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Gunk, what am I doing wrong???
- Thread starter jameson_uk
- Start date
jameson_uk
Member
Just wondering whether filter floss is actually beneficial? The reason people seem to give for not using it is that it clogs and slows flow through the filter.
I have a gap under the pre-filter where I could fit another compartment and wondering whether putting filter floss in there might help keep the tank a little cleaner. I figured that even if it did get clogged then the other two compartments would flow just as they do now anyway. The pre-filter gets rinsed weekly so wouldn't be any effort to replace floss.
Just wasn't sure whether there is actually any point?
I have a gap under the pre-filter where I could fit another compartment and wondering whether putting filter floss in there might help keep the tank a little cleaner. I figured that even if it did get clogged then the other two compartments would flow just as they do now anyway. The pre-filter gets rinsed weekly so wouldn't be any effort to replace floss.
Just wasn't sure whether there is actually any point?
sciencefiction
Member
- Joined
- 26 Feb 2013
- Messages
- 3,406
The picture is a bit upside down but you get the idea. Its a rectangular sponge with a hole in the middle where the inlet goes. Mine is quite coarse. That's the type I like to use as my filters are 2000l/h on average. That sponge is over a year old and I clean it weekly but it can last many weeks without being touched. I just have the habit of flushing them when I do the water change.
If you're rinsing it weekly, it shouldn't be an issue what you use. I don't open my filters that often. In my shrimp tank I opened the filter after about 8 months and I closed it down, zilch to clean, the sponges inside were not dirty/brown at all. I've never seen such a clean external...I think the shrimp are getting to the stuff in the pre-filter sponge on the intake before it gets into the external. On my other externals I have the usual gunk at the bottom and brown on the internal media/sponges but that's after a long time....I think pre-filter is the key, plus not using the filter as mechanical filtration. I rather siphon it out, not a big deal.
Just to give a contrasting opinion... I have a huge prefilter (as posted earlier in this thread), and my canister is 3/4 full with floss. Nice clear water and substrate. Takes 3 months for dirt to reach the top of the floss.
I run low tech, so flow isn't crucial. If I had co2 I'd probably lose the prefilter and run the canister half empty to maxmimise flow.
I run low tech, so flow isn't crucial. If I had co2 I'd probably lose the prefilter and run the canister half empty to maxmimise flow.
Angus
Member
Nerite snails too, they are wood eating and pooping machines.
jameson_uk
Member
Just rinsing the media again and I am still amazed at the amount of gunk. Really should have filmed it but only thought about that as I was putting it all back together.
Given I have a pre-filter in place is there any value in adding a second corse sponge or would that not do anything?
Given I have a pre-filter in place is there any value in adding a second corse sponge or would that not do anything?
jameson_uk
Member
So an update on this whilst doing a water change this morning.
I have recently replaced a small powerhead I was using with an little All Pond Solutions Skim 2. This has a tiny bit of filter floss and I am still amazed at how much gunk it is picking up.
The jug is the result of squishing out the filter floss after I did this three days ago. I have the eheim pre-filter, two coarse sponges in the filter and a sponge filter that is there in case I need it in another tank (the orange bucket is the result of squishing both sponges).
I do 50% weekly water changes and I am not particularly well stocked (6 Sterbai Cory, 5 black neon tetras, 5-7 Otos, 9 amanos and two zebra Nerites) and the pre-filter gets a good clean every week and the sponge filter every other week.
On one hand this level of gunk seems far too much but on the other hand the tiny bit of filter floss and the sponge filter are the only fine filters I am using. Is this level of gunk just normal and the only reason I am even seeing it is because of the fact I have added some filter floss or should I be doing something to increase mechanical filtration?
I have recently replaced a small powerhead I was using with an little All Pond Solutions Skim 2. This has a tiny bit of filter floss and I am still amazed at how much gunk it is picking up.
The jug is the result of squishing out the filter floss after I did this three days ago. I have the eheim pre-filter, two coarse sponges in the filter and a sponge filter that is there in case I need it in another tank (the orange bucket is the result of squishing both sponges).
I do 50% weekly water changes and I am not particularly well stocked (6 Sterbai Cory, 5 black neon tetras, 5-7 Otos, 9 amanos and two zebra Nerites) and the pre-filter gets a good clean every week and the sponge filter every other week.
On one hand this level of gunk seems far too much but on the other hand the tiny bit of filter floss and the sponge filter are the only fine filters I am using. Is this level of gunk just normal and the only reason I am even seeing it is because of the fact I have added some filter floss or should I be doing something to increase mechanical filtration?
Hi all,
cheers Darrel
I wouldn't worry at all, all tanks are going to be different. What has settled out looks like the remains of the <"complete oxidation process">.
That would be similar in amount to what I'd get out of the pre-filter sponge on a tank with both plants and fish. I clean these every week or fortnight depending on how busy I am.
cheers Darrel
jameson_uk
Member
So that stuff would take a long time to break down (like the stems of leaves) or will it only realistically leave the tank by getting stuck in a filter or via a water change? I am presuming this is going through the filter and just circulating around the tank? Is there any harm in this stuff hanging round and building up?
That doesn't include the prefilter! The amount on the prefilter isn't wildly different to the video in the first post.
Hi all,
You know when you keep shrimps or snails you get those <"little black faecal pellets all over the sand">? That is because the shrimps etc. have taken all the goodness out of the leaf, algae dead leaf etc. they've processed and just left the bits that are really difficult to get much goodness out of.
cheers Darrel
Yes, there will be an amount of structural carbohydrate that will remain, but it isn't really polluting. You can only really get rid of all of it via physical removal, via mechanical filter media or syphoning.
You know when you keep shrimps or snails you get those <"little black faecal pellets all over the sand">? That is because the shrimps etc. have taken all the goodness out of the leaf, algae dead leaf etc. they've processed and just left the bits that are really difficult to get much goodness out of.
cheers Darrel
