29 replies to this topic

[golden_dase]

Like I said, add fine filter wool to that top-mount..

[Angelo]

Hi kevin,

that's the plan today for sure!

[Warby]

dont bother with purigen for this problem angelo. You need mechanical filtration, which purigen is not.

[leinstercichlid]

Hi Angelo...any luck yet. I'm pretty new to the fish caper myself but when I started out 15 or so months ago I had a similar problem and the LFS recommended API stress zyme which is a biological filtration booster. It's kept the water crystal clear ever since ( I just add a small amount each week ). My only filtration is a canister filter ( Aqua one CF1200 ) and a internal mechanical filter for flow.

Good Luck

Brad

[Angelo]

Hi Brad, I've never used stress zyme before. at this stage I've added filter floss to my top mounter filter which seems to be picking up all the particles. I've also cut down on the amount of food I'm feeding the fish at the moment. I'm trying this for a week but if things don't improve I will try out the stress zyme. anything to solve this problem! thanks again for the suggestion, will post updates.

[richie_nicholas]

I am experiencing issues with lots of very small suspended particles in my 6X2X2 African cichlid aquarium after switching to a black background ( I previously had AquaOne’s copirock background) . My intention was for the colours of the fish to stand out, not the ugly suspended particles.

Current filtration is

1 Aquaone Aquis2400 canister filter ( inlet and outlet at opposite ends of the tank, with spraybar)

1 Eheim IPX8 internal filter (pick up filter) – positioned under the spraybar

 

Water conditions-

pH- 7.8

Ammonia- 0

Nitrite- 0

Nitrate- 40

 

Water changes- 150-200 litres per week.

Feeding- New Life Spectrum Thera+A(Medium Fish Formula). Once a day (weekdays), Twice a day on weekends. I do not feed more than what they can eat in 2 minutes.

Lighting- Was 6 hours a day, now reduced to 3.5 hours a day.

 

My tank contains around 26 African Cichlids- mostly non adults at this stage. I guess I am overstocked, nonetheless.

I have added filter floss to both the canister filter & internal filter and have noticed some changes but not much. (filter floss has become darker in colour)

My LFS has recommended using some sort of flocculent and I used API Accu-clear, still very little change.

After further researching and positive feedback, I have purchased Seachem’s Purigen (great polishing capabilities!!!) and added it to the canister filter. A week later, still minimal change.

Occassionally I use a wave maker for surface agitation, this churns the water and a majority of the larger debris makes it way to the filters. But the suspended particles are still there.

I have checked with another LFS and they mentioned that it could be due to a very high water flow, but I doubt this. Nonetheless I have stopped using the wave maker.

I recently purchased some more ceramic noodles and added it to the canister filter.

 

Contents of the Canister filter compartments are as follows –

Compartment 1- Sponges (for larger debris)

Compartment 2- Filter floss ( for small to fine debris)

Compartment 3 -Ceramic Noodles

Comartment 4- Ceramic Noodles + Purigen

 

Colour of the suspended particles- some have a reddish colour (should be the fish poop), some are off white in colour. Note that the particles are minute but in very large numbers, looks like dust particles.

 

Another quick question is, now that I have added Purigen, can I use products like Vita Pet Algae Control (active constituent Simazine) and API’s Accu-clear??? Would this react with Purigen and make the water toxic or make Purigen non-rechargeable?

Any guidance/ suggestions that I can get would be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Buccal]

You will get a million and one answers all confusing you. Lol.

Feed New Era and Sera Flora, 50% of each to form one total feeding.
On feeding days, only feed once and 80% in total of what you use to feed at once.
Do not feed AT ALL on Wednesday's and Sundays.
water change twice a week on feeding days ten minutes after feeding.

This regime works very well if you want to keep a over stocked style of tank.
Your problems are over stocking related,,,, but your problem is just a presentation thing,,,, obviously your doing the correct things biologically.
It's well known to have excessive debri using your present choice of food.

I keep a 2700 liter display,,,,, and it's severely overstocked by choice.
Yet I only clean my filters every 4-5 months.
Every time I feed, I water change.

If you want to keep a busy and interesting well stocked tank,,, then a tailored regime must be carried out beyond the norm as I have shown above.

[Morley Aquariums]

Hi Angelo,

       

                  I agree with buccal, change your feeding for a while & do a couple of water changes.

 

  I would definitely switch to flora for a few weeks (have not used new era so cannot comment). I have always found that constant use of almost any sinking pellets can easily lead to suspended particles (yes, I know this can be avoided with correct amounts, but easy enough to over do it over a period of time). 2 feeds a day with NLS I think could certainly lead to a bit of murk. (this happens in my big display, it can murk up a bit with the NLS, but a small change, a day or 2 off the food completely & switching to flora for a week almost always brings it back).

 

 Adding another mechanical filter or using flocculants/chemical medias etc is a solution & extra filters are always a good thing, but it is really masking an underlying problem that should be dealt with at the cause & this will almost definitely be in the feeding. Try water changes & flora only for a couple of weeks & see if this solves it, I think you will be amazed at the improvement. Once clean again start to re introduce the NLS slowly until you have a good handle on the amounts you can use without clouding up again.

[Angelo]

Cheers Paul, I guess you were replying to Richie and not me  I was surprised to see my post from 2009 suddenly show up now..

[richie_nicholas]

Thanks for the advise Buccal and Morley Aquariums.

I have reduced the feeding, no feeding 2 days a week, planning to change fish foods, and did water changes. In addition to that I have done a major gravel clean (cleared a lot of fish poop from every nook and cranny. 

Will let you know how it goes.

Cheers