Juwel Filter Problems

[Spooky76]

Hey,

I have a juwel Rio125 using the standard juwel filter in it. I have noticed over the last few weeks that the fine filter pad is getting clogged up very very quickly, to the point where it stops, hardly and water coming out, obvioulsy that means the temp lowers in the tank and theres not enough aeration. Luckily I check it every morning and evening, so can stop it quickly and sort it out.

but when I take the old Juwel pad out on top, its covered in what feels like slime, its really slimy and smells alot.

My ehiem doesnt get like this, so what could it be ?

My water doesnt seems very dirty at all, its slightly yellow when I change the water, but nothing I wouldnt expect.

My worry is that it clogs up and I dont spot it. Should I use a different type ? Should I not use the fine pad ?

Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Matty P]

What is your current stocking in the rio 125?

 

[Spooky76]

What is your current stocking in the rio 125?

2 Harlequin, 2 Cardinals, 8 Neons
1 Orange Spotted Plec1, 1 Golden Nugget, 1 banjo Catfish, 1 Whiptail
4 Zebra Danios, 2 Minnows, 1 Baby Platty
4 Balloon RAMs

I did wonder if I was overstocked, but I get no ammonia or nitrite and do weekly 25% water changes.

 

[DevUK]

Do your plecs hang around on the filter's side of the tank digging in the substrate? Might be that they are disturbing a lot of debris near your filter so its getting sucked in.

Do you clean your substrate when you do a water change? Also, those fine filter pads are for polishing the water and should be the last pad that water flows through on its way out of the filter. Would you say the stuff clogged in it are large or small particles? Larger particles should be blocked lower down by the other filter pads. Have you checked the other pads? Got them in the right order?

Lots of questions Plec's are big waste producers so I've read, has this been going on for a while or has it sort of just started happening?

 

[goldencomet]

thats exactly what happens in my juwel rio 125 usually just cleaning them or changing them when i did the weekly water change worked, but recently like you said it got clogged up so i just took them out, ( I think it clogged up because i haven't changed the pad for a while, just washed it)

 

[DevUK]

Those filter pads are usually supposed to be thrown out when you do a water change, but seems like a waste. I guess they do need replacing maybe every few water changes. Don't forget you can buy cheaper after market ones on ebay and the like.

 

[Spooky76]

Dev - You may have a point. Im not sure how the juwel works, does it suck from the bottom or top ? I will go google it after this.
it is the top pad in my media stack.

The pleccos dont hand around that no. Yes its also some big particles hanging around on it, but it seems more like the sludge thats the problem.

I put the pads in according to the Juwel instructions, but then again, the instructions are mostly german with Token english on, so maybe its wrong.

 

[Spooky76]

Dev,

After looking online, it seems the water is sucked in at the top

http/images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h...en%26safe%3Doff

But thats where my fine sponge is....is that correct ?

I do change it every week but surely thats the wrong place isnt it ?

 

[Matty P]

The fine (polishing) sponge should be the last media in the filter.

 

[DevUK]

Hmn, odd. Even in that photo it suggests it goes on top I have a Juwel rio 180, but I've never used the internal filter (was second hand and the powerhead was a crap replacement).

Maybe its just a case of having to replace it quite often

Also, would you say this has started recently or since you got the tank? Do you have any plants or anything? The sludge could be dead plant leaves or stuff like that. Anything changed in the tank (new stock etc?)

 

[Spooky76]

Very odd...maybe I should try swapping it.

Its only recently its been doing it, and yes, I got 4 small RAMS the other week, but they dont do much to create a mess, so I cant think its them.
Only thing I have noticed is the odd snail since I got some new plants...could it be them causing it ?

 

[DevUK]

Very odd...maybe I should try swapping it.

Its only recently its been doing it, and yes, I got 4 small RAMS the other week, but they dont do much to create a mess, so I cant think its them.
Only thing I have noticed is the odd snail since I got some new plants...could it be them causing it ?

Doubt it, can't see how to be honest. Its a mystery

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

The filters that come with juwel tanks like the ones in the Rio range provide very good biological filtration, however generally speaking they are not very strong filters since juwel aquariums are aimed primarily at people who want heavily planted and lightly stocked tanks.
You have some heavy waste producing plecos in the tank as well which require strong filtration, so...If you add another filter to the tank and place it at the opposite end of the tank to the current filter, it should sort out the filtration issue (at least this always worked for me in the past). The fine cottony white filter pad as others have mentioned is there for polishing the water (removing super small particles from the water), its not a vital part of the filtration and if you are tired of it getting really clogged up all the time, you can either remove it or place it under the other sponges so it is not the first sponge to get clogged up everytime .