Filtration question. Problems occurring

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Askaleymanfish

Askaleymanfish

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
May 15, 2014
2,311
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Danville Virginia
Ian it possible to overpack biomedia to tightly in a canister filter? I am useing crushed lava rock in all 3 of my canisters packed to the point where I cannot fit anymore in. I have had ammonia in my tank for almost 3 months now. I ran a fx6 when it started on a 125. Since then I have added a second fx6 to the tank all 3 trays packed with lava rock and sponges on the sidedness and polyfil on the top. Both filters have been running for goin on 2 months and I still have ammonia. I do not over feed and I feed every other day. I have done 70-90% wc every 5-7 days and I still have ammonia. It’s always around .25 when I test it on a daily basis. I’m just not understanding y. I have not cleaned any of my filters in 3 months either so bacteria has had plenty of time to build up. Iv tried many things the only thing left I no to ask is if I may possibly have it packed to tightly
 
i was in the same boat - had two fx-6’s - 2emp 400’s - one fish and ammo.... it was a 20” RTC... but...

maybe a purigen/nitrate reactor? it may eat the ammo?

too packed = less flow - sounds pretty full, maybe take out 10% of the media and let water move around in your filter?

considered a wet / dry?

what’s your stock in the tank?
 
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Stock is 11 bichirs a 6” Oscar and a 10” gar
All r bein moved to a 225 this weekend. The problem is tho my ammonia is .25 with all this fish in it but it was .25 when I had 6 fish in it. So the ammonia is the exact same even with a few fish
 
If your water provider uses chloramine, this could be a reason for the slight ammonia detect.
Chloramine is made by combining 4 or 5 parts free chloramine, with 1 part ammonia, which often leads to slight detect.
When I lived in Wisconsin this was common in my tanks, especially right after a water change.

But-are you regularly cleaning the lava rock in the filters? Rinsing in in tank water?
If not, enough mulm and gunk could be coating its surface to stifle the growth of aerobic beneficial bacteria that also live on its surface.
Usually media that is not cleaned enough will create a nitrate factory out of canisters, but if months go by without a rinse it is feasible that the benificials are being choked or starved out with layers of gunk.
 
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I quote, "I have not cleaned any of my filters in 3 months either so bacteria has had plenty of time to build up".

And what else do you think has had time to build up in all that time?

I don't think you have the numbers of BB you reckon you have, mainly because your flow pattern in your cannisters is hampered/restricted that much that nutrient rich, well oxygenated water isn't feeding your BB sufficiently enough for them to manage the bio load.

The only reason your ammonia isn't higher is probably because you are on the ball with your water changes.

I'd have a good think about the configuration of your media in your cannisters, and how often you clean them.
 
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