Why is this so difficult???

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Squirrelbuddies

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I am so discouraged tonight. I try so hard to keep "perfect" tanks.... I do 15-20% water changes weekly, sometimes twice a week. I routinely test the water to make sure all is well. I check the temperature and count the fish every day before I leave for work. I really do try very hard to do the right thing.

But tonight...well, the filter on the 55 gallon needed to be cleaned (making noises - which means there is crap around the impeller). So, I took it apart but couldn't get it back together properly! Finally, after 20 minutes I got it working again. I was so stressed out and I am still wondering if my beneficial bacteria died off in that time. Plus I had to move one of the kribs into the 5 gallon because he's been acting weird (not sure if it's internal parasites or what...) And the %@#$ water is still cloudy! I've had this tank running for 3 months and the water will not clear.

All I wanted was my perfect little African biotope and it's been so difficult. It's been forever cloudy, had a case of velvet (caused by the USD cats, two of which died), suffering plants (from the CopperSafe), off the chart phospate and now a krib with internal parasites?

I think I will remove the last of the driftwood (which seems to add a lot of organic waste to the tank), add more plastic plants and have a tankful of congo tetras.
 
its not a disaster, its learning and figuring out what works for you. I'm sure you can already make a long list of do's and don'ts that you didn't know about 3 months ago.
 
Hang in there !!! I was really stressed at first too. but you have to make sure you are enjoying the tank. Sounds like you have the right idea take out the tings that are adding to your problems and hope for the best.

If nothing seems to work you could always go with those cute glass fish suspended from a glass float. With the filter I bet they would even "swim" just don't drop them during tank maint cuz boy that would bring on a whole bunch more of those #@$%% and #$@%#$#! and don't forget !$%^$%^% :rofl:

But really hang in there

S
 
smb7676 said:
If nothing seems to work you could always go with those cute glass fish suspended from a glass float. With the filter I bet they would even "swim" just don't drop them during tank maint cuz boy that would bring on a whole bunch more of those #@$%% and #$@%#$#! and don't forget !$%^$%^% :rofl:

But really hang in there

S
Indeed! :rofl:

Thanks for making my laugh. It really isn't all that bad, I guess. I just want things perfect, you know.

And I especially want CLEAR water!!!!!
 
If its a fluval filter you've got i find mine refuse to start up from time to time and i've found if you take the fliter sponge out and its casing and hold the filter upside down in the water, put the plug in the socket, and tap the motor with a chopstick it starts; i then just put the filter sponge and casing back in while its still under the water and it always runs smoothly from then onwards :D
 
I've a fluval filter, also sometimes funny about starting.
I go for the swearing at it loudly approach, whcih doesn't work so well - will use your advice next time!!
 
Tokis-Phoenix said:
If its a fluval filter you've got i find mine refuse to start up from time to time and i've found if you take the fliter sponge out and its casing and hold the filter upside down in the water, put the plug in the socket, and tap the motor with a chopstick it starts; i then just put the filter sponge and casing back in while its still under the water and it always runs smoothly from then onwards :D
what page of the fluval manual is that on?? :rofl: :rofl:

steve 8)
 
I have fluvals in all my tanks and find that they are obstinate at starting every couple of weeks. I just get a cocktail stick and wipe it around the impeller chamber. You'd be amazed at the amount of gunk that comes out of there :sick: starts like a dream after that :D
 
I find that since I have removed the carbon from my filter my water has never been crystal clear. I will be putting it back in after my water change this evening.
 
Yeah, same problem with an internal fluval filter (my external one seems to be fine - presumably it's a completley different mechanism). I think the magnets have to be pretty well lined up for it to work properly - I always found that giving the impeller a turn with it switched on solved the problem. I always found that incredibly terrifying though - even though I knew perfectly well that it wasn't going to rip my hand off, I still couldn't quite believe it!
 
annka5 said:
I've a fluval filter, also sometimes funny about starting.
I go for the swearing at it loudly approach, whcih doesn't work so well - will use your advice next time!!
:rofl: Lol! Yeah, maybe try a different approach! :lol:
 
Overall i would say fluval filters are good but they're certainly a pain in the bum to start, i think they should be sold cheaper because of these problems as it looks like this is a common problem with them...
 
Take a Q-tip and clean out the chamber the impeller drops into, it is often filled with gunk and will cause these "I need a chopstick to start my filter" problems.


I use a pen :p
 
i dont know man. i read all this stuff about beneficial bacteria and ph balance and what not. i never check my water parameter. i just do water changes once a week or once every other week. i feed them and keep the temperature steady and thats about it. it's not rocket science just plain fish aquarium. i think sometimes people try too hard to do all the right things and buy all this stuff. just let nature happen and do what you can. in nature water gets cloudy fish get sick just do what you can and like the other person said learn more as you go.
 

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