Lots Of Particles In Water

[lgarvey]

Hi Guys,

I have a 300 Litre mixed malawi tank with about 24 fish in it. Most are juvenile (about 2" in size) with about 5 bigger fish.

Anyway, the water is pretty dirty even after a 30 % weekly water change and a load of gravel vacing.

There is a tetratec ex1200 on the tank that seems to be running OK. I have changed the white fine particle filter media on the tank, but nothing else. Should I be doing some other maintenance to this filter? It has been running for about 3 months. If so, what do I do?

I am planning to get a beastly Fluval FX5 and run that in conjunction with the tetratec ex1200. The fluval claims to be suitable for tanks up to size 1500, so that should be a good amount of over filtering. Alternatively a more cost effective option would be to get another ex1200.

I am wondering if anyone has had a similar problem and if so how was it solved?

I also invested in a small powered gravel vac which hangs on the side of the aquarium and vacs the gravel through a powerhead and returns teh filtered water to the aquarium. I suppose it's doing what the filter should be doing but enabling me to get the bigger particles at the bottom of the tank. I am happy to do this each week along with the gravel vacing I do on a water change. But I'd like the water to be much clearer and free of floating particles.


L

 

[smegforbrains]

Can you be a bit more specific on the particles?

Is it sand? Plant bits? Poo? Peat?

 

[raptorrex]

it seems to me a damned good clean of the mechanical section of the media may be in order!

 

[kj23502]

I had white filter floss (or whatever that white stuff was that caught small particles) in my eheim canister filters. I took it out when I did some meds b/c the carbon was underneath it and needed to remove the carbon anyway. When I took it out my tank was like that. You need something fine in the filter to hold the particles for you. Do you have that? Or is it getting pretty dirty maybe?

 

[lgarvey]

I cleaned the filter today. wow, what a mess.

I unplugged it, poured the filter's water into a bucket and used it to start cleaning.... only to realise the water itself was so dark it was probably not worth using to clean the filter pads in.

So I washed it away and got some tank water and used that. Again was able to turn it pretty dawk with mess.

I wonder, however, how much of that mess is the rowaphos, which seems to leech particles?

I washed each pad, replaced the white polypad, and washed the ceramic rings but left the bioballs (perhaps do those next time but leave the rings to prevent washing everything?) All washed in tank water, of course, to preserve bacteria.

The tank filter is back on and has been running for about 4 hours, but it still looks messy. There' sjust so much stuff floating around.

What do you guys reckon ... should one tetratec ex1200 external filter be sufficient for a 300 litre, fairly well stocked, lake malawi tank?

I wonder if anyone has had experience of the tetratec filters and whether you have found them worthwhile or not? I may get another tetratec ex1200, which are now only £60 online. Or I could go for something snazzier, such as an eheim -- any suggestions? I was considering a fluval fx5 which is rated for tanks up to 1500 ltr, but it won't fit in the cabinet below.

Along with the 30% water changes I'll do a monthly filter maintenance, but am concerned that even this will not be enough to maintain clear water?

L

 

[raptorrex]

I cleaned the filter today. wow, what a mess.

I unplugged it, poured the filter's water into a bucket and used it to start cleaning.... only to realise the water itself was so dark it was probably not worth using to clean the filter pads in.

So I washed it away and got some tank water and used that. Again was able to turn it pretty dawk with mess.

I wonder, however, how much of that mess is the rowaphos, which seems to leech particles?

I washed each pad, replaced the white polypad, and washed the ceramic rings but left the bioballs (perhaps do those next time but leave the rings to prevent washing everything?) All washed in tank water, of course, to preserve bacteria.

The tank filter is back on and has been running for about 4 hours, but it still looks messy. There' sjust so much stuff floating around.

What do you guys reckon ... should one tetratec ex1200 external filter be sufficient for a 300 litre, fairly well stocked, lake malawi tank?

I wonder if anyone has had experience of the tetratec filters and whether you have found them worthwhile or not? I may get another tetratec ex1200, which are now only £60 online. Or I could go for something snazzier, such as an eheim -- any suggestions? I was considering a fluval fx5 which is rated for tanks up to 1500 ltr, but it won't fit in the cabinet below.

