Filter Cleaning Problems

[AiidddR]

Hi I've had my fish tank for about 2 months now and I usually clean the filter once a month. My tank is an aqua start 320 and the filter is internal (supplied with the tank) I do 20% water changes once a week, last week I tested my water and my nitrate level was showing red on my tetra test strip. The following day one of my fish died and now another one is, so I decided to do a water change and clean the filter. However when I try to remove my filter all the gunk it sucks up just falls out as I try to remove the suction cups so my water is now filthy. What should I do and any help for cleaning the filter in the future as its really frustrating, thanks

 

[Lolly123]

Hi I've had my fish tank for about 2 months now and I usually clean the filter once a month. My tank is an aqua start 320 and the filter is internal (supplied with the tank) I do 20% water changes once a week, last week I tested my water and my nitrate level was showing red on my tetra test strip. The following day one of my fish died and now another one is, so I decided to do a water change and clean the filter. However when I try to remove my filter all the gunk it sucks up just falls out as I try to remove the suction cups so my water is now filthy. What should I do and any help for cleaning the filter in the future as its really frustrating, thanks

What type of stocking do you have in your tank, if I'm correct its a 28l tank?
How are you cleaning your filter media?
What are your other parameters, ammonia, nitrite?
What test kit are you using?
If your nitrates are high I'd recommend water changes to get this down, I don't think 20% is enough, large water changes wont do any harm as long as you are trying your best to match temp. we all have nitrAtes in our water but I think keeping them below 50ppm would be ideal. But I've known people to have higher without any ill affect.
I personally don't like internal filters, but being that the tank is so small then I'm sure there are some good internals out there, I can't comment on the one that comes with the tank as I'm not familiar with it. Its very important to note that you must be cleaning your filter in old tank water, i think it may be worth mentioning not to over clean the media as you still want to hold on to the beneficial bacteria. When you are water changing ensure a good gravel vac to get rid of any leftover waste, getting down into the substrate too.

 

[Livewire88]

How about placing a container in the tank around the filter before you remove it, this way the nasty bits will get caught in the container and not dirty your tank water.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Another great tip I always use... is to have a second container of tank water after you've cleaned your filter... place your filter in that container, turn it off and if there is any loosened muck still inside it gets blown into your container rather than back into your tank.

 

[AiidddR]

Hi I've had my fish tank for about 2 months now and I usually clean the filter once a month. My tank is an aqua start 320 and the filter is internal (supplied with the tank) I do 20% water changes once a week, last week I tested my water and my nitrate level was showing red on my tetra test strip. The following day one of my fish died and now another one is, so I decided to do a water change and clean the filter. However when I try to remove my filter all the gunk it sucks up just falls out as I try to remove the suction cups so my water is now filthy. What should I do and any help for cleaning the filter in the future as its really frustrating, thanks

What type of stocking do you have in your tank, if I'm correct its a 28l tank?
How are you cleaning your filter media?
What are your other parameters, ammonia, nitrite?
What test kit are you using?
If your nitrates are high I'd recommend water changes to get this down, I don't think 20% is enough, large water changes wont do any harm as long as you are trying your best to match temp. we all have nitrAtes in our water but I think keeping them below 50ppm would be ideal. But I've known people to have higher without any ill affect.
I personally don't like internal filters, but being that the tank is so small then I'm sure there are some good internals out there, I can't comment on the one that comes with the tank as I'm not familiar with it. Its very important to note that you must be cleaning your filter in old tank water, i think it may be worth mentioning not to over clean the media as you still want to hold on to the beneficial bacteria. When you are water changing ensure a good gravel vac to get rid of any leftover waste, getting down into the substrate too.

Yeah it's a 28 litre tank, I clean my filter in the water I take out of my fish tank. The test kit I'm using it a 6 in one test strip you simply dip it in the tank and it changes colour then depending on the colour of each square depends on the quality of water, everything else is fine in the tank and all other fish seem fine. It's a community tank with guppies mollies a few silver shark. One of my mollies has given birth so I've got 6 Molly fry in a hatchery

 

[fluttermoth]

I think part of your problem is there's too much dirt for your filter to cope with, as your tank sounds badly overstocked.

You can, in the very short term, help by cleaning the filter more often, but long term you're going to have to either rehome some fish, or get a much larger tank.

Silver sharks have no place in a 28l tank at all, as they can grow to near enough a foot long.

 

[AiidddR]

How about placing a container in the tank around the filter before you remove it, this way the nasty bits will get caught in the container and not dirty your tank water.

Thanks for the response, I'll try it next time, most of the muck is cleared up now

I think part of your problem is there's too much dirt for your filter to cope with, as your tank sounds badly overstocked.

You can, in the very short term, help by cleaning the filter more often, but long term you're going to have to either rehome some fish, or get a much larger tank.

Silver sharks have no place in a 28l tank at all, as they can grow to near enough a foot long.

Yeah the plan was to get a new tank in like 6 months obviously a much larger one, ATM the silvers are really small and there's only 7 fish in the aquarium

 

[fluttermoth]

I'm afraid the sharks are going to need a bigger tank in much less than six months...

 

[AiidddR]

I'm afraid the sharks are going to need a bigger tank in much less than six months...

#93### they must grow quickly, I'll have to put them in my friends tank, they've got a huge tank

 

[fluttermoth]

I'm afraid the sharks are going to need a bigger tank in much less than six months...

#93### they must grow quickly, I'll have to put them in my friends tank, they've got a huge tank

Yes, I'm afraid most big fish do the majority of their growing in the first few months; they start to slow down later, when they get to the 8/10/12" mark, depending on the exact species.

The same is true for nearly all the big fish (I can't, off the top of my head, think of any exceptions, but there's always one somewhere!); clown loach, silver sharks, oscars and all the big cichlids, plecs.

That's why it's a really bad idea to start any of those fish in a small tank with the intention of upgrading later; they need the big tank right from the start, if they're to to grow well and be happy.

In future, try not to get fish that you can't house, to their adult size, and with the relevant number of companions, if they need to be in groups, in the tank/tanks you have now

 

[Lolly123]

The strip test kits are really unreliable, and not worth the money to be honest. The only test kits that are worth investing in are liquid test kits, I think API liquid test kits have a good rep, and it's something I recommend you invest straight away. Otherwise you can not build an accurate picture of what's going on in your tank.
However, now that you have provided some more info, it is very clear what the problem is. Please please as a matter of urgency move that silver shark in to your friends tank, I am not trying to get on your back here, so don't take it that way, but that is an urgent priority. Otherwise this poor fish is going suffer more than it may have done already.
With the Molly's and their fry, that is only going to increase bioload and that is not something you want ideally especially if your filter is struggling to cope already.My advice would be to invest in a bigger tank, a better filter and consult the beginners resource centre for some fish that are going to suit your setup as it would stand now. I have seen people stock for the " future tank " and more often than not, things go wrong, fish die, aggression issues, stunted growth etc etc.
We have all started somewhere and made mistakes, as have I, but the most important thing in this hobby is research. The advice you'll be given by people on here is completely sound and will only stand to benefit you and your hobby.
All the best.