How solve floating debrisproblem?

[Raven_]

Hi, i have for a long time had problem with debris floating around and wonder whats the reason for it.

150*60*60cm aquarium, true volume is 500L with 4x36w of light 10hours a day.
Main filtration is a Fluval 403 filled with coarse sponge, outlet is aimed at the surface and intake is at the left frontcorner on the substrate.
I also have some additional filtration, an aquaclear50(1000L/H) that draws water through a bottle with filterwool and outlet is near the surface with a 45degree angel down, i also have a maxijet 750 hooked up to a fluval surface skimmer to remove surface film and the outlet have been sawed off to improve flowrate and give a broader stream of water along the substrate at th front of the aquarium.

6 silverharks, 12-16cm in length.
7 clown loaches, 7-12cm
1 black ghost 17cm
1 adult scalare
4 Xiphorphorus macalatus
2 Crossocheilus oblongus
1 Poecilia reticulata

Waterchanges is 35-50% once or twice a month.
Dont have lots of plants but a bit more than average, some of them doesnt look to good at the moment due to malnutrition, have my fair share of algaes but nothing serious.
Substrate is 2-5mm rounded stones in a 7-8cm thick layer.

Is the fluval 403 flawed in any way so it have trouble catching small debris?
Is coarse sponge so coarse so smaller particles can flow right through?
The fluval 403 have a flowrate of around 1100L/H, is that not enough to efficiently filter out debris?
The fluval 403 have a 5.4litre filtervolume, is that to little to effieciently filter out debris?
The fishes are feed 2-4 times a week with 1tablespoon of food, is that part of the debris problem?
Is the aquarium overstocked with fish which causes the problem with debris?

I also have 2 questions regarding my future build, im thinking of building either one complete filter or a purely biological filter working in series/parallel with a mechanical filter.
I will build something that have more volume for biological filtration than the fluval 403 but is there any need to go higher than 10litre?
Lets say i build a 10litre of good working biological filter, how low flowrate can be used before the biological filtration starts to fail?

Any thoughts, ideas or comments is appreciated.
Regards.

 

[cassharper]

1) get a higher volume filter, the fluval 404(3) is ok for the right sized tank.
2) to get the most bang for your buck get a fluidized bed filter. sand is held in a chamber and the water flow keeps it suspended. pentair makes one, though they're not too hard to make on your own. flow is kept pretty slow through them.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

You could try to cover your media with a micron pad, or use a powerhead with respective attachment.
At the end, a filter with better mech option (foam, higher flow rate) will help. I had to upgrade my Eheim 2080 with an Eheim 2262 for my 800L tank to take care of debris floating around.

HarleyK

 

[DiXoN]

for clearing floating stuff i always add an internal filter which just polishes the water.

 

[iloveoscars702]

polishing pads.. or poeple use quilt batting to pick up debris. ima buy some soon and see how it works out

 

[chesterthehero]

polishing pad, filterfloss, batting.. all prettymuch the same stuff and they all work great for polishing.. internal filters or powerheads with filter attachments are great for this

 

[Raven_]

2) to get the most bang for your buck get a fluidized bed filter. sand is held in a chamber and the water flow keeps it suspended. pentair makes one, though they're not too hard to make on your own. flow is kept pretty slow through them.[/i]

At the moment im looking for something big, cheap and easy to build filter to replace the fluval 403 completly which can hold the already cycled filtermedia, but FDF could be interesting in the future if i can solve a few problems around it.

Btw, is it possible to run "UGF -> pump -> FDF"?

You could try to cover your media with a micron pad,

Which micron size would be good to start with?

or use a powerhead with respective attachment.

Have tried aquaclear quickfilter and filtering over polyfiber with an aquaclar50 but wasnt enough.

quilt batting...

Is it the same as polyfiber?

 

[HarleyK]

You could try to cover your media with a micron pad

Which micron size would be good to start with?

100-200 [FONT=&quot]μ[/FONT]

 

[johnptc]

2) to get the most bang for your buck get a fluidized bed filter. sand is held in a chamber and the water flow keeps it suspended. pentair makes one, though they're not too hard to make on your own. flow is kept pretty slow through them.
Posted via Mobile Device

i have only seen these used as a bio filter



for floating debris a surface skimmer is great

for debris suspended in the water try adding a rio or two to increase the general circulation in the tank.........can make a huge difference with existing filtration. i would recommend a circular flow directed by the filter returns and the rio type pumps

 

[Raven_]

100-200 [FONT=&quot]μ[/FONT]

Ok.
Would 15-25 mikron have any negative effects?

i have only seen these used as a bio filter

If i go with a sandfilter it will be in a box ontop of the aquarium so filtering the water afterwards shouldnt be any problem.

for floating debris a surface skimmer is great

Yup have one, fluval surface skimmer.

for debris suspended in the water try adding a rio or two to increase the general circulation in the tank.........can make a huge difference with existing filtration.

Fluval 403 1100L/H, 1/3 filled with coarse sponge and 2/3 recently filled(5 days ago) with fine sponge.
Aquaclear50 1000L/H powering a temporary internal filter with coarse sponge.
Aquaclear50 powering a small internal filter with polyfiber.
Maxijet 750 670L/H running 10hours a day hooked up to a surface skimmer.