Filter problem

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sproutyrouty

Aquarium Advice Regular
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Feb 5, 2015
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So I've had my tank up and running with fish for around 3 weeks. It's fully cycled etc and readings are currently normal.

When I first set up the tank I was told to stock tank which wasn't cycled. I lost 2 fish as they got sucked into the back of the filter (not both at the same time) I was told that this was because they were weak due to tank not cycling.

Today I've gone to feed the fish and noticed I'm missing 1 of my cardinals.
Hunted the tank everywhere for it and I thought I'll check the back of the filter and lone behold there it is stuck sideways on the filter. All fish were active and normal last night before I went to bed.

I've attached a picture of the back of the filter when its attached it's the filter i received with my tank when I bought it.

Does anyone have any ideas why this is happening?

ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1427794851.834268.jpg


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It was stuck pretty much exactly opposite the black part sticking out at the top.


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Filters pull things in, that how it cleans the water. If cardinals are anything like neons then you may have just got a weak one. It died and over time your filter sucked it up like everything else. A water change is always good if you lose a fish just in case.


Caleb

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The cardinal that died was huge it was my biggest one and had no signs of being weak or stressed, they are all really active and chase one another all the time.

Funnily enough I just did a water change last night.

I'm concerned that this is now the 3rd time this has happened. Is this a good filter or just crap that comes with the tank?


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I forget to mention about a week ago another one got stuck luckily I pulled it off the filter in time. Not sure if it's the same one though.


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I'd look into an external filter, HOB or canister. You just need to look at ways to make the suction of the intake weaker. Strong enough to pull in waste but not fish. Pantyhose over the intake, using an Aquaclear sponge cut to fit over the intake, turning flow rate down, all viable options.

If it were me though I'd look into getting a hang on back filter though, make sure it has adjustable flow and is the right capacity for your tank. It's usually easier to customize them to fit your needs.

It's like if you stuck the hose of a vacuum on your arm. Just bare and the hose sticks onto your arm from the suction, but if you were to put a piece of fabric in between the hose and your arm, you'd still feel the suction but it wouldn't be enough to stick to your arm.

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A healthy fish will never get sucked into an appropriately sized filter. Regardless if it HOB, Canister, or in tank.

The problem is that the fish died and then got sucked into the filter rather than the other way around.

What are the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings on the tank? How about pH?
 
A healthy fish will never get sucked into an appropriately sized filter. Regardless if it HOB, Canister, or in tank.



The problem is that the fish died and then got sucked into the filter rather than the other way around.



What are the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings on the tank? How about pH?


Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
Ph 7.5

The filter is for a max of a 40L tank and was sold with the tank, not as an add on as inside from the manufacture, I can't adjust the flow it's one setting.

I'm very skeptical that it was sucked in after dying, due to one getting caught before.


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The filter is for a max of a 40L tank and was sold with the tank, not as an add on as inside from the manufacture, I can't adjust the flow it's one setting.

I'm very skeptical that it was sucked in after dying, due to one getting caught before.

The tank recommendations are just that, recommendations. Up to 10x the tank volume in flow per hour is perfectly acceptable levels for a tank.

If I am looking at the correct filter the flow rate on yours is 300LPH which is high, but not unreasonable.

Let's take my 40g breeder as an example:

In my 40b I run a Sunsun HW-304b canister filter.
Amazon.com : SunSun HW-304B 5-Stage External Canister Filter with 9-watt UV Sterilizer, 525 GPH : Aquarium Filters : Pet Supplies

This filter is rated for 150g tank and has a flow of approximately 525 gph. This gives my tank 13x the tank flow per hour. It's higher than what I shoot for, but I negate that by using a spray bar which cuts down the current.

The thing is, that regardless of how the flow is distributed, it is still sucking in 525gph in an area that is 2 finger widths in diameter and I've never had a fish get sucked to the filter and die.

The stock I have / had while using this filter includes:
Cardinal tetras
Various plecos
Angels
GBRs
Rasbora
Guppies
Killifish
Guppies
Synodontis Petricola
Gouramis
Some more that I'm probably forgetting

While I've never had fish get stuck to a filter, I have on the other hand had fish get lazy and just lay against the filter intake. They were perfectly fine and swam away when I put the net in the tank.


What I'm getting at with this is that healthy fish just don't get killed by filters. Depending on the source, cardinal tetras can be kind of fragile at times. Especially because many of them are wild caught.
 
While I've never had fish get stuck to a filter, I have on the other hand had fish get lazy and just lay against the filter intake. They were perfectly fine and swam away when I put the net in the tank.

What I'm getting at with this is that healthy fish just don't get killed by filters. Depending on the source, cardinal tetras can be kind of fragile at times. Especially because many of them are wild caught.


Yeh I get that I mean my betta usually sleeps on top of the filter but he's def not gona get sucked up by it he's too big.
Suppose I'll keep an eye on it and see if we have any more victims, I did a 50% change this morning and cleaned the filter in the old water.

Fingers crossed this is a one off, the other time I could understand as the tank wasn't cycled but now it's fully cycled and has been for 3-4 weeks now.


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So checked my water today and everything is normal except the ammonia has spiked to 0.5ml hopefully it will drop by the morning


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So checked my water today and everything is normal except the ammonia has spiked to 0.5ml hopefully it will drop by the morning


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Do a water change. It's not likely to just "drop". 0.5 is toxic and I'm sure you care for the health of your fish soooo water change 50% or more now! :)


Caleb

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Do a water change. It's not likely to just "drop". 0.5 is toxic and I'm sure you care for the health of your fish soooo water change 50% or more now! :)


Caleb

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Thanks ive done a change I'll check it in the morning, I cleaned the filter yesterday maybe that has something to do with it I did do it in old water though not fresh, just noticed also my temperature has dropped to 23 degrees from 26 degrees.

My big concern is that the heater is turned upto 32 degrees but doesn't seem to be keeping it high.


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