Anyone Had Fluval U Series Problems ? Cloudy Water ?

[Del157]

I have a 120 Litre tank and i,m running a Fluval U4 (more than enough to cope)
I got back into fishkeeping about six months ago and decided this looked like the filter to buy.
I'm not a complete newbie to the hobby and this is the secon time this green cloudy water has happened.

Last time i assumed it was an algae bloom and did a 50% water change and kept the tank in the dark for a week then did a further water change but once again the water is cloudy after just a few weeks.

The tank is in no way overstocked as all i have in it is six small to medium platys which were meant to get the system going.
I used the Fluval 3 previously and had crystal clear water and never really had to do much maintenance ever to the tank.

The current tank is not in direct sunlight and is almost always in a darkened room. Ive today emptied the tank and started all over again and this time put in a cheap internal basic filter to see what happens and have removed all living plants.
Has anyone got any ideas what my problem is ?

 

[kelly528]

Are you running 'polishing pads' in it? I find even the best of filters need some sort of fine, water polishing medium like filter floss or polishing pads to keep the water clear. Fine media will also prevent particulates from becoming trapped in the surface of your biomedia, which basically turns all that high-surface-area ceramic as smooth as a river stone!

 

[Del157]

IT has a polishing pad in each side of the filter

 

[kelly528]

How long have you been using the same pad for? The polishing pads in my Fluval 2 Plus tend to sort of 'go soft' after a few weeks and all the crud just runs right through them.

I would sugest replacing the pads if you haven't recently.

 

[Del157]

i did replace both the pads a few months ago but that was a schoolboy error as the next day the tank went completely white and cloudy and had to cycle again (i didnt read the instructions thoroughly and you must never change both at the same time!!)
however that problem sorted itself out and eventually the water started to go green again so i changed one pad.

That didt help and here i am again

 

[kelly528]

Ohhh it's green water?! Hmm that doesn't really sound like a filtration issue! what are your water stats? Also I would put the plants back in to help out-compete the green water. What kind of lights are you running and how many watts?

 

[Assaye]

Have you done a water test? You say you are using the platys to get the tank going - I assume this means you are doing a fish-in cycle?

It could be excess ammonia causing the algae. Plants and algae love ammonia. I'd test your water just to make sure.

I'm sure you already know this, but in a fish-in cycle (which it sounds like you are doing), you need to do daily water tests and need to make sure the ammonia and nitrites are kept under detectable levels at all times. This won't stall your cycle (science has proven it ) and it'll keep your fish safe.

Sorry if I've misread!

You shouldn't need to change the pads (unless you're just changing the carbon or floss) and adding fast growing plants will help soak up some excess nutrients.

 

[Del157]

The tank was initially done on a fishless cycle and went green
The tank was then stripped out and a fish in cycle done and went green
The tank was stripped around the 1st February and is now green again

I need to get a phosphate test kit as i reckon it must be high coming from the tap and causing an algae bloom

 

[Truck]

The tank was initially done on a fishless cycle and went green
The tank was then stripped out and a fish in cycle done and went green
The tank was stripped around the 1st February and is now green again

I need to get a phosphate test kit as i reckon it must be high coming from the tap and causing an algae bloom

phosphate never has and never will cause algae.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

How long have you actually let the tank run the last three times? It sounds like you take it apart as soon as it turns green, and then start a new cycle, then it turns green and you re-start the cycle...

 

[Del157]

The tank was initially done on a fishless cycle and went green
The tank was then stripped out and a fish in cycle done and went green
The tank was stripped around the 1st February and is now green again

I need to get a phosphate test kit as i reckon it must be high coming from the tap and causing an algae bloom

phosphate never has and never will cause algae.

Am i reading this wrong then ?

http/freshaquarium.about.com/od/watercare/a/phosphates.htm

The tank has been running for over six months probably a lot more than that actually
Looking at how ive simplified it does look like i do that

It was more of a frustration post sorry

 

[Truck]

Phosphates may sustain algae but they definitely do not cause it, eliminating the phosphates will do nothing, you should tackle the cause.

 

[Del157]

Phosphates may sustain algae but they definitely do not cause it, eliminating the phosphates will do nothing, you should tackle the cause.

thats my problem though i dont know whats causing it
ive never had this problem before in any setups ive had

 

[Truck]

Sorry if I've missed it, but how long has the tank been running?