Excessive Waste

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Agree with above, stock and parameters sound good. Up water changes, adjust flow or increase it. Remember cichlids produce a fair bit of solid waste.
 
You say you've currently got the same turnover as you did one and a half years ago, before the fish waste became a problem? Are you confident about that? It seems to me like this problem has crept upon you gradually which leads me to think that your turnover has gradually decreased making it impossible for the fish waste to be taken away like it used to be.

I maintain my pumps around 2 or 3 times per year. I get an old toothbrush and thoroughly clean built up bio film and slime from the impeller and inside chamber. I also give my return lines a good clean. Once started back up, surprise surprise, I seem to have more flow.

Do you regularly maintain your pump and plumbing? Maybe, over time, your flow has decreased due to lack of maintainance.

It is very easy to test your turnover with a bucket and a stopwatch. Test now, and then again after pump and plumbing clean out. You may be surprised, it might even solve your issue.
 
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esoxlucius said:
You say you've currently got the same turnover as you did one and a half years ago, before the fish waste became a problem? Are you confident about that? It seems to me like this problem has crept upon you gradually which leads me to think that your turnover has gradually decreased making it impossible for the fish waste to be taken away like it used to be.

I maintain my pumps around 2 or 3 times per year. I get an old toothbrush and thoroughly clean built up bio film and slime from the impeller and inside chamber. I also give my return lines a good clean. Once started back up, surprise surprise, I seem to have more flow.

Do you regularly maintain your pump and plumbing? Maybe, over time, your flow has decreased due to lack of maintainance.

It is very easy to test your turnover with a bucket and a stopwatch. Test now, and then again after pump and plumbing clean out. You may be surprised, it might even solve your issue.
Click to expand...
Good point
 
esoxlucius said:
You say you've currently got the same turnover as you did one and a half years ago, before the fish waste became a problem? Are you confident about that? It seems to me like this problem has crept upon you gradually which leads me to think that your turnover has gradually decreased making it impossible for the fish waste to be taken away like it used to be.

I maintain my pumps around 2 or 3 times per year. I get an old toothbrush and thoroughly clean built up bio film and slime from the impeller and inside chamber. I also give my return lines a good clean. Once started back up, surprise surprise, I seem to have more flow.

Do you regularly maintain your pump and plumbing? Maybe, over time, your flow has decreased due to lack of maintainance.

It is very easy to test your turnover with a bucket and a stopwatch. Test now, and then again after pump and plumbing clean out. You may be surprised, it might even solve your issue.
Click to expand...
Definitely a possibility. It’s a HOB filter. And I do not maintain regularly (or as much as I should). Should I just take apart the entire filter and give it a good cleaning? Realize I need to keep some of the beneficial bacteria as well.
 
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I'd love if the waste in my tank all collected in one spot. Then I can suck it out rather than it going into the filters.
 
What kind of filtration do you have? and increasing flow is not a bad idea along with vacuuming visible waste if waste is too big for the vacuum, net it out. Your levels are good tho.
 
Gravel vac above those spots. Sand kinda sucks for that reason. Water flow towards your filtration will help it get sucked up in-between maintenance.
 
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