Along with the 30% water changes I'll do a monthly filter maintenance, but am concerned that even this will not be enough to maintain clear water?

L

seems like you did the right thing. but dont use tap water to clean the bio balls(when you do clean them), old tank water is good enough however dirty it may seem.

in a well stocked 300L i would suggest the 1200 may need a little help. its listed up to 500l, but claims can often be misleading. i have a hydor prime 30, which is about the same rating as the tetratec, i think it is up to doing a well stocked 200l but no more.

 

[lgarvey]

Ahh, this would partly explain it. I think I'll get another tetratec and run them together.

Cheers!

L

 

[kj23502]

After I cleaned my filters, my tank was still a bit messy for a few days. It should clean up. I have 2 eheim pro II 2028's. I really like them. I can't even tell they are on unless I'm looking for water movement...they are sooo quiet and are very effective for me.

When I washed my filter media, I just rinsed. I didn't scrub at/on anything. Just rinsed the different media trays and the main filter cansiter out with aquarium water.

Well yours does 1200 liters per hour. And tanks that are well stocked should have around 8x tank turnover so 300x8=2400 ideally. So you're at 5x turnover...whichis actually probably a little less because the canisters are tested at certain hights/distances from the tank so they really only do the same if they're at the exact same level that the company tests them at.



Kj

in a well stocked 300L i would suggest the 1200 may need a little help. its listed up to 500l, but claims can often be misleading.

I don't look at what it's rated up to for tank size. I look at the maximum volume it pushes through because that's a better way to size up what's needed, imo. Claims are misleading b/c the test them in optimum conditions not 2 or 3 feet below the tank and with media in them for example. I beleive they test them empty with no media in them .

 

[lgarvey]

The LFS guy mentioned this... the filters are tested without media and thus are about half what they are rated. I don't know if this is true, or not. If so it seems dodgy as hell!

It'd be good to compare the through put ratings for a filter loaded with media for say an ex1200 and the eheim equivalent.

L

 

[raptorrex]

The LFS guy mentioned this... the filters are tested without media and thus are about half what they are rated. I don't know if this is true, or not. If so it seems dodgy as hell!

It'd be good to compare the through put ratings for a filter loaded with media for say an ex1200 and the eheim equivalent.

L

i have just mailed Eheim on this very subject

 

[kj23502]

Let us know what they say Boboboy

 

[raptorrex]

Let us know what they say Boboboy

your wish as they say!

Thank you very much for your inquiry by email. We fill the filter with the from us recommended filter media. We use 50 cm long hoses without the intake pipe and the outlet pipe.

But the flow rate we indicate is with clean filter media and clean hoses. If the filter media and the hoses goes dirty the flow rate goes less.

I hope that this information is helpful for you.

If you have further questions please don't hesitate to contact us again.

Yours faithfully

i.A. Jürgen Uhland
Service Manager

EHEIM GmbH & Co. KG
Plochinger Str.54
73779 Deizisau
GERMANY

ok who is going to try the other makers?

 

[lgarvey]

Yes, tetratec is a good one! I have just emailed them. Will post the response when it arrives.

I already have a tetratec ex1200 and am deciding whether to go with another ex1200, or to try something else such as an eheim or fluval. What would the equivalent eheim be to an ex1200 (1200 litres per hour *allegedly*)


L

 

[raptorrex]

I have done Hagen, Fluval, and Interpet, Hydor prime.

 

[raptorrex]

the reply from Hagen

Thank you for your e-mail.
The flow rates of all filters are measured without media and with both pipes supplied cut to the same length.
Obviously the flow rates will differ with set-ups and cleaning times.

Hope this helps.

Kind Regards


Jonathan Wright
Aquatic Customer Service/Technical Advisor

Rolf C. Hagen (UK) Ltd.
California Drive
Whitwood Industrial Estate
Castleford, West Yorkshire
WF10 5QH
phone: +44 (1977) 55 66 22
fax: +44 (1977) 51 34 65
[URL="http/www.hagen.com"]http/www.hagen.com[/URL]

not sure i will get a reply from Interpet. they sent me an email, stating they needed my full personal details, so they could answer my question. i declined their request.