Post by rusalka on Aug 25, 2013 1:40:30 GMT -5
Hi everybody.
Here is the story about my new 30Gal tank that needs upgraded/improved filtration.
I have a Penguin (don't remember the model now) double cartridge/sandwich type filter in my 30G tank. The water column is about 16" tall, the intake of the filter doesn't reach the gravel for about 3,5", that is to say it's very short for this tank. The tank has 2 goldfish, and will probably have two more as soon as I figure out with filtration. Not only the filter doesn't produce biological filtration (as I read in the articles here), but no mechanical filtration either, as the sponges remain clean while all the dirt falls between the stones on the bottom.
I had problems starting the tank due to poor filtration, as I added my goldfish too early (alongside with adding Seachem Stability), and stupidly added some water from their old tank which had green free floating algae in it. As a result, I had such a terrible algae spike that I couldn't get rid of for over a month, even by changing 15-30% water daily or every second day with extra aeration turned on at nighttime. All in vain. I could hardly see my fish in the green water. Finally, tired of it, I restarted the tank. At this point I noticed that the Penguin cartridge was still impeccably clean (and I was hoping for some bacteria develop in it!), while a lot of dirt accumulated in the gravel. I didn't vacuum it because I heard it's necessary in a new tank to accumulate some dirt, and I was hoping that the filter was cleaning the excess.
So, I restarted the tank by taking most of the water out (only gravel remained submerged), left the filter cartridge untouched, refilled the tank with water treated with Prime, added about 5 gallons of water from another old tank (clear water) and added an old filter cartridge from another tank. I lightly vacuumed gravel by sludge remover. Then, Stability was added every day, but no fish this time. I also added more plants. The first week I saw a gradual clouding of water, but not so green and not so dense like before. Actually, the water became clouded, but till some established limit and the cloudiness didn't grow more (looked under control
) So lasted about another week.
My boyfriend was anxious to add the fish, but I was afraid to repeat my previous failure and decided that I would add fish only if I get clear water. I noticed that my only inhabitant, a snail, started eating plants, because obviously there was no food left from the "older civilizations" . So, I dropped one fish pellet in the tank, planning to add more in a couple of days. Two sword plants started to have browning on their leaves, another plant that I don't know the name – rotted and died.
So I made the last attempt. I added Purigen bag into the filter, I put aeration on timer strictly for the dark hours (before I sometimes forgot to turn it on or off), I added a little of Flourish Excel in the morning hours. And I forgot to say, during all this time I kept adding 2-3 gallons of clear water from the established tank, about 3 times per week. Overall, the whole process started to remind me some king of magic with me putting stuff to the tank or changing the conditions... a little bit more, I would have started talking to the plants and bacterias ;D
Finally, yesterday morning I definitely saw some clearing. I was on the 4th day after adding Purigen and 3rd day after adding Flourish Excel, but it took me over 3 weeks to see the improvement!
This morning the water was almost crystal clear. I added two goldfish. In the night I first time fed them.
What I definitely know, that my Penguin filter didn't want to help me at all! With the short intake as it has it's just a water mover. Now I need either to add a prefilter to extend the intake, or, maybe, it's better to get rid of this filter altogether. It's like a white elephant, it's useless, but I already have it.
Now as I reached the end of the long story, my question is, what can be the optimal solution for my tank. I was almost ready to buy SunSun CUP Series UV/Filter, but now, as I managed the green water, maybe there is a less expensive solution. I plan to have up to 4 gold fish in 30 Gal, so I need good filtration. The tank is also planted with elodea, sword plants, java fern (this one seems dying, though)
Here is the story about my new 30Gal tank that needs upgraded/improved filtration.
I have a Penguin (don't remember the model now) double cartridge/sandwich type filter in my 30G tank. The water column is about 16" tall, the intake of the filter doesn't reach the gravel for about 3,5", that is to say it's very short for this tank. The tank has 2 goldfish, and will probably have two more as soon as I figure out with filtration. Not only the filter doesn't produce biological filtration (as I read in the articles here), but no mechanical filtration either, as the sponges remain clean while all the dirt falls between the stones on the bottom.
I had problems starting the tank due to poor filtration, as I added my goldfish too early (alongside with adding Seachem Stability), and stupidly added some water from their old tank which had green free floating algae in it. As a result, I had such a terrible algae spike that I couldn't get rid of for over a month, even by changing 15-30% water daily or every second day with extra aeration turned on at nighttime. All in vain. I could hardly see my fish in the green water. Finally, tired of it, I restarted the tank. At this point I noticed that the Penguin cartridge was still impeccably clean (and I was hoping for some bacteria develop in it!), while a lot of dirt accumulated in the gravel. I didn't vacuum it because I heard it's necessary in a new tank to accumulate some dirt, and I was hoping that the filter was cleaning the excess.
So, I restarted the tank by taking most of the water out (only gravel remained submerged), left the filter cartridge untouched, refilled the tank with water treated with Prime, added about 5 gallons of water from another old tank (clear water) and added an old filter cartridge from another tank. I lightly vacuumed gravel by sludge remover. Then, Stability was added every day, but no fish this time. I also added more plants. The first week I saw a gradual clouding of water, but not so green and not so dense like before. Actually, the water became clouded, but till some established limit and the cloudiness didn't grow more (looked under control
) So lasted about another week. My boyfriend was anxious to add the fish, but I was afraid to repeat my previous failure and decided that I would add fish only if I get clear water. I noticed that my only inhabitant, a snail, started eating plants, because obviously there was no food left from the "older civilizations" . So, I dropped one fish pellet in the tank, planning to add more in a couple of days. Two sword plants started to have browning on their leaves, another plant that I don't know the name – rotted and died.
So I made the last attempt. I added Purigen bag into the filter, I put aeration on timer strictly for the dark hours (before I sometimes forgot to turn it on or off), I added a little of Flourish Excel in the morning hours. And I forgot to say, during all this time I kept adding 2-3 gallons of clear water from the established tank, about 3 times per week. Overall, the whole process started to remind me some king of magic with me putting stuff to the tank or changing the conditions... a little bit more, I would have started talking to the plants and bacterias ;D
Finally, yesterday morning I definitely saw some clearing. I was on the 4th day after adding Purigen and 3rd day after adding Flourish Excel, but it took me over 3 weeks to see the improvement!
This morning the water was almost crystal clear. I added two goldfish. In the night I first time fed them.
What I definitely know, that my Penguin filter didn't want to help me at all! With the short intake as it has it's just a water mover. Now I need either to add a prefilter to extend the intake, or, maybe, it's better to get rid of this filter altogether. It's like a white elephant, it's useless, but I already have it.
Now as I reached the end of the long story, my question is, what can be the optimal solution for my tank. I was almost ready to buy SunSun CUP Series UV/Filter, but now, as I managed the green water, maybe there is a less expensive solution. I plan to have up to 4 gold fish in 30 Gal, so I need good filtration. The tank is also planted with elodea, sword plants, java fern (this one seems dying, though)
. Won't it produce too stong water current in my 30Gal?
. 