Dilemma

[skimp]

Ever since the start of my cichlids adventure, filtration problems have been non stop man. Just bought some PVC pipes for DIY of the intake pipe.

Right now, using 2 2026 for my 3ft tank but I realised my water clarity is definitely not what I was hoping for. Had hope for crystal clear water but realised a $2 filter would have yielded the same results as what my water clarity is now.

It seems all the fishes debris (shit) is lying in the middle of the tank and there seems to be a lot of dead spots in my tank. Currently, my tank is setup in such a way that both intake and spraybar is at either end of the tank. Not too familiar with power head/submersible pump. Any kind bros here can explain the use of them. Hope to create a flow whereby the pump is will push the debris towards the intake pipe. BTW, do you guys rest your intake pipe right down to the gravel?

Still need to buy filters for my other tanks but if canister filters does make much different, then no point to buy another pair to run the other tank.

What kind of advice do you guys have to offer?

[art]

Could it be that the bacteria in the filter has not been fully establish to cope with the current bioload , which is why you are not getting the clarity you should be getting ?
Also try to control feeding , as much as you want to feed them constantly , it will really help reduce much of the load in the tank.

Dead spots in the tank is quite common , esp so if you got decor inside in the form of rocks etc. Water movement normally is low at these areas and hence debris tend to swirl towards those areas and settle there and buildup.

One way is to constantly do regular water changes and at the same time stir the gravel at these places . Or use a gravel vac now and then.

Another way is to direct submergable powerheads to these spots to constantly keep water flow to these areas.

How to use these powerheads ?
Well , they have many uses but for this case , simply plug it in , place it as a position where the water ouput can be directed at those dead spots , so the water flow to those areas is constant and not that stagnant.
Getting a more powerful one in terms of flowrate would obviously be better , but not too strong till the fish cant even swim properly LOL :D

For me i dont put the intake filter onto the gravel :)

[skimp]

For powerheads, it means just plug and play ok isnt? No additional equipement needed?

[art]

Yep , normally comes with all the needed accessories included in the package as well :D

[leafhorn]

No need additional equipment, but I dont like the idea of adding powerhead into water unless the tank is very very big, those giant tank only need.

Reason is because I want as less equipment underwater as possible to have more space, and also reduce the possibility of electric leak, sometimes the leak might be even so little that you cant feel it when you put your hand in the water, but there are still charges inside which might affect the fishes long term.

Because dead spots are very common ones, my two tanks always got lotsa shit lying on the floor, and lotsa dead spots but after a while they all disappeared because

1 the fishes dig and bury them
2 they got suck away by the filter
3 those that got suck in really dead deadspots slowly dissolves into water

It takes time for the shit to slowly flow and wriggle to the filter intake one, especially when there are gravel and sand.

Maybe you can place your spray bar all facing one direction, for stronger water current.

I place mine all one direction, first spray bar from left to center, second spraybar center to right. It caused quite a internal water current good circulation.

Or you want to try one spray bar one side, but one sprays horizontal but another sprays right down.

Just experiment with water current under the surface, or you may want to submerge the whole spraybar into the tank, that is what someone recommend to me, but I feel that its not need.

[skimp]

I think for the past 2 weeks, me have been bothered by filters, filters and more filters. Until no time also to enjoy the fish.

I think mayb it's just that the canister have not been "seasoned". BTW, is 2028 the canister that have the highest flowrate for Eheim?

[leafhorn]

No lah, 2028 is one of the best for our common size of tanks. The 2225, 2227, 2229 series (odd number series) of Wet/Dry canisters also reputed to be amazing too, but more expensive and sorta more for marine tanks but good for freshwater too.

And then still got bigger brothers like 2250 2260, for giant tanks and small ponds, the 33 series for ponds.

Check out the www.eheim.com to see more filters.

