44 replies to this topic

[Buccal]

Actually, when you mention three canisters on top of the tank, to you mean three separate canister filters or three baskets inside of one canister filter ?

[kylie85]

3 separate black canisters with their own media/sponge/wool in each

[Buccal]

Well, that's brilliant, that's maximized, this changes everything, one small filter in general would need a clean roughly every month to two and a half month.
Having three like this sets you a completely different regime. You can go for a lot longer with out cleaning them. Take all wool out of course, and replace with a sponge type media, its coarser and takes longer to block up. Now, let's say you have filter a, b and c. Clean filter a in six weeks time then clean b another six weeks after the cleaning of filter a. Then clean filter c six weeks after the cleaning of filter b.
Every six weeks clean one filter only, this way the other two are always maximized with beneficial bacteria.
Doing it this way, you will never have a ammonia or nitrite spike again resulting in fish death.
You have a very good set up and used correctly it should be absolutely faultless.
Just relax don't stress, take your time to understand and work with mother nature and not against it, as I tell a lot of people, you don't keep the fish, you keep the water and the water keeps the fish.

[sandgroper]

Buccal, i think Kylie is referring to a hood mounted trickle filter with 3 separate compartments. Am i right Kylie, not actually 3 canister filters. Kylie if your changing the fiter wool regularly and it's not overly dirty, don't disturb the media (ceramic noodles) that will be fine. Then every 3 to 4 months just rinse lightly in aquarium water. cheers Steve

[Riggers]

+1 for sandgropers suggestion. Keep it simple

[Bowdy]

what steve has said is pretty much what myself and buccal have been saying. still never clean all 3 media compartments at once only ever one at a time

[Buccal]

Well, Kylie said three (black canisters), I'm quite sure even if she was unsure, she would have called them trays. I guess we will shortly get a answer
Anyway, like Bowdy said one tray at a time even the bottom one would hardly ever need a clean, but in this case filter wool actual sheets would likely go top and mid. Still a efficient filter.

[kylie85]

Im sorry buccal again hahaha you must think I'm really dumb! But I said canisters but obviously the correct term is trays?? I do have exactly what sandGroper said with the trickle filter

[Buccal]

No that's ok, yes well the trickle system is still very good, even still it should go a long time without needing a clean, If I were you have all three trays filled with the same type of media you already have or there abouts. Place a thin WOOL SHEET over the top of the media on the top and middle trays. Only when the water is visibly beginning to obstruct on top tray, then you can replace or clean it, and same for the middle tray, but the middle one should last roughly 3-4 times longer till a needed change or clean of the wool sheet.
When changing wool sheet, try to leave filter running, only if possible, if not no big deal, then do the change quick. Just don't let the media dry out or the beneficial bacteria will die. After a very long time the actual media may need to be cleaned, to do this just half fill a bucket with tank water and pour media out of tray into it and stir briskly with your hands for a few seconds then pour out water from bucket and quickly put media back in tray, remember, don't leave media exposed to long, keep it submerged in tank water.
For these filters to work properly the water must be passing through each tray evenly over the whole area of each one. Concealed canister filters are much less likely to cause any problems, trickle systems can be a little touchy, but when a trickle is used correctly they are very good housing a lot more beneficial bacteria per square centimeter because of the high oxygen content and less dead spots(clogged areas) getting close to a clean time. If you ever decide stuff it, your changing to a canister filter make sure you leave trickle filter going on tank and run the canister also at same time, 4 weeks later disconnect the trickle filter. This allows beneficial bacteria to establish in the new filter and prevent another N cycle crash.

