Cannot get the water clean

[Zerc]

So i have had this new tank for a few weeks, and i have been hoping it would clear up. My tank water is just not clear or clean! my filters are cycled, they have been running for months. I have a 240 on an 8' footprint instead of a 120 on a 6' footprint. My two filters are a rena xp3 and xp4. They are hooked to an overflow. My problem is i have crap floating in the water! chunks of.. i dont even know, fish waste of some sort. This stuff is not making it into the overflow, i cannot run my fan or it stirs up even more off the sand. the fish movement and filter output stir up enough already. The only difference is i have a sand substrate instead of gravel, and at this point i am seriously considering removing the sand and going bare bottom or putting in gravel to trap this stuff. are there any other better options?!

As far as water changes, ive been doing 10-25% at least once per week. I did two in the last week hoping it would help but i cannot see any difference.

oh, and i have less bioload than i did in the 120.


:wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall: :wall:

 

[fishman09]

10-25% weekly is just not enough in my opinion and the poopies may be from lack of gravel vacs. i reccomend at least 50% weekly with an additional 10% gravel vac weekly. o? my 240 i do two 50% changes and one 20% gravel vac weekly.

 

[sandnuka]

wow, I disagree big time with fishman.... I think that is waaaaay too much water changeing for a newer tank.... You have a sump, and a canister filter right?? Thats what I had in my tank, never had a problem, but of course my fish dont poop nearly as much or as large as yours.... if I was in your situation I would just vacume the sand once a week....

I just re-read the post... your dont have a sump running??? Ok, I would run the sump with the overflow... and use a regular intake with a long extension that reaches the sand with the canister filters...

 

[Zerc]

There are no cutouts for a regular intake/return for the canister filters.

Also, i cannot use a sump because i have toddlers, but why would a canister filter be so different than a sump for keeping the water clean?

 

[Zerc]

I could (if i have to) buy another canister filter and just drop the intake/output in the top of the tank, but it would be right in the middle not against an edge.

Today i think i will take out all the black moon sand and replace it with the larger gravel i had, my 120 was always clean...

 

[sandnuka]

My previous larger tanks always had a sump with an overflow... (that kinda got the high floating debri) and a canister filter with its intake near the bottom (usually pulled all the lower stuff to it)... Ive never had a problem at all....

So you have an overflow but no holes drilled?? If thats the case, I just would use the normal canisters intake and set it up to near the bottom... and maybe the middle with the second one.... dont put them in the overflow.

I have my first larger tank running (110gal) and this is the first one I am only using a sump with overflow... Hope it works, now you got me worried... although I do have a 1350gph pump that really blows stuff around that tank... was thinking it was too much. lol

 

[Zerc]

The problem is i dont have a place on this tank to hang a normal intake, it is an acrylic with no holes in the top except for the two square access holes in the middle. I dont know what it would look like to hang an intake down in the middle of the tank.

WTB GLASS TANK!

 

[fishman09]

buy a hole saw drill holes in the top where you want the intake and out. on acrylic tanks drilling is super easy. then you can have them in the back of the tank like on glass tanks

 

[Madness]

Until you have witnessed for yourself the difference in water quality and clarity, between a canister and a wet/dry, you will never understand. Maybe you can try using a large sponge filter in a back corner of the tank with a large power head on it. It has worked well for me.

 

[Zerc]

my issue is the chunks of crap are just not making it into the overflow. I would MUCH prefer a wet/dry(i used to have one) but I am not going to get one until my kids are older.

the sponge idea is GREAT! I will try that asap.

 

[sandnuka]

I liked the drilling holes idea! thats what I was going to suggest.

 

[Zerc]

Is drilling holes while it is full of water safe?

 

[Zerc]

I have a hole saw, i think its 1 inch, maybe 1.25 inches. Maybe I can bribe one of you guys to come drill some holes for me

Ill definitely buy a 3rd canister filter if that will fix my problem.

 

[sandnuka]

Im sure you could think of a clever way to not get acrylic dust in the water.... and Im sure a couple drops wont kill the fish if it were to fall in. I would come out there, wanted to see your tanks anyway, but your too far... and I just dont have the time to make a 3 hour round trip ride to drill a couple holes.... if its not taken care of next time Im up there, I will gladly help

 

[GilbertonFisher]

i have a canister filter running up and over the lip of my acrylic tank. its an FX5, came with clips that you use to force the hose the bend to a short radius 180. i put them on the lip of the opening and suction cupped the intake as low as i could to the back panel. it created a strange P shape but made it easier to hide the intake behind my rocks.

if you decide to replace your acrylic tank let me know, i need to replace mine.

 

[Zerc]

Maybe i will go look at XP4s tonight.

 

[hobbyorobsession]

how are the media buckets arranged in your canister filters?

 

[Zerc]

I have 7 baskets, 3 of them are foam and 4 of them are ceramic noodles.

(it might be the other way around, but i would have to take it apart to check)

 

[Zerc]

I sat and watched my tank for quite a while, none of the fish waste is actually making it up to the top of the tank, it just floats around at about half depth.

:wall:


It sounds like I am going to need to buy another filter.

 

[sandnuka]

I think you just need to not use the overflow.... you dont neccessarily have to buy another filter... put the intake in the tank instead of the overflow by drilling. it will make a huge difference.