Help, My Carbon Is Not Working...

[CyberBob]

I recently started making my own cartridges. Everything seems to be working fine ... except the clarity.
Standard Levels across the board for all tanks, but 3 are very cloudy. my 40g is milky white (prolly bacteria bloom)
but my 10g are both milky yellow.

I've added carbon via pantyhose in my 40g and 10g tanks.
I'm using media baskets in my penguin for the 30g though.
My 30g used to take 2-3 days to clear up, but since I switched to the penguin, it only takes a couple hours.
I do maintenace on all tanks at the same time every weekend.
Well, last weekend, I did a 50% WC for everyone.
All 4 tanks got cloudy after a couple hours ... expected.
My tap water has a fairly high PH (8.6), so my water usually gets fairly cloudy if I change more then 20%.

But, only the penguin cleared up the tank by morning.
the aqueon filters didn't clear up the water. Now, it's been a week and the water is still cloudy.
I can only assume at this level that the carbon is getting to do it's job.

Has anyone ever used pantyhose before? Perhaps the type I'm using doesn't let water flow enough or sumtin?

Here are some details that might help with diagnosis:

• Perhaps the added water flow from the penguin helps.
  The penguin is using media baskets and clam shells. no panty hose in there.
  the 40g & 10g tanks are using aqueon 30g & 10g filters.
  The 30g is the only tank that doesn't have tons of snails (puffers won't let that happen)

Here's how I made the filter cartridges for the aqueons:
I extracted the frames from some old cartridges.

• I am using the blue\white pad and I put it in between the blue holder and the empty frame.
  I put some biomax chunks in the back left area (inside some pantyhose)
  I put some carbon in pantyhose on top of the chunks.

The water is flowing fine. I'm not sure if the chunks & carbon are having water flow through it or around it.

I have also tried putting the carbon & chunks between the blue pad and holder as well as some filter fiber.
It still doesn't clear up. But, the water doesn't flow too well.

I'm hoping I am just having bacteria blooms and algae blooms. At least my fish are safe.
But, my rainbow shark did die last weekend. So, I am a lil worried it could be more serious.

Any suggestions what to try with the aqueon filters?

Here is a diagram I made. Hopefully it will explain what I'm trying to do

[eieio]

carbon shouldn't be necessary to keep water clear, or to clear up cloudy water
i think your tanks are seriously overstocked, which may be the cause
i don't think any amount of filtration will compensate for that
you mention bacteria & algae blooms, and fish death, but you say your fish are safe
let's see a set of water parameter test results for each tank..........

[CyberBob]

carbon shouldn't be necessary to keep water clear, or to clear up cloudy water
i think your tanks are seriously overstocked, which may be the cause
i don't think any amount of filtration will compensate for that
you mention bacteria & algae blooms, and fish death, but you say your fish are safe
let's see a set of water parameter test results for each tank..........

not a problem. I did maintenance today, so I know the test results. I keep a chart
please note that it only gets cloudy after a big WC. it has usually taken 2-3 days to go crystal clear.
But, I have a cloud a week later. It did clear up quite a bit by this morning before the WC, but it wasn't crystal clear like it used to be.
It looked more like it usually would the next morning.


10g betta:
PH: 6.8
Ammonia: .25
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 10

10g breeder:
PH: 6.6
Ammonia: .5
Nitrites: .5
Nitrates: 20

30g puffer:
PH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 5

40g community:
PH:7.2
Ammonia: 1.0
Nitrites: .25
Nitrates: 20

40g & betta tanks have been setup about 7 mo.
10g breeder has been setup about 3 mo.
puffer tank is only about 2 mo old.

I added some crushed coral to the 10g tanks.
I added prime to all tanks with 20% WC all around. 30% for puffer tank.

I haven't retested since the WCs. I usually do the WC on saturdays..
The test results determine what I add and how much WC.

What I meant by safe fish was the test results have been pretty steady. haven't had a spike in a while.

[eieio]

the numbers speak for themselves

[sevenyearnight]

Dude, seriously? You know ammonia should be at 0, because there is only one level that is safe for fish and that is 0.
An ammonia level of 1.0 is knocking on heaven's door.
I'm with eieio, your tanks are over stocked. Carbon doesn't clear cloudy water. Carbon will remove medication, some odors, tannins, but it does not clear cloudy water. Most people only put carbon in to remove medications.
You need to upgrade your tanks, or rehome some fish. When your bio load is manageable your test results should be better and your water clearer.

[Pufferpunk]

I agree--in a properly stocked established system, you should never be seeing nitrite or ammonia. There should never be any reason for a "big" WC. 50% weekly partials, should keep everything in order.

[CyberBob]

I agree--in a properly stocked established system, you should never be seeing nitrite or ammonia. There should never be any reason for a "big" WC. 50% weekly partials, should keep everything in order.

This is my problem ...
Before I started making my own filters, I had 0\0\5ish.
My nitrates starting rising 1st, now ammonia is starting to rise.
Last weekend I had 0\.25\0\0 for ammonia. It spiked this week big time.
Nitrates have risen about .25 the last couple weeks.
Something isn't working right. That's why I added the prime today.
I consider 50% to be a big WC. 15-20% is normal to me. The puffs get 30% or 50% depending on the stats.

