Filter question

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MrHouse99

New Fish
#1
Aug 8, 2003
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#1
Having a bit water problem, hopefully someone can help me:

I have a 20 Gallon SeaClear Acryclic tank and I'm using an AquaClear 200 as a filter. However, the tank is always cloudy eventhough I try and maintain in the best I can. One thing I was thinking was that since this tank is larger in length than most tanks, an undergravel filter would work better. What are anyone's thoughts? I appreciate any advice that's given. Thank you.
 

Lou

Lou

Large Fish
#2
Jul 18, 2003
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#2
This is sort of a can of worms topic. I am in the minority and like UGFs. I started a thread a little while back about how "I hate HOBs" You could look at that for various opinions.

It would be good for you to post number/type of fish in this tank, etc. Maybe you are overstocked. AquaClear filters seem to be people's favorite HOB type filter so it might be that it can't keep up with a crowded tank.
 

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MrHouse99

New Fish
#5
Aug 8, 2003
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#5
Thanks for the input.

I do need to make one correction though, the tank is larger in HEIGHT not length than most 20 gallon tanks.

I have 1 painted tetra, 3 leapord Danios, 3 Brilliant rasboras, 4 neon tetras, 2 dwarf gouramis, 3 Buenos Aire Tetras and a Plecostomus. I've gone by the 1 inch of fish per gallon of tank theory so far.
 

Lou

Lou

Large Fish
#6
Jul 18, 2003
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#6
Plecos can be real mess makers...I had a 20 gal high that I had to get rid of the pleco 'cause it was just too much to maintain. I don't have much experience with stocking rates and different fish, but knowing a 20 gal high personally it looks like you have plenty of fish there...might be the source of the problem rather than an inadequate filter.
 

S

supahtim

Large Fish
#9
Jun 30, 2003
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#9
damn...well this is out of my league then.. sorry

wait...you have a 20 high? maybe if you tried an underground filter with an HOB, the filtration would be more efficient? just a thought...

Tim
 

FroggyFox

FroggyFox

Forum Manager
Moderator
#11
May 16, 2003
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#11
How often do you do water changes and how much? I try to do at least 25% every week-10 days. Do you gravel vac every time? If you dont, you should. Oh, also when was the last time you changed your filter cartridges or rinsed them? I try to rinse them in the tank water I take out every water change or every other water change. If it gunks up real bad it would be a good idea to put a new cartridge in.

Have you tested your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels? If any of them are high that could be another clue.

Is it green? (ie algae) tank near a window?

Tearing a tank apart to add a UGF sounds silly to me, but it might work. I have a UGF and an HOB on my 10G and it definitely does the job...although like Managuense said if you dont keep the gravel clean the UGF won't do its job and will probably end up giving you more problems than you started with. At the very least I would try some other avenues before adding the UGF.
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#12
Oct 22, 2002
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#12
What do you mean by cloudy - green, white - can you see little floating bits? I don't see why height would help a UG - I'd get a cannister
 

Lou

Lou

Large Fish
#14
Jul 18, 2003
497
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SW Wisconsin
www.waysmeet.org
#14
After a change in sponge (rinse or change?) yo can get a bacteria bloom that would look milky. I'm suffering through this sort of thing now and not getting many answers really. I'm going to do a big water change and see if I can get it to stop.

When I figure my setup out I'll get back to you...
 

Lou

Lou

Large Fish
#15
Jul 18, 2003
497
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SW Wisconsin
www.waysmeet.org
#15
After a change in sponge (rinse or change?) you can get a bacteria bloom that would look milky. I'm suffering through this sort of thing now and not getting many answers really. I'm going to do a big water change and see if I can get it to stop.

When I figure my setup out I'll get back to you...
 

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