Best Filter for a 29 Gallon Hex Tank w/ Limitation

[seanus]

Hello friends

I have a SeaClear Acryllic 29 gallon hex tank that only allows space for one filter. I currently have a Penguin Bio-Wheel 160GPH filter. I have three live plants, some fake plants and about 2 inches of medium size gravel.

It seems that when the positive bacteria accumulates, making it healthier for the fish, the flow rate drops and the water quality worsens. When I change filters, I lose all that bacteria. What is the best way to change filters and keep the positive bacteria at the same time?

What is the best thing to do here? Should I change filters to get a newer one that won't slow down when it clogs with bacteria & plant/waste matter? Is 160gph okay for a 29 gallon tank? I've been running it for 9 months and have had more than an average number of fish deaths

Thanks in advance for the help

 

[Dorkhedeos]

you have enough bacteria on the bio wheel, thats what its for. i dont think the bacteria is causing the filter to clog, i think its poop

 

[seanus]

Very true...I've just been having high nitrate levels and slightly high ammonia readings also...

The water gets dirty very quickly when the poop clogs the filter. As soon as the bio-wheel stops spinning really fast, things go downhill quickly.

The weird part is that the filter seems to be running perfectly. It just isn't the best set-up as something has been resulting in numerous deaths over the past few months.

 

[nc_nutcase]

Ammonia issues are usually serious ones but nitrAte issues are normal. The best way I know of to deal with them are weekly 10-25% water changes. It doesn't take much to syphon out 5 Gal of water once a week. Also doing gravel vacuuming at the same time will decrease settled debris (poop).

Also stocking makes a big difference. The fish in my 125 Gal are growing very fast and my plans to find a new home for them are behind schedule(most in a pond at my house, some others relocating to a pond elsewhere) . So my weekly 20-25% water changes aren't quite enough these days. The more fish ya have... the more waste ya have... the higher your Amm/NitI/NitA levels will be... Also live plants eat Nitrate, but I'm not convinced they do so at a rate that really effects much.

your GPH rate is very effective. Actually much more than that and your over doing it (not that you can over filter but you can over agitate the water). One idea... instead of changing the filter catridge, when you do a water change and you have a bucket full of tank water (the old water you drained off), just swoosh the dirty filter cartridge in the bucket to rinse it off. This will allow the bacteria to remain on it but will remove the clogging agents (okay okay, poop).

Hope this or something else works soon!

-Toby

 

[seanus]

Hey Toby

Thank you so much for the reply and useful information - I find it very helpful...

I know my cichlid and bala shark have some serious growth potential (the bala shark was 2" when I got him and now he is almost 5", only 7 months later!)

I will follow your advice. After seeing a little bit of gasping a few days ago, the current smaller daily water changes seem to be helping

Thanks again!

 

[seanus]

If you have a second or two to look at my sig, do you think that is overstocked or can I handle two smaller 1-2" turtles? I was planning on adding them next month

Thank you.

 

[Discomafia]

Turtles do better in a speices tank. And when are you planning on getting rid of your bala shark?

 

[seanus]

Sorry, but I'm not familiar with a species tank. What is that? I have a turtle dock ready for them, but I could return it if it's going to cause problems.

I was going to let the bala get to seven or eight inches and then sell him There isn't much else I can do, right? He will just get too big as far as I know...

 

[nc_nutcase]

Before I'll comment on the stocking of your tank... I'm one of the people that commonly declare 'ya need a bigger tank for all them fish'. So let me not give opinions but instead talk about your tanks condition at it's current stock.

One of the final stages of overcrowding before casualties is an obvious increase in aggression. So that's one thing to look for, but just because they aren't beating each other up doesn’t mean they aren't crowded...

One of the first signs is a bio overload, which you seem to have. This can be addressed in one of two ways (probably more, but two easy/common ones). First you can reduce the stock, which reduces poop which reduces amm... and on and on... second is to increase your maintenance. daily water changes are excellent for your fish, but after a month of it I'm sure your not going to be so happy with that solution. 25% water changes twice a week rinsing the filter media each time (as previously described) should be enough. If that doesn't do it for ya, then you probably need to reduce the stock.

Regarding Turtles... they create a ton of bioload via tons of poop and a ton of excess food debris. Since you already have bioload concerns, adding something that will guaranteed make the situation worse doesn’t sound like that great of an idea. Even if a steady maintenance plan such as the one I described brings your amm/nitI/nitA into a suitable range, adding turtles will counteract that and put you back into the dangerous water condition area.

A species aquarium (as recommended by Discomafia) is simply a tank with only one species of fish/animal in it. So if you had a tank with all Angel Fish in it... it would be a species tank... put a shoal of tetras in it... and it's not a species tank...

I don't know that it's bad to mix turtles and fish, as long as you plan it out right. Heavy heavy filtration, frequent spot vacuuming, proper cover for fish to avoid becoming turtle food, enough free swim area for both turtle(s) and fish. Possible, but a lot to think about and figure out. Also in a strictly turtle tank you can get away with higher amm/nitI/nitA because although the turtles are 'in' the water a lot of the time, they do not 'breath' via the water. Also, interesting random fact (I read this but have never asked a turtle to confirm it) turtles do not drink water. Enough absorbs through their skin that they have no need to actually 'drink' water. weird huh?...

I plan on getting a small soft shell turtle to put in my Oscar pond. Might even get him soon and use him as a bio source for cycling.

 

[seanus]

Thank you very much. Excellent advice. Oh, I just looked at your tanks, and wow! That's amazing -- a lot of work but beautiful I'm sure!

The only agression comes from the cichlid toward the bala shark. It's mostly territorial, but they've been at it for months and have no disease, wounds or visible problems due to the occasional nips/chasing. Bala will nip back every once in a while to keep the cichlid in check!

It sounds like I should not add the turtles and may be full as is. Appears to be very sound advice to me. I don't really want to be vaccuuming more than once a week & it sounds like that's not possible given my tank right now, especially since these guys are still growing. Allright Scratch the turtles. It's best to have healthy creatures, rather than killing existing ones off by adding too much new life.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[seanus]

At what point do you think I should re-locate any/some of the existing fish? I'm guessing the cichlid and/or the bala could possibly get too big? The agressiveness actually seems to be okay & the cichlid never nips/chases/eats the small fish -- he likes them.

Thank you

 

[dwarf-puffers]

i just bought a biowheel 150(30 gallon) it works really well i would recomend it

 

[seanus]

Hmmmm,

One of my guppies is 'missing' this morning! A third one went missing the first day I released them & I know they aren't stuck in/on the filter or hiding in the cave!

Any ideas? The cichlid has never done anything like this before, but now I wonder...