So...while I currently don't have a testing kit for them, my LFS does test for phosphates (and if I'm saying the wrong chemical here please correct me). The last time I tested them they were extremely high.
I do also have an undergravel filter system in the tank that is not being used. So basically I have the grates on the bottom with no tubes going down to them to move anything around. I do weekly water changes and vac the gravel (I haven't had it tested in the last 2 weeks though to see if it's gone down), but could the poop all be trapped down on the bottom and not getting vaced out causing my phoshates to rise?
If that could be the problem is it as simple as moving the gravel out and then taking the grates out or is there more to it?
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
I do also have an undergravel filter system in the tank that is not being used. So basically I have the grates on the bottom with no tubes going down to them to move anything around. I do weekly water changes and vac the gravel (I haven't had it tested in the last 2 weeks though to see if it's gone down), but could the poop all be trapped down on the bottom and not getting vaced out causing my phoshates to rise?
If that could be the problem is it as simple as moving the gravel out and then taking the grates out or is there more to it?
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Oh well, so to update more for anyone who's looking at the same problem as me; here's what happened. I decided to go ahead and remove the undergravel filter as it didn't have a reason to be there and it was the free option. (I like the idea of putting a powerhead on it though, gotta be something else I could do with that idea) When I started pulling it up I could see massive amounts of poo that had fallen through the gravel. After pulling it out the water was filthy. I went ahead and did a major water change and plan to do another either tonight or tomorrow morning to try and get the rest of the pop out.