75gallon

[milkman407]

i have a 80 gallon emperror 500 on my 75 gallon tank when i put the sand it it kinda made my water a lil cloudy. i ran the filter and it seemed to clear up but my bio wheels on the filter slowed down like they have sand in them. should i just go buy 2 more new biowheels or is it fine that the wheels arent spinning as fast? Also my water is starting to clear up but theres alota sand in the filterpads and crap should i wash those out once the water clears up?

i also added a 20gallon filter off of my 10gallon that has no fish in it right now to the tank to help with the cycle.. the 20gallon filter was from a 10gallon that was cycled for like 5 months

 

[Dr Joe]

The bio-wheels turn slower as they load up, it's actually a good thing.

Leave everything as is till cloudiness clears up, (a few days to a week for particulate matter (sand) ) then test the water chemistry.

Did you treat the water for chlorine / chloramine?

Are you doing a fishless cycling?

Watch for ammonia spike.

If the water output from the filter slows considerably then rinse half of the filter material in some water drained off of the main tank (so you don't kill good bacteria in filter). Just dunk in water several times, nothing to too hard. I f sand is bothering the pump motor, just empty it out quickly, rinse and refill with tank water.

You said the 10g was cycled for 5 months...with fish or?

Good luck and keep us posted,

Dr Joe

.

 

[CHOMPERS]

You were supposed to wash the sand before putting it in the tank to get the silt out. I have sand in two of my tanks and I still have a little silt after washing it 12 times. It was getting into my pump shaft inside the filter and slowing the flow to the point that the pump would lock up. To see if you are having this problem too, remove the overflow tube then remove the impeller/pump shaft housing. Take it outside and rinse the pump chamber while holding it upside down. If this solves the problem, it will be in your maintenance schedule for a while until you can get the silt out of the sand. A gravel vac works great for this. The lighter silt flows out easily while the heavier grains tend to stay at the bottom of the gravel vac. Control the water flow with your finger over the hose in your drain bucket. There is ungodly amounts of silt in sand but it is really nice when it is totally clean. My cichlids dig all the time without clouding the water.
Hope this helps,
Ron

 

[dmopar74]

oh and it also says in the manual for your filter that they can and will slow down they only need replacement if damaged.

 

[milkman407]

Lmao the 10gallon was a fish cycle with feeder fish.
i dont use tap water because in florida the chlorine is horrible..
i use a lil thing i hook up to the faucet and it goes through a filter takeing out all chlorine and only putting in pure water..

also the 75gallon is a fish cycle it has 4 neons and 8 goldfish and a pleco i cought...

and my 20gallon filter overheated lmao.. so i put it back on the 10 gallon

everything is clearing up ill rinse the filter out in tank water every now and then

thanks