[cloud79]

The presence of dead spots in a African tank is inevitable and this had of coz create come trouble for us. The knowledge of how filters work and also , the understanding of the direction of water flow in your tank are also crucial to achieve a maximum performace by your filter. The arrangement of rocks and deco had already hindered the water circulation in your tank so it would be impt that u arrange your inlet and outlet of your filter to optimise their performance. I dun think having the outlet and inlet at both the end is a gd idea as there is not much circulation involved. What i suggest is having both the inlets in the middle of your tank while you have both the outlets at either end so there is some form of circulation been created when water fr the outlet pushed the dirtier water to the middle for the inlet to be sucked into the filters.

The presence of a powerhead will greatly achieve a much efficient water circulation but it is rather unnecessary as your 2 2026 wil be doing a great job if you have both the inlets and outlets placed strategically in your tank. Do not be daunted by filtration but rather appreciate its role in ensuring your fishes to be in their peak. I think a better understanding of them would definitely help a lot! Gd luck! :)

[leafhorn]

Yeah. After all two 2026 for 3 ft tank should be more than enough, its just the water circulation thingy. Anyway, other than a bit unsightly, it doesnt hurt much if water condition is not bad, I feel that biological filteration is more important.

[skimp]

Yess! I think that's it cloud. I think again and realised much of the debris is in the middle due to the position of my spraybar.

Will keep that in mind.

[vinz]

Try this, position one of the rainbars at the back wall and point it downwards. This will create a current the moves from the back bottom of your tank to the front. If you find that 2 strong, try it with the frainbar pointing forward, this will create a current that moves from the front bottom to the back. This will stir up some of the debris in the dead spot.

Not sure how the fish will like the cross current though.

[skimp]

Tried using PVC but water intake always stuck halfway. Do did some minor mods and I think it will hold on.

Placed the rainbar on front and side so water will somehow move around the tank and with luck, hope the debris will find its way.

Bro vinz, unable to stick the intake pipe at the back as there's a background on it.

Bro leafhorn, u did your pipe DIY?

[BFG]

Skimp, wat if u create a small hill at the dead spot. The big, heavy shit will flow around this small hill. In order 4 this 2 work, the hill must be wide so that the water current can grab the shit as the water pass around the base of the hill. Do u get it?

[leafhorn]

No, i got no problem with original eheim pipes.

Dont get too bothered by the shit leh, biological filteration is more important. if got fish sure got shit, and the shit gets thicker and longer when fish grows up.

Even you solved the problem now may not solve it forever when the fishes grows and the shit eventually become as big as french fries, thats when gravel cleaning have to start liao. Or can wait for the big shit to break into smaller pieces or dissolve.

As long as water is crystal clear, its looks good liao. Mine after a feeding will have lotsa shit flying around the tank for half hour before they gets sucked by filter or settle on the ground. And my rock crevices probaby have more shit trapped inside than my filter ahahha, but I dont bother so long the ammonia and nitrite stays at zero reading, which is more important.

Cheer up and read up more on demasonis!

[art]

Originally posted by "leafhorn"


Cheer up and read up more on demasonis!

HAHA LOL....btw HongJinBao told me to call him already , so how ? I am not really free now cos of my exams , leaf , can you take over this ordering ?

I hope he will give a good discount to all of you , just say art told you to call him , think he will know :)

[skimp]

I think bro leafhorn is right, got fish sure got shit. If don't want any shit, might as well put a plastic fish in the tank....confirm no shit...LOL!

Dis some water test and nitrate is 0 and ph is stabilise at 8.3-8.4. Btw, do you guys use any heater?

And yes demasonis, this species will be the king of the Mbuna in my tank. :D

[leafhorn]

No heaters for my 4 ft tanks, at first I wanted to use one last time, hahaha but Art say no need. Reason actually no need because tanks 50 gallon and above at our Singapore atmosphere seldom and rarely have temp flucation. I also dont want the temp too high because it cause fish to be more lively, thus more aggressive, and also it cause fish to product waste faster, gets hungry faster, higher chance of big fish eat small fish, and also higher need of oxygen thus a danger if the tank is overcrowded.

But 2 ft tanks have. Reason is that 2 ft tank might have temp unstable easier, and also, I use the 2 ft for hospital & quartine(higher temp recommended to boast immunity) and also use it for frys, (higher temp means faster grown).

Like that loh.