I really need advice

[GrubbyGirl]

strange, never seen that before.
could some of the filter media be breaking down? may be worth partially replacing some? at least take it out and see if it will cruble or something?
are you using different food? could it be some food waste?
you dont mention any plants? how big is the tank?
for tanks with precious zebs in I run a small internal filter as well for back up - usually the ones with built in UV (aquael) for extra safty against infection.

tank is 125l and does have 4 plants in. I did check the media and it was all in good shape. I thought about food, the only different thing I have fed is Max's earthworm pellets!! Good idea about the second filter, now I have moved over to externals I have plenty of spare internals.

 

[thegeeman]

Your not using cheap media are you?. Mac will be spanking you if you are

Cheers

thegeeman

 

[GrubbyGirl]

I wouldn't dare, it's all genuine eheim media - I know that I would be breaking the law if I didn't, though I believe mac is not so loyal to the eheim media!!

 

[GrubbyGirl]

OK, here's the update. I came home tonight and the water is pristine. Hopefully my dead fish theory was right. Lets hope that it isn't the filter growing something and it will all be back again!!

 

[graham26]

I had a similar problem a few years back done all the big water changes cleaned out filter etc & it turned out to be something in the bogwood
Do you have bogwood in the tank? If so try boiling it or removing it all together

 

[GrubbyGirl]

Yes I do have bogwood, but it's not new, in fact it's been in my community tank for a couple of years, and I did boil it before I put it in with the zebras. If it comes back I'll definitely take it out. Thanks

 

[macvsog23]

I wouldn't dare, it's all genuine eheim media - I know that I would be breaking the law if I didn't, though I believe mac is not so loyal to the eheim media!!

I use

SERA siporax

In my larger Eheim filter

I would never use any form of non Eheim media aprt from Sera Siporax

 

[graham26]

I use

SERA siporax

In my larger Eheim filter

I would never use any form of non Eheim media aprt from Sera Siporax

Try seachem matrix far superior to siporax & substrat pro

 

[GrubbyGirl]

I've seen Matrix and it looks good, but at the moment I have a ton of eheim media to use up first!

 

[weisel]

i no its all abit late now as your tank seems to be ok but i have alot of white flakes in my tanks and worked out it was lime scale. could it have been that ?. u did say somewere you have bare bottom.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

No it wasn't limescale, it just appeared overnight and there was loads of it. It was mushy too! Yep, I am bare bottom, the pick was the bottom of the tank