Filter Clogging

[Kombat]

I'm posting this here because it started happening after I went to live plants a couple of months ago.

I have a Penguin 200 filter. I used to be able to keep the same cartridge in for 2 months at a time. Now, I will put a new one in and it will be clogged in a matter of 3 days. What happens is the water stops flowing through the cartridge and overflows over it. Somehow this reduces waterflow enough and the bio-wheel stops spinning.

Why is this happening? Again, this only started after putting in live plants. Why is my aquarium producing so much gunk?

Karl

 

[Themuleous]

Sounds very odd, plants shouldn't change anything, unless you've got lots of dead/dieing plants which are losing leaves which are then clogging up the filter?

There really shouldn't be any effect on the filter function if you switch to plants.

Sam

 

[johnnyr]

Sounds very odd, plants shouldn't change anything, unless you've got lots of dead/dieing plants which are losing leaves which are then clogging up the filter?

There really shouldn't be any effect on the filter function if you switch to plants.

Sam

I agree...

Are you vacumming out all the mulm and plant debris? Usually you get a lot of that when setting up a new planted tank, until the plants are acclimated.

 

[nry]

I can't comment on the specific filter model, but I run filter wool/floss as the first media in my internal filter. I change this every week or two, and so far I've not needed to clean the other sponges. The wool collects small and large particles (including plant bits!) and stops the other sponges becoming clogged with muck. I do check the other sponges, and at some point expect to need to rinse them out (in old tank water of course!), but the wool does really seem to help. It is really cheap too, I reckon my £5 box will last 6-7 months.

 

[R1ch13]

Is mulm a kind of gooey substance that you find on plant leaves ?

Because tonight on one of my swords i found some !

Its jus a bit thinner than honey but it is still gloopy and horrible lol ?

Thanks Richie