Filter clogging WAAAy too fast ?!

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mandoborg

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Jul 27, 2013
Messages
154
Location
RI
Just when i thought i had everything up and running great, along comes another problem !! :banghead: My Whisper30 filter is clogging up and pouring out where the intake tube is, maybe every 3 days max. It's never done this before. My water is still crystal clear, but there is something going wrong. When i take the filter out, it is disgustingly slimey as well. It used to get just dirty/clogged, never covered in slime though. Anyone have any idea what is going on here ? I know this may sound stupid, but the only thing that's changed is i've started feeding my Pleco Zucchini. I figure the more information the better !!! For now i'll continue cleaning the filter every 2-3 days until something gives !!

Thanks as Always,,,,,,,,

Jim

PS This tank has been up and running full on for about a year with no problems at all other than an Algae problem that Rivercats walked me through clearing up. Spotless and crystal clear.
 
One other piece of info that i should pass on is that i changed my filter around a week ago maybe a little more. The old one was just disgustingly slimey and not letting ANY water though it. I replaced it with a new one, but put a single layer of the old one in as well to help seed the new one. Perhaps there was something horribly wrong in the old one that has just transfered to the new one ?? I just rinsed this one a minute ago and put it in and nothings going through it so i'm forced to yet again put a brand new one in, but am hesitent to put anything else in there with it and maybe just let my tank head off into a mini-cycle ??

Jim
 
If you added part of the old one with the new one that would explain why your getting water overflow as those filters just don't allow for any added media. I used the Wisper HOB's for many years and still have a couple but hated them for that reason.

As for the slime the zucchini could be helping but I used to have that problem with those filters and goldfish. Try removing the filter, put the media in a container with tank water and then remove the motor. Next clean all the plastic with hydrogen peroxide as it will kill off everything. Don't rinse it off but take dry paper towels and dry the filter after cleaning with the peroxide. Shake off the media pad in the tank water and see if you still have the same problem. Oh rinse and wipe the motor part as best as you can with water as you don't want to use peroxide in it.

Personally I'd get a proper sized canister filter for the tank which would be so much better IMO and won't clog up in 3 days...lol!
 
Oh I forgot to tell you if you want to try to get away from the zucchini or only use it once a week I've recently in the past 3 months started using New Era Plec pellets. They are kind of soft, don't break down for 24 hours, and more than just plec's love them. I just squish them a touch before dropping them in. I've also been using Repashy Superfoods. They have two types of algae ones. They are powder which you can mix both kinds together, add to boiling water, stir, and it forms a gelatin really fast. It too can sit 24 hours in the tank without going bad or falling apart. I mix small amounts and keep it in the fridge up to 10 days. I just cut off a chunk and drop it in. I feed one of these daily in all my tanks for the bottom feeders and algae eaters although I see a lot of different fish going down for some.
 
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