filter maintenance

[Coler]

I run a Fluval Four Plus internal and the Juwel internal filter in a 180L tank

I have been doing maintenance on alternate filters, alternate months.

By maintenance I mean taking out the sponges and squeezing them out in old tank water, checking impellers.

I can not for the life of me avoid that when I take out the Sponges especially the Juwel Sponges a whole load of crud goes in the tank from the sponges...my tank is not that big, and the debris pretty much ends up widespread through the water column. It all clears up after some hours.

My question is, does this mean I am not doing frequent enough maintenance - should I be swishing the sponges around e.g once a week ? Or is it just the case that an internal filter will cause this to happen.

My other question is is there anything harmful in this filter debris ?

My water parameters have been steady 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, nitrates never over 20 since the tank cycled in March so I'm happy that I am not presently overloading the biological filter. I do 50% water changes once per week minimum, usually do a 30% change once a week as well, with a decent gravel vac.

 

[Shane Reynolds]

I would definitely try a different schedule to see if you could minimize the crud coming off the sponge. I certainly am no expert, but I would be concerned about doing that large of a water change so frequently. Would you be open to considering a small cannister or a HOB filter? I think you might find you got better filtration without the need for such large weekly water changes.

 

[Coler]

yeah I plan to move to a cannister anyways. Doing the water changes of that order doesn't take me any amount of time and certainly is no great trouble...I would consider myself overstocked hence the quantity I'm changing.

the bulk of the debris would be gone after an hour, the rest an hour or two later. I have some polyfilter in each filter which I find great as a water polisher.

 

[Rbishop]

Increase frequency of changes..turn off filter while feeding

 

[Coler]

Increase frequency of changes..turn off filter while feeding

that's frequency of water changes right ? so do 25% twice weekly or similar ?

filters are off while feeding anyways - should have said...I should probably leave them off a touch longer 'til I'm sure food has been fully consumed (it generally doesn't touch the bottom of the tank before its been eaten anyway)...

...although...a thought occurs...I recently added syno catfish which I feed a couple of hours after lights out and I turn the filters off when I put in the food...to let it sink...and then back on again pretty much immediately...so I bet some of that is getting hoovered up by the filters and not the catfish...

 

[Rbishop]

I'd switch to a good HOB or small canister. In the meantime increase the frequency on your internal filter cleanings.

 

[Coler]

aha yup I should and shall do both.

thanks as always