Dude, seriously? You know ammonia should be at 0, because there is only one level that is safe for fish and that is 0.
An ammonia level of 1.0 is knocking on heaven's door.
I'm with eieio, your tanks are over stocked. Carbon doesn't clear cloudy water. Carbon will remove medication, some odors, tannins, but it does not clear cloudy water. Most people only put carbon in to remove medications.
You need to upgrade your tanks, or rehome some fish. When your bio load is manageable your test results should be better and your water clearer.

Again ... this didn't start until I started making my own filters. Being that the tank you are referring to has a TON of snails, it doesn't really surprise me. But, if this keeps happening, I will have to move the cories and pleco.

I accidentally got the ammonia numbers mixed up. 40g = .5 and breeder = 1.0
But, it's still way higher then I would like of course.

My levels were stable until I started making my own filters 3 weeks ago ... something is seriously messed up.
But, I can't figure out what it is. So, instead of saying my tanks are overcrowded, please give me some ideas on how to improve my homemade filter cartridges. That is the help I am asking for. Hence, "tricks of the trade" forum. I am trying to figure out how to get a DIY to work as well as the factory cartridges did. The only thing that has changed is the DIY cartridge, so that is the problem. My shark died last weekend when I did a 50% to all tanks. He literally died within a few hours. But, I think he actually choked on a snail, seriously. When I found him his head was pointing straight up. I've had my share of dead fish, never seen one die vertically. My guess is his airway was obstructed, so there was some air in his head and not the rest of the body. It's just a theory, but all I can really guess. All the other fish are swimming happily still.

Please look at the diagram I made and give me some advice if you can

By the way, after the WC and adding prime to all tanks, the levels are somewhat back to normal. But, still cloudy.
This is why I keep checking the levels. I'm trying to make my own and also trying not to kill any fish in the process.
My guess is that the tanks all started cycling again when I switched to my DIY media.
I thought there would be enough BB in the substrate, but it doesn't appear so.

[Pufferpunk]

Filters do not change parameters per se, water changes do.

[CyberBob]

Filters do not change parameters per se, water changes do.

I agree. But, the filter media is the only thing that changed. Same fish, same tanks.
I'm also seriously questioning my test kit. I took a sample from my breeder tank to my LFS last weekend for them to test.
It had the worst stats. When they tested it they said it had just a lil nitrates, but nuttin to worry about.
My results said .5\.25\10, theirs said 0\0\5.
If it wasn't for the constant cloud in the water, I would just buy a new kit and chalk it up to old test kit.

Oh, there was one more change. I added Marimo Balls, onions, water lilies and betta bulbs (I can never remember the name of this one, it starts with an A) to all the tanks over the last 3 weeks. But, if anything I would expect nitrates to go down ... I am very perplexed

I'm also thinking that changing to the new media and adding prime for all WC might have been a mistake.
I've been adding prime directly to the tank after a WC. Think I starved the bacteria?

I was using easybalance and aquasafe up until i started making my own cartridges.
then, i switched to prime and stability. i've heard good things, wanted to start using the good stuff.
I think I might have changed too many things at once. But, how can I recover is the question...

I am really thinking my tanks are cycling again. I might get some Bio-Spira tomorrow.

[eieio]

your LFS must love you
you're hooked into the syndrome of solving problems by throwing chemicals and other products at a problem that is caused by overstocking & lack of cycling
enough said...............

[sevenyearnight]

Strictly on your DIY set up, I have caca luck when I try to make or improve filters. As far as media goes, I just cut one side open, remove the carbon, and rinse the pads periodically. You could just place polyester batting in the filters. All of my freshwater tanks right now have sponges though. I think adding carbon in panty hose is unnecessary and probably impeding your flow. I think the pantyhose is probably not, um, flow allowing? enough.
If you want to add the biomedia, I guess you could make a media basket with needle craft plastic board grates in the craft section, and maybe zip ties, or super glue gel. It should allow more flow.
However, I still feel like over stocking is the root of the problem, and it will just get worse the fish grow. My support in this is that I have very little flow in my ten gallon freshwater, a small sponge filter no ceramic rings or such, no carbon, one fish, and it's crystal clear, no algae, and no detectable levels of nitrite or ammonia. My 75 gallon has a turn around of just 4x an hour, with just a sponge, and it is stocked, but not excessively, and I'm considering their adult sizes. It is planted, and I have to dose KNO3 because my nitrates are 0 if I don't. I'm just saying that the filters and the diy media are not the root of your problem.

[sevenyearnight]

your LFS must love you
you're hooked into the syndrome of solving problems by throwing chemicals and other products at a problem that is caused by overstocking & lack of cycling
enough said...............

"Put some windex on it"

[eieio]

"Put some windex on it"

personally, i prefer WD-40

[Pufferpunk]

I think the pantyhose is probably not, um, flow allowing? enough.

I use pantyhose to hold all my biomedia.

[sevenyearnight]

Maybe his has more elastic, for a flattering fit.