Having an Issue with Cloudy Water ...

[CyberBob]

I have a 30g tank of DPs, a 30g with a GSP, a 40g community FW tank and a 10g hospital tank.

After the 1st lil DP guy got stuck on my filter intake, I added a Pre-Filter.
In fact, I went ahead and added one to all my tanks. Gotta protect them babies and snails
I bought this one: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=3650250

Anyways, the water in all 4 tanks has gotten very cloudy over the last week.
At 1st, I assumed it was just a bacteria bloom and decided to give it some time.
Oh, I almost forgot ... I am using 1x aqueon 10 and 3x aqueon 30 HOB filters.
I have also added some ceramic to each filter to help with mini-cycles when I change the filter.
I have also added some filter floss to the filter to polish the water a bit.
It seems to be having the opposite effect.

The pre-filter seems to clog very eaily and then slows down the water flow to the point it is barely moving.
the filter floss seems to work great for a few hours and then my water starts to flow over the bypass.

What am I doing wrong?
Please help

Thanks,
Bob

[Pufferpunk]

This is why I don't like sponge pre-filters.

[CyberBob]

PufferPunk, mind if I call you PP for short?
How do you protect your lil ones from the big bad filter intake?

Thanks,
Bob

[LilGreenPuffer]

Hmm, I have a pre-filter made by Fluval that seems to work great (I use it to protect cherry shrimplets) and doesn't impede water flow.

[Pufferpunk]

Everyone here calls me PP.

I use a filter intake strainer.

[RTR]

I use lots of prefilters, all sponges but mainly from the FilterMax line. Mine do not clog up quickly, but they are all rinsed at least weekly. Some of my filter units require 2 prefilters to make a week without significant slowdown, but most require only one. Essentially all of my tanks have separate mechanical and biological filtration, so all are multifiltered, most have at least two mechanical-only filters and one biofilter, so many tanks have three or more prefilters.

How often are you rinsing the prefiletrs? Remember, these may be rinsed in just tap water, you are not trying to save any bacteria present of pre-filters. Rinsing is quite fast and easy.

[CyberBob]

Well, I was having to rinse it every 3-4 days.
Why wouldn't I want to keep the bacteria? Less Mini-Cycles that way.

As for the pre-filter, I like the idea, especially since it might help with mini cycles and make the filter media last longer before it clogs. My aquaeon Filters have small slits in their strainer, which is part of the intake tube itself. So, I can just change the strainer. I think the sponge might be getting sucked into the strainer slits a lil bit and blocking the water flow. It does also clog after just a couple of feeding. Perhaps I'm overfeeding a lil bit, but not much if I am.

My biggest problem seems to be filter floss (filter fibre).
I have made a "super filter" with sponge, ceramic & filter fibre. I am also running some carbon ... but only until it clears up. My water flow is great until I add the filter floss. Then within a couple hours, the water is flowing over the bypass. I take a handful, stretch it into the shape of a sheet. Then, I put the fibre behind the sponge and I sandwich the rocks \ carbon in a bag between the floss and sponge.
It flows fine until I add the floss. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,
Bob

[Pufferpunk]

I have found that if you leave it alone, the tank will clear on itself. Just be sure to keep testing for any problems.

[RTR]

Mechanical and biological filtration can be all-in-one, but that is a lot riskier than having separate media for biological and mechanical. Preserving the bacteria in mechanical is a waste of time and effort. If you have fully cycled bio media, that is all you need for that. Purely mechanical can just be rinsed well and thoroughly. Mechanical filtration is open-ended. Biological filtration is limited to the bacteria required to service the bioload. More than that is just wasting space and effort. as it will not have more bacteria present than are needed.

