Nightmare Water Change Last Night

[andyg81]

got home from work and I thought a couple of the fish were acting strange, hanging out near the surface more than normal. so trusty test kit out

ammonia 0.5
nitrites 0.25-0.50
nitrates 0

did a 75% water change, first few buckets went ok, but getting the gravel at the back of the tank was proving difficult due to the way it was laid out turned out the lights and took them off the top so I could reach better. this is where my problems started,

I must have knocked the filter on the back of the tank and it slipped down onto the bottom of the tank without me realising, it must have been like it for a good few minutes before I noticed, and with the lights being out I couldnt see if any fish were stuck. quickly got the lights back on and moved the filter to find a corydoras under there it shot straight out and started swimming round with the others

filter fell again, and again, and again, its currently proped up of the ground using some stones from in the tank as the sucker caps must have had it.

firstly im worried the weight of the filter could have done some damage and I dont know which of my corys it now was ! and secondly is there a better way to secure a filter rather than sucker caps ?

 

[pablothebetta]

Could you affix it to the sides of the tank using aquarium sealant? Not sure if that would work as I've never tried anything like it and I'm not very DIY orientated, but just an idea. Maybe post in the DIY section?

 

[cynic]

With numbers like that are you sure your filter is pumping, might be time to consider an upgrade. If thats not an option and the suckers are had it. If its a proprietry filter like fluval spares will be available.

If not then rplacement may be a better option, considering the job the filter does you really don't want it to pack up and go unnoticed.

 

[andyg81]

yes its pumping, the tanks in a fish in cycle at the minute, due to various "mistakes" on my part, its not properly cycled yet.
its a bluwave 07 filter so im sure spares will be available, might just have to put lots of them on there to hold it in place as its a fairly heavy bit of kit.