Mature Media (Starting Over)

[abih2005]

Ammonia at 2pmm, what has happened anybody? It wasn't this slow last week?! I moved the filter yesterday and it seemed to almost spew out a load of murky water into the tank, so worried ive ruined the inside media!! HELP! Nitrites are off the scale and nitrates are 5pmm. Arggggggh!

 

[Twinklecaz]

My filter does this when it's been cleaned. It'll be back to normal tomorrow I bet.

Though mine just got worse so don't listen to me.

and I wish someone would send me mature media! I think it could do with a boost!

 

[abih2005]

Several hours still no change. I'm just waiting for it to drop to 0ppm before adding anything else cos I want to start tracking on a 12 hour basis. Just so fricking frustrated that I seem to have stalled!!!

 

[Twinklecaz]

It's probably what I just told you.

 

[JoshuaA]

Several hours still no change. I'm just waiting for it to drop to 0ppm before adding anything else cos I want to start tracking on a 12 hour basis. Just so fricking frustrated that I seem to have stalled!!!

From my experience in the recent months (Fluval U2 cycle and a Fluval U1 cycle). If it "stalls" check your pH, if the pH is lower than you normally have it, it can be a sign on why it isn't going the way you want it to. You can use Bi-carb to knock it back up but you need to carefully dose it to make sure you don't over do it.

The Fluval U1 cycled relatively fast, however by the end of the cycle there was so much bacteria/mulm on the bottom of the sponge the filter was ineffective at pumping. The sponge is very hard to clean without being over zealous as well, I'm starting to think it wasn't such a great purchase, I got the filter for £11 brand new however each time I go to clean it I just feel like throwing it out!

However I have yet to see a blip even though I did take the sponge out and squeezed it a 20 or so times really hard in fresh water and I even washed the entire case in hot tap water because of how much mulm was on it.

Unfortunately the only way to keep the filter power as high as possible is by lifting the sponge out of place, if you don't, what happens is the sponge literally completely blocks the impeller hole by the end of each week.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Life it out of place? How do you shut the top?

I've got the U2, explain! LOl!

 

[JoshuaA]

Life it out of place? How do you shut the top?

I've got the U2, explain! LOl!

The Fluval U2 filter consists like you know the 3 plastic slot in place holders. One for the ceramics and 2 for the coarse and Poly/Carbon pad. The Fluval U1 is literally a block of semi coarse sponge only.

I actually have ceramics in my Fluval U1 though, there is a ridge either side of the sponge which isn't occupied perfectly sized to fit the ceramic chips you get with a Fluval U2 standing vertical. Then along the bottom horizontal there are two grooves. I bought the replacement pack for a U2 and just used some on my U1 then put the rest in the U2 we actually have... if you get me. Anyway the Fluval U2 as nearly twice as much ceramics as it came with now and I imagine the filtering power has shot up much higher than standard there has been no noticeable loss of power output either.

 

[Twinklecaz]

So you think I should add some more noodles to it?

 

[JoshuaA]

So you think I should add some more noodles to it?

You could do if you wanted, not too much though. I kept in mind that they would be fantastic for seeding a new tank if so, I made sure there was enough that it would not cause a mini cycle by removing any.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Good plan. I may do that, cheers.

 

[abih2005]

Interesting, I jiggled my filter sponge and all of a sudden the flow increased, as in actual bubbles! Will be 9pm tonight before I know whether its still cycling ok. Fingers crossed!

 

[JoshuaA]

Interesting, I jiggled my filter sponge and all of a sudden the flow increased, as in actual bubbles! Will be 9pm tonight before I know whether its still cycling ok. Fingers crossed!

Yeh, I noticed the bubbles stopped pretty fast when I was cycling the tank. It took me some time to fix it, initially I turned the sponge upside down but the bacteria/mulm block the flow relatively fast. It seems to be best to either prop it up with something from below or lift the sponge up and hope it doesn't sink and plug the hole again.

 

[abih2005]

*insert expletive* it's still 2ppm!!!!! ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH

 

[abih2005]

Yesterday 9pm it was 1ppm, that's TWO days!!! What's gone wrong? So I added enough to bring it up to 4ppm, and twelve hours later this morning, ITS STILL 4PPM!!!

 

[JoshuaA]

What's the pH? also have you made sure your sponge isn't blocked?