Insufficient Filtration

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I have to agree with Pete, when using a drip plate, mats/pads go on top of the plate allowing the water to be sprayed evenly over the mats then running through to the drip plate and evenly distributed through the holes of the drip plate. Not below the drip plate. Also clean the mats out regularly and stir the bio media occasionally also helps prevent channeling.
Personally I don't use matting I use filter socks before the bio media and change them once a week. But that is my preference.

On a side note, you posted a pic of the curled ray in the ray forum. What is the brown stuff sitting in the corner and on top of the dead ray. Is it ray crap/fish crap (appears to be), if so do you always have so much sitting in your system. (could be part of your PH dropping issue on top of the possible sump setup) Again, if it is you need water directed to the bottom to circulate it so it can be removed from the system by either the canister filter and or sump. If it is food you shouldn't have that much sitting around in the bottom of the tank either.

Sorry for the loss of the ray.
 
messesb52 said:
I have no idea what your talking about here... Everything that was suggested i did... I added a canister filter as well as added seachem stability. Now what exactly else was suggested that i didn't do?
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On 2/10, you mentioned going out and getting it, never said you had gotten it or used it and/or then posted the results afterwards. Were we to assume that you tried it and it didn't work? Did you notice any change once you added the stability?

I think Pete is on to something, but that honestly goes beyond my understanding as I've never had to dig into it. My PH stays very high all the time.

But anyway, sorry to hear it passed. losing fish that you have that much time and effort into really sucks.
 
ShadowStryder said:
I have to agree with Pete, when using a drip plate, mats/pads go on top of the plate allowing the water to be sprayed evenly over the mats then running through to the drip plate and evenly distributed through the holes of the drip plate. Not below the drip plate. Also clean the mats out regularly and stir the bio media occasionally also helps prevent channeling.
Personally I don't use matting I use filter socks before the bio media and change them once a week. But that is my preference.

On a side note, you posted a pic of the curled ray in the ray forum. What is the brown stuff sitting in the corner and on top of the dead ray. Is it ray crap/fish crap (appears to be), if so do you always have so much sitting in your system. (could be part of your PH dropping issue on top of the possible sump setup) Again, if it is you need water directed to the bottom to circulate it so it can be removed from the system by either the canister filter and or sump. If it is food you shouldn't have that much sitting around in the bottom of the tank either.

Sorry for the loss of the ray.
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Thats fish crap and yes I always have that much in my tank.
 
PeteLockwood said:
If your pH is 6 now, I'm gonna guess that your source water pH is closer to or even just above 7. pH of 6 with ammonia (ammonium) in the tank won't kill the ray quickly but then you do your water change and the pH will temporarily increase, potentially resulting in the ammonium becoming free ammonia for a period before the pH drops again.

With the pH that low, as others have said, your biological filter isn't functioning at max and may be going completely dormant (and the standard pH test can't measure below 6 so if it's lower your situation is even worse).

A good pH is a stable pH, certainly when you don't understand the consequences of having a low or fluctuating pH. You can add baking soda to help stabilize it but the effect will not last long. Go do some research and learn about KH and pH and their effect on the biological filter and ammonia.

I also still think your filter is set up wrong despite what you were told by the guy that built/set it up. If you want to learn, maybe look up "channeling" as relates to filters, I expect you'll find some info - or just believe me.

I'm (especially) sorry your ray died, I'm sorry I didn't see your thread before (I only read the ray forum) but hopefully you can learn something here so that you'll have success in the future.
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This...


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PeteLockwood said:
If your pH is 6 now, I'm gonna guess that your source water pH is closer to or even just above 7. pH of 6 with ammonia (ammonium) in the tank won't kill the ray quickly but then you do your water change and the pH will temporarily increase, potentially resulting in the ammonium becoming free ammonia for a period before the pH drops again.

With the pH that low, as others have said, your biological filter isn't functioning at max and may be going completely dormant (and the standard pH test can't measure below 6 so if it's lower your situation is even worse).

A good pH is a stable pH, certainly when you don't understand the consequences of having a low or fluctuating pH. You can add baking soda to help stabilize it but the effect will not last long. Go do some research and learn about KH and pH and their effect on the biological filter and ammonia.

I also still think your filter is set up wrong despite what you were told by the guy that built/set it up. If you want to learn, maybe look up "channeling" as relates to filters, I expect you'll find some info - or just believe me.

I'm (especially) sorry your ray died, I'm sorry I didn't see your thread before (I only read the ray forum) but hopefully you can learn something here so that you'll have success in the future.
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Spot on!
 
Code:
I had the same problem with low Ph and lost a couple arowanas and almost lost my rays. While I was in a pet store talking with the owner an elderly Chinese person overheard my conversation. I was using RO water at the time and doing large daily water changes. Ammonia would drop after water change then spike back up a couple hours later. What he told me was that the beneficial bacteria can survive in low Ph but doesn't reproduce. He told me to stop using RO and go back to tap water doing small daily water changes. 2 weeks later my ammonia was under control and I didn't lose any more fish.

Hope this help for you. Sorry for your loss.
 
I had the same problem with low Ph and list a couple arowanas and almost lost my rays. While I was in a pet store talkin with the owner an elderly Chinese person overheard my conversation. I was using RO water at the time and doing large daily water changes. Ammonia would drop after water change then spike back up a couple hours later. What the Chinese guy told me is your beneficial bacteria can survive in low Ph but doesn't reproduce. He told me to stop using RO and go back to tap water doing small daily water changes. 2 weeks later my ammonia was under control and I didn't lose any more fish.
 
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