Walmart Alumnus

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Viktor Jarikov
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Re: Walmart Alumnus

Post by Viktor Jarikov »

I don't find this crazy but rather normal. We must find which one of my explanations is true, up the filtration or the stirring or both if needed.

If you see NO2, go on with the salt detox as before, paying attention to the amount and erring on the safe side - it is 100x better to add more than less.

Bas is talking fins, not gills. But you detox ammonia, so this is moot.

Nothing can retain ammonia in your tank, not sand, not decor, not filter etc. Your fish breathes it out just like we breathe out CO2. Plus a smaller contribution from feces, rotting debris if any, etc. No other source of ammonia in your tank.

New filter cannot make any parameter of concern here any worse but only better with time as it is seeded with bacteria floating in the water column in your tank (0.1% of them float, 99.9% sit tight in their colonies, that clear or off white slime that covers everything in tank - this is your good, needed bacteria.
Thebiggerthebetter
fish-story.com
Viktor Jarikov
Posts: 5264
Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 20:11
My images: 11
My cats species list: 25 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 4
Location 1: Naples, FL
Location 2: USA

Re: Walmart Alumnus

Post by Viktor Jarikov »

Don't miss my post at 12:10 pm please.
Thebiggerthebetter
fish-story.com
AMT
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Re: Walmart Alumnus

Post by AMT »

Hi, I just got your reply, Viktor.

40 gal. And yes, good memory; I did place another filter. Same kind, Marineland 200, to go with the 350 (which is supposed to cover up to a 70 gal tank, I believe). But the 200 crapped out after a mere week.

I never touched the biowheels. Hubby has rinsed the charcoal cartridges a couple of times. He also said they were a mucky brown. I cautioned him against using tap water to rinse them, because of the chlorine, but he continued to do so. When I cleaned out the actual filter, I used distilled water and left both the cartridges and biowheels alone.

Poop would get stuck in the decorations, and because we weren't positive the decor wasn't spiking the ammonia, we removed everything.

For the food, I was under the impression to not feed until the water was crystal clear. Once it cleared up, I started feeding him. So, you're saying not to feed at all, until ammonia is absent? I misunderstood.

We have two bubblers going on. One is the line kind, and another is just an air-stone for a decoration (that was removed).

Just a note, he lived in his other tank with the same kind, but smaller version, of filter for 10 years. All was well. We bought the bigger version for this tank and I honestly think it's the crux of our problems. Do you recommend we change filters, and if so, do you have any suggestions (that won't break the bank?)

As always, any info is greatly, greatly appreciated!
AMT
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Re: Walmart Alumnus

Post by AMT »

Apparently, we're writing at the same time.
Viktor Jarikov
Posts: 5264
Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 20:11
My images: 11
My cats species list: 25 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 4
Location 1: Naples, FL
Location 2: USA

Re: Walmart Alumnus

Post by Viktor Jarikov »

40 gal. And yes, good memory; I did place another filter. Same kind, Marineland 200, to go with the 350 (which is supposed to cover up to a 70 gal tank, I believe). But the 200 crapped out after a mere week.
***The gallonage is a rough guide. What really matters is the bioload, or roughly the weight / body volume of the fish in your tank. Your channel catfish at 1' length may be roughly equivalent to a few hundred of neon tetras in bioload. Now a few hundred tetras is probably a LOT more than an average hobbyist keeps in a 70 gal, let alone 40 gal, hence your filtration may easily, easily be undersized.

I never touched the biowheels. Hubby has rinsed the charcoal cartridges a couple of times. He also said they were a mucky brown.
***IMhumO, you are wasting space inside your filter and money with the charcoal filtration. If my experience is of any example, I have NEVER used charcoal (that is chemical) filtration, which I deem rather a sales gimmick than a beneficial thing for wide use. You'll serve yourself a huge favor by using the space to hold biomedia, for biological filtration, which is our current problem at hand.

I cautioned him against using tap water to rinse them, because of the chlorine, but he continued to do so.
***This is not your biomedia, so what you rinse it with doesn't matter much, but in the light of the foregoing, I'd say this is moot.

When I cleaned out the actual filter, I used distilled water and left both the cartridges and biowheels alone.
***OK. What's there left to clean then? An intake sponge (the mechanical part of filtration), is all?

Poop would get stuck in the decorations, and because we weren't positive the decor wasn't spiking the ammonia, we removed everything.
***If your decor causes an accumulation of detritus (can be a source of ammonia), removing it for now sounds sensible. Otherwise, regular vacuum plus better stirring and more powerful filtration with regular mechanical sponge rinsing usually take care of this.

For the food, I was under the impression to not feed until the water was crystal clear. Once it cleared up, I started feeding him. So, you're saying not to feed at all, until ammonia is absent? I misunderstood.
***You didn't misunderstand. You have confused two advisors. I have never mentioned the clear water as the signal to begin to feed. Jools has. Why? I don't know. I am sure if you asked or if he had time, he'd explain. I maintain my initial suggestion of ZERO ammonia as the signal to start feeding little by little.

We have two bubblers going on. One is the line kind, and another is just an air-stone for a decoration (that was removed).
***Strength matters. What size tanks are they rated for?

Just a note, he lived in his other tank with the same kind, but smaller version, of filter for 10 years. All was well.
***You likely fed the fish far less versus now, per our advice.

We bought the bigger version for this tank and I honestly think it's the crux of our problems. Do you recommend we change filters, and if so, do you have any suggestions (that won't break the bank?)
***Biowheel filters are some of the best for biological filtration, they say, but they have ratings and limits. If your 350 is not coping, it is not enough. But this can be established with the procedure I have suggested above: get the ammonia to ZERO ppm, start feeding little by little increasing the amount over weeks (better yet 1-2 months because your tank is still cycling, meaning your bacteria are still growing), not days, and keeping track of ammonia, to find out your biofiltration limit. Once we know this, we can add more filtration (another filter or replace with bigger) and stirring, as needed.
Thebiggerthebetter
fish-story.com
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