Filtering

[B90]

I'm sure this question has been asked a million times but want to know if i should or not. I have a heavily stocked african cichlid tank with a few cleaners and loaches. Water is crystal clear but I always having floating white pieces 24/7. I have a 400 litre tank with a fluval fx4. Any ideas on how to rid this annoying stuff in the tank? I have a fluval fx5 that I recently picked up and am wondering if I should swt it up in the tank and run them both? Would this help to remove this stuff in the water?

Extra info: ammonia 0 nitrate 0 nitrates 10ppm

 

[Aiken Drum]

An FX4 is plenty for a 400 litre tank. No need for more filtration.

How long has this been going on? How long have you had the tank?

Do you know your water parameters?

What media do you have in the filter? Mechanical, biological, chemical?

What have you tried so far to clear up the issue? Water changes? Adding polishing media to the filter? Water clarifiers?

Is this white stuff only floating round in the water or can you see it growing anywhere? Like maybe on a piece of driftwood?

Are you able to get a photo of it?

 

[B90]

Tank about 4 months and I would say happening for for the last month.

Ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrates about 20ppm ph 7.8 (african cichlid tank) I am quite heavily stocked with fish.

Mechanical, biological, chemical? All but chemical. Filtration that comes with the fx4 plus blue pads and some fluval matrix.

Yes do weekly water changes of around 30-50%. Tried some flocullants which did nothing.

Just floating not Growing any where. No driftwood in the tank only holy rock for ph raising and some ornaments

photo unfortunately not is not really visual as ther are quite small

 

[Aiken Drum]

Have you done any filter maintenance since setting it up? Rinse out the sponges and biomedia? Change any polishing media?

 

[B90]

Yes doing the filter once a month. Rinsing/washing in tank water

 

[Aiken Drum]

It could be decaying uneaten food. Make sure you arent over feeding.

Try turning off the filter. If it then floats on the surface lay a paper towel on the surface and it should pick up the white stuff as you remove the towel.

 

[B90]

Will give it a go thanks mate

 

[gilpi]

White stuff... is it a film or actual particles? I usually run overstocked tanks most of the times and also run canisters but to get rid of the film on the surface I have to break the water surface either with a HOB or bubbles.

 

[B90]

It's particles throughout the water column. Surface is broken with bubbles also. Try to get as much of the surface moving as possible so that there isn't any build up on the top and for oxygen of course