[CyberBob]

Mechanical and biological filtration can be all-in-one, but that is a lot riskier than having separate media for biological and mechanical. Preserving the bacteria in mechanical is a waste of time and effort. If you have fully cycled bio media, that is all you need for that. Purely mechanical can just be rinsed well and thoroughly. Mechanical filtration is open-ended. Biological filtration is limited to the bacteria required to service the bioload. More than that is just wasting space and effort. as it will not have more bacteria present than are needed.

I have the ceramic rocks (Biomax) for the bio. For the mechanical, I have sponge (blue\white cut it yourself sheet), filter fiber and I'm debating on adding the pre-filter back. I'm finding tiny lil snails stuck to the intake. I am also running some carbon right now to help clear the water a lil faster.

I was thinking of adding the scotchbrite pads also ... but I'm pretty much out of room in the filter already.
It's a hang on back, not canister. (Aqueon 10, 30, 30 ... Penguin 350)

[CyberBob]

Has anyone out there made their own cratridges before? I think I might be doing something wrong. It doesn't seem to filter nearly as well as the factory cartridge did.

Here is what I am doing to create my own filter catridge:
I operated on an old catridge just to get the frame.
I put the blue\white bonded filter pad at the front, just behind the frame with the blue side facing the front.

I put some ceramic rocks in some pantyhose.
I put some activated carbon in pantyhose.
I put some filter fiber in pantyhose.

I put all 3 of the pantyhose behind the filter pad and in front of the blue holding tray that comes with the aqueon filters.

For the penguin 350, I use the media basket accesoories and some clam shells I got from foster & smith to create my own catridges.
I pretty much just add filter fiber, carbon & ceramic to the media backets. I cut the blue pad to fit in the clamshell.

The water flow is constant now, I just had too much filter fiber.
But, the water isn't sparkling clear like it used to be. All the levels are correct.
I might be having an algae bloom also. I know I have a bacteria bloom in one of the tanks.

Am I doing something wrong? I have resisted the urge to clean the brown stuff off the filter pad.
It isn't blocking water flow, so I assume it's just bacteria.

[Pufferpunk]

Gosh, make it easier on yourself & get an Aquaclear.

[hadla]

Gosh, make it easier on yourself & get an Aquaclear.

so with an aquaclear, could you just keep rinsing the inserts off and not have to buy new ones until they get worn out? my fiance got one on amazon for his goldfish and it works really well. i want to find a filter where i dont have to keep buying new media or cartridges because that is just more plastic going into a landfill...

[CyberBob]

I almost got an aquaclear instead of the penguin 350. But, with the clam shells and media baskets, I liked the 350 better. for the same price, i could only get an aquaclear 150 or 200. 350 cycles that water like crazy. The 1st week of listening to that waterfall was annoying, but now it's gone quiet.

And for the other tanks, I already have Aqueons and I can't afford to just throw them out.
If one of them dies, it's getting replaced with an aquaclear or penguin.

So, I'm trying to find ways to make the aqueon work with my needs.
This should be working, but it's not as good as the factory cartridges. I must be doing sumtin wrong.

[CyberBob]

Gosh, make it easier on yourself & get an Aquaclear.

so with an aquaclear, could you just keep rinsing the inserts off and not have to buy new ones until they get worn out? my fiance got one on amazon for his goldfish and it works really well. i want to find a filter where i dont have to keep buying new media or cartridges because that is just more plastic going into a landfill...

that's what I'm doing. I only throw away the carbon when it's used up. And I only run carbon when needed.
The aquaclear filters are great at that. It's kinf of like having a box canister hanging on your tank. But, they do cost more.
That's why i chose the penguin. more bang for my buck. then, just head over to foster & smith's or your favorite aquarium store.
Buy the media baskets. they are reusable and only cost $3. for the standard cartridges, I use the empty clam shells from the bio3 filter cartridges they make. They only cost $1 and are completely reusable. then, just rinse when needed and change the carbon when needed. no more cartridges

By the way ... I love PikMin ... Yellow was my fave. I like purple or white from pikmin 2. i hope thy make a 3rd.