for these fish. IIRC, you inherited this tank, that's a lot to take on.
Crispy
08-12-2009, 08:19 PM
I agree with lab rat, you need to do 40% twice a week to keep that water clean (you have a huge bioload for that tank). Do you have driftwood in your tank? The tannins could give the water a brownish tinge to it.

PS, we found out the unknown fish is a jaguar.
smaug
08-12-2009, 08:33 PM
At the moment you are not overstocked and I do not believe that is the cause of the discolored water.You are also not overfiltered but you could have done better with 1 canister filter equalling the filtration you have at the moment.That is hindsight.I believe you may be overfeeding and or your gravel needs a first class vacuuming.As for your stock list ,when those fish reach maturity you will need a much larger tank then what you have.Pacus get huge and they alone should be in a 300 gal tank by themselves.Chrystal clear water comes from many factors,water changes,gravel vacuming and feeding less.I dont believe it to be algae as much as it is your fish stirring up gunk from the sustrate in conjunction with a bacteria bloom.
jackson17
08-12-2009, 11:35 PM
At the moment you are not overstocked and I do not believe that is the cause of the discolored water.

All that in a 80 gallon? With all respect, isn't it overrated? (talking about what is in his sig)
smaug
08-13-2009, 12:28 AM
Right now they are all fairly small?!Ill look again.
I looked again.For the moment I dont think he is drastically overstocked to the point it would cause all the trouble he is having at the moment.In a few short months if the fish live through this,he will be overstocked big time.I still believe him to have a tank that is in a big need of a big cleaning and the eviction of some pacus!Im not trying to pooh pooh anyones advice to him that he may be overstocked.
jackson17
08-13-2009, 12:29 AM
True, overlooked that portion lol. In the long run (not so long away though lol)