Fluval 2 Plus Problems

[richt]

Hello everybody,


I'm after some advice. My daughter has a 5 gallon aquarium, she is 5 years old, so I have to do all the maintenance! In the aquarium she has a Comet goldfish (tiny when we bought it, now about 3 inches), 3 Zebra Danios and a Chinese Hillstream Loach (about 1 inch).

We have a Fluval 2 Plus filter. The problem is, I am constantly having to clean the filter out. It gets blocked after about 2 days and the flow of water through it slows to a dribble. The problem seems to be with the sponges, which in the six weeks since we bought the filter have become incredibly clogged with slimy goo and no amount of 'squeezing' whilst cleaning will get all the goo out. The filter just clogs again. A large amount of food and poop also seems to get clogged in the nozzle and motor head, which I have to flush out.

My mother has a Fluval 2 Plus in her tropical 10 gallon aquarium (with about 10 small fish and a rather large pleco) and, as she is finds it difficult, I clean her filter out when we go to see her every 3 weeks. I've noticed that the sponges in her Fluval 2 are easily rinsed and it never gets as clogged as ours even after 3 weeks!!!

Has anybody got any idea why ours is clogging more than my mothers? Is it because of the goldfish (I know they are a living poo machine!)? Is it the food we feed them (we use TetraFin Goldfish flake food)? Is there anything we can do???

I'd like to replace the sponges, but won't that upset the biology of the tank (the water and fish are currently fine)? And won't new sponges just become clogged as well?


Any advice greatly appreciated.


Cheers



Rich

 

[doresy]

Hi, there is no other way of saying this but your stock is very unsuitable for your tank!

Danios are VERY active fish so require loads of swimming space. The goldfish also needs a larger tank and is coldwater?

Overstocked in anycase.

Your mother's tank is not large enough for a large Plec (obviously)

Basically, there is not enough water to cope with the stock/mess hence clogging your filter

 

[richt]

Thanks for the reply.

Bigger tank is out of the question - we have limited space and cash...

 

[littlest]

If you can't get a bigger tank you should rehome the fish you currently have and then get a suitable fish, such as a betta. A betta can live without a filter too, so no more filter worries.

 

[afishdude]

yea, your doing more harm than good for your fish, keeping those fish in such a small tank will cause them to get stunted and die a very short and painful death.
you comet goldfish needs a 50 gallon aquarium MINIMUM
the pleco in the tropical (im assuming its a common or gibby) will get to 15" and needs a 75 gallon aquarium MINIMUM

the slimy gooo is good bacteria, you should never clean this.

do you have a master test kit for freshwater?
you need to get one ASAP and post your stats. ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph.

 

[WILDER]

I'm surprised the fish are still breathing bless them as the tank severely overstocked.
As been said goldfish are massive waste producers and need 20 gallons for the first goldfish alone then 10 gallons for every other goldfish added.
They need excellent filters no way will a fluval 2 keep up with that goldfish.
I would just keep the betta and rehome the rest of the fish are not in a bad way.