Hi all, I have a 76L Aqua One lifestyle tank, with a built in top filter. Itās a week old, filled with gravel, stone, drift wood, live plants and bunch of fish.
Unfortunately, I was unable to properly cycle the tank before adding the fish as our old tank had conked it, so had to fast track it. I modified the filter and added bio rings, poly, a carbon pad, and a few bags of fluval activated carbon. I have also been treating the water with stability each day. Ammonia, PH, nitrate and nitrite all ok, tested every 2 days. The water is a little cloudy, which can be expected, but what Iām worried about is how dirty the filter is getting, most specifically the poly pads. After only 3 days, they were that dirty that they had to be replaced and couldnāt even be rinsed. I could appreciate that the filter would be working overtime to try to handle the high load of matter in the tank (all washed correctly prior to putting In), and the fish waste too. Iām worried that this is just too much for 3 days worth. I have since replaced it with a new pad, and within only 6 hours, it has already getting real dirty (see attached for 6 hours old new pad). can I expect this given it is a new tank still trying to cycle with such a high load? Stability has been used every day for a week straight, no water changes yet, also treated with API water clearer, but I now realise that if the cloudiness is due to a bacteria bloom, it wouldnāt do anything. Mainly, I just want to ensure Iām doing everything ok at this point to keep the fish healthy, given the less than desirable circumstances. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks all
Unfortunately, I was unable to properly cycle the tank before adding the fish as our old tank had conked it, so had to fast track it. I modified the filter and added bio rings, poly, a carbon pad, and a few bags of fluval activated carbon. I have also been treating the water with stability each day. Ammonia, PH, nitrate and nitrite all ok, tested every 2 days. The water is a little cloudy, which can be expected, but what Iām worried about is how dirty the filter is getting, most specifically the poly pads. After only 3 days, they were that dirty that they had to be replaced and couldnāt even be rinsed. I could appreciate that the filter would be working overtime to try to handle the high load of matter in the tank (all washed correctly prior to putting In), and the fish waste too. Iām worried that this is just too much for 3 days worth. I have since replaced it with a new pad, and within only 6 hours, it has already getting real dirty (see attached for 6 hours old new pad). can I expect this given it is a new tank still trying to cycle with such a high load? Stability has been used every day for a week straight, no water changes yet, also treated with API water clearer, but I now realise that if the cloudiness is due to a bacteria bloom, it wouldnāt do anything. Mainly, I just want to ensure Iām doing everything ok at this point to keep the fish healthy, given the less than desirable circumstances. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks all