Ammonia And Filter Questions

[oldoak66]

Hello, any help greatly appreciated.

My tank has been up and running for just over a week. Fishless cycling, adding ammonia, etc. The ammonia levels, naturally, are sky high but no sign of nitrite yet - understandable. However, this morning when I got up the filter is making a noise that it never made before - as I've never had a fish tank, I don't know whether it is normal or not. It is almost like it is sucking in water and pushing it out again - it didn't do that before, only started today. Does that mean that it has now started working as it should or is it faulty. It is a Juwel filter - came with the tank - a Compact Super.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[ArauraDiscus]

WOrking as it should? So it wasn't working before? Was water coming from it before?

 

[oldoak66]

WOrking as it should? So it wasn't working before? Was water coming from it before?

The water seemed to be going through it before but just today it started making this sort of sucking sound and if you look into the filter when it makes the sucking noise, the water level drops and then it blows out of the tube again and the water level rises again. Before today it wasn't doing any of this. I was just wondering if perhaps this was normal after the filter and been working a while and the sponges have "softened up" that it would start doing this. Or whether there is a fault or blockage somewhere. I've never had a fish tank before and so don't know at all what is normal.

Hope that makes things a little clearer and that someone can advise. Thanks very much.

 

[rdd1952]

The best way to test a filter is to lower the water level so that the intake is below water so it can pull water in as it should but so the output is above water so you can see what type flow and pressure you have. You can hold a small container under the output and measue how long it takes for it to fill the container and then do some simple math to calculate the flow rate (gallons or liters per hour).

As for the ammonia, it shouldn't be off the chart unless you are using the add daily method of fishless cycling which I don't like. Not only does raising ammonia to the levels that does seem to inhibit bacteria growth but once the level goes off the chart, even when ammonia begins to be processed, you can't measure how fast it's going down since thechrt can't measure it.

 

[rabbut]

Hi there,

The Jewel filter system will make one noise constantly from when it first starts when the tank is new, untill the pump eventualy fails. Any change in this noise meany that there are problems with the filter system. The strange noises you are hearing surgest a blockage in the filter system somewhere. If you are using the venturi kit (makes bubbles in the water), try reducing the amount of air beeing introduced, and see if the noise changes. Do not stop the air completely.
How are you adding ammonia? The blockage could be caursed by the white polypad at the top of the filter media set beeing blocked. If this pad has filled with rubbish, replace it. DO NOT TOUCH ANY OF THE OTHER MEDIA YET, unless the other media has filled with rubbish also. (if the media has filled with rubbish, rinse it in tank water, but avaid squezing the sponges just yet). Also, you should check for blockages in the tube that the pump fits on, ant the TWO holes that allow water into this pipe also.
If this does not fix the noises, try running the pump, when it is not connected to the filter, but is still under water. If it runns normaly, contact the shop you bought the tank from, for further advise. If the noises persist, clean the internal parts of the pump, with a cloth, and cotton wool buds. after the clean, try running the pump again. If the noises persist after the clean, take the pump only back to the shop you bought the tank from, so that they can investigate the caurse for you. if the noises stop after the clean of the pump, the problem should be resolved.

post another message if you reqire any further help

regards

 

[Miss Wiggle]

it sounds like air in the system somewhere to me

 

[oldoak66]

Thanks for the responses. Because of the state the tank was in due to the Mopani wood, I cleaned it out yesterday, wiped down the glass and because the blue and green filter sponges were soaked in brown "goo" I rinsed them in the tank water too - didn't squeeze them, just rinsed them. I cleaned out the pump because that was coated in brown stuff too and rinsed the plants, etc and then re-filled the tank and put everything back. I switched on the pump, etc and it is fine at least for now it isn't making those noises and seems to be running quietly like before. Perhaps the "goo" was causing the pump to struggle. Anyway, for now it seems to be ok.

The ammonia level was at 0.6 when I tested. I will leave it for a few days and see if it reduces at all. Not sure if any bacteria would want to live on those sponges but we'll see - maybe by their very nature they will thrive

I don't know if anyone knows the Juwel filter that I have - Compact Super - it has 4 parts, blue, green, black and white. Does the white one sit separately on top of the plastic "basket" that comes wtih the filter or is it included within the basket? Thanks

 

[rabbut]

the white pad works best, when it is sat directly on top of the black carbon sponge. For a fishless cycle, I would add some more ammonia, to boost to between 4 and 5ppm, so that the filter media have plenty to "feed" on. I would leave the tank as is then, untill the ammonia is on almost 0ppm, and you have a nitrite spike. It may be worth looking threw the pinned article on fishless cycleing, to give you a better idea as to what is going on.

regards