Biorb Algae Filter And Medications

[Lozana]

Hi,

My 60 Litre Birob has brown algae and two of my fish have a slight fungal infection.

I would like to treat the water with medication to cure the fungal infections but am a little worried about taking out the Carbon & zeolite from my filter in case this increases the algae problem.

I was considering using a No algae Biorb filter which from pictures I have seen, only contains the zeolite granules (although I'm not sure about this). If this was the case would I be able to use the No Algae filter and the medication at the same time?

Thanks

 

[saltynay]

Welcome to the forum

Zeolite is not a great form of ammonia removal, as it can deplete calcium levels, have ammonia spikes if your cartridge reacts completely before expected and it makes baby #### cry. Sponge or ceramic media with biofiltration is much more desirable however this takes "cycling" and time to set up in a ammonia enriched environment. Zeolite can be mixed with high carbon content which will prevent any medication from being effective.

Brown algae is completely natural to have in a newly setup tank as it is using the excess nutrients that the bacteria or zeolite in the filter has yet to remove from the water. Try reducing light levels and not feeding your fish.

What animals are we working with here?

 

[Lozana]

Welcome to the forum

Zeolite is not a great form of ammonia removal, as it can deplete calcium levels, have ammonia spikes if your cartridge reacts completely before expected and it makes baby #### cry. Sponge or ceramic media with biofiltration is much more desirable however this takes "cycling" and time to set up in a ammonia enriched environment. Zeolite can be mixed with high carbon content which will prevent any medication from being effective.

Brown algae is completely natural to have in a newly setup tank as it is using the excess nutrients that the bacteria or zeolite in the filter has yet to remove from the water. Try reducing light levels and not feeding your fish.

What animals are we working with here?

Thanks for responding.

The tank has been going for a good 10 months now. The algae that is growing is not the usual algae that I'm used to dealing with that grows on the glass, it seems to just attach itself to the plants and ornaments and then seems to come off very easily when anything is moved, which is really annoying as it makes the water very murky whenever I disturb anything ie when I do a water change.

I have few guppies & Neons, one Gouramis and some baby Rasporas.

The normal filters in a Birob contain a sponge filter with Carbon and zeolite. I have read that when introducing medication into the aquarium you must remove the carbon from the filter as it will absorb the medicine. I dont know that much about Zeolite however, so didnt know if that too absorbs the medication. If it doesnt, then I was hoping that I could get away with using a special No Algae filter (as long as it doesn contain carbon) along with the medication.

Has anyone used the No Algae Biorb filter before?

 

[saltynay]

Sounds like a build up of detitrus not algae, do you gravel vacuum regularly?

Activated carbon loses its effects after 1-3 weeks of being in the tank provided you haven't replaced the media (which you should never need to do unless it is physically disintegrating) the bacteria will be present in the media, but the carbon will be used up and the zeolite should not be needed so can be replaced by further filter sponges.

 

[Lozana]

Sounds like a build up of detitrus not algae, do you gravel vacuum regularly?

Activated carbon loses its effects after 1-3 weeks of being in the tank provided you haven't replaced the media (which you should never need to do unless it is physically disintegrating) the bacteria will be present in the media, but the carbon will be used up and the zeolite should not be needed so can be replaced by further filter sponges.

Good point I hadnt thought about that. I do vacuum the bottom when I do a water change but perhaps I need to do it more frequently! I will have a good go at the tank over the weekend and see if this sorts my problem out. I can then give my fish the medication they need without fretting

cheers