Unergravel filter as an addition.

[Speakerman]

I've had my 150 gallon tank for a good while and haven't been able to get the water to clear up in it like all my other tanks. I attributed this problem to a lack of flow in the tank.

Thus I got two aquaclear 400 gph power heads and hooked them up to a nice undergravel system. There is now a high current in the tank and everything should get filtered better...or at least I think so.

Right now I have an xP3, emperor 400, 30-60 (wal-mart special), and 2 400 gph power heads. I have the most bio media I can fit in all the filters.

As for fish, 2-5" oscars, 6" pacu, 4.5" GT, 2-2" GT, 1.5" pink convict, 2-5" pleco, 3" pictus, 3" striped rafael catfish, 2-2" blood parrots.
I'm hoping this will clear my water up like I want it to.

Do you think this new upgrade will help with cloudy and just overall bad water?

(P.S. plz don't give me any poo about the Pacu. I've heard it all and don't want to hear any more. I love Pacu...One of the coolest fish I have and will never give him up.)

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I'm not a real fan of UGF's, but another idea is you could use it in reverse flow so the water current keeps the crud up out of the gravel and kicked up into your other filters intake. Some people like using them in reverse flow setups. Just an idea.

 

[Speakerman]

I was thinking that same thing...The power heads I got are reversable so I can do it either way...

 

[Lonewolfblue]

You planning on the whole bottom like that or just one end or both ends?

 

[Speakerman]

Well I allready did it. I have a surface area of 24" x 48", the UGF kit I got covers a section 18" x 48". There are two power heads and a pair of towers with the bubbles coming out. I'll take a pic in a few minutes maybe.

 

[MarkP]

UGF's are a very cheap and extremely effective method of biological filtration. That's why they are/were extremely popular.

They are also a pain to clean compared to canister filters, and often advertised as "maintance" free. They aren't, and are capable of killing fish if treated as such. That's why they've lost popularity.

Since you've seen the tank, and I haven't- are you reasonably sure that the problem is a lack of biological filtration? You mentioned filling all the filters with as much bio media as you could- Do you have anything providing mechenical filtration? Something to remove suspended particals in the water?

Is there a reason to beleive your biological filtration isn't enough? Any ammonia in the water?

If you have no ammonia in the water and still have a problem with cloudy water in a week or so, you might consider replacing the bio media in one compartment of your XP3 (I beleive it has multiple compartments? May be wrong, don't own an XP3) with some packed filter floss or similiar.

YMMV,

 

[Speakerman]

VIDEO at the bottom!!!!

In the canister I have the 4 sheets of mechanical foam, then bio media, then 2 sheets of fine fibet filter. For the two HOB filters, I've got the famous blue filter cartridges, and the biowheels.

The water used to have a brown tint to it. Now that I added this new filtration system, the water is crystal clear. It looks amazing. Here is a pic.

http://video.snoopdan.com/MOV01190.mpg

 

[Lonewolfblue]

If you have no ammonia in the water and still have a problem with cloudy water in a week or so, you might consider replacing the bio media in one compartment of your XP3 (I beleive it has multiple compartments? May be wrong, don't own an XP3) with some packed filter floss or similiar.

The XP3 has 3 baskets, each with a single divider creating 2 compartments in each. In my XP3, I stuffed one of the compartments full of filter floss. I also use ceramic cylinders and lava granules in other compartments as well. And the whole bottom basket is dedicated to the 2 coarse sponges and the 2 medium sponges. Then I have the Filstars fine filter pad on the very top. And I have no cloudy water problems.

 

[Speakerman]

If you have no ammonia in the water and still have a problem with cloudy water in a week or so, you might consider replacing the bio media in one compartment of your XP3 (I beleive it has multiple compartments? May be wrong, don't own an XP3) with some packed filter floss or similiar.

The XP3 has 3 baskets, each with a single divider creating 2 compartments in each. In my XP3, I stuffed one of the compartments full of filter floss. I also use ceramic cylinders and lava granules in other compartments as well. And the whole bottom basket is dedicated to the 2 coarse sponges and the 2 medium sponges. Then I have the Filstars fine filter pad on the very top. And I have no cloudy water problems.

How big of a tank is it? I've got allmost exactly the same setup in mine. I've got the coarse and media foam at the bottom, then ceramic cylindars, then some type of stone/pebbles, then 2 fine filters at the top, plus I've got the two HOB filters...

All in all though, I think my cloudy water situation is dealt with. My water is crystal clear as you can see in the picture and the video.

I just hope it will stay like that for the next month until I do another cleaning.

Thanks for the help bro.

 

[fish_4_all]

I just hope it will stay like that for the next month until I do another cleaning.

Does that mean you only do water changes and cleaning once a month? That could be the problem right there if you do. Most do it weekly as do I. I know how messy oscars can be so it may be just a matter of changing the water a little more often.

Either way nice tank. As for the Pacu, someone has to keep the oscars in line.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

It's a 75G Planted...

What really helps is the filter floss for removing particles. If you can get some, stick a handful of floss in and put the fine pads on top of it. I have mine stuffed, lol. But it works for polishing. And I do 50% weekly water changes, and don't vac the gravel, as it's Eco Complete and the fish poo is food for the plants. But I do get up the large visible pleco poo, lol. Stuff's nasty and long, lol.

 

[Speakerman]

I just hope it will stay like that for the next month until I do another cleaning.

Does that mean you only do water changes and cleaning once a month? That could be the problem right there if you do. Most do it weekly as do I. I know how messy oscars can be so it may be just a matter of changing the water a little more often.

Either way nice tank. As for the Pacu, someone has to keep the oscars in line.

I do water changes once or twice a week. I just don't clean the mechanical filters more than once every 3-4 weeks or so. The canister doesn't really need it, and the HOB filters don't really pick all the much waste up.

 

[fish_4_all]

Ok, I really on't know much about Canister filters and I wanted to make sure on the water changes thing. I just put some filter floss in my HOB to see if it helps clear my tank. If it does I will let you know.

 

[Speakerman]

sweet, thanks man. Where can I get this filter floss?

 

[fish_4_all]

LFS better have it or I would go to a different one!