Yup,,, no reason to leave those filters off after a water change. If anything, turning them on will help mix the water & dechlorinator faster. And as the others said,, once you hear that gurgle of the intake emptying, use a cup and fill the filter back up with tank water. That will stop it from drying out. As soon as you fill it back up, get those filters running again.
I'm Fed Up...Im out of answers
- Thread starter bumpylemon
- Start date
This may sound like a stupid question but I didn't see it specified anywhere...Do you vacuum your gravel when doing water changes? Also, what are your other readings?(nitrite and nitrate)
You could have excessive build-up in your substrate causing all the issues.
You could have excessive build-up in your substrate causing all the issues.
I only read about three pages of this thread and it keeps coming back to the AC110s on the 90 gallon.
Get rid of them and buy a canister that holds more bio media. AC110s are junk when it comes to bio filtration on a large heavily stocked tank. Especially when your using chemicals which convert chlorimines to ammonia.
You don't need to shut your filters off when doing a water change. With that said, I have shut my canister off for a couple hours without injury. I would not chance that at all with a HOB filter which removes water and food from the bacteria.
Before dumping water into your tank, I would treat it first. Maybe get a trash can or something which can hold lots of water, enough to do a 25-50% water change. Treat it and test it to make sure its good before putting it into the tank.
Get rid of them and buy a canister that holds more bio media. AC110s are junk when it comes to bio filtration on a large heavily stocked tank. Especially when your using chemicals which convert chlorimines to ammonia.
You don't need to shut your filters off when doing a water change. With that said, I have shut my canister off for a couple hours without injury. I would not chance that at all with a HOB filter which removes water and food from the bacteria.
Before dumping water into your tank, I would treat it first. Maybe get a trash can or something which can hold lots of water, enough to do a 25-50% water change. Treat it and test it to make sure its good before putting it into the tank.
onther tip +> more oxygen +> better filtration .
water current , move the surface water with an power streamer . water suface mving make uge amount oxygen more , i did it in my 3 meter tank and it the best thing ever .
and i now some with champoin duscus fish with huge water blowers and they are healthey as you can get them to be
water current , move the surface water with an power streamer . water suface mving make uge amount oxygen more , i did it in my 3 meter tank and it the best thing ever .
and i now some with champoin duscus fish with huge water blowers and they are healthey as you can get them to be
Jgray152;2455875; said:
I don't think it has anything to do with the AC110's (unless he is never rinsing the sponges) His stocking is not that heavy because the fish are small. I have a 90 gallon and also run 2 AC110's I have never had a problem with ammonia and I am stocked quite a bit heavier then he is. Canister filters are not always the best way to go if you don't care for them right because they can be nitrate factories if you don't know what your doing with them. I still think there is another underlying factor here. I would also go with the suggestion of Prime people have given you because if your tank is going thru another cycle this will definitely help. Still the rest of your water parameters would also be helpful.
Ok, not to hijack but I think others would benefit from me asking this...why are you guys turning off your filters during a water change? I have 55 gallon, I use a 5 gallon water jug with declorinator mixed in the jug before I put into my tank, I do 25% w/c every week and I never turn the filters off, water level never get below my intake tube.
Canisters are nitrate factorys? You don't think HOBs can be nitrate factorys? Whats this about "caring for them right". You clean and care for them like ANY filter. There is no special way to take care of a canister filter.
With that said, HOBs can produce nitrates just like canisters. AC11os have a large sponge which can hold lots of crap. .... Nitrates....
I think it might be filter maintence if its only happening every 4 or 5 months. When you clean them do you clean both at 1 time. Or change media from both at one time like filter floss or carbon cartridges? I would deffinatly use prime. I shut my filters off at every w/c add prime then refill the tank. Never had any problems. But i alternate my filter maintence only changing some media or cleaning one side every couple weeks so as not to disturb the BB.
Jgray152;2456800; said:
Canisters CAN be nitrate factories IF not maintained properly. Yes HOB can also produce nitrates but for someone with less experience HOB are easier to take care of. Canisters hold a lot more media to cause nitrate buildup then a HOB. I wasn't saying anything bad about what you said or that is was wrong...Just pointing out a different perspective.
