Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fishtank Filtration and Cycling => Topic started by: Aquamaid on December 04, 2014, 06:39:51 PM
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The spray nozzle on my filter is usually very forcefull and fish love to ride the jet, but it is now hardly blowing. the attached trickle bar is still working well so there is still lots of aeration, i have removed impellor and cleaned it but to no avail, is it likely to be the filter wool that need cleaning, (not sure if that would do anything?)
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Reduced flow usually means the filter media are clogged and need cleaning. Filter wool in particular does clog easily. I would have a look at the media and if any parts are covered in goo, take a bit of water out of the tank and give it a squeeze in that. Then next time you do a water change, clean it again as you'll have more water to do a better job.
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Thanks Sue, ive been reluctant to clean the filter up to now, as it took so long to establish the bacteria, the filter goes the full length of the tank 24" but the main flow is at the filter pump end, maybe i could just turn the filter round and put gooey end away from filter : )
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Is this the kind of filter that is in the lid of the tank?
You could try turning it round but if it still doesn't work you'll have to clean it. All you have to do is very gently squeeze sponges/filter wool, things that will squeeze; for solid media like ceramic noodles just swish them a bit in some tank water. The bacteria live in the biofilm and if you are gentle you shouldn't detach any biofilm.
You'll never get the media looking like new, don't try ;)
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Yes it is Sue, i'll try the "turn round" first, and i don't think i will ever over clean it, i love my bacteria too much ;D
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If it doesn't work, you'll have to clean it ;D
Urrrgghhh, some husbands.
I've mentioned before about his belief that fish tanks are deadly poisonous because of the bacteria. He's as bad about toilets. I could hear water running, traced it to the en suite loo cistern (old fashioned type with an overflow pipe going outside) took the lid off and realised the washer had gone. Guess who just had to replace the washer. It wouldn't have been so bad but the stop tap under the loo has never closed; the mains stop tap under the kitchen sink wouldn't turn either. Just had a wrestling match with the tap and a set of mole grips to turn the water off, got absolutely disgusting with the black slime in the loo cistern, then another wrestling match to turn the stop tap back on. While dear husband stood well back and held some loo paper so I had somewhere to put the disintegrating washer so i could see what size I needed to replace it with.
I've always said that my sons learned their DIY skills from their mother!
At least cleaning a filter is a bit easier than that ;D
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Ah, it's so satisfying to be able to get the job done yourself though isn't it :))
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Ah, but I have another sort of DIY difficulty with my husband.
He's the type that says I can't manage to do things myself, so he goes and sets to the task regardless.
At some point in the proceedings a hammer will be produced and rigorously applied, along with much cursing, and everything will be reduced to its component parts.
The fun really starts then, as my husband (the DIY expert and general plumbing/construction problem solver) can never remember the order in which said parts are replaced. This inevitably leads to 2 things:
a very sheepish looking other half, who has to ask me if what he's done looks right;
a selection of 'left-over' parts that he insists are spares; you can imagine my reaction as I try to explain that if they weren't originally spares, then they can't be spares now.
All in all, I'm very glad that I didn't let him anywhere near my DIY flat-pack aquarium cabinet!
Diz
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Oh dear, being on my own i am quite practical (with joinery i overcompensate, 2 nails always seem safer than 1) and rather methodical, sketch or photograph it before you dismantle it lol.
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what filter is it aquamaid please i dont believe in filter wool
it puts to much pressure on the pump as it clogs to quickly
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To be honest the nozzle is working, just not to the speedboat output it was doing, and Platys seemed to love riding it and being blow across the tank :rotfl: It's a a bit of an unknown Biffster, as it came with the Betta Lifespace tank, its a Haiyang 220/240v 500HZ 25w Fimax 1800 LH.