[kylie85]

i have just done a water test

ph over 7.6
ammonia oppm
nitrite 0ppm

but nitrate is ornage between 5ppm-10ppm is that bad should i do a water change??

thanks kylie

[sandgroper]

Nothing wrong with them readings Kylie, Nitrate 5 to 40 is the range to keep it at. Good work, your water seems fine, now don't upset your bacteria to much and you'll be fine (change the white filter pad leave the rest).Cheers Steve

[Buccal]

It looks like your on your way, it seems the system has just balanced, and I also agree with 40ppm nitrate for a average max, it's no big deal if it even gets to 60ppm. A quick water change and you should get down to a reasonable level again. If you water change and in your mind your not happy with the nitrate reading, don't water change again till the next day, to avoid shock killing the beneficial bacteria.
I've seen people keeping fish quite happy in 80-90ppm ! Nitrate is a gradual increase and most fish can adapt. I don't recommend this though, for these are lazy aquarists getting away with it, eg, one water change a year, to some this seems impossible, but I've seen it, first drop of indicator and the solution turns deep red instant !
These areas are always grey and controversial, as there are to many variables, tank size, fish type, how densely stocked and many more, everyone falls into their own little regime after sometime, and so will you.

[kylie85]

Cool thanks guys, glad to hear that everything is going good and I haven't lost anymore fish!

[kylie85]

I just did a water change today, hopefully everything stays all good when I'm in Perth for 5 nights and I don't come home to dead fishies!

[meganj]

"In each canister is a bottom layer of ceramic noodles then some black lining stuff then I have the filter wool. "

Just wanted to check that the "black lining stuff" isn't carbon.
If it is it needs to be taken out or changed very regularly.

Hope all was well when you got back from Perth, Kylie.

[Brett]

Hello Kylie,

Sounds like you are doing a great job with your tank.

Unfortunely its doesn't sound like anyone has answered your question of why your fish died.
I am pretty sure it has nothing to do with your filtration.

Perhaps I missed it, but do you use a dechlorinator with your water changes or some other method to remove chlorine from your water? I am not too sure about the water supply in Tom Price.
Do you know the hardness of your water and is it appropriate for the type of fish you are keeping.
What fish are in the tank, is there any aggression. (surprised the cichlid people haven't asked this yet )
Could it be a disease, any new fish added to the tank recently?
Any of the surviving fish appear to be affected?

Sorry about all the questions, but the photo is not diagnostic and the info to date doesn't really explain why your fish have died.

Cheers
Brett

[kylie85]

Hey Brett,

I do use a dechlorinator seachem prime. The water up here in Tom price does have alot of calcium.
But I have had the fish now for nearly a yr and no problems before hand, no new fish recently either just two that passed
My other 7 fish seem perfectly fine so don't know what happened there.

[Brett]

Not many clues

Given that your remaining fish are all well it is unlikely to be a water quality issue (the testing you have done suggests your water quality is good). For completeness you could get your water tested for gH. However, if Tom Price has hard water that is unlikely to be the issue.

I dont think it is likely to be a feeding issue, unless the fish were being bullied away from the food.
Aggression can be a significant issue with cichlids, the fish at the bottom of the pecking order can get stressed to the point of illness and death. Something to consider, but hard to prove now that they are gone.

Hopefully your remaining fish will continue to be healthy

Cheers
Brett

[kylie85]

Great just had some bad news.... I'm
Currently in perth and my neighbors are looking after my tank, they have just called me and one of my dolphins has died! WTF is going on that is 3 fish now in the past month!!

I have changed nothing! Do you think the tank might have a disease???

I'm so over this, I'm gonna have no fish left no I'm to scared to buy any frontosas

[dazzabozza]

Hey Kylie

Hard to tell without knowing more about the fish that just died.

I'm agreeable with Brett a couple of posts up. Pecking order and aggression are factors to consider. Bumping up your GH via use of rift lake salts (Epsom salt) will help offset some of the stress and bloating that can occur. You mentioned earlier in the thread flakey scales and damaged fins which are signs of aggression/stress.

Worthwhile testing GH at least to confirm if it's high enough.


Daz

PS - I've lost many fish over the years. Is part of the hobby