"Used" tank, no fish, cloudy water

[fishwonder]

Maybe I should have been more clear. Just because Matrix and Biohome absorbs water doesn't mean that water flows through that media at any speed. The pores are too small and will clog in weeks thus negating any water movement through them both. That info in all over the web. Even when Great Wave Engineering was asked for any proof of reducing nitrates, they said they have no proof.

Matrix is just a smaller version of lava rock. Lava rock looks porous and if dipped in water will absorb some water, just like Matrix. But as you can see here Lava rock does not let any water through.


https://www.fishyou.com/filter-lava.php


Matrix and Biohome just clog too quickly as their pores are too small to let bacteria grow on the inside. Growing bacteria on the outside, not an issue.


Edit: You have a planted tank. Of course nitrates are low.

 

[Aiken Drum]

The reason for setting up the filter differently with matrix and biohome is to avoid the clogging. Thats why the testing methodology is inappropriate for these types of media. The testing just says, "doesn't work as advertised", but of course it wont because it wasnt used properly. Maybe it doesnt work as advertised, but we cant know because the testing wasnt appropriate to disprove the claim. Thats why i dont agree with the claim that website is proof. The testing isnt appropriate to test the claims in far too many instances. It just runs a test, posts results, and claims this proves that without justifying why.

The water isnt supposed to flow quickly through the media, it needs to be a slow flow, restricting oxygen to promote the nitrate consuming bacteria. Or at least what the various manufacturers say.

 

[fishwonder]

Again, anaerobic bacteria can not be produced in a home aquarium. More than dozens and dozens of articles all over the web states this but again, the author tells why it can't happen. It's chemistry...

[FONT=&quot]http://aquariumscience.org/index.php/14-2-4-anaerobic-myth/ [/FONT]

 

[Jonatheber]

I hope this goes away soon... It is making my den smell like moldy cheese!

 

[Jonatheber]

You don't need any carbon. Carbon is only needed to remove any medications from the water or to remove any smells. Like the article says, you don't want any hard media in your filter as water just flows around it. You need to have water flow THROUGH your media to oxidize ammonia fastest.


Here is more info on media.


[FONT=&quot]http://aquariumscience.org/index.php/7-1-3-filter-media-test/ [/FONT]

I bought a bunch of pot scrubby things from Amazon. My 407 came with four trays. The bottom one was all foam. The second one was the ceramic things. I left those in, and added two scrubbies on top of them. The last two trays up top were carbon bags and lots of free space. I removed the pillows, and added four scrubbies in each side (so that is another 8 scrubbies on each layer.


Is this what I should have done?

 

[Autumnsky]

Members on the media side discussion, please stay more on the OP's topic. Thank you.

Jonatheber, did you leave the vinegar in the tank when you added water to do the cycle?

Hence the moldy cheese odor?

Have you checked the pH?

I would start over. Nobody wants to smell moldy cheese.

Drain the water, rinse the substrate. Wipe out the tank glass inside with a paper towel to grab up the slime which might be forming on the glass.

 

[Jonatheber]

Members on the media side discussion, please stay more on the OP's topic. Thank you.

Jonatheber, did you leave the vinegar in the tank when you added water to do the cycle?

Hence the moldy cheese odor?

Have you checked the pH?

I would start over. Nobody wants to smell moldy cheese.

Drain the water, rinse the substrate. Wipe out the tank glass inside with a paper towel to grab up the slime which might be forming on the glass.

There is little to no chance there was any vinegar left. I cleared out the vinegar by using a python before I added water, and then I did a number of days of 50% water changes and concentrated on vacuuming the bottom of the tank. The smell started a day or three ago - I figure it is the bacteria bloom that smells.

 

[Autumnsky]

Maybe a big pouch of activated carbon then.