Filter/Bacteria Advice (Fluval U4)

[Paul]

I need to set up my breeding tank for my L260s, now I have 3 Fluval U4 filters.

Filter 1) 1 year old
Filter 2) 6 months old
Filter 3) 1 month old


All decor and substrate is years old and always been in a mature tank. Now, with the filter that's only 1 month old, could I replace both the pads in it, with 1 from filter 1, and 1 from filter 2? Thus making the filter matured without a cycle. But then, will filter 1 and 2 still be alright with just 1 mature pad in them?

No hating fluval stuff please like the last time, really need the advice to get this set up tomorrow.


Paul

 

[Doodles]

Are they the only filters in the tanks? 1 filter per tank?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Probably yes it will be all right, but there is the possibility that your present biological filtration can only just cope, in which case you may run into problems. If you have plants you will definitely be all right (they will preferentially take up ammonia and nitrite before nitrate). Also because the filter pads are a month old they should be fairly biologically active already.

If you are continually having to clean the filters? because the flow rate has dropped?(more frequently than once a week) I would be concerned.

As an insurance I would increase the amount of water changes (this will work best if you have a source of high quality water), I would do at least 10% a day, (and 50% every 5 days is not the same thing). I would also run an air pump if possible, (this is because the breakdown of ammonia uses quite a lot of oxygen).

If you could add some wood or plants from another tank? even better.

I'm not having a go at Fluval (or any other internal filters), but the amount of media you can get in them is fairly pathetic. I now add a "powerhead and koi sponge" to my tanks with internals, they are cheap and effective, and give you a spare cycled sponge for emergencies.

Sponge blocks:
http://www.ketteringkoi.com/acatalog/Filter_Foam_Blocks.html

Have a look here <http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1409>

cheers Darrel

 

[Paul]

@Doodles - 110L tank has Filter 1 & 3 in it, 180L Tank has Filter 2 + Internal Juwel one.

@Darrel - I don't really have to clean the filters often, I always find they're not getting clogged at all. I clean them probably once every 6 weeks or so, but that's just because they're filthy, the flows never been affected. All my tanks have plants + wood and rocks in them. I change 10-20% every other day. The 180L tank has an Air Pump in it, and I do have a spare one.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[Doodles]

110L tank has Filter 1 & 3 in it, 180L Tank has Filter 2 + Internal Juwel one.

Should be fine

 

[Paul]

Under the advice from the others I'm not going to change the tanks now since they seem to be in the mood. Thanks for the advice though and I will set the other tank up some time since I have a few Juvi's that are growing out at the moment.


Paul

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Paul said

I clean them probably once every 6 weeks or so, but that's just because they're filthy, the flows never been affected. All my tanks have plants + wood and rocks in them. I change 10-20% every other day.

Lovely job.
cheers Darrel

 

[DJ-don]

from what i hear an absolute minimum filter flow (excludes powerheads) for a fish tank is 3 times the capacity of the tank an hour but it is recommended to have a flow of 7 times

the ones you have are good because both are about 8+ times the capacity of the tank an hour the mroe the merrier!

 

[Paul]

Yeh I only really keep Hypans so I always go for the high flow rate


Paul