Mott's ADA 120p "Pathway to nowhere"

Tom, the thing is that my 2026 doesn't reduce in flow all that much even after a year of filtering! I really feel I have everything dialed in perfectly the only thing I noticed was the bba growth followed the filter flow path. In conclusion after everything I have tried to eradicate bba including advice from yourself it had to be a filter cleaning issue. I used to pride myself on seeing how long I could go without cleaning my canisters. I now realize that had to be the culprit. Since I cleaned them out, which has been a month now or more, the bba has been very controllable, nowhere near the level it used to be.

Hehe, yea, somethings we end up imprisoning ourselves eh? I hate dat!
Have you measured the flow rate difference ever? A 1 gal jug x the time = gph.
Clean the CO2 reactor every so often too.

Eheims are great canisters, they are the only ones I use anymore. Did you try excel dosing in conjunction to help with the BBA since you switch to cleaning them more frequently?
Might give it a good kick out the door.

So what about a dirty filter do you think caused BBA?
NO3 reduction to N2? Low N in otherwords..............

Tank looks to be on the mend and better.
 
Hehe, yea, somethings we end up imprisoning ourselves eh? I hate dat!
Have you measured the flow rate difference ever? A 1 gal jug x the time = gph.
Clean the CO2 reactor every so often too.

Eheims are great canisters, they are the only ones I use anymore. Did you try excel dosing in conjunction to help with the BBA since you switch to cleaning them more frequently?
Might give it a good kick out the door.

So what about a dirty filter do you think caused BBA?
NO3 reduction to N2? Low N in otherwords..............

Tank looks to be on the mend and better.


I never measured flow but there is a flow indicator on the 2026 that stays pretty consistent, dropping just a bit when dirty.
Yes I need to clean that reactor!

I use Excel religiously when I have problems which was most of 11 :)

May I say this is just my opinion on the subject but the dirty filter was it. Not by nutrient readings as I use the EI method and all were in check with my 60% weekly water change but I actually watched how it forms! In my case I could see very tiny particles attach to the plants from the filter flow path, as the detritus lands on the plant and sticks to it, it seems to trigger the beginning of bba.
Now the 2026 has some inherent bypass, couple that with not cleaning it for a year and I had a recipe for disaster!

Thanks on the tank :) I need to try some new plants, any suggestions?
 
Thanks Mike! thinking of adding about 50 green neon tetras, had my eye on them for a while and think they would look great in a big school.
 
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