Disaster Has Struck! Advise Please?

[Gilli]

Help! I have an undergravel filter in my 16 gallon tank which has been great for the past 9 months I have had the tank up and running. However on cleaning out the gunk from underneath the filter tray when I put one of the air tubes back in the plastic tray broke which has resulted in about 3 inches gravel being sucked up one tube! I cant clear this because the tray is broken and therefore just sucks more gravel up.

As I will have to replace the filter system I have decided not to get another undergravel so now im needing some advise please. I have a fibreglass rock formation 3 d background which if possible I would like to put an internal filter behind. Firstly would this still work ok behind a 'a wall' and if so can anyone recomment one thats fairly slim? If not then i would like to use an external filter but have no knowledge of any filters as all ive ever used is an undergravel. Are these complicated?

Also im worried that the bacteria is going to suffer as my undergravel isnt working to full capacity now its partly broken. The other air tube is fine. When I get the new filter I obviously will have to run it for a month to seed. How will I know when the new filter is ready so that I can dismantle the tank? I will want to do this to take out the undergravel filter tray and clean thoroughly if i have to start again anyway. I do a weekly 30% water change - should i step this up? Also when I do dismantle the tank should I clean the gravel or just rinse in the tank water?

Am i right in thinking once I have a seeded filter I can do a complete water change?

Any advise would be appreciated.

 

[tenohfive]

Externals are alot more expensive, for a tank that size I'd suggest prohibitively expensive.

Something like a fluval 2+ would be ideal - they aren't too bulky, and when sat in a corner of the tank you don't notice them - especially if you have some plants, and they're cheap second hand (and readily available.) I've never had a 3d background before but I'd say no to putting it behind there - it needs to be in a position where water can get to it and the water pumped out can circulate and aerate the tank.

Until the new filters setup and cycled (see if you can get hold of some mature media from someone to help cycle the filter faster) I'd do 30% changes every couple of days, or maybe twice a week if you've only got hardy fish in there.

**edit: I'm guessing from your avatar that you've got rams in there, so definately every couple of days.

 

[OldMan47]

If you can get a fluval 2+ as suggested, I think you will be able to put some of your present media, gravel, into it. I know my 4+ has places that I could put some gravel while I have it apart and opened. That way you would be able to give the new filter a jump start. Be careful when choosing where to put the gravel in the filter that it can't get to the impeller. You have plenty of gravel that is no longer getting as much flow as you would like so I would use some off the top surface of that part of the tank. The gravel on the top surface is probably still getting enough flow to keep the bacteria alive and working.

 

[Gilli]

Thank you very much for your replies. I have bought an extenal filter that is brand new and its only cost me £30 so im pleased. I am going to run it in the tank alongside the undergravel filter for a month by which time it should be seeded I would have thought. I will then take everything out of the tank and then give it a good clean but keep some of the gravel unwashed just rinsed in the tank water to put back (wont need all the gravel I have as it has to be 2 inches deep for a UG filter). Hopefully all should be well then.

 

[saz326]

If you seed the new filter with bacteria as described in your previous bit'o writing, then there is no need to worry about how you treat the gravel.

Id be sure that that filter is in top condition, then Id clean the gravel with hot water to kill off algaes and snail eggs. Make the most out of the oppotunity to remove those pesky snails!

The gravel doesnt really host many bacteria - its more the gunk in the gravel that does that job.

 

[Gilli]

Thank you for your reply. Am I right in thinking that when the new filter is seeded and I clean the tank out I will be able to do 100% water change and all will be ok?

 

[OldMan47]

The filter will contain most of your bacteria but, because you have been using a UGF, the gravel will also contain part of the bacteria. Your fish will still need some water but otherwise you could change all the water. If you don't keep fish in the tank while you are doing the filter cloning, you are wasting your time. The new filter will need ammonia for its new bacterial colony to thrive and the source in a cycled tank is fish wastes.

 

[WILDER]

Best to remove the undergravel filter like someone has mentioned when the filters have cycled.
Some info on how to remove undergravel filters.
http/saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dynamic/o...s%2F050699.html

 

[Gilli]

Thanks for the info all. When the new filter has seeded I intend to take the UG filter out , clean and put the fish straight back in within a few hours.