Lots Of Waste - Is My Filter Broken??

[callycal]

I have a 60l biorb which has been running for about 8 weeks, I did a fish in cycle and my water parameters are great and have been for about 2 weeks.

I have 3 male guppies in my tank, who get along great and all seem really happy and healthy.

As I did a fish in cycle I was doing water changes of around 50% every day or every other day to keep on top of the water.

The problem is that there is a hell of a lot of waste in the tank, which is especially visible after a pwc. I vacuum the gravel on every pwc and get a lot out, but it's impossible to get it all without changing too much water! I'm still doing a 50% water change every 2-3 days now just to try and get rid of the poo! Is this normal??

The filter sponge is sort of coffee coloured now so I know it's working to an extent, but maybe not enough? Also, the gravel I have is slate rocks which is larger than standard gravel, could this be the cause? Should I change it?? I know this will be hard to do because of the beneficial bacteria but as much as I want a great, healthy tank I'd like to get my water changes down to weekly!

Now that my tank is cycled I wanted to add one or two new fish in the next few weeks but given the amount of waste already there I'm not sure it's a good idea.

I'm feeding once a day a small amount of hikari micro pellets.

Any advice would be great!!

 

[callycal]

Here is a pic of the bottom of the tank, I did a 50% pwc less than 24 hours ago

Those specs that you see above the rocks are attached to the glass not floating, although after a pwc there is a lot floating.

 

[Mebbid]

The waste accumulation is pretty normal. It will build up even in tanks with large amount of mechanical filtration.

 

[treemanone2003]

I agree with Mebbid. That accumulation is kinda normal and the only way to really get it all is a bare bottom and doing a wipe down of all the glass. Only other thing I can say is there's no such thing as changing too much water.

 

[Plantaholic]

Maybe an UGF would help with rocks of that size. A gravel vac would be tough to do with the slate.
Edit: never mind just realized you said bio-orb!
Or, a flat long air stone beneath the slate to kick the waste up into the water until the filter sucks it in....
Edit: maybe 2 small air stones, one on each side?!?

 

[callycal]

Thank you so much! I'm new to fish keeping and just want to do it right lol.

I will defo look into some air stones too, really appreciate the advice!!

 

[Sk3lly]

When you syphon water out of your tank for a PWC, try squeezing the end of the hose into the bucket. This will lower water flow through the hose thus slowing down the time it takes to remove water. Might give you more time to clean as you desire

 

[Plantaholic]

When you syphon water out of your tank for a PWC, try squeezing the end of the hose into the bucket. This will lower water flow through the hose thus slowing down the time it takes to remove water. Might give you more time to clean as you desire

+1 on this also. I've never seen them sold apart, but the last vac I bought included a clip that secured to a bucket and had a piece that the hose ran through that could squeeze and restrict the flow of the hose at different levels.

 

[callycal]

Thanks guys!! I will defo look for one of those vac's. It would make life so much easier especially with such